Beyond the Banner ... Beyond the Network ...

... beyond the sea
somewhere waiting for me
my Web ad stands on golden sands
and watches the clicks that go sailin’ ...

Okay, it’s the last day of ad:tech, so things are bound to get a little punchy. Still, I’d love to hear some Bobby Darin mixed in with whatever this is that’s being piped through the sound system before the session begins (which is pretty good, I have to say; sort of a modern spin on Motown).

Anyway, this is a session with big promise, “designed for the more advanced online marketer seeking new tactical approaches to leverage the unique features of the web beyond standard IAB units placed blindly across ad networks.”

Now we’re talking.

I was surprised by the turnout. At the start time, there were less than 50 people in the room, and that included moderator Susan Bratton (co-founder and CEO of Personal Life Media) and the four panelists: Tom Koletas, VP and Managing Director of ad sales for Imaginova Corp.; John Ardis, VP of corporate strategy for ValueClick, Inc.; Stanley Holt, VP of Publishing for eHarmony; and Rob Rustad of Collarity. The room filled up a bit, but it was nonetheless a relatively sparsely attended session.

“The mid-tail and the promise of engagement” was the session’s subtitle, and just in time: “mid-tail” is an emerging buzzword that’s been heard all week.

What’s the mid-tail? It’s that place between the fat head (the easily recognized global brands, giant networks, etc.) and the long tail (sites that are by no means household names, that may deliver lots of passion but only a trickle of traffic.

Why does the mid-tail deserve your attention? Here are a few reasons:

Your ads are less likely to be drowned out by a sea of ads ... the mid-tail sites are likelier to partner with you ... there’s less “City Hall” involved as mid-tail sites can generally act quickly ... mid-tail sites are, by definition, more targeted ... mid-tail sites tend to display more passion than the “big portal dabblers” as Stan called them ... mid-tail sites provide affordable reach ... there’s real opportunity for affinity, as many mid-tail sites are in fact extensions of offline brands.

Tactically, there are a lot of ways to work with mid-tail sites. You can do widgets, games, advertorials, forums, and so on, but John makes a great point: Whatever you’re doing, capture data. Build your own database.

How do you find good mid-tail sites? How do you identify ad networks that do a good job of aggregating mid-tail sites?

[insert pregnant pause here]

The panel was reticent to name names re: networks, and tended to dodge the question, but there was some advice given that pretty much boiled down to: lots of legwork. Do a lot of search and research. Has the network been around for more than five years or so? Do you know people who’ve dealt with them? Dig, dig, dig.

What are some of the personal favorite mid-tail sites of the panelists?

[insert another pregnant pause here]

Golflink.com and DoItYourself.com were the only mid-tail sites specifically mentioned (bravo to Tom and Stan for naming names).

Bottom line takeaway: A smart range of mid-tail sites should be a component of any smart online marketing campaign, so roll up your sleeves and break out the elbow grease: There’s clicks in them thar hills.

(Footnote: Check out Susan’s blog over on DishyMix—materials from the panel will be posted there on Monday.

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