Decline In Search and Display Satisfaction Levels For Online Media Owners
A new survey of online media owner service levels has revealed overall unsatisfactory results in the service levels of both search and display online media owners, but minor improvements in some key areas.
The IPA Digital Media Group’s survey, a follow up to one sent out in May, has found that there has been an overall decline in satisfaction levels for online media owners in both the display and search sectors.
On a like for like basis there has been a slight decline of 3.2% in the overall level of satisfaction at the top two box levels (strongly agree/agree) from an average score of 43.5% in May to 40.3% in September for display, and a 5.1% decline from 42.7% to 37.6% for search.
This second wave of research also asked respondents to rate the four main social networking sites (BEBO, Facebook, Myspace and Youtube), with results revealing that only one of these four crossed the 40% level of satisfaction.
Despite generally poor results, said the IPA Digital Media Group, there have been improvements in overall score by the display media owners who found themselves at the bottom of the rank order at the first wave of research.
EMAP Online increased its score by 13 percentage points and EMAP’s position in the league table improved significantly, from 17th out of 20, to 7th. The Times Online, Telegraph Online and E-Type also made improvements.
Wayne Arnold, European chief executive, Profero and chair IPA Digital, said: “The main aim for the introduction of the survey was to continue to raise the digital standard in the industry, and we are pleased to see that progress has been made in some key areas.
“However there is concern that the overall feeling on the level of service has declined over the last six months, which reflects challenges that sales houses have. As volumes and investment increases, they need to ensure they are matching this with extra resources, training and talent.”
Matt Simpson, director of Digital Communications EMEA P&G, Starcom, and deputy-chair IPA Digital, said: “The second stage of the IPA’s Online media owner survey has truly shown why it was needed in the first place. As an industry it is imperative we understand the key issues that affect us all, trafficking and after sales care was one such issue and a 9% increase in satisfaction shows the media owners listened.
“A major concern is that the new survey shows it’s becoming harder than ever to contact sales reps, let’s hope we see the same positive action regarding this issue in the next survey.”
IPA: 020 7235 7020 www.ipa.co.uk