Internet advertising is about to become big business. The Web offers marketers a unique opportunity to deliver ads to extremely targeted audiences and to see instant results. But marketers be forwarned. While these are enormously healthy predictions, ad-supported sites will scramble to survive in 1997. These days penny-pinching product managers still need to be convinced to spend dollars on the Web instead of on more familiar media.
Product managers know that Web ads are becoming increasingly less effective.
The reality for 1996 is likely to be the reality for early 1997. That's not likely to change soon, because even though Web ad revenues are steadily increasing, most ad dollars exchange hands within a small, Web-elite circle.