Survey says internet users want more control over ads

Marketers who want to build relationships with consumers online need to give those consumers more control over the kind of advertising message they receive, a new study of US Web users warns.

And companies that use adware or spyware to promote their products need to know that by doing so, they are significantly harming consumer trust in their brands.

The survey, conducted by information practice “think-tank” the Ponemon Institute on behalf of one-to-one digital marketing specialist Dotomi, found that 84 per cent of consumers said they wanted control over the type and frequency of internet ads sent from individual online retailers. If they were given such control, then 64 per cent of consumers said they would trust the retailer more.

Knowing your potential customer is a major plus in online marketing, the study determined. More than half the respondents (56 per cent) said they felt that online retailers that demonstrated an understanding of consumers’ interests respected them more and were better able to market to them.

Dotomi, which first launched in Israel in March 2003 before expanding to the US, was founded by Yair Goldfinger, who originated the technology that underlies AOL’s Instant Messaging service.