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Attitudes of Latvian Internet users towards online advertising
2008-06-29
The Gemius study conducted in Latvia on online advertising shows that almost 60% of the users are willing to accept Internet ads as the price for free access to web sites. A total of 10% of the respondents would prefer to pay for online admission.
Gemius SA, the international research agency specialising in online studies, has conducted a research study in Latvia about the attitude of Internet users towards online advertising.
The study proves that most Internet users in Latvia have a rather positive attitude towards online advertising. Moreover, it shows how they respond to online advertising. The respondents were also asked to evaluate different creative formats in the survey and to indicate which formats they know best and which are their favourites.
As the results of the report indicate, 33% of Latvian Internet users claim that online advertisements are irritating. On the other hand, comparing the opinions of Internet users to the question of online ads with the users’ opinions relevant to TV ads, Internet advertisements seem to be less irritating than the TV ones. A total of 60% of the respondents admitted that TV ads were irritating.
Despite the opinions of the majority, who consider online ads to appear on the Internet too often (29%) or much too often (34%), almost six in every ten users in Latvia are willing to accept them as the price for free access to web sites, while 10% would prefer to pay and 30% had no specific opinion on this matter. Such a point of view does not vary depending on the gender of the users. It is worth noticing that more middle-aged users are willing to pay for access.
Latvian Internet users accept the forms of online ads which do not require too much effort to close. The background banner, sponsored link, banner and button – all exceeded 50% of the indications and none actually make viewing the web site difficult. The lower end of the ranking is occupied by formats requiring some action (closing the ad) to be taken by the user in order to continue viewing the web site. It is also worth underlining that e-mailing is the form of online ad with the highest awareness among the Internet users in Latvia (71% of the indications). The second creative format, the pop-up, is considerably less recognised (55%).
In spite of this, online advertisements seem to fulfil their own tasks – to stimulate sales. A total of 11% of the respondents have purchased a product right after clicking on the Internet ad and being re-directed to an e-shop page. Nearly one in five Latvian Internet users who have never purchased any product right after clicking on the online ad would rather like to use such an option in the future. The youngest online users are more willing to use such an option than the older ones.
Download the complete version of the press release in the Word format:
For more information contact: Toms Panders, Operations Manager at Gemius Baltic: toms.panders@gemius.lv