American consumers say they are more likely to act upon articles that include brand information than banner ads, pop-up ads, email offers or sponsored links, according to a new survey.
The US study of 1,074 adults, conducted online by Opinion Research Corporation in March 2009, was sponsored by Adfusion, an article-based advertising network and a division of ARAnet.
Article-based advertising was preferred by 51% of respondents, saying they are “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to read and act upon the material.
According to the survey, 67% of people between the ages of 18 and 24, and 56% of those making at least $75,000 per year say they are “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to read and act upon article-based advertising. Pop-up ads were least likely to be read or acted upon.
Survey respondents rated their likelihood to read and act upon five types of online advertising: banner ads, pop-up ads, e-mail offers, articles that include brand information, and sponsored search engine links. Respondents said they were “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to read and respond to:
- Articles that include brand information: 51%
- Email offers: 47%
- Sponsored search engine links: 39%
- Banner ads: 25%
- Pop-up ads: 13%
Young and high-income people showed their preference for online articles. Sixty-nine percent of 18-to-24-year-olds said they were likely to conduct a search for products or services based on an article, and 57% of those making more than $75,000 per year expressed their likelihood to perform a search.
Scott Severson, ARAnet president, said: “A key finding for marketers is that younger audiences respond to information that reaches them in the form of articles. More than two-thirds of the respondents between 18 and 34 said they conduct Internet searches for products or services they read about in online articles either very frequently or somewhat frequently.”
He added: “That tells us that article-based advertising rates highest with these important and discerning consumer audiences. Our interpretation of the data is that, compared to banner ads or other options, people respond better when they can read an article, evaluate it, and then decide to click through for more information.”
Earlier this month, IDC forecast that US online ad spending would be down year on year in the first-quarter of 2009 for the first time since 2001 (see Ofcom Plans New Public Service Channel To Rival BBC).
US online ad spending was basically flat in the fourth quarter of 2008, said IDC. During that time, search ads increased 10% while display and classified ads – when compared with Q407 – fell 7% and 18%, respectively.
Elsewhere, recent research from ad technology firm Burst Media found that most web surfers are not happy with having information collected about them in order for advertisers to provide them with more tailored ads (see Web users not happy with online behavioural ads).
