With the abundance of negative and depressing news about failing economy’s, business owners seem to be left with two choices: thrive or fail. Hopefully smart business owners will turn to New Media as a saving grace. New Media offers advertisers much more control than traditional forms ever did. Take for example, media buys-the method by which an advertiser purchases an advertising slot. In traditional media, radio, print, television, etc, there is a minimum buy in meaning the advertiser has to pay X just to have a spot. Often times the amount is dictated and driven by large advertisers making the spend very high. But with today’s recent economic conditions and emerging New Media channels, the playing field has been leveled. Here are three tips to look for when selecting your New Media ad spend:

1) Target Audience: Now more importantly than ever, know who your targeting. Look for online destinations and other online events that have a good chance to reach your target audience. Buying blanket banner ads may not be a good use of your ad budget, but taking some time to research and contact very niche websites where your target audience may frequent could prove to be extremely viable.

2) Maximize Advertising Face Time: As they say, the more time on the wall the better. Look for New Media opportunities that have a lasting effect. Pay per Click ads can be expensive and time out when your budget is gone, but event sponsorships, social media group sponsorships, forum moderators and other long lasting venues can last for years.

3) Communicate: If you didn’t before, start now. Social Media is today’s communication platform. Remember when launching a social media advertising campaign, don’t sell…inform. When developing ad creative or text copy, offer the prospective visitor a value driven reason to take action (click, call, complete a form, etc.) The key to mastering Social Media….be honest and creative.