Comment
Ad-Owl 3 offers convenient features
By Kelly Hendershot
Upgrading to Ad-Owl 3 will allow newspapers to utilize many new features, increase revenue opportunities, and add convenience for readers.
In September 2008, the newest version of Ad-Owl, the online classified ad submission and payment system, was released. Major features of Ad-Owl 3 are listed below.
Account Management
The biggest feature of Ad-Owl 3 is the account management system for readers who place classified ads. This system allows users to log in at any step while retaining the information they have posted prior to logging in to the system. Basic contact information – name, address, phone number, and e-mail – will also be retained in the system for future use.
Order history will also be retained in the user’s profile and will include characteristics relating to the ad, including ID, order date, category of the ad, price, and status – whether the ad is new, approved, has been cancelled or was denied. These features are convenient for readers and are beneficial to newspapers since they increase the amount of repeat sales.
Easy Ad Renewal
Ad-Owl 3 was partly created in order to prevent frustration on the reader’s end, and that is evident with easy ad renewal. The individual placing a classified ad will now receive e-mail notices several days (as determined by your staff) prior to the expiration date.
Not only does this e-mail serve as a reminder for the submitter, but it also allows them to modify the ad and improves the likelihood that the item will be sold.
Pre- and Post-populate Fields
Another convenient feature for a reader who places a classified ad is the ability to pre- and post-populate fields with text, allowing the reader to resubmit an ad or submit an ad to a new category without needing to completely re-key the information. This will most commonly be utilized when creating a new ad from the current order and its convenience will persuade submitters to continue to place ads in the future.
Standard Upsells
Upgrading to Ad-Owl 3 will help newspapers gain additional revenue with its standard upsells. In addition to the upsells included in previous versions, Ad-Owl 3 offers the ability to bold and capitalize words by number of words, number of lines or the whole ad, as well as the ability to add a custom border and set a reverse background color to make the ad stand out.
The user can also submit extended online content, including online photos. Standard upsells are a great starting point in order to earn extra revenue and stay ahead of the competition.
Opt-In CAN SPAM Mailing List
The final new feature that is showcased in Ad-Owl 3 is the ability to offer customers the option of receiving commercial e-mails.
The Opt-In CAN-SPAM Mailing List, compliant with the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing (CAN-SPAM) Act of 2003, can be used to send generic e-mails from the newspaper staff to submitters about enhancements to the Web site or e-mails regarding Ad-Owl notices.
Upgrading
Making the upgrade to Ad-Owl 3 will greatly improve the newspaper’s online classified system and will offer even more convenience for the readers who place classified ads.
The price to upgrade from Ad-Owl 1 to Ad-Owl 3 will be $199; however, if a staff is upgrading from Ad-Owl 2 to Ad-Owl 3, the price is only $99.
Contact your TownNews.com regional sales manager to schedule the upgrade to Ad-Owl 3. For more information, visit www.townnews.com/solutions/ad-owl.
In September 2008, the newest version of Ad-Owl, the online classified ad submission and payment system, was released. Major features of Ad-Owl 3 are listed below.
Account Management
The biggest feature of Ad-Owl 3 is the account management system for readers who place classified ads. This system allows users to log in at any step while retaining the information they have posted prior to logging in to the system. Basic contact information – name, address, phone number, and e-mail – will also be retained in the system for future use.
Order history will also be retained in the user’s profile and will include characteristics relating to the ad, including ID, order date, category of the ad, price, and status – whether the ad is new, approved, has been cancelled or was denied. These features are convenient for readers and are beneficial to newspapers since they increase the amount of repeat sales.
Easy Ad Renewal
Ad-Owl 3 was partly created in order to prevent frustration on the reader’s end, and that is evident with easy ad renewal. The individual placing a classified ad will now receive e-mail notices several days (as determined by your staff) prior to the expiration date.
Not only does this e-mail serve as a reminder for the submitter, but it also allows them to modify the ad and improves the likelihood that the item will be sold.
Pre- and Post-populate Fields
Another convenient feature for a reader who places a classified ad is the ability to pre- and post-populate fields with text, allowing the reader to resubmit an ad or submit an ad to a new category without needing to completely re-key the information. This will most commonly be utilized when creating a new ad from the current order and its convenience will persuade submitters to continue to place ads in the future.
Standard Upsells
Upgrading to Ad-Owl 3 will help newspapers gain additional revenue with its standard upsells. In addition to the upsells included in previous versions, Ad-Owl 3 offers the ability to bold and capitalize words by number of words, number of lines or the whole ad, as well as the ability to add a custom border and set a reverse background color to make the ad stand out.
The user can also submit extended online content, including online photos. Standard upsells are a great starting point in order to earn extra revenue and stay ahead of the competition.
Opt-In CAN SPAM Mailing List
The final new feature that is showcased in Ad-Owl 3 is the ability to offer customers the option of receiving commercial e-mails.
The Opt-In CAN-SPAM Mailing List, compliant with the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing (CAN-SPAM) Act of 2003, can be used to send generic e-mails from the newspaper staff to submitters about enhancements to the Web site or e-mails regarding Ad-Owl notices.
Upgrading
Making the upgrade to Ad-Owl 3 will greatly improve the newspaper’s online classified system and will offer even more convenience for the readers who place classified ads.
The price to upgrade from Ad-Owl 1 to Ad-Owl 3 will be $199; however, if a staff is upgrading from Ad-Owl 2 to Ad-Owl 3, the price is only $99.
Contact your TownNews.com regional sales manager to schedule the upgrade to Ad-Owl 3. For more information, visit www.townnews.com/solutions/ad-owl.
(Kelly Hendershot is the marketing coordinator for TownNews.com. She may be reached at khendershot@townnews.com.)
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