The Pontiflex Blog

What Online Advertisers Can Learn From Ellis Island

June 30, 2010 at 11:33 am Jon Beardsley Leave a comment

The Grand Hall at Ellis Island

Herman Melville once said of the American experience: Our blood is as the flood of the Amazon; a thousand noble currents all pouring into one.  The truth of the statement is visible to me every day as I walk the streets of New York City.  But what really brings it home, so to speak, is a visit to Ellis Island.

A trip to Ellis Island is a must for anyone looking to develop a deeper understanding of American history.  For millions of immigrants, this was their first introduction to a new country, a new life, indeed a new way of being.  It was a point in time that represented complete and irreversible change.

In such a chaotic environment, how reassuring it would have been for them to hear their name spoken with the correct inflection, or a simple “Can I help you with that?” in their native tongue.  Faces would light up, even as the anxiety lifted.  At the moment they heard their name, people saw a glimpse of the familiar and sensed that America was a country where they could realize their ambitions and goals.

Many of us experience that same unfamiliar feeling (albeit to a lesser degree) on the Internet today. We are swept up in a deluge of information, newsletters, banner ads, search ads, Facebook fan pages, Twitter groups, email blasts, video rollovers, babel of advertising and advertising.

How then can an advertiser speak in a way that removes the anxiety associated with the online experience? How can an advertiser hope to be that familiar and comforting voice that helps build a deeper connection with people?

Here are some simple tips that can help an advertiser form a more meaningful connection with the end consumer:

• Say who you are upfront and communicate how you can be of help.
• Speak in a way that is relevant and personal to the person watching your ad. Don’t broadcast the same message to one and all. Instead, take the time to connect with people, and learn more about them in a way that is respectful of their privacy. This way you can communicate in a way that is meaningful to them.
• Give consumer information that is useful to them. Groupon gives consumers special deals in their zip code.  Tommy Hilfiger gives consumers information on Fashion Week specials and new arrivals that they wouldn’t find elsewhere.  Advertisers should make consumers feel part of an exclusive club – not very dissimilar from the feeling that many US Citizens experience at their moment of naturalization.
• There’s no need to introduce your message by singing the advertising equivalent of the Star Spangled Banner. Keep your text brief, to the point. Pithy. State simply how you can help the consumer, and why they should sign up to hear from you.

Ultimately, by following these guidelines, more people will respond to you. The advertiser builds a loyal community at a lower cost. The consumer gets a relevant and personal experience online. Because more consumers sign up for the ad, the publishers make more money. It’s a win-win-win situation.

Sounds like America to me.

Entry filed under: Online Advertising. Tags: .