Why advertise online?

February 26th, 2010

Freightnet has been offering online advertising for quite some time now and we have seen the trends that peak and trough during economic booms and busts. During the lean times we have found that advertisers shy away from spending the little money they earn by pumping it back into online marketing. However in the last 6 months we have seen a buck to this trend with many more companies coming to us wanting to advertise their services.

We can put this down to a number of factors. Firstly, a recession allows dynamic companies to carve their way into a marketplace by advertising when other companies are tightening the purse strings. Cheap rates and high discounts offer an affordable entry for new online advertisers that could possibly have not been afforded during the lucrative times.

Secondly, the online market place moves very fast and dynamically. With sophisticated online tracking and specifically targeted campaigns, advertisers can cut to the heart of their target market and put their business in front of the right people at the right time giving them a much better return on their investment.

Statistics are key to any online marketing campaign. These can provide highly accurate assessments of your required audience. Don’t be afraid to ask any online publisher for any of their statistics. They are sure to have them and if they don’t provide them, then think to yourself if it is really what it seems.

Quality of advertisement is a key to the amount of clicks you receive. Your advert must catch the eye instantly and portray the message within a split second. It is worth getting a reputable agency to design your advert for this purpose. I have seen many occasions when some rather large organisations spend thousands on online advertising then ask their secretary to create an advert in PowerPoint which has the company logo and slogan with no sales message.

Make sure your landing page continues the message that your banner advert started. They have chosen to find out more so make sure the landing page continues their journey and ultimately ends up in a sale. Don’t think that landing on the home page is enough. The potential customer needs to be funneled into the sale.

Have a strategy. If a website is not attracting enough custom and you feel you have exhausted all avenues with your marketing then move on and try another website. There is no loyalty, the publisher will continue to take your money for as long as you give it to them.

Online advertising is there to be embraced and not feared or put off for another day. If done correctly, you could be reaping the rewards for a long time to come. Please just consider all the angles that you need to come at to achieve the success.

Coming soon … FreightSure

October 13th, 2009

We are pleased to inform you that we will soon be bringing you FreightSure, our online cargo insurance website offering instant insurance quotations. You will then be able to purchase instant cover for your consigment.

Please watch this space for updates.

Link to Freightnet from your website

October 1st, 2009

There are many useful pages within Freightnet that you may like to link to from your website. We have now created links on all the relevant pages within Freightnet that you might want to link to.

Simply go to the page that is relevant to you and scroll to the bottom of the page. You will see a section called ‘Link to this page’. Just copy and paste the html into your web page.

For example you may be a manufacturing company and want to give your customers a link to freight forwarders. if you go to the freight forwarders page and scroll down to the bottom you will see the code that you need to insert into your web page.

Example:

Edit your Freightnet Membership profile

September 30th, 2009

We have found that companies adding details to their company profile on a regular basis are more likely to receive inquiries. Editing your profile increases your exposure in search engines and allows potential customers the chance to see a greater profile of your company and services.

Setting up your profile is simple. Log in to your account and click the edit button next to ‘Freightnet Membership Profile’ (see image below for guidance).

Please contact us if you have any questions relating to uploading your profile.

Using Skype for cheap international calls

September 30th, 2009

For some time now Freightnet has promoted Skype telephony to it’s members. Our members can benefit from making Skype-to-Skype calls from anywhere in the world. Skype addresses are displayed next to members listings and with the click of a button you could be calling or chatting to our members for free.

For more information on Skype and details on how to download and install on your PC please click the Skype logo below.

Submit a Freight Press Release

September 24th, 2009

All Freightnet Premium members can now submit a press release via their account. By submitting press releases your company gains increased exposure within search engines and informs potential customers of updates and information about your services.

We have recorded a 15% increase in activity of those companies that submit press releases on a regular basis. Your press release should be informative and give the reader an insight into your companies services.

All press releases are administered before going live so make sure that you provide enough detail.

What should I write about?

Well, you may have a new service that you want to promote or you may want to let readers know about the growth of your company or possibly a new agent that you have signed up overseas. New appointments of staff are often very popular too.

How do I submit a press release?

1) Login to your Freightnet account.

2) Click the blue ‘Submit a Press Release’ button.

3) Complete the fields and the release date then we will do the rest.

What happens next?

Your press release will be submitted to our editors who will check the content and, if approved will set your article live. Your article will be associated with your company profile so people can contact you if they have a query.

If you are in the freight industry and are not yet a member of Freightnet then please sign up here.

New Freight Quote System

September 24th, 2009

Freightnet is pleased to announce it’s new Freight Quote system. We have taken on board our users comments and refined the system by channelling quotations down specific routes that suit the individuals requirements.

The requests are then approved by our administrators before going live to check the accuracy of the consignment. This provides our Freightnet members the specific details they require to submit a quotation for shipping.

Freight quotes are completely free and our members are more than willing to fulfil any queries that you might have about your shipment.

Freight requests have been channelled down the following categories:

Full Container Load (FCL) (Surface)

Less than Container Load (LCL) – Palletised (Surface)

Less than Container Load (LCL) – Non-Palletised (Surface)

Air shipment

Abnormal Load

Household / Office removals

Freightnet acts purely as a lead generator for it’s members and the sender will liaise directly with the freight forwarder giving the customer peace of mind that they can deal directly without any third party involvement.

We are always willing to hear any comments from our visitors or members to improve our systems and would welcome any feedback.

Please feel free to use our rate request system for free if you have a consignment of any shape, weight or size. Our members would be pleased to hear from you.

Shipping Containers

September 16th, 2009

There are many sizes and dimensions of shipping containers that suit all types of freight shipments. Common sizes are the 20ft, 40ft and 45ft containers. They are designed to protect your shipment in the roughest of conditions and can often take severe stress pressures from rough sea crossings and unloading at ports. They are built to ensure your consignment reaches it’s destination in one piece.

General Purpose Containers are suitable for most types of cargo and are built from either aluminium or steel frames with a plywood or hardwood flooring.

Below is a technical specification for 20ft, 40ft and 45ft shipping container:

20ft Shipping Container

Internal Dimensions
Length: 5,890mm
Width: 2,340mm
Height: 2,390mm

Door Opening
Width: 2330mm
Height: 2280mm

Internal Cubic Capacity: 33m3

Maximum Gross Weight: 24,000Kgs

40ft Shipping Container

Internal Dimensions
Length: 12,040mm
Width: 2,340mm
Height: 2,390mm

Door Opening
Width: 2,330mm
Height: 2,280mm

Internal Cubic Capacity: 67m3

Maximum Gross Weight: 30,480Kgs

45ft Shipping Container

Internal Dimensions
Length: 13556mm
Width: 2,340mm
Height: 2698mm

Door Opening
Width: 2340mm
Height: 2585mm

Internal Cubic Capacity: 86m3

Maximum Gross Weight: 30,480Kgs

If you are unsure which container best suits your consignement then leave it to the experts and request a shipping quote from our members.

Advertising with Freightnet.com

September 9th, 2009

In today’s climate it is essential that marketing funds are assigned as cost-effectively as possible. With more and more companies going under and business take-overs becoming an hourly regularity, there has never been a more important time to concentrate your efforts in the markets that matter.

Freightnet.com has not been developed overnight. Nor is it just a ‘passing phase’. With a decade of experience in helping to generate as much business as possible for its members, Freightnet has moved from strength to strength in all areas. This growth along with carefully developed partnerships and relationships has ensured that the world’s largest multimodal freight and logistics resource will remain this way for decades to come.

The re-launch of the website this year has allowed for far more advanced development along with space for a potentially unlimited number of features. Not only has our signature ‘Freight Quote’ system helped to generate new business for many of our members but soon to follow suit will be the likes of ‘Cargo Insurance’ and ‘Freightnet Legal’. These are specialist departments concentrating on the products and services most important to the loyal members of Freightnet.

Again, the future growth of the Freightnet model is unquestionable. But where does this leave marketing? As I said before, it is these challenging times when we should be looking to the most cost-effective means of spending money to help accumulate business for now and the future ahead. From the outset, Freightnet is an accomplished tool that aims to be the one-stop shop for all your freight and logistics needs. However, the site has become so much more than just a tool. In its expansion covering every corner of the globe, Freightnet has now become one of the few ultimate portals for business generation. With more services being compiled on a regular basis and more and more members joining every day, Freightnet.com is constantly being viewed by the most important people in the industry. Potential clients, from ship brokers to logistics recruitment firms. Importers and exporters around world swear their livelihoods to the business generated by the Freightnet model.

How does this work for you? Simple! We know that times are hard and that generating new business is a tough task at the best of times. This is why we have arranged our advertising in such a way to suit your needs. You pick the country, the continent or the web page. You decide how many people you want to see your banner from within those areas, and that’s what you pay for. We know how many people we get visiting our site and where they are visiting, but this doesn’t help you in your quest for the best pound for pound effective form of advertising. Guaranteeing you that the number of views you pay for does! Paying for time may seem like the obvious choice when advertising but, how many viewers are you actually getting? In the holiday periods throughout the year, or during a recession when there may be less people looking to import or export, how much exposure are you really getting for your money?

2010 promises to be an exciting year for business on a global scale. As the economies worldwide grow in strength, where will you be for the BOOM that follows every downturn? By ensuring your place amongst the most cost-effective markets in the world, you are not only preparing to compete in the good times ahead but you are preparing to win in those times.

Please visit our advertising page to view more details and complete the form for more information from Ash Howles or Craig Gray.

How do I pay for my advertising?

September 9th, 2009

Once your advertising schedule has been agreed and we have received the advert we will invoice you for the balance and you can pay by debit/credit card via PayPal. We also accept bank transfer in Sterling, Dollars or Euro’s.