Online Ads Reach Influential People

Influential people online think advertisers are well-advised to use the Web to reach them, according to a study published recently by RoperASW / washingtonpost.com.

RoperASW's 'Influentials' are a powerful group proven through 60 years of research to be the 10% of the population that shapes the attitudes and behaviors of the other 90%. They are also people likely to be asked for advice on products and services.

Given that sample for the survey was taken from visitors to an online news site, washingtonpost.com, it is perhaps not surprising that the majority of the 3,206 respondents meeting Roper's definition of an 'Influential' said they rely heavily on the Web. More pertinently, these respondents are not switched off the idea of online advertising - despite recent questions raised about the decline in response to standard forms of online advertising, a majority say they would definitely recommend advertisers to use the Internet to reach them. Asked about a list of media sources, respondents rated the 'Net and newspapers as top media for advertising - both with 56% support.

The Internet is particularly widely used for certain types of information - it is used to research places to visit by 86% and to research what to buy by 82%.

According to previous research by RoperASW, 82% of Influentials have Internet access, compared to 54% of the general population, establishing that the Internet is a key means of reaching this group. 34% of the washingtonpost.com audience qualified as Influentials, as against 10% of the general population.

Online Influentials actively spread information and influence others. Two-thirds of online Influentials (67%) are either asked for or forward advice and information about products and services, and on average these forwarders give advice to between 5 and 20 individuals, depending upon category.

'Offering a platform for capturing a significant number of online Influentials, this study adds important information to our ongoing research about the media activities and attitudes of this group', said Ed Keller, CEO, RoperASW. 'The results also reinforce the critical role Influentials play in word-of-mouth marketing'.

According to Christopher M. Schroeder, CEO and Publisher of Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive 'Influentials... rely heavily on the information they get online. Because Influentials play a key role in impacting everything from which tech products are hot to which politicians we elect, this research provides vital information for marketers'.

A book written by RoperASW CEO Ed Keller and VP Jon Berry and entitled 'The Influentials', is published by the Free Press division of Simon & Schuster and discusses the significance of this group.

Full results and methodology for the study can be found at:
www.washingtonpost.com/influentials

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.

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