There are just as many marketing opportunities in classifieds and directories which will soon allow some organisations to provide advertisers with a more “networked” approach in their online ad spend.
According to Sensis general manager of interactive and business services, Robert Rath, who addressed delegates at this week’s Australian Interactive Media Industry Association conference about the future of interactive advertising and marketing, marketers need to take a broader view of search marketing.
The recently released Frost & Sullivan ‘The Australian Paid Search Market 2005-2009 report’, revealed that by the end of 2004 there were approximately 9,000 active paid search advertisers in the country, with the figure expected to increase to around 23,000 by 2009.
Rath however, is one observer who views this figure as a “gross underestimation” of the potential of the market, further pointing to his organisation’s own approach and vision for the future.
“[There are] three forms of search competing here today, search engines, classifieds and directories…If you look statistically at directories and classifieds, they dwarf search engine usage today in Australia.
“In Sensis’ case we offer directories, search, classifieds, mapping and lifestyle information across print, wireless, online and in cars…Our vision is to interlink these so that one ad can be placed and managed across all our properties…[so] you get your business everywhere,” Rath said.
He added that for the Telstra-owned business, the growing strength of the web has had a flow-on effect on its more traditional print products which have also continued to thrive, and “that’s the trick of running a multi-channel business that make all the products add value to each other”.
