1. Measuring the
impact of online
advertising on
Irish premium
content sites
versus
international
sites
May 2013
J.4072
Prepared for

2. 2
About AOP Ireland
● The Association of Online Publishers (AOP) Ireland is the industry body
representing Irish digital publishing companies that create local, original,
branded, quality content
● All AOP Ireland members support a common goal in publishing high quality
content where advertisers can have confidence that viewers will attribute
higher levels of trust in the ads they see considering these to be both
relevant and accessible to them
● AOP Ireland members include IrishTimes.com, Entertainment.ie, TV3.ie,
Independent.ie, TheJournal.ie and RTE.ie
● AOP Ireland publishes research similar to its sister organisations, the Online
Publisher’s Association in the USA and the Association of Online Publishers in
the UK, so that advertisers, the media and the public clearly understand the
benefits that quality, local digital publishing provides
● AOP Ireland members is investing over €2 million in 2013 in their digital
properties to ensure their premium quality local content is accessible on the
ever widening variety of mobile platforms

3. 3
AOP Ireland’s Previous Research Has
Demonstrated…
● Engagement and how to measure it is particularly complicated in the online
world. Consumers may visit certain sites very frequently and spend
considerable time there, yet not notice any advertising
● The more an audience trusts and finds the content of a particular site
relevant, the more effective the advertising contained within that site is
● Visitors to Irish content sites are not only more likely to interact with
advertising on the site, but also to take action by purchasing a brand or
taking a similar action based on online advertising they have seen
● With advertising responsiveness strongest on Irish content sites, it is clear
that they provide a unique and effective route to the online Irish consumer

4. 4
Previous AOP Research
61%assert that Irish Content Sites are ‘trustworthy’
(strongest among 25-34 and 35-44 year olds)
[18% for social networks/35% for portals]
57%agree that Irish Content Sites are an essential source of
information (higher among ABC1s at 63%)
[28% for social networks/37% for portals]
68%contend that Irish Content Sites have good quality
content
(few demographic differences)
[34% for social networks/45% for portals]
81%of Irish internet users agree that advertising is well
matched to the content on Irish Content Sites
(higher for 55-64’s at 90%)
[63% for social networks/69% for portals]

5. Online EcoSystem
AGENCIES
EXCHANGE
DATA AGGREGATORS
NETWORKS

6. Battle for the Web

7. 7
The Survey

8. 8
Research Overview
● The research set out to examine whether Irish internet users are more likely
to notice and react to advertising that appears on Irish sites compared to
international sites
● It consisted of a national internet survey among 571 adults through
Behaviour & Attitudes’ consumer panel Acumen. The fieldwork took place
between 18 and 26 of February 2013
● The survey was controlled by gender, age and region. The data was
subsequently weighted to national internet population (representative of all
internet users in Ireland)
● The research was divided into 2 sections:
 1: RECALL TEST
 2: PERCEIVED AD RELEVANCY TEST
● In section one of the survey, 4 web pages were shown (2 AOP Ireland sites
and 2 international sites). In section two, 8 web pages were shown (4 AOP
Ireland and 4 international sites). Across each section independently, the ads
were rotated in random order to ensure equal representation

9. 9
Key Research
Highlights

10. 10
Key Findings
● 78% of Irish internet users recognise that ads on
Irish premium content sites are relevant to them
in contrast to only 11% who think that ads on
international sites are aimed at them, despite geo
targeting
● Irish internet users also have a higher level of recall of
ads displayed on Irish sites. 72% of users recall
online ads on Irish premium sites compared to
52% on international sites

11. 11
Recall
This survey is about the Internet. You will now be
shown a sequence of four web pages. You will
then be asked a series of questions based on your
observations. None of the pages are live. They
are static and therefore non scrolling. When you
have reviewed all four pages, we will begin the
survey.

12. 12

13. 13
Level of recall on AOP versus international sites
Base: All internet users - 571
Q Taking all four web pages into consideration, which if any of the following brands can you recall
being advertised on any of these pages?
72
60
41
52
39
28
ANY IRISH
WEBSITE
Meteor
BMW
ANY NON IRISH
WEBSITE
Vodafone
Sky
%
Entertainment.ie
RTE.ie
Huffingtonpost.co.uk
DailyTribune.com
Irish Internet
users have a
higher recall
of brand ads
when posted
on AOP
Ireland sites
AOP Ireland Site
International Site

14. Is the ad you recall targeting an Irish Audience?
Base: All internet users recalling specific advertising on websites shown
78
39
4
26
18
35
Q You recall seeing … (AD) which was on the …(SITE). In your opinion is this brand trying to
reach an Irish audience or not?
Entertainment.ie
RTE.ie
Huffingtonpost.co.uk
Dailytribune.co.uk
Twice as many
internet users
view ads they
see on Irish
websites as
targeting them.
Importantly this
means almost
all of them (8 in
10 vs 4 in 10)
Ads that appeared on
Irish website
%
Ads that appeared on
Non Irish website
%
Yes
No
Not sure
14

15. 15
Recall Summary
● Survey participants were asked to look at a series of sites and
given no indication that they would be asked about their thoughts
on the advertising on those pages
● The research found that Irish internet users are more likely to
recall advertising that appears on Irish premium content
sites – 72% vs 52%
● These findings build upon the AOP Ireland study on online
engagement which shows that Irish internet users find
advertising on AOP Ireland sites is more engaging than
social networks or portals
● This supports previous research:
 81% of Irish internet users agree that advertising is well
matched to the content on AOP Ireland sites
 32% say advertising on AOP Ireland sites makes them feel
more positively towards the brand

16. 16
Relevance
We will now show you a sequence of two web
pages. After each page is displayed, you will be
asked a series of questions on the advertisements
you will have just viewed.

17. 17

18. 18

19. 19
Level of relevance on AOP versus international
sites
Base: All internet users - 571
Yes
No
Not sure
78
11
7
59
15
30
Across all
AOP Ireland
sites
Across all
international
sites
% %
Q4a We will now show you a sequence of two web pages. After each page is displayed, you will be asked a
series of questions on the advertisements you have just viewed. Thinking in general about
advertisements on … (specified )website, do you think these ads are aimed at an Irish audience or not?
The evidence suggests that
Irish internet users are 8
times more likely to pay
attention to ads appearing
on AOP Ireland sites than
ads appearing on
international sites.
*8 ads rotated across 8 web pages (4 AOP Ireland web pages and 4 international web pages)
TheJournal.ie
Independent.ie
IrishTimes.com
TV3.ie
TheGuardian.co.uk
Dailymail.co.uk
Gawker.com
NewYorker.com
Yes
No
Not sure

20. 20
Level of relevance on AOP versus international sites
Base: All internet users - 571
Q.4a Thinking in general about advertisements on … website, do you think these ads are aimed at
an Irish audience or not?
Yes
No
Not sure
78 75
80 76 81
11 14 17
7 6
7
7
8
7
7
59
60 55
54
67
15 18
12 16 12
30 26 27
39
27
Appeared on
AOP Ireland sites
Appeared on
International sites
TOTAL
(TheJour-
nal.ie)
(Indep-
endent.ie)
(Irish-
Times.com)
(TV3.ie)
TOTAL
(Theguar-
dian.co.uk)
(Daily-
mail.co.uk)
(Gaw-
ker.com)
(New-
yorker.com)
% % % % % % % % % %
An undeniable truth!
Yes
No
Not
sure

21. 21
Reasons why ad is relevant to Irish audience
Open/Freetext Response
Q.4b Why do you think this advertisement on the …. Website is relevant to an Irish audience?
35
9
5
5
4
7
Advertised on Irish website
viewed by Irish market
Prices displayed in Euro
Leading company/large
presence within Ireland
Good value/offers provided
News stories/advertising shown
relevant to Ireland
Don’t know
%
Any Ads Appearing
on AOP Ireland sites
Base: All internet users - 571
“It's an Irish newspaper, which
will be viewed by Irish people.”
“Advert is in an obviously Irish
publication.”
“I associate the
Irish Times with
Ireland and Irish
people reading
it.”
“Yes it was on a .ie website and I
assume the majority of people who
click through are based in Ireland.”
“RTE is an Irish brand”

22. 22
Reasons ad is not relevant to Irish audience
Open/Freetext Response
Q.4c Why do you think the advertisement on the …. Website is not relevant to an Irish audience?
8
7
6
6
5
2
Advertised on UK
website/aimed at UK market
Convertible car unsuitable for
Irish climate
International/global appeal
Generic advert/appeal
Lacking Irish
references/connection
Don’t know
%
Any Ads Appearing
on international sites
Base: All internet users - 571
“It’s an American
website and is
aimed at an
audience from
anywhere, not
specifically any
country.”
“It's a UK website. With
VRT I would tend not to
trust any facts or prices on
a site that wasn't defo
Irish”
“As this is a UK brand
that also operates in
Ireland it could have
been relevant for
either the UK or
Ireland. I don't recall
seeing an indicator
that it was for us.”
“It's relevant, but just doesn't strike me as
particularly targeted at Irish audiences.”
“Would assume that it is a general ad as
opposed to targeting the Irish”
“It could be for any audience.”

23. 23
Relevance Summary
● The key reason for believing in the relevancy of the ads on the
AOP Ireland sites is that they acknowledge the Irish origin of
the site which they believe is therefore relevant to an Irish
audience
● Irish internet users disregard ads on international
sites, despite the awareness of geo targeting by ad networks
● 60% of all internet users say they are aware of geo targeting but
clearly they still distinguish between ads on AOP Ireland and
international sites
● Looking specifically at international sites, 78% of Irish internet
users either do not believe or are unsure whether ads on
those sites are directed at them
● The findings underline that Irish Internet users are more
attentive to ads appearing on Irish websites

24. 24
Executive summary

25. 25
Executive summary
● Using ad networks in order to guarantee a high level of
exposure, does not provide the best return on investment
as Irish internet users overlook Irish ads on international
sites as they do not believe that they are targeted at them
● 78% of Irish internet users recognise that ads on AOP
Ireland sites are relevant to them in contrast to only 11%
who think that ads on international sites are aimed at
them, despite geo targeting
● Irish internet users also have a higher level of recall of ads
displayed on Irish premium content sites. 72% of users recall
online ads on AOP Ireland sites compared to 52% on
international sites
● There is a risk of creating brand confusion if campaigns appear
out of context as Irish internet users do not believe or are
unsure whether ads on international sites are directed at
them

26. 26
Thank You
The full research deck is available on www.slideshare.net/IrelandAOP
You can discuss the findings with us on twitter @AOP_Ireland
Or join us on LinkedIn – Association of Online Publishers Ireland group