Online advertising must adapt, says Yang

Online advertising can survive the recession but says it has to be come more adaptable and efficient, according to Yahoo! founder and chief executive, Jerry Yang. He adds that consumers are using the Web more selectively, and internet providers must respond the to change.

Speaking at the Internet Advertising Bureau Engage conference, Yang told said that advertisers are beginning to see the potential of working closely with websites such as Yahoo! and Facebook, but that advertising systems are still “in the dark ages”.

He adds: “I firmly believe that the online ad marketplace will be able to see out the recession and offer brands a personalised service, which is hard to match elsewhere. However, the current systems for placing display ads online are still stuck in the dark ages – they are manual and inefficient for advertisers to want to use.”

Yang told delegates that online publishers should seek new ways of using the online medium to match advertising with publisher inventory.

He says: “Advertisers should be able to work closely with advertisers to ensure their ads are targeted to the right audience, and are able to generate immediate responses. Consumers are increasingly looking to make the internet more personalised, and offering personalised ads will not disrupt their online experience.”

He adds the launch of Yahoo!’s APT ad service in the UK next year will lead the way in making online ads “easier to place and providing brands with a unique share of voice online.”

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