This report opened with a comment on the growing apathy users have towards banner ads. Many would claim that banner ads have become the visual equivalent of white noise, and given this fact, advertising companies are looking for alternative ways to catch our attention electronically. The paper has introduced the recent permutations on the banner ad- such as interstitials and sponsorships. As a closing note, it is valuable to look at other trends regarding the future of Internet advertising. The growth of affiliates speaks to this issue.
Affiliates are sites that take a viewer directly to a sales situation.
The affiliate site that hosts the link to the sales site receives a commission on any proceeds from the sale. While affiliates have the benefit of making money just for giving up some white space on your site, some downsides have been discovered as well. However, in evaluating these downsides, many of them accompany standard sales and marketing situations as well. One of the most important considerations for would-be affiliates is to match your commission rates to those of your competitors, and expect to monitor the environment for changes. Internet Advertising Bureau, December 29, 1997.