Thank you for your interest in advertising with GapersBlock.com. In the next few pages, you'll learn why our readership is the perfect demographic for a wide range of advertising needs, whether you're a local business, national brand or just a guy with a couch to sell.
Inquiries for banner advertising on Gapers Block are handled by Rhizome Media. If you'd like to speak with someone immediately regarding your advertising needs, please contact Geary Yonker at ads@gapersblock.com or 773-474-3276.
In addition, Gapers Block runs its own text ad system. The ads appear at the top of every page on the site, and are available for a very reasonable weekly fee. Learn more and here.
About Our Site
There are many terms for the traffic slowdown that happens in the wake of an accident. Rubbernecking. Gapers' delay (caused by lookie-loos), et cetera, et cetera. But here, in Chicago, we say Gapers Block.
And that's pretty descriptive of our mission: to get you to slow down, look around and check out what's going on in our city.
We are a Web publication that provides news, event info and in-depth features particular to Chicago and the surrounding area. We focus on Chicago from a holistic perspective, but we also delve deeper with sections on local food, sports, music, politics, arts and literature.
GapersBlock.com is staffed by natives and transplants, North, West and South Siders. But no matter where we're from or where we live, all of us share a love of Chicago and a desire to share the joys of the city with others.
The Lay of the Land
Gapers Block follows a magazine or online newspaper format, and is composed of many sections. On the front page of the site, you'll find Merge, a collaborative weblog on a wide range of topics updated throughout the day; Slowdown, a calendar highlighting events you may not have heard about; weekdaily photos in Rearview; and a question to ponder and discuss in Fuel.
In addition, we have several sections covering specific topics:
• A/C — An arts and culture blog looking at theatre, art, dance, classical music and more.
• Book Club — A companion to our well-attended book club events.
• Drive-Thru — A blog tracking the city's vibrant food and drink scene.
• Mechanics — A blog examining the political arena in Chicago and Illinois at large.
• Tailgate — The only place fans of all Chicago sports can talk together.
• Transmission — A blog of news, reviews and features about Chicago music.
Reader Demographics
In 2007, we conducted a thorough poll of our readership. Our audience is composed of city dwellers who are highly educated, coupled, and have considerable disposable income. Here are some specifics:
Age:
11% are 18-24.
63% are 25-34.
21% are 35-44.
Income:
33% make between $30k and $50k.
38% make $50K or more.
Education:
58% have an undergraduate degree.
33% have a graduate degree.
Family:
While more than 50% of our readers are happily coupled, only 12% of our readers have children.
Occupation:
Our readers tend to work in advertising/marketing, computers, media and publishing, education, and non-profits. 40% plan to look for a new job in the next year.
Spending:
28% spend $50 or more each month on media/music.
23% spend $50 or more each month on live entertainment.
60% spend $100-500 each month on eating and drinking out of their home.
44% spend $1000 or more each year on vacations.
Site Statistics
Here's an overview of our most recent site stats. All figures are averages.
Weekday visits: 9,000-10,000 per weekday, about half to the front page
Weekend visits: 4,000-5,000 per day
Monthly visits: 250,000 (approx. 90,000 unique visitors)
Monthly page views: 1.8 million
Success Stories
Our rates are extremely competitive. In fact, compared to other Chicago-based sites and publications, Gapers Block is significantly more affordable. That means your advertising will be more likely to pay for itself and you can reach out to consumers more often.
Most of our advertisers are local businesses and organizations, such as the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce, Chicago Public Radio, Columbia College, Lookingglass Theatre, Old Town School of Folk Music and many more. However, we've also run ads from national brands such as American Express, Yelp.com and ZipCar.
Success Story — Newberry Library
Chicago landmark Newberry Library frequently turns to GapersBlock.com to publicize events, including their well-attended "Wednesday Club" series. Their campaigns have an average clickthrough rate (CTR) of 1.77%, with some campaigns earning CTRs in the 6% range.
A Success Story — Chicago Public Radio
Chicago Public Radio was looking for a way to reach a younger audience for its "Chicago Public Radio Presents" concert series. Advertising for the series has seen and average 0.85% CTR — not including the 3.5% CTR for the premier ad in Transmission.
A Success Story — The Book Cellar
Lincoln Square book retailer/wine bar The Book Cellar has run 12 campaigns with GapersBlock.com. Overall, The Book Cellar has seen CTRs of 4.45%, spiking as high as 15.8%.
Technical Specs
Currently, we accommodate banner ads and text ads. Right now, we aren't accepting video or expandable ads.
We accept ads in JPG, GIF and PNG file formats; Flash-based ads may be accepted upon review. Maximum file size is 40k. Animation subject to approval.
Ad Dimensions & Locations
Gapers Block currently offers banner ads in three IAB-standard sizes:
300x250 (Medium Rectangle)
A 300x250 ad slot runs on nearly every page of the site, and may be targeted according to section (e.g., Front Page only, just A/C and Drive-Thru, etc.)
468x60 (Full Banner)
468x60 ads run on Merge and Slowdown archive pages, as well as on Topical Section pages interspersed with posts. It's also available in our weekly newsletter, the Party Line (see below).
160x600 (Wide Skyscraper)
Skyscraper ads run in the far right column of topical section pages.
Newsletter Sponsorship
Gapers Block produces a weekly newsletter, The Party Line, which is sent to more than 1,600 subscribers. Sponsors may place either a 468x60 banner ad or a text-based ad. Please inquire about rates.
Gapers Block is proud to offer our own text ad service. Our text ads provide an excellent value for advertisers while maximizing exposure for their message.
For just $35 a week — that's $5 a day! — your text ad will appear at the top of every page on the site, just above the masthead. No more than five ads run at a time, further guaranteeing the visibility of your message. Our text ads tend to outperform the industry average, with click-through rates of 0.8% to 1.5% not uncommon.
Text ads are available in one-week (seven-day) increments, for a maximum of four consecutive weeks at a time, at a rate of $35 per week. Ads may be no longer than 100 characters, including spaces, and must be safe for work.
Click here for more information and ordering.
