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Have a read of the article below from the SMH (or visit the link below).

Online ads work wonders, research finds.

YOU might think all those online ads you thought you never noticed are never noticed but new research is forcing even the experts to think again.

According to a study of 100,000 Australians by Nielsen Online, a surprisingly high number of users can recall online ads and admit they are more inclined to buy those products.

But, in a strange twist, people who were unable to recall an ad, despite Nielsen knowing they had seen it using its online tracking technology, are equally influenced with their buying patterns.

"That's a real positive," said Nielsen Online's research director for the Asia-Pacific, Tony Marlow. "It means you can get your message through to people without being intrusive or annoying."

The figures from Nielsen show a third of online users who have seen an ad are able to recall it when asked, a result other researchers say is surprisingly strong.

"That's a bloody good result if it's delayed recall," said Brian Fine, the chairman of STW's Online Research Unit. "If there's a 24-hour gap between when the person saw the ad and they were asked to recall it, that is a lot higher than TV but not as high as cinema. If there is no time gap then it's like sitting someone down in a shopping centre, showing them a TV ad and then asking if they can remember it."

Mr Marlow said the time delay was "completely random", meaning respondents could be asked within three minutes of seeing the ad and up to three months later. "The [time lag] mix is all weighted," he said.

Whatever the research complexities, the online industry is already looking to exploit the favourable findings with a renewed assault on rival media sectors for a higher share of the $12 billion advertising market. The Interactive Advertising Bureau's chief executive, Paul Fisher, said the online advertising industry had doubled its market share gains against other media sectors in the first six months of this year to 14.5 per cent and could top 16 per cent for the December half.

In the six months to June 30 last year online publishers took 11.9 per cent of total advertising spending in Australia, Commercial Economic Advisory Service of Australia said.

"This is only going to accelerate the fact that online is one of the most effective advertising platforms," Mr Fisher said.

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/biz-tech/online-ads-work-wonders-research-finds-20091113-idmn.html