« SEW Experts: Get Your Web Site in Good Working Order: Google Website Optimizer | Main | .EDU domains and links »
October 3, 2007
Search Ads Fared Poorly in Trust Study
We're disappointed to learn that search ads fared poorly in Nielsen's survey of over 26,000 internet users worldwide. Just 34% of these respondents trusted search ads!
Let's see how well the remaining online vehicles performed. Only banners were judged more harshly, with 26% saying they trusted them. These other ad sources did far better:
* Emails I signed up for - 49%
* Brand websites - 60%
* Consumer opinions posted - 61%
Most likely, these results reflect the degree of user control. When you decide to check out products or services directly, you have some faith in the messages. When your fellow consumers weigh in, that's what you believe the most. However, when unknown or unwanted services are targeted online to you, that trust can start eroding.
It's a plausible explanation, anyway.
Posted by on October 3, 2007 12:15 AM
