Online Journalism News

Advertorials darken the horizon for online journalism

Posted: 09/03/01 By: Caroline White

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Online journalists are being urged to resist a push by advertisers to sell editorial space on the basis that it does not make good business sense.

Andrew Stroehlein, editor-in-chief of internetcontent.net , says too many journalists are caving in to pressure from advertising executives who argue that the recent closures of many web magazines justify the sale of advertorials.

"Advertising departments want to offer advertisements in the guise of articles to clients," Mr Stroehlein said. But editors and journalists are wasting their breath talking about ethics with business bottom-liners: "They need to talk to them in the language they understand: the language of business.

"Pitching advertisements as articles is simply bad business, because it diminishes the quality of your brand. Your brand, name and reputation is your only link to your market. Readers recognise it, and they know what level of quality of expect from it.

"Nearly all text-based online journals are elite publications. You're dealing with a high class of customer; relatively well-educated, tech-smart and well-off. These people are not going to appreciate you wasting their time with advertisements disguised as articles."

Mr Stroehlein called advertorials the online editorial equivalent of 'spam', or junk mail, which diminished the value of genuine articles on the site. Readers would be more wary about returning to the site, with word-of-mouth reducing readership still further, he said. As soon as readership numbers fall, so do the number of advertisers willing to buy space on the site.

* This week editorandpublisher.com reported that advertisers are increasingly looking to emulate news story layout and design as a way of pulling in more customers. The traditional 468 by 60 pixel banner advert is becoming a thing of the past.

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