The Online Publishers Association (OPA) announced today that a recent poll of 24 OPA member companies showed that, among these companies, first-quarter ad revenue grew an average of 40.7% over Q1
2002.
In addition, total revenue among this group was up an average of 37.6% over the same period last year.
"The strong ad revenue growth of OPA member companies provides further proof that
advertisers are directing their spending toward high-quality content sites," said Michael Zimbalist, executive director of the Online Publishers Association. "In this respect, the Internet is no
different than traditional media: Context matters."
The OPA cites a recent analysis of the combined results of more than 100 separate Dynamic Logic advertising effectiveness studies conducted on
OPA member sites as evidence that quality sites deliver better results. Compared to Dynamic Logic MarketNorms(TM) for online advertising overall, advertising on OPA sites is 24% higher in generating
Aided Brand Awareness, 13% higher in Message Association, 32% higher in Brand Favorability and 9% higher in Purchase Intent.
"These results show that quality content sites provide a significant
return on media spending," said Zimbalist. "They help explain the continuing revenue growth our members are experiencing."
Publishers participating in the OPA revenue survey include About.com,
Bankrate.com, Belo Interactive, CBS MarketWatch, CNET Networks, CondeNet, COXnet, Edmunds.com, ESPN.com, Forbes.com, Hearst, Internet Broadcasting Systems, Knight Ridder Digital, Meredith, MSNBC.com,
New York Times Digital, Scripps Networks, Slate, SportingNews.com, Tribune Interactive, USATODAY.com, Wall Street Journal Online, weather.com and Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive.