Free Practice Question
RC · Reading Comprehension
555-605
Short Passage - Science
Reading Passage
The average Internet user was exposed to an estimated 950 banner ads in 2005. Most receive little attention, as evidenced by the 0.5 percent click-through rate in 2003 (the percentage of website visitors who click on a banner ad), and the click-through rate has been in steady decline from 1996 at least through 2007.
The decline in click-through rates has led many researchers to explore ways of increasing online advertising effectiveness. This has led, in turn, to more interest in conversion rate (percentage of click-throughs that result in purchases of the advertised product) and view-through rates (visits to advertised e-commerce websites prompted by banner ads viewed without click-throughs). In fact, one online-marketing firm reported that in a study of banner-ad campaigns, 85.7 percent of those generating the highest click-through rates generated lower conversion rates than those with lower click-through rates.
Recently, several researchers have shown that banner ads affect consumers’ attitude toward a brand independent of click-through rate. They help build brand equity (the brand’s monetary value as a business asset) and can improve brand awareness, brand preference, and consumer purchase intentions. Researchers Dreze and Hussherh have successfully shown that much processing of banner ads occurs at the pre-attentive level, which results in low click-through rates—despite favorable effects on users’ recall, recognition, and level of awareness of the ads.
The decline in click-through rates has led many researchers to explore ways of increasing online advertising effectiveness. This has led, in turn, to more interest in conversion rate (percentage of click-throughs that result in purchases of the advertised product) and view-through rates (visits to advertised e-commerce websites prompted by banner ads viewed without click-throughs). In fact, one online-marketing firm reported that in a study of banner-ad campaigns, 85.7 percent of those generating the highest click-through rates generated lower conversion rates than those with lower click-through rates.
Recently, several researchers have shown that banner ads affect consumers’ attitude toward a brand independent of click-through rate. They help build brand equity (the brand’s monetary value as a business asset) and can improve brand awareness, brand preference, and consumer purchase intentions. Researchers Dreze and Hussherh have successfully shown that much processing of banner ads occurs at the pre-attentive level, which results in low click-through rates—despite favorable effects on users’ recall, recognition, and level of awareness of the ads.
The author most likely mentions the report by an online marketing firm (see highlighted phrase) primarily to
Answer Choices
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Provide an example of a particularly effective banner ad campaign
B
Suggest a hypothesis about the extent of consumer attention to online banner ads
C
Challenge the claim that interest in conversion rates and view-through rates has been increasing
D
Dispel a possible misconception about the effectiveness of ads with high click-through rates
E
Explain the difference between view-through rates and click-through rates
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Difficulty
555-605
Type
RC
Category