As online advertising continues to evolve away from static images to larger and more dynamic forms, rich media ads have grown to become 32% of all online ads served in the second quarter by DoubleClick Inc., up from 14% in Q1. Rich media are also more effective, generating higher post-impression sales than static media, the online advertising services company says in its Q2 Ad Serving Report.
DoubleClick notes that rich media's rate of generating post-impression activity in Q2 surpassed that of static media, 0.76% vs. 0.55%, while rich media's post-impression sales were even farther ahead, 3.07% vs. 1.02%.
"Building on the success of online direct response, marketers are starting to really take advantage of the web as a branding medium," says Doug Knopper, vice president and general manager of online advertising solutions. "Click-throughs are being de-emphasized and we're seeing more memorable ads that will have a latent impact on the user. Rich media, which have shown massive growth, promise to play a central role in these branding strategies."
DoubleClick says that flash technology accounts for the largest percentage of rich media served, at 13.4%.
At the same time, however, DoubleClick notes that rich media click-through rates have declined 15% from Q1, to 1.87%. "This could indicate a growing use of rich media for branding rather than direct response objectives," DoubleClick says in its report. "Nonetheless, rich media click-through rates are still nearly five times higher than those for non-rich media."
DoubleClick also reports that the standard online banner ad (468 x 60 pixels) still accounts for a substantial portion of all ads served (42%), but has been losing ground to larger sizes. Since Q2 2002, the standard banner declined in volume 23%, while larger units like 300 x 250 and 336 x 280 rectangles increased 257% and 117% respectively. Skyscraper ads are now the second-most-popular ad format, accounting for 9% of total volume in Q2, up 55% from a year ago.
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