Measurable Returns Becoming Ad Criteria for 2009

The Vertical Search (B2B) Report 2009, published by Econsultancy and sponsored by Convera, based on an online survey of more than 500 media and internet professionals, shows that the need to find information quickly is the main advantage of vertical search engines from the perspective of business users. 67% of the respondents say that quicker to find desired information is a major benefit of vertical search; 65% say more relevant information; 64% feel that focus on specific business interests and workflow is a significant benefit.

Additional highlights from the findings include:

• 47% of respondents are more likely than last year to be using widgets (desktop or in-browser) that provide customized internet marketing and business information, compared to 35% of internet marketing professionals a year ago
• More than half of survey respondents report that their businesses are using SaaS for email (77%), web hosting (74%), sales and marketing (62%), CMS (59%), file and assets storage (57%), search (57%) and ad serving (51%)

Business-to-business marketers say they plan to increase spending on online performance-based ads in 2009, at the expense of traditional display ads, as they seek clearer, more measurable returns during the economic downturn, according to the report.

• 78% of advertisers are planning to raise their spending on CPA (cost-per-action/acquisition) formats this year
• 67% plan to increase spending on cost-per-lead (CPL) ads
• Just under half will increase spending on cost-per-click (CPC)
• 29% say that their spending on CPM (cost-per-mille /online display advertising) will increase this year

The 2009 Vertical Search Report is a follow-up to research conducted a year ago among publishers and advertisers to determine how digital marketing professionals are finding work-related information online, and the challenges facing publishers and advertisers as they move online to monetize offerings. More research findings include:

• 53% of publishers surveyed incorporate "basic" search site features on their site, compared with 41% who have integrated "more sophisticated" search tools
• 6% have no site search features on their website at all
• 37% of publishers use in-house technology for site search
• 22% use search embedded within the content management system
• 17% use licensed technology
• 15% use freeware such as open source technology
• 33% of publishers surveyed offer the ability to search third-party content from their website
• 18% of publishers are planning to implement this in the future
• 91% of publishers surveyed make use of search log analytics
• 28% refer to search logs frequently
• 36% say they derive strategic value from search log analytics
• 26% of internet marketing professionals use their mobile/cell phone for searching at least once a day, and 18% use their mobile device for a work-related search at least daily
• 75% of respondents say that the quality of the mobile search experience is average or poor, compared to only 25% who say that it is excellent or good

Linus Gregoriadis, Econsultancy's research director "Publishers... more than ever need to... adapt to trends such as... performance-based advertising and the increased use of widgets."

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