How To Combat Online Ad Fraud.

Marketeers are learning that advertising online can be like going down a rabbit hole into a world where many things are not what they seem and tricksters are all too quick to make your ad pounds vanish. One advertising network I recently examined found that at least 14% of its online ad placements were tainted by fraud or violations of its policies.

Understanding the pitfalls can offer a measure of protection. Advertisers should re-double their efforts to verify partners' identities and practices and should question measurements of ad effectiveness, which can be completely inaccurate even while being very precise.

Delaying payment to publishers and other partners provides additional protection. A delay should be long enough to give the advertiser or network a chance to detect fraud but short enough to keep honest publishers interested in the advertisers business - 150-200 days would have been best for one ad network I recently studied. With the resulting savings, the advertiser can offer a bonus to retain honest publishers.

Delaying payment cannot replace the detailed, specialized work of exposing deceptive marketing practices. But in addition to adding leverage, it demonstrates a serious commitment to uncovering the truth. For advertisers just beginning to realise the importance of protecting themselves from fraud, paying in arrears is a good first step.

Taken from HBR article by Benjamin Edelman. Full expanded article at http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/hbr/now/2009/11/dark_underbelly_of_online_ads.html.

Bosses Not Motivating Staff

Small business owners have been warned that their staff do not know what their objectives are for next year and are not feeling motivated, according to a report by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS).

The BIS report revealed that only 25% of staff have had objectives for 2010 clearly communicated to them and a further third do not even know if a vision for their business' future exists.

The report suggested this is having a negative effect on employee motivation levels, as only 27% feel positive about the year ahead.

"If leaders don't explain where the business is going and what it's seeking to achieve, how can people be motivated or know what they're meant to contribute? Clear goals are a key ingredient for achieving performance and productivity," said David MacLeod, BIS advisor.

Management Tip Of The Day

Three Ways To Instil Passion In Your People

Passionate employees produce better results. The best way to spark passion in your people is to demonstrate your own passion — but you needn't be a cheerleader. Here are three ways to authentically show your enthusiasm and inspire others:

•Focus on the positive. Employees know when a leader truly cares about a company or a project. Passionate leaders can't help but talk about what's working well and try to find ways to fix what isn't.

•Don't ignore the negative. Passionate leaders aren't all about sunny skies — they address negatives in a realistic way and help people solve problems.

•Set high expectations. This doesn't mean unattainable workloads. Passionate leaders should inspire and challenge people to do their best, without overloading them.

Read the full article at:- http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/baldoni/2009/07/passion_for_what_you_do_knows.html?cm_mmc=npv-_-MANAGEMENT_TIP-_-DEC_2009-_-MTOD1204