According to the results of a recent comScore study of vertical ad networks, targeting ads to specific audiences online according to demographic or category content, the collective reach of vertical
ad networks tracked has increased substantially in the past year, from 21.5% of the total U.S. Internet audience in March 2008 to 57.1% in March 2009.
Vertical ad networks tracked include entities
such as Adify Media, Federated Media, Glam Media and Travel Ad Network, among numerous others.
Growth in Vertical Ad Network Reach (Total U.S., Home/Work/University Locations) |
Category | Mar-08 | Mar-09 | Percent Change
(2009) |
Total U.S. Internet Audience | 188,010 | 192,173 | 2% |
Vertical Ad Networks, Unique Visitors (000) | 40,343 | 109,757 | 172% |
Vertical Ad Networks, Reach (%) | 21.5% | 57.1% | 166% |
Source: comScore, April 2009 |
Lesle Litton, VP, Media at comScore,
concludes that "... as more vertical ad networks prove their ability to effectively reach specific target audiences by aggregating... publisher sites... the industry will likely give greater
consideration to these emerging ad delivery channels."
The study shows that vertical ad networks are effective in reaching people with significantly higher than average engagement in
their respective content categories. Of the five segments studied, people reached by vertical ad networks spent at least 60% more time in those site categories than the average category visitor.
People reached in the Gaming segment spent 423 minutes per visitor on sites in that category, 123% higher than the average visitor.
Engagement of People Reached via Vertical Ad Networks (March 2009 Total U.S. - Home/Work/University Locations) |
Site Category | Average Minutes per
Visitor? |
People Reached by Vertical Ad Network | Average
Category Visitor | Index* |
Gaming | 422.9 | 190.0 | 223 |
Entertainment | 417.8 | 191.4 | 218 |
Community | 136.2 | 82.1 | 166 |
News/Information | 123.8 | 77.3 | 160 |
Health | 54.2 | 31.7 | 171? |
Source: comScore, April 2009
(*Index = Time Spent by Vertical Ad Network visitors / Time Spent by Category Visitors x 100; Index of 100 indicates average representation) |
For more information from comScore, please visit here.