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23 Jul 2008
Nearly three-quarters of web users have left a favourite site because of intrusive or annoying ads, according to new research.
The annual Consumer Attitudes to Online Advertising study from HowTo.tv claims to have identified a growing resistance to badly-targeted online advertising, particularly among younger consumers.
The 25 to 34 year-old crowd are the least tolerant, 84 per cent of whom have abandoned a favourite online haunt at the sight of intrusive or irrelevant advertising, up 20 per cent on last year's survey.
Bugbears included ads with loud noises, pop-ups covering web content, and ads that were difficult to close, minimise or navigate away from.
The survey revealed that gambling sites, financial services companies, car companies and beauty brands were some of the worst offenders.
On the positive side, it seems that many surfers are engaging with online video. Around 70 per cent of respondents stated that they have watched an online video, but the impact of video ads varied widely depending on age.
When asked about the effect of a video ad on their favourite website, 56 per cent of 16 to 24 year-olds and 44 per cent of 25 to 34 year-olds said it would make them more likely to purchase the brand.
This compared to 38 per cent of 35 to 44 year-olds and 29 per cent of 45 to 54 year-olds.
"The survey highlights the urgent need for brands and media owners to rethink traditional approaches to online advertising," said Russell Goldsmith, co-founder and digital director at HowTo.tv.
"The difference in behaviour between younger and older web users shows that the mass audience model does not necessarily work in the online environment.
"It risks alienating web users and negatively impacting on their propensity to purchase."
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Do you agree?
Intrusive Ads
I think we are standing on an inflection point in terms of online advertising. The power is shifting to the user. Customer feedback would play an increasingly important role in decisions involving the kind of advertising they are being fed. Businesses must work harder to minimize frustrating features(which obviously includes inappropriate ads, lengthy downloads and poor navigation) in order to develop a positive online relationship with their customers. But a section of the online advertising professionals think that in terms of click through rates, popups, overlays, audio banners and intros are really the best performing formats, and that is why they continue to be used. But I think one needs to be careful when measuring 'effectiveness', or talking about 'what is proven to work' when that basically comes down to the 'number of clicks' an ad delivers. Clicks don't tell you very much at all. Many clicks on intrusive ads are made in error and shouldn't be counted as valid. In fact, these clicks are worse than no clicks at all, since the brand has annoyed the web user. Targeting is going to be the mantra and the days of measuring a campaign's success by simply counting clicks are surely numbered.
Posted by: vineet 25 Jul 2008
ITV F1 site is worst offender
Every time you click a link you get another full size advert in a new window, so you can end up with a dozen or more.... I am having to add new websites to my hosts file almost evry week, that way I just get blank windows.
Posted by: M Martin 24 Jul 2008