Banner Ads Still Prevail
A report from AdRelevance reveals that, despite the arrival of new online advertising innovations, the 468x60 banner ad is still, by far, the most popular option. The study indicates that 97 percent of all websites carry the standard 468x60, but also reports that the average site now supports four different ad formats, compared to three sizes in the second half of '99. A report for the second quarter of 2000 from AdKnowledge, meanwhile, found 125 x 125 buttons to be the second most popular ad size, far behind the 468 x 60 banner. According to the AdRelevance report, business-to-business sites are the most expensive for advertisers, with an average rate card of 47.27 U.S. dollars. Closely following B2B sites are health and fitness and home and garden sites, both with an average rate card of 42.50 dollars. Rate card prices for standard 468 x 60 standard banners have declined slightly in the past six months, dropping from an average full banner price of 33.22 U.S. dollars to 30.52 dollars per thousand impressions (CPM).
www.AdRelevance.com, www.engage.com/adknowledge
... But Savvy Technology Marketers Prefer Search Engine Optimization
A recent survey by technology PR company LEWIS has found that savvy marketers in the technology sector prefer search engine optimization over other online marketing options. The survey of 60 high-tech companies revealed that 82 percent currently use search engine registration as the focal point of their online
marketing mix. Only 45 percent run banner advertisements, reciprocal link programs or email marketing campaigns. Search engine optimization was quoted as producing the best return on investment in terms of driving traffic to websites. Most of those surveyed only allocate 10-20 percent of their total marketing budget to online activity.
Prospects for Wireless Internet
Marketing research firm IntelliQuest has reported new data on possible uses of the wireless Internet and attitudes from technology users on mobile e-commerce. After email, financial transaction-based activities show the most promise for spurring the adoption of the wireless Internet, provided that users have a completely secure network through which the transaction is processed and are given a
choice of suppliers and personalized services. The study was commissioned by TANTAU Software Inc., a leading developer of software and services for mobile e-commerce (m-commerce). "The 'Early Adopters' Attitudes on Mobile eCommerce' survey results indicate there is a high interest in the wireless Internet--70
percent among wireless device users--with 63 percent of respondents interested in banking or financial transactions-based activities," said Lee Dilday, vice president of Custom Research for Millward Brown IntelliQuest.
www.tantau.com
Europeans Poised to Leap Online via Broadband
Only a minuscule number (about 0.2 percent) of Europeans used broadband for Internet access in 1999, but Forrester Research sees a change ahead. By 2005, researchers say, more than 27 million will use broadband--about 18 percent of all Europeans--mainly driven by users wanting a better Web experience. "Broadband will force a Net-access shakeout because the investment requirements will be enormous," explained one Forrester analyst. "The new economics focused around scale, scope, and brand strength will change Europe's Internet access landscape. Established telcos and their ISP affiliates will crush cablecos like chell, independent ISPs like Freeserve, and broadband pure plays like B2."
www.forrester.com
The French Internet Experience
According to a recent survey conducted by TNS Interactive, very few French Internet users shop online. Only seven percent of Internet ready homes are making online purchases, although twice that amount are planning to begin shopping online within the next six months, the survey found. On the other hand, 51 percent of those households indicate no desire to purchase items over the Internet. Among the most popular items purchased online by French "Internauts" are music and PC software.
Women Outnumber Men Online
Women are apparently winning the battle of the sexes online. According to research from Media Metrix, Inc. and Jupiter Communications, for the first time ever, the number of women online surpassed that of men in the United States during Q1 2000. Plus, the number of women online is growing more rapidly than the online population overall. The researchers also found that online behavior among women in Europe reflects the U.S. in that European women also use the Internet to gather specific information to make their lives easier, rather than indiscriminately surfing across numerous sites. "It's no longer enough to think of women as the target audience," explained a Jupiter researcher. "To reach the women's market, sites must pursue deeper relationships, based on interest, personal identities, and affinities."
A Local Language, Online Advertising Monitoring Tool
Forrester Research has just launched its Internet AdWatch local language, ad tracking and valuation tool in France and Germany. "As online advertising increasingly becomes an important element of integrated marketing campaigns and a major revenue source for media owners, Forrester predicts it to be a 3.7 billion-euro industry in Europe by 2003," explained William Reeve, group director of European data products at Forrester B.V.