Essence hires interactive marketing firm to rev up volume for its Web site

By Nicole Smith
DM News
(October. 12, 2006) Interactive marketing and research firm Questus has signed Essence magazine to its roster of media and communications clients.

Essence approached the company to redesign its Volume Web site in addition to recruiting and maintaining its online Volume panel.

"We can use the Internet to share the viewpoints of smart, consumer-savvy African-American women with the world," said Jeff Rosenblum, co-founder and co-president at Questus, New York.

Questus specializes in developing customer-centric Web sites and ROI-driven advertising. It also provides online marketing and advertising, Web design, media buying and market research. The company will handle the next phase of the Essence Volume Web site, including development of a blog and bulletin board.

The monthly publication has a circulation rate base of 1,050,000 and features content on African-American culture. Questus conducted research to identify the specific language that would speak to African-American consumers and translate into sales for its advertisers.

"One of the challenging projects we faced with Essence was taking over their old panel developed more than three years ago and reinvigorating it with a new name and design, trying to engage panel members back," Mr. Rosenblum said.

The firm, which handles accounts for ESPN, The New York Times, CBS, ABC, Suzuki and the NBA, also helps clients improve their search functions.

"We expand their keyword list to include more targeted keyword phrases, which will, in turn, lead to more acquisition," Mr. Rosenblum said. "We will also do variable testing to see what people respond to best."

So which variables garner the most positive response?

"Less is more," he said. "If you eliminate dead words and allow every frame to tell a story, you have the right triggers."


Go to Target Market News homepage

 

_________________________



Click here to read more

________________________

The African-American
Book Publishing Authority

Now in its seventh year of publication, Black Issues Book Review is the only nationally distributed magazine devoted exclusively to covering the latest news and reviews on black books. BIBR also provides up-to-date news on forthcoming author signings, book fairs and book clubs.
Want this issue? Get it with your new subscription.
Click Here

A TARGET MARKET NEWS PUBLICATION
________________________

 12th Annual Edition Available 
Latest 'Buying Power' report shows black consumers spending more on home life

As the American economy continues to move sluggishly, African-American households are curtailing their spending in many categories, including food, clothing and basic household items, while investing more in home repair, home entertainment and consumer electronics. Although they are trimming back, black consumers are still spending more than their white counterparts on most of these products.
Story and statistics continued
_________________________

  SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 


The trade publication for
in-depth coverage of Black
Consumer Marketing
and Media news