New research from Media-Screen suggests that brand managers and media planners should pay attention to smaller sites with less traffic when placing ads online as large sites are sometimes less effective when it comes to results.
Conducted by Netpop/Response, this study also found that small, long-tail websites could be very advantageous, providing novel ways for brands to position ads in places where users like to see them. The results show that more interest was shown in products and brands advertised on smaller sites than on larger sites.

• 42% of sites with less than one million unique visitors per month received a healthy response to advertised products from their site visitors
• 39% of sites with more than one million uniques per month received a health response to advertised products from their site visitors

While the difference is small, advertisers looking for an edge may find this strategy worth pursuing.

“Consumers have gained control over the content they consume online and advertisers need to adjust their strategies to match,” said Josh Crandall of Media-Screen. “By advertising on smaller Websites, those that consumers are visiting based on their personal interests, companies can reach a highly engaged consumer with a message that relates to a subject that is important to them.”

Advertisers may want to consider allocating a portion of their online budget to niche site sites as well as paid search text ads on vertical search engines. VSEs offer more that just paid search ads. Customized services can include editorials, interactive blogs, custom banners and other relevant links.

“Search engines are a driving force behind these trends, enabling broadbanders to venture beyond the major brands to the niche sites they previously never knew existed,” said Cate Riegner of Media-Screen. “62% of sites that respondents mention receive less than one million unique visitors.”

In November 2006, Merrill Lynch /Media Post reported that paid search would increase 27 percent and branded advertising would increase 21 percent in 2007. Both strategies are more effective with proper targeting. What better targeting can you get than niche sites and VSEs?
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