Advertising overload: Difference between revisions

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#'''Clarity of commercial intent''': Some native ads may be so clearly commercial in nature that they are unlikely to mislead consumers even without a specific disclosure. In other cases, a disclosure may be necessary to ensure consumers understand the content is advertising.

#'''Clear and prominent disclosures''': If a disclosure is necessary to prevent deception, it must be clear and prominent.

</blockquote>Native ads~~, as explained in the Sharethrough/IPG Media Labs survey,~~<ref>https://www.sharethrough.com/blog/ad-effectiveness-study-native-ads-vs-banner-ads</ref> ~~are generally more engaging and lead to stronger brand identification among consumers.~~

</blockquote>Native ads are generally more engaging and lead to stronger brand identification among consumers.<ref>https://www.sharethrough.com/blog/ad-effectiveness-study-native-ads-vs-banner-ads</ref>

====Video Ads====

Video ads are among the most common forms of advertising on social media and can appear either as standalone content or be inserted at the beginning, end, or middle of another video. ~~According~~ to ~~an Akamai study~~,<ref>https://www.akamai.com/site/en/documents/research-paper/understanding-the-effectiveness-of-video-ads-a-measurement-study-technical-publication.pdf</ref> shorter, skippable, and non-intrusively placed ads perform better, as they respect user autonomy. Targeted ads are more likely to capture interest. As with other ad formats, transparency is crucial here as well, ensuring that the ad is not perceived as intrusive.

Video ads are among the most common forms of advertising on social media and can appear either as standalone content or be inserted at the beginning, end, or middle of another video. Shorter, skippable, and non-intrusively placed ads perform better, as they respect user autonomy. Targeted ads are more likely to capture interest. As with other ad formats, transparency is crucial here as well, ensuring that the ad is not perceived as intrusive.<ref>https://www.akamai.com/site/en/documents/research-paper/understanding-the-effectiveness-of-video-ads-a-measurement-study-technical-publication.pdf</ref>

==== Stories Ads ====

====Stories Ads====

Ads that appear in Stories are full-screen, vertical, and often feature interactive elements like swipe-up links, polls, or countdowns. They expire after 24 hours, giving them an ephemeral nature. ~~This study~~<ref>https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339884883_ADVERTISING_VALUE_OF_INSTAGRAM_STORIES_AND_THE_EFFECT_ON_MILLENNIAL%27S_ATTITUDE</ref> ~~suggests that Story ads are better perceived when they are creative, non-intrusive, and relevant to users' interests.~~

Ads that appear in Stories are full-screen, vertical, and often feature interactive elements like swipe-up links, polls, or countdowns. They expire after 24 hours, giving them an ephemeral nature. Story ads are better perceived when they are creative, non-intrusive, and relevant to users' interests.<ref>https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339884883_ADVERTISING_VALUE_OF_INSTAGRAM_STORIES_AND_THE_EFFECT_ON_MILLENNIAL%27S_ATTITUDE</ref>

==== Influencer marketing ====

====Influencer marketing====

Influencer marketing is a type of advertising in which brands team up with social media personalities, also known as influencers, to promote a product or service. Most of these influencers have large and engaged followings, which they use in leveraging their credibility and relatability in reaching out to their audiences in ways that feel far more authentic than traditional advertising.

~~This study<ref>https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342181914_Influencer_Marketing_An_Exploratory_Study_to_Identify_Antecedents_of_Consumer_Behavior_of_Millennial</ref> postulates that users~~ are more influenced by social media personalities with their values and lifestyles. Consequently, ~~the base study identified that~~ authenticity, trustworthiness, and relevance are the key drivers of consumer behavior. Thus, when influencers share real-life experiences of using a product or service, their recommendations are more likely to resonate with followers and result in higher levels of engagement and purchase intent.

Users are more influenced by social media personalities with their values and lifestyles. Consequently, authenticity, trustworthiness, and relevance are the key drivers of consumer behavior. Thus, when influencers share real-life experiences of using a product or service, their recommendations are more likely to resonate with followers and result in higher levels of engagement and purchase intent.<ref name=":5">https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342181914_Influencer_Marketing_An_Exploratory_Study_to_Identify_Antecedents_of_Consumer_Behavior_of_Millennial</ref>

~~Another study<ref>https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352120476_Understanding_influencer_marketing_The_role_of_congruence_between_influencers_products_and_consumers</ref> emphasizes the~~ '''~~congruence~~''': the match between the persona of the influencer, the product he is promoting, and the interests of the audience. When such a fit among the elements is strong, it makes the campaign more credible since it is considered as genuine. With this congruence, their credibility will rise as an influencer, and then the emotional relationship with the audience will be stronger.

'''Congruence''' is crucial: the match between the persona of the influencer, the product he is promoting, and the interests of the audience. When such a fit among the elements is strong, it makes the campaign more credible since it is considered as genuine. With this congruence, their credibility will rise as an influencer, and then the emotional relationship with the audience will be stronger.<ref name=":6">https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352120476_Understanding_influencer_marketing_The_role_of_congruence_between_influencers_products_and_consumers</ref>

~~Both studies do point out that~~ '''~~over~~-commercialization'''—when influencers are promoting too many products or not being transparent—can erode users' trust. Clear disclosures, such as #ad or #sponsored, help to maintain transparency and adhere to advertising regulations. Unfortunately, such disclosures are often hidden among numerous hashtags or omitted altogether.

'''Over-commercialization'''—when influencers are promoting too many products or not being transparent—can erode users' trust. Clear disclosures, such as #ad or #sponsored, help to maintain transparency and adhere to advertising regulations. Unfortunately, such disclosures are often hidden among numerous hashtags or omitted altogether.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" />

===Web===

See also: [[Advertising overload in websites|Advertising Overload in Websites]]

Ever since the introduction of cookies in the early 1990s, websites have been trying to make progressively more money off of advertisers. This pattern used to be easily thwarted, as in the early days of the web, consumers could simply choose not to visit these websites to avoid being so pervasively served advertisements. Unfortunately, in modern times, consumers lack this capability, as mass advertising has now become a systemic problem. Popular news sources, such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and others, are filled to the brim with advertisements. As mentioned by publications such as The Huffington Post,<ref>https://www.huffpost.com/entry/yes-there-are-too-many-ads-online-yes-you-can-stop_b_589b888de4b02bbb1816c297</ref> The Conversation,<ref>https://theconversation.com/why-is-the-internet-overflowing-with-rubbish-ads-and-what-can-we-do-about-it-237980</ref> and B2,<ref>https://www.b2.ai/ad-overload-are-publishers-showing-too-many-ads/</ref> the web itself has too many ads.

==== Banner Ads ====

Banner ads are the most common form of web ads and one of the oldest forms of digital advertising, usually appearing as rectangular graphics at the top, bottom, or sides of a webpage. However, despite their pervasiveness, their effectiveness has been questioned due to phenomena such as '''banner blindness''', where users unconsciously ignore ad-like content. Banner ads work only if they are rightly placed, well designed, and relevant.<ref name=":7">https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262090327_Attention_to_Banner_Ads_and_Their_Effectiveness_An_Eye-Tracking_Approach</ref>

This research<ref name=":7" /> featured the use of eye-tracking technology to analyze how users behave with banner ads. It was found that such ads placed in central or prominent positions on a webpage receive significantly more attention than those in peripheral areas. Moreover, the animated and interactive banners are better at capturing attention than static ones; however, too much may become distracting and otherwise counterproductive. This also underlines that the relevance of the ad to the user's interests is one of the critical drivers of engagement. If banner ads are contextual, relating either to the content of the webpage or the browsing behavior of the user, they are more likely to be noticed and clicked. Advertisers should focus on creating non-intrusive, contextually relevant advertisements that add value to the user experience—not disrupt it.

==Notable Examples==

@@ Line 51: / Line 51: @@
 #'''Clarity of commercial intent''': Some native ads may be so clearly commercial in nature that they are unlikely to mislead consumers even without a specific disclosure. In other cases, a disclosure may be necessary to ensure consumers understand the content is advertising.
 #'''Clear and prominent disclosures''': If a disclosure is necessary to prevent deception, it must be clear and prominent.
-</blockquote>Native ads, as explained in the Sharethrough/IPG Media Labs survey,<ref>https://www.sharethrough.com/blog/ad-effectiveness-study-native-ads-vs-banner-ads</ref> are generally more engaging and lead to stronger brand identification among consumers.
+</blockquote>Native ads are generally more engaging and lead to stronger brand identification among consumers.<ref>https://www.sharethrough.com/blog/ad-effectiveness-study-native-ads-vs-banner-ads</ref>
 ====Video Ads====
-Video ads are among the most common forms of advertising on social media and can appear either as standalone content or be inserted at the beginning, end, or middle of another video. According to an Akamai study,<ref>https://www.akamai.com/site/en/documents/research-paper/understanding-the-effectiveness-of-video-ads-a-measurement-study-technical-publication.pdf</ref> shorter, skippable, and non-intrusively placed ads perform better, as they respect user autonomy. Targeted ads are more likely to capture interest. As with other ad formats, transparency is crucial here as well, ensuring that the ad is not perceived as intrusive.
+Video ads are among the most common forms of advertising on social media and can appear either as standalone content or be inserted at the beginning, end, or middle of another video. Shorter, skippable, and non-intrusively placed ads perform better, as they respect user autonomy. Targeted ads are more likely to capture interest. As with other ad formats, transparency is crucial here as well, ensuring that the ad is not perceived as intrusive.<ref>https://www.akamai.com/site/en/documents/research-paper/understanding-the-effectiveness-of-video-ads-a-measurement-study-technical-publication.pdf</ref>
-==== Stories Ads ====
+====Stories Ads====
-Ads that appear in Stories are full-screen, vertical, and often feature interactive elements like swipe-up links, polls, or countdowns. They expire after 24 hours, giving them an ephemeral nature. This study<ref>https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339884883_ADVERTISING_VALUE_OF_INSTAGRAM_STORIES_AND_THE_EFFECT_ON_MILLENNIAL%27S_ATTITUDE</ref> suggests that Story ads are better perceived when they are creative, non-intrusive, and relevant to users' interests.
+Ads that appear in Stories are full-screen, vertical, and often feature interactive elements like swipe-up links, polls, or countdowns. They expire after 24 hours, giving them an ephemeral nature. Story ads are better perceived when they are creative, non-intrusive, and relevant to users' interests.<ref>https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339884883_ADVERTISING_VALUE_OF_INSTAGRAM_STORIES_AND_THE_EFFECT_ON_MILLENNIAL%27S_ATTITUDE</ref>
-==== Influencer marketing ====
+====Influencer marketing====
 Influencer marketing is a type of advertising in which brands team up with social media personalities, also known as influencers, to promote a product or service. Most of these influencers have large and engaged followings, which they use in leveraging their credibility and relatability in reaching out to their audiences in ways that feel far more authentic than traditional advertising.
-This study<ref>https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342181914_Influencer_Marketing_An_Exploratory_Study_to_Identify_Antecedents_of_Consumer_Behavior_of_Millennial</ref> postulates that users are more influenced by social media personalities with their values and lifestyles. Consequently, the base study identified that authenticity, trustworthiness, and relevance are the key drivers of consumer behavior. Thus, when influencers share real-life experiences of using a product or service, their recommendations are more likely to resonate with followers and result in higher levels of engagement and purchase intent.
+Users are more influenced by social media personalities with their values and lifestyles. Consequently, authenticity, trustworthiness, and relevance are the key drivers of consumer behavior. Thus, when influencers share real-life experiences of using a product or service, their recommendations are more likely to resonate with followers and result in higher levels of engagement and purchase intent.<ref name=":5">https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342181914_Influencer_Marketing_An_Exploratory_Study_to_Identify_Antecedents_of_Consumer_Behavior_of_Millennial</ref>
-Another study<ref>https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352120476_Understanding_influencer_marketing_The_role_of_congruence_between_influencers_products_and_consumers</ref> emphasizes the '''congruence''': the match between the persona of the influencer, the product he is promoting, and the interests of the audience. When such a fit among the elements is strong, it makes the campaign more credible since it is considered as genuine. With this congruence, their credibility will rise as an influencer, and then the emotional relationship with the audience will be stronger.
+'''Congruence''' is crucial: the match between the persona of the influencer, the product he is promoting, and the interests of the audience. When such a fit among the elements is strong, it makes the campaign more credible since it is considered as genuine. With this congruence, their credibility will rise as an influencer, and then the emotional relationship with the audience will be stronger.<ref name=":6">https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352120476_Understanding_influencer_marketing_The_role_of_congruence_between_influencers_products_and_consumers</ref>
-Both studies do point out that '''over-commercialization'''—when influencers are promoting too many products or not being transparent—can erode users' trust. Clear disclosures, such as #ad or #sponsored, help to maintain transparency and adhere to advertising regulations. Unfortunately, such disclosures are often hidden among numerous hashtags or omitted altogether.
+'''Over-commercialization'''—when influencers are promoting too many products or not being transparent—can erode users' trust. Clear disclosures, such as #ad or #sponsored, help to maintain transparency and adhere to advertising regulations. Unfortunately, such disclosures are often hidden among numerous hashtags or omitted altogether.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" />
 ===Web===
   See also: [[Advertising overload in websites|Advertising Overload in Websites]]
 Ever since the introduction of cookies in the early 1990s, websites have been trying to make progressively more money off of advertisers. This pattern used to be easily thwarted, as in the early days of the web, consumers could simply choose not to visit these websites to avoid being so pervasively served advertisements. Unfortunately, in modern times, consumers lack this capability, as mass advertising has now become a systemic problem. Popular news sources, such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and others, are filled to the brim with advertisements. As mentioned by publications such as The Huffington Post,<ref>https://www.huffpost.com/entry/yes-there-are-too-many-ads-online-yes-you-can-stop_b_589b888de4b02bbb1816c297</ref> The Conversation,<ref>https://theconversation.com/why-is-the-internet-overflowing-with-rubbish-ads-and-what-can-we-do-about-it-237980</ref> and B2,<ref>https://www.b2.ai/ad-overload-are-publishers-showing-too-many-ads/</ref> the web itself has too many ads.
+==== Banner Ads ====
+Banner ads are the most common form of web ads and one of the oldest forms of digital advertising, usually appearing as rectangular graphics at the top, bottom, or sides of a webpage. However, despite their pervasiveness, their effectiveness has been questioned due to phenomena such as '''banner blindness''', where users unconsciously ignore ad-like content. Banner ads work only if they are rightly placed, well designed, and relevant.<ref name=":7">https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262090327_Attention_to_Banner_Ads_and_Their_Effectiveness_An_Eye-Tracking_Approach</ref>
+This research<ref name=":7" /> featured the use of eye-tracking technology to analyze how users behave with banner ads. It was found that such ads placed in central or prominent positions on a webpage receive significantly more attention than those in peripheral areas. Moreover, the animated and interactive banners are better at capturing attention than static ones; however, too much may become distracting and otherwise counterproductive. This also underlines that the relevance of the ad to the user's interests is one of the critical drivers of engagement. If banner ads are contextual, relating either to the content of the webpage or the browsing behavior of the user, they are more likely to be noticed and clicked. Advertisers should focus on creating non-intrusive, contextually relevant advertisements that add value to the user experience—not disrupt it.
 ==Notable Examples==