Customer Email Reigns for Web Turn on, but TV and Direct Mail Come Next

Customer Email Reigns for Web Turn on, but TV and Direct Mail Come Next

LONDON, March 13/PRNewswire/ -- As business sectors such as retail, insurance, travel, banking and
leisure become more dependent on online sales, marketers are anxious to
understand which advertising media are most effective at driving web visits
and purchases. Now new research, commissioned by Response One, has examined
the relative effectiveness of different advertising media for encouraging
consumers to visit a company's website and seriously consider a purchase.

The report found that emails to existing customers easily topped the
list, 52% more likely than average to inspire a web visit and serious
purchase consideration. However, the more 'traditional' media of TV and
newspaper advertising and direct mail (coming 34% and 16% above average
respectively), were second and third.

Sponsored search engine links and adverts enclosed with bills and
statements are also of above average effectiveness in encouraging web visits
and purchases. However, the research also found that advertising on social
networking sites is not considered effective by the majority of consumers. UK
consumers felt that such advertising, far from being effective in driving web
visits and transactions, was on a par (at 26% below average) with unsolicited
email (31% below average). A notable exception to this observation was in the
18-24 year old bracket, who put social network adverts and customer mobile
texts both on 22% above average for encouraging web visits and purchase
consideration.

Amanda Ling, data intelligence director, Response One, comments, "This
study punctures the received wisdom that online advertising is the best means
of driving web visits and purchases. Marketers still need to be using a
mixture of direct mail and above-the-line advertising, as well as ensuring
that they are communicating in a relevant and compelling fashion with their
existing customers over the email and through existing lines of communication
such as bills and statements,"

"Even in the 18-24 age group, social network advertising still did not
rival the overall top scorers - customer email, TV/Newspaper adverts and
targeted direct mail. This is not to say that the habits of the 18-24 age
range will not perpetuate into their forties and fifties, and therefore make
social network advertising a mainstream method of driving web traffic and
transactions. However, the marketers of today cannot wait around for another
20-30 years as this group grows up towards their highest earning and spending
decades."

Aidan Holloway
Lindsell Marketing
+44(0)207-402-0510

Source: Response One

Aidan Holloway, Lindsell Marketing, +44(0)207-402-0510

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