Andy wrote in to ask about putting a media pack together for potential advertisers:

“In your recent surgery review for Envirogadget, you mentioned selling advertising space, and developing a media pack.

Would you recommend site owners do this themselves or host the ads through one of the ad networks? And is there a ‘standard’ way to present a media pack?

Thanks guys, brilliant site, and really useful. May even pluck up the courage up ask for advice on my site one day…!”

Lammo

Hi Andy

Without a doubt you should be able to put a media pack together yourself – don’t be frightened by the term … basically potential advertisers want to know the answer to two questions:

What type of person typically visits your site?
And how many of them do you reach?

Of course you will have loads of different stats that will enable you to show off your sites benefits, but be sure to answer those two questions, and you’ll keep advertisers happy.

Take a look at what the London Evening Standard do: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/home/article-21640121-abc-figures-and-demographics.do. Very basic, and to the point, but it answers those two key questions, and if you were looking to target up to 1.7m web-savvy, stylish Londoners who earn more than £40,000 a year, you’d be happy to advertise with them! If you’re looking to get a few more people into your pound shop in Peckham, then you probably wouldn’t see the LES as a good match.

You don’t have to include prices, although advertisers are likely to ask – it’s worth striking up the conversation to see if your site is a match for the advertiser – if so, then you should be able to work out a deal between you!

Clarke

I would recommend you do both, or at least have the option to do it.

Get a media pack, look at what other sites in your sector are doing, and base yours off of established sites, but please don’t just copy them. In general, folk want to know your reach and the type of people looking at your site, who has placed adverts before (if any) and what your rate prices are. Typically, most people won’t want to pay your asking price if you are not booked out all the time. What you should do is advertise that you have advert space for sale, and if you find that you have not sold any adverts, simply backfill with adverts from Ad Networks. Try a few out to find out what works best for you.