Display - it's not just for branding anymore

This week Nat Worden of the Wall Street Journal wrote an insightful article on the state of advertising as a whole. Media titans everywhere are acknowledging that, even once the recession is over, advertising may never return in full force to major media outlets. The world is moving on.

No big surprises here, given that the past few years have shown a growing distaste among consumers for being advertised TO, rather than communicated WITH. Throw in the changing technology landscape and it's no wonder that traditional media is suffering. Disney Exec, Robert Iger, said they're feeling "signs of secular change as competition for people's time is increasing and the abundance of choice is allowing consumers to be more selective."

The rise of Search and Social Media have dominated the online arena as major players in the trend towards better relevance. "I searched on a brand, and voila! There it was!" Or " I'm going to try out this new [fill in the brand] because my BFF said it was so awesome." Well, It's a start. And research continues to confirm what we already knew – people don't consume media in a vacuum. Atlas Institute reports that the average person who converts on a site had 15 to 20 touch points prior to taking that particular action, and nine out of ten were exposed to ads from the same advertiser across two or more sites. So if your strategy to reduce media spend is to stick to only one channel, think again.

Advertisers and agencies might already be rethinking their online approach. Research shows that paid Search spending had its first major drop of 8% in Q4 of 2008. The decrease might simply represent overall ad spend cuts, or it could be signaling a trend towards a more balanced online media approach. With consumers having so many choices, being so selective, and demanding media on their own terms, doesn't it make sense to spread your word more wisely?

With Display ad technologies continuing to improve upon targeting and media accountability, and an inventory glut creating reduced display media rates, there's never been a better time to marry Display with your Search campaigns. And if you're already doing that, you can continue taming the online beast by taking a step back to re-evaluate the cost and effectiveness of all your online technology partners. There's always room for improvement.

– Layne Salter