"With the right creative, no medium comes close to blog advertising in efficiency, effectiveness, focus or influence," says B.L. Ochman in a post at her What's Next Blog.

But she warns that you'll probably see lousy clickthru rates if you approach social media campaigns with traditional metrics, content and methods. Here's a sampling of her in-the-trenches advice:

Don't assume big blogs are your best investment. Says Ochman, "Having run many high-yield blog advertising campaigns for clients, I can prove that some blogs with just a few thousand readers can provide higher clickthru than better-known blogs." The reason, she explains, is twofold:

• Advertising at a niche blog gives you access to a niche audience.
• Blogs with a smaller readership tend to have fewer ads, so yours has a better chance of standing out.

Never advertise at every blog in an ad network. It wouldn't make sense to place print ads in every magazine owned by Condé Nast; if you advertise in The New Yorker or Golf Digest, for instance, it isn't likely you're also in, say, Modern Bride. Blog networks can be just as diverse. "A savvy blog media buyer will buy within and across networks," notes Ochman, "and will pick blogs based on their content, reach, and branding within the social media community."

The Po!nt: Blog ads can play an outstanding role in your marketing mix—but remember it's an entirely new playing field where the old rules don't apply.

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