Advertising

KISS Principle

Pipeline Online has a “Keep it Simple, Stupid” business philosophy when it comes to advertising. I offer one form of ad, and one price.

All ads are video ads, 30 seconds in length, in 1080p high definition. Every story has at least one ad associated with it. I tend to write long, in-depth, highly-detailed stories which allow me to place multiple ads within the story content. Analytics show that if I post a story that will take an average of 7 minutes to read, most views that day are 5-6 minutes long. The bounce rate is consistently less than 1 per cent. All that means that nearly everyone who comes to Pipeline Online reads the whole story to the conclusion. And if they are there, they mean to be there.

In other words, those who like it, like it a lot.

All ads are placed in a random rotation so that everyone gets roughly equal play. There is no preferential placement. Each slot in that rotation is $500 per month plus tax, payable within 30 days.

You can buy multiple slots if you like, and run multiple ads. And I’m very easy to get along with when it comes to starting or stopping ads, or swapping them out, especially if you have provided them.

If I am the one going out into the field, shooting new material to produce an ad (as well as other videos you can use for your own usage), I ask that you run your ad campaign at least six months. But there will not be an additional charge to shoot the video. Normally I would charge a minimum of $2,500 for a video project. These is no time commitment if you provide the ad.

If I have produced the ad, I will provide you with the final edited video files. As long as you have an ad running on my site, you are welcome to use those video ad(s) in your social media campaigns, posting it to LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc. I will also post it to my YouTube channel so that you can embed it into your own webpage at minimal effort.

And that’s it! $500 per month!

Why Video?

In preparing to launch this site, I realized I did not have the time to deal with multiple forms of ads or ad placement. I’d be too busy generating the high quality content that makes the site worth reading. So I needed to pick one form of ad, and I might as well pick the best.

I used to be a drill instructor of air cadets for many years. One of the first things you do in teaching a group of 15 people how to march is this: After you give the command to halt, inevitably someone is out of position because they screwed up. They will try to fix themselves. The instructor yells, ‘Don’t move!” That’s because every eye in the room will immediately go to that movement.

God gave us pointy teeth to tear flesh. The human eye is that of a predator. Anything that moves is something you can kill, and something you can eat. If you’ve ever hunted in your life, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Video advertising is the highest form of advertising. It’s simple biology. Nothing is going to trump it. That’s why TV has been so successful. That’s why Facebook and YouTube have largely moved to video ads. That’s why we now have video signboards along the streets.

Generally speaking, if it’s moving on Pipeline Online, it’s an ad. The first click turns on the sound, the second click takes you to the link associated with the ad.

Because up 80 per cent of views are on smartphones, held vertically, it’s important that any text within an ad be large, simple and clear.

I will not be coming to you every week asking you to buy a spot in whatever the promotion of the week is.

Pipeline Online does not receive any form of journalism subsidy from the federal government. Period. This is unlike nearly all the mainstream media, and local newspapers, across the country. I am entirely independent. And that means I ask the questions the other media choose not to, when it comes to energy. 

Who Is It Reaching?

Pipeline Online typically posts several stories per day, Monday to Friday, as well as a few pieces on the weekend. The lead story is generally posted at 7 a.m. Additional content is provided from a stable of superb columnists, with the Canadian Press and Associated Press providing a broader scope of coverage.

Each story is posted to PipelineOnline.ca, and then to four social media channels:

Occasional photos or videos are posted to Instagram, to connect to the younger audience.

The LinkedIn presence is key. Generally speaking, only people directly involved within the energy sector have been accepted as followers/connections. In the spring of 2022, I had my daughter go through the first 1,200 followers on LinkedIn. Roughly 30-40 per cent were:

  • President/CEO
  • Owner
  • Vice President
  • Entrepreneur
  • Operations Manager
  • Project Manager
  • Production Foreman
  • Area Manager
  • General Manager
  • Superintendent
  • Consultant
  • Professional Engineer
  • Professional Geologist, etc.

That 1,200 followers is just about 2,600 as of mid-September, 2023. And while I haven’t had time to analyze the rest yet, those numbers are roughly consistent, with probably 25-30 per cent of current followers in those positions.

These are people who make decisions, and have money to spend. They also, generally speaking, have their own personal money to spend, and invest, as well.

I have identified at least 20 CEOs of either energy producers or major service companies following them as LinkedIn/Facebook/Twitter (mostly LinkedIn) followers or connections.

This is key because the stories I am writing provide the depth that allow these decision-makers to make informed decisions. Should they be laying people off, or buying two more trucks? If these are the decisions you’re making, then Pipeline Online provides the intelligence and research in its stories to allow you to make informed decisions. And no one else comes even close to doing this for the Saskatchewan energy market.

So, are these the people you want to reach, or would you prefer to buy a rink board?

Contact

For more information, or to book an ad, contact:

Brian Zinchuk

306-461-5599

brian.zinchuk@pipelineonline.ca

 

 

 

 

 

 

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