Optimal Work Daily - Career, Productivity and Entrepreneurship 2010: Advertising's Bumpy Transition by Seth Godin on Trust-Based Marketing
Apr 2, 2026
A dive into how advertising moved from scarce, expensive magazine placements to abundant, targeted web ads. Exploration of why old buying habits undervalue online targeting and distort user experience. A look at how measurement, inventory and sales incentives shaped interruptive web design. Thoughts on why memorable, focused ads could better respect attention.
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Why Magazine Ads Were So Expensive
- Magazine CPMs reflected scarcity and were sold aggressively, so full-page placements could command high prices despite imperfect targeting.
- Seth Godin recounts $50k–$80k magazine buys and early web banners sold at similar rates because scarcity justified price.
Seth Godin's Personal Shift From Print To Web
- Seth Godin describes his career shift from buying $50,000 print ads to selling expensive online promotions to big brands.
- He uses his personal experience to show early web banners were sold at magazine-like prices with clickability as a selling point.
The Web Offers Precision Advertisers Undervalue
- Web ads measure exact page views and clicks, offering far more precise targeting than magazines.
- Godin explains web ad pricing fell to a fraction of print because advertisers undervalue this focus, preferring familiar mass metrics.