Online ad spending continues to soar

While total advertising spending in the US is declining, online marketing continues to perform strongly, a new report suggests.

The Nielsen Company has produced the report, which indicates that advertising spending for the first half of 2007 dropped by 0.5 per cent when compared to the same period in 2006.

However, the survey indicated that internet advertising spending jumped 23.2 per cent in the same period, showing just how important things like search engine optimisation (SEO) can be to websites.

In particular, online advertising made gains from platforms like local newspapers and network radio.

The report also noted that outdoor advertising performed well, principally because it had embraced techniques from the digital world.

"This traditional medium has embraced technology and is offering more and more digital and interactive advertising opportunities," explained Brian Lane of the Nielsen Company.

Recently, ADZMedia research showed that online ads were more effective than traditional forms of marketing.