Content-targeted sponsored links are expected to become the fastest-growing interactive marketing tool in the next year, according to a study by Kanoodle and JupiterResearch.
Released yesterday, the Kanoodle Content Targeting Survey also found that 20 percent of advertisers will incorporate content-targeted sponsored links into their marketing programs, compared with other interactive tools: display ads, 14 percent; e-mail marketing, 12 percent; and sponsored links on search results pages, 15 percent.
Of the 70 percent of advertisers surveyed that used sponsored links last year, more than 26 percent spent at least $100,000 on their campaigns, the survey found. This number is expected to increase nearly 10 percent over the next 12 months.
As the search market matures, advertisers are looking beyond search results to content pages to find more quality distribution for their sponsored links. Sixty-three percent of advertisers surveyed said they would like the ability to target sponsored links based on user behavior, and 49 percent want the ability to target based on geographic location.
“This research confirms that advertisers see sponsored links on content pages as a big opportunity to drive sales and build brand equity,” Lance Podell, CEO of Kanoodle, New York, said in a statement.
Other findings:
· 40 percent of the advertisers said content targeting boosted their overall sales and revenue. Of this group, 55 percent of the advertisers with more than 1,000 employees reported an increase in overall sales and revenue from content-targeted sponsored links.
· 46 percent of respondents said they use content-targeted sponsored links as a vehicle for increased brand exposure.
· The survey was produced in partnership with JupiterResearch. Jupiter surveyed 725 current or potential users of sponsored links in December.
