The key finding of this study is that online digital media assets have considerable branding influence, and that specific combinations can significantly impact a brand's success. The study shows that search marketing and online display can be viewed as viable branding channels worthy of their fair share of branding budgets, and requiring development of means by which to measure their impact on brand equity.
Key findings that demonstrate the relationship between the digital assets examined in this study and brand lift, according to the report:
Paid search result impressions have the greatest impact on brand lift, both in isolation and in combination with other digital assets.
The combination of paid + organic search impressions produce the strongest brand lift across most of the brand metrics measured.
Online display advertising is also effective at producing brand lift, but makes its strongest contribution when used in combination with search engine results. This combination produced a surprisingly high brand lift across many of the verticals studied.
Aggregate Findings, Analysis & Recommendations
Digital Assets Value In Unaided Brand Recall (15-35%) | ||
| % Lift in Unaided Brand Recall | |
Digital Asset | Control Group | Exposed Group |
Organic Search Impressions | 17 | 18 |
Paid Search Impressions | 16 | 17 |
Online Display Ad Impressions | 20 | 20 |
Organic + Paid Search Impressions | 17 | 23 |
Organic Search + Online Display Ad Impressions | 24 | 39 |
Paid Search + Online Display Ad Impressions | 23 | 38 |
Organic Search + Paid Search + Online Display Ad Impressions | 37 | 43 |
Source: iProspect, November 2010 |
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Exposure to combinations of two digital assets is more impactful than exposure to those assets in isolation. The combinations of both organic search results + display ads, as well as paid search results + display ads, generate a 15% lift. The combination of organic search results + paid search results produces a 35% increase.Marketers hoping to achieve brand lift of this type are advised to utilize two or more of the following channels to net an impact, opines the report.
Brand Favorability Experienced A Lift Of 11-40% From Paid Search Alone When Combined With Other Digital Media Assets. | ||
| % Lift in Brand Favorability | |
Exposure | Control | Exposed |
Organic only | 41 | 45 |
Paid only | 36 | 46 |
Display only | 34 | 36 |
Organic/paid | 40 | 56 |
Organic/display | 49 | 49 |
Paid/display | 44 | 49 |
Organic/Paid/Display | 48 | 46 |
Source: iProspect, November 2010 |
Exposure to impressions of each of the three digital asset types alone generates lift in brand favorability, with paid search results producing the greatest increase (28%), according to the report. This is the second brand metric where the combination of paid + organic search results generates the highest lift.
Exposure to combinations of two digital media assets considerably improves likelihood to purchase (16-73%), versus exposure to one asset type (5-44%).
Likelihood To Purchase (% Responding Very Likely) | ||
| % Likely To Purchase | |
Exposure | Control | Exposed |
Organic only | 23 | 29 |
Paid only | 18 | 26 |
Display only | 19 | 20 |
Organic/Paid | 22 | 38 |
Organic/Display | 32 | 37 |
Paid/Display | 28 | 34 |
Org/Paid/Display | 32 | 36 |
Source: iProspect, November 2010 |
Arguably the most important metric associated with brand equity, the likelihood to purchase is most impacted by impressions of the same digital assets and combinations that created the greatest increases in brand favorability and likelihood to visit a brand's website.
In the consumer-driven retail category, where trust is built online, offline, and even through social media and viral efforts, the report suggests that marketers should take note of how these digital assets shift the purchase path. By utilizing organic + paid search to increase favorability of the brand, and display media to encourage consumers to visit their website, retail marketers should find the unique combination of assets to produce the greatest lift.
The report goes on to summarize each of the verticals studied, with conclusions and recommendations for marketers.
Additional information may be found here, including access to the PDF file with detailed charts and graphs, for more study.
Fascinating numbers! It will take some time to parse and put into context for clients, but the benefit focus appears pretty obvious at first glance.