Burst Online Insights
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The Perils of Ad Clutter
Ad Clutter Benefits No One
One obstacle to getting consumers’ attention online is ad clutter. We define ad clutter as the overcrowding of a web page with advertising units to the point of degrading the web users’ experience. Burst recently surveyed over 4,000 web users to better understand two things: how clutter impacts the web users Internet experience, and its impact on their perception of advertisers.- Ad clutter is not tolerated by web site visitors – many web users abandon a site they believe to be cluttered.
- Ad clutter can negatively impact a consumers’ perception of an advertiser’s product or service.
Cluttered Sites Do a Disservice to the Publisher, the Advertiser and the Visitor
Clutter Annoys the Audience.
The Burst survey found that respondents accept that advertising will appear on a web page. However, for a majority (52.6%) there is low tolerance for more than two advertising units per web page. One-quarter of respondents (27.3%) say they will tolerate only a single advertisement per web page, and another one-quarter (25.3%) will tolerate just two ads per page.
Clutter negatively impacts the audience and leads to site abandonment. More than one-quarter (29.9%) of survey respondents immediately leave a site if they perceive it to be cluttered. Women are more likely than men to abandon a site that appears cluttered – 32.1% versus 27.5% (Chart 1).
Clutter Diminishes Ad Effectiveness.
Three-quarters (75.5%) of respondents who remain on a site they perceive to be cluttered say they pay less attention to advertisements appearing on its pages. This finding is consistent for men and women, as well as all age and income segments.
Clutter Negatively Impacts Brand Perception.
Clutter Negatively Impacts Brand Perception.
The most resounding finding from this survey is the negative impact advertising clutter has on a consumer’s perception of an advertiser’s products and services. One out of two (52.4%) respondents has a less favorable opinion of an advertiser when their advertising appears on a web page they perceive as cluttered (Chart 2). Women are more likely than men to say that clutter negatively impacts their opinion of an advertiser, 56.4% versus 48.3% respectively. Additionally, clutter’s negative impact on respondents’ opinions increases as a respondent’s age increases – rising from 46.8% of respondents 18-24 years to nearly two-thirds (63.2%) of respondents 55 years and older.
Combat Ad Clutter
As an advertiser choose your media vehicles wisely.
Clutter diminishes the effectiveness of advertising messages and can negatively impact consumers’ brand perception. As a result, clutter is a hidden cost that will impact the effectiveness of your message and consequently the return on media spend. To combat ad clutter work with trusted partners who provide full transparency into your placements, and require documented quality standards that ensure your ad is not placed on a cluttered site where it must battle for the audience’s attention.
If you are a web publisher – think carefully about site design. While initial yield per page may decline with fewer ads, the improved experience will help you grow you audience and provide advertisers with better value.
Uncluttered Quality Sites in Burst’s Networks
All sites added to Burst’s networks are subject to a rigorous screening process. Burst also audits network sites several times a year to ensure they continue to meet our standards. Our continuous review guarantees your advertising message is placed in a high quality content environment, and receives the maximum exposure it deserves.
With the New Year rapidly approaching many will be turning to the web for information to help them keep their New Year resolution of losing weight and getting fit. Below are some clutter-free examples of engaging diet and health related sites in Burst’s networks.
Burst Content Channels That Reach Dieters
A recent Burst Media survey found that two out of three (66.2%) web surfers use the Internet to gather wellness information. (Online Insights, June 2008) One particular wellness seeking segment that has flocked to the Internet is dieters – and particularly women dieters. To help marketers reach this segment, Burst offers a number of ad packages that draw an audience saturated with this important, influential and attractive target (Chart 3).
The Burst Food and Drink Channel provides the necessities to plan your next great meal, either by using our recipe and cooking properties or reviewing our restaurant guides. More than half (55.7%) of channel visitors shop online and nearly half (49.3%) say the Internet is their primary source of information on products they are considering to purchase.
The Burst Thought Leaders Network attracts an affluent audience whose decisions drive the market and the economy. Put your brand in front of an older, educated audience that has a hunger for news and information. The network includes 140+ respected news sites and blogs relating to finance, politics, business, technology, and international affairs.
Getting fit is a hot topic online. The Burst Wellness Network of more than 120 fitness and health-related web sites makes it easy for advertisers to reach health-conscious consumers. The network reaches a predominately female audience (72%) that regularly accesses online information about beauty, health, natural living, and fitness. These consumers use the Internet as their number one source of information for wellness information.
The Burst Women’s Channel is a collection of web sites that provide women with information to succeed in all aspects of their lives. Topics covered in the channel include; money and careers, health and beauty, parenting and relationships. Channel visitors purchase products online – with nearly half (47.7%) saying they do so.
About Burst Media
An online media and technology company founded in 1995, Burst Media (www.burstmedia.com) is a leading provider of advertising representation, services and technology to independent Web Publishers. Burst Media levels the playing field for Independent web publishers and allows advertisers to reach finely segmented, engaged consumers — in a clutter-free environment — through interest-based Networks and Channels. The company represents the broadest and deepest number of interest-based Web sites through its two premier Ad Networks:
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Delivers customized advertising solutions to brand advertiser looking to reach targeted audiences in a quality and engaging environment. |
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Simplifies placing direct response campaigns in front of the most appropriate targets to trigger consumer action and achieve campaign performance objectives. |
Burst also markets its ad management platform, adConductor ™, which empowers web sites, online ad networks, and web portals to manage the complete process of ad sales and service. Burst Media is headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, with offices throughout the United States and in London, UK. For more information, visit www.burstmedia.com or call 781.272.5544.
Online Insights is a monthly publication that highlights emerging trends in online usage and purchasing patterns. Learn about the latest online usage trends and purchase patterns with your free subscription to Online Insights.
