Local ads pull in the punters

Ads placed in local online media are more likely to evoke a consumer response than those conveyed through more generalised formats such as search or city-wide classifieds, a new study suggests.

Ads placed in local online media are more likely to evoke a consumer response than those conveyed through more generalised formats such as search or city-wide classifieds, a new study suggests.

Clickz reports that, in a survey of more than 2000 consumers by the Online Publishers Association, over 42% were prompted to act (either making a purchase or visiting a store) after viewing an ad on the website of a local newspaper, TV station or magazine.

Generalised search portals such as Yahoo and Google generated a lower 37% call to action rate, while classified sites triggered consumer action in only 35% of cases.

The higher response rate may have something to do with the additional trust many people have in brands they feel are tied to their local communities. Ads on local newspapers were ranked the most trustworthy by 56% of respondents, with local stations second on 55%, ahead of the generalised media channels.

The survey also provide a pointer to those businesses that might make best use of local online ads. The most commonly searched-for items were restaurants and cafes (38%), grocery stores (28%) and banks or financial services (25%).

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