Ted,
The best click-trough rate probably comes on sites people pull up because they are already looking around to buy something. Someone looking for a Christmas gift for little Jimmy might surf "toys" and come up with a site about toys that also advertises "Hot Wheels" and click on that. Still, for brand-name recognition, just being at the right site might be worth something. Magazine advertisers figure they have about one second to catch someone's attention before the reader turns the page but even that one second reenforces their name.
BTW, evidently AOL discovered that ads in chatrooms have a low click-through rate. People are there to chat, after all.
Another of many problems with web advertising is demographics. If someone clicks, there is no telling whether that person is 10 years old or 50, male, female or other, black, white or green. Though there are hints from the content of the site someone clicks on--only a few guys are interested in specials on pantyhose--most clicks are anonymous. If, as an advertiser, I'm interested in finding married people between 25 and 40 with children, it is much more difficult for a web site to say that's who I'm reaching than for a TV network talking about ads during the "family" TV hours.
Best,
Steve |
