Rich media ads enjoy highest conversion

DoubleClick's Q4 ad serving report found increases in both the volume of ads served and the rich media share of those ads, but click-through rates fell to new lows. The number of units DoubleClick served during the fourth quarter increased 43% over Q3, from 172 bil to 203.8 bil, the highest level since 2001. Click-throughs, meanwhile, declined 45% to .40%, a drop the company attributes to the jump in volume.

Conversions were highest for rich media ads, which grew to nearly 40% of all ads served by the company; a 60% increase over the same period a year ago. Rich media's rate of post-impression activity was 1.11%, versus .43% for non-rich media; and post-impression sales based on that activity were 2.3%, versus 1.47% for non-rich media ads. The data support the theory that rich media boosts both branding and sales.