Creative Specifications and Advice
Banner Specifications
Approved technologies
Sponsored Email Specifications
Direct Email Specifications
Journal and Article Alerts (eTOCs)
Online advertising tips
Tips for sponsored emailing
Tips for direct emailing
view example
We accept most forms of rich media including Flash. If you don't have the resources to create the ad, please contact us with your requirements and we can create it for you at a reasonable price.
Full Banner
| Banner |
Placement |
Pixel size |
Expandable size |
Max. file size |
| Standard banner |
top |
468x60 |
468x350 - down |
25k |
| Standard banner |
bottom |
468x60 |
n/a |
25k |
| Leaderboard |
top |
728x90 |
728x270 - down |
30k |
| Standard skyscraper |
right |
120x600 |
400x600 - left |
30k |
| Jumbo skyscraper |
right |
160x600 |
400x600 - left |
30k |
No more than 3 loops of animation or 15 seconds
Please send all creatives 5 working days prior to go-live date. Gif banners can be sent 3 working days prior.
Expandable banner guidelines
- The banner can only expand on user initiation
- Any sound must be user click activated
- The banner must contract on roll off
- The page must be restored to normal after banner contraction
Video banners
- All sound must be user-initiated
- Must have video play/stop and sound on/off controls as standard
- Maximum file-size is 30k
All video banners are subject to editorial approval within 24 hours of submission of copy. Video banners have to be submitted 2 days earlier than standard banners to allow for this additional approval stage. Please see the IAB guidelines for further information.
For flash files:
- Supply a back up gif
- Does the flash file include the click tag function?
To test this - click on the file, if a new window does not open, then it does not have a correct click tag function.
Adding the click tag function for flash files.
To do this, follow the below steps:
- Open the .fla file in MacroMedia Flash
- Add a new layer above all the existing layers, name it click tag
- Import a transparent gif onto this layer (make sure that this gif is the same size as the creative)
- Convert the gif into a symbol (F8) and select 'button' as its behaviour
- While this layer is selected, open action script and paste in the following:
on (release) {getURL(clickTag, "_blank");
- Publish the file and test that the .swf file opens up a new window when clicked
Web advertising can be used for . . .
- driving traffic to your site
- new product launches
- competitions
- surveys
- downloads
- registrations
- catalog sign-ups
- specific areas of your site that you want to highlight
- special offers
- targeted banners for niche products
- broad brand awareness
- promotions where an immediate response is needed
- generating subscriptions
- free trials
- events/web seminars/registering delegates
. . . and many more promotions
Tips for creating your web advertisements . . .
- send multiple pieces of artwork
- use bright but stylish colours
- strategic use of animation catches attention more than static banners.
Using Flash animation will give you more movement while
using less memory
- ensure you put a 'reason to click' on the final frame of your ads
- make your artwork as relevant as possible to our different sites/editorial content - we can make targeting suggestions for you
- ensure your artwork grabs attention - use powerful words on your frames to catch readers' eyes
- you could use a competition or a similar promotion to encourage clicks
- why not try something unusual - use flash animation or HTML for interactivity
- why not try a banner that enlarges when you hover over it
- you could also think of using an HTML banner with multiple links per frame
- be original and daring!
Below is a list of approved third-party ad-technology providers. If you do not see a particular ad-technology provider listed here or if you would like to know more please consult one of our sales representatives. New vendors will need testing in advance of deal completion.
We also use:
AdInterax, AdForm, Adition, Atlas RichMedia, CheckM8, Connextra, Engage AdKnowledge, Enliven, Falk AdSolution, Kaon, MatchLogic, MediaPlex PopUp, NetGravity, Planetactive, Pointdexter, Shoskele, Smartadserver, Tangozebra, ViewPoint.
view example
Top and Bottom sponsorship
You are welcome to have text on top and a banner on the bottom or vice versa. For a banner only alternative it is recommended to include plain text copy.
Banner:
- Top: Gif Banner 468 x 60 pixels, 15K in memory. Animated or one frame.
- Bottom: Gif Banner 468 x 60 pixels, 15K in memory. Animated or one frame.
Text:
Top: Three lines of text with 72 characters maximum on each line including spaces
Bottom: Three lines of text with 72 characters maximum on each line including spaces
- Prepare plain text emails using a text editor. Do not provide Microsoft Word documents
- Text URLs must be less than 70 characters
If you are supplying HTML:
- Point to image files and banners on an external website (or we can load the image
file onto our website).
- Use a dedicated HTML editor program like Dreamweaver, or use a text editor
- Do not use style sheets; use simple HTML text attributes like <b>, <i>, <font => etc.
- Make it clear at the start of the message what you are advertising and what you want readers to do
- We have noticed that scientists do not respond well to reduced price offers - they are usually not spending their own money. Free samples or premium gifts work better
- With more and more email programs blocking images some advertisers feel that a text copy with HTML links work better than a banner for our sponsored emails
- Detailed technical information can be ineffective in a marketing piece. Give a bit less detail and say that people can discover how your product works by visiting your web site
- Make sure you have targeted your eTOC segment to the perfect audience for your message
- Check all technical specifications above in detail
- Ensure that you personally approve the final test message that is to be sent and check all links are working in your test message
- Specify whether you wish your email to be tracked or not. If you are tracking your email then this may cause links not to work if further tracking is also added - specify your ad-technology provider
- Specify the kind of reporting you need in advance of sending your email
- Allow enough time to check your test and send artwork a week in advance of your send date
- Capture as much information as you can from your emailing by collecting contact information from readers who click-through to your site
- If you are using a banner creative, make sure you use bright but stylish colours and include a clear 'reason to click' on the final frame
view example
Please send us both a HTML version and a text version.
For the direct emails you also have to provide a subject line to the email and who the email is from (ie. the company name).
Subject line: A maximum of 50 characters so the recipients can read the full title.
HTML:
- Do not include any images in the email. Point to image files on an external website.
- Do not include any executable code, javascript, ActiveX etc.
- Ensure that the HTML code has no lines longer than 1000 characters
- Do not use style sheets: Use simple HTML text attributes like
<b>, <i>, <font = > etc.
- We recommend that you use a dedicated HTML editor program like
Dreamweaver or (if you have the knowledge and skill) use a text editor
- Avoid using the <tbody> tag if possible.
- Do not use spam terminology such as "You have been selected"?. Instead use
"You have been chosen"?.
Text:
- Prepare plain text emails using a text editor. Or save Microsoft Word document as "Text"
- Do not include any unusual characters (e.g. bullets)
- We recommend that you limit the amount of text in a text email and that you use
short paragraphs separated by 2 returns. This will make the message more readable
- When adding URLs, use the http:// form (e.g. http://www.the-scientist.com)
- Text URLs must be less than 70 characters
Effective emails tend to be short and catchy, with a clear "call to action". HTML e-mails have larger response rates, and 90% of our users are able to accept them. Here are some specific suggestions.
- Keep
the subject line short and catchy. E.g. "Announcing
XYZCo's new thermal cycler"; "Bioinformatics conference
for life scientists". Avoid spam-like subject lines
like "A special offer from ABC Co". Good subject
lines include *news*, something for people to *discover*
in the email or a *benefit* to them
-
Make it clear at the start of the message what you are advertising
and what you want readers to do
-
Provide plenty of links to your web site early in the message
as well as at the end and tell readers what clicking on
the link will do. E.g. "Follow this link to request more
information". Ideally put a link right at the top of
the message
- We
have noticed that scientists do not respond well to reduced
price offers - they are usually not spending their own money.
Free samples or premium gifts work better
-
Avoid spam-like language, which will often result in your
e-mail being blocked by institutional mail servers e.g.
"free", "special offer", "reduced
price", "limited time offer", "You have been selected" etc.
- Detailed
technical information can be ineffective in a marketing
piece. Give a bit less detail and say that people can discover
how your product works by visiting your web site
- Make
sure you have targeted your email to the perfect audience
for your message
-
Check all technical specifications above in detail
-
Ensure that you personally approve the final test message that
is to be sent and check all links are working in your test
message
-
Specify whether you wish your email to be tracked or not.
If you are tracking your email then this may cause links
not to work if further tracking is also added
- Specify
the kind of reporting you need in advance of sending your
email
-
Allow enough time to check your test and send artwork a
week in advance of your send date
- Capture
as much information as you can from your emailing by collecting
contact information from readers who click-through to your
site
view example
BioMed Central has Article Alerts automatically sent out to signed-up registrants both based on subject area and for individual journals. Please check with a sales rep if the journal or subject of interest is available.
- Please send us a 468x60 animated or static gif banner
- Provide a URL that the banner clicks through to
- The eTOCs are only available for global campaigns
- The reports will provide delivered impressions and number of registered users for the specified eTOC
The banner will be placed on the top and bottom ad placement of the Journal or Subject Article eToc.
Please contact us for further information: advertising@biomedcentral.com.
