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Serious question: have you ever made a purchase because of (indirectly or directly) an ad that appeared on a search page? (Maybe this should be an 'Ask HN')

by dhimes 11y ago

Klathmon 11y ago
I know I have. I've gotten a job because an ad for a job search website that looked interesting, I've found out about new products and (after some of my own searching) purchased them, and i've definitely gone back to products i've left because of newly advertised features. (Microsoft Azure being one of them) I don't remember if these were specifically on a search page (chances are they weren't) but they were ads on the web.
mattmanser 11y ago
I would be careful of a self-answered question like this, I would suspect a lot of people will say 'no' when the actual answer is 'yes' just because they didn't even realize they were clicking an ad or because it's something they do so rarely they think they never do it when in fact they very rarely do it. But very rarely is in fact 'woohoo loadsa money!' for everyone involved.
- lsaferite 11y ago
  I'm fairly certain that in the last 10 years or so I've never bought anything because of a web ad or a TV ad for that matter. You could argue perhaps there is a subconscious element that drove a later purchase, but even if true there is no directly measurable correlation for the ad networks.
  - freehunter 11y ago
    One perfectly valid outcome for an ad is simple awareness. If I go to McDonalds, I know the McRib is on their menu because a billboard said it was. The billboard didn't make me buy one, but I know it's an option. When I go to the store, I see a dozen brands of soda. I know Pepsi and Coke are popular choices because of the number of ads I see for them. I've never seen a Mr Pibb ad, so that brand seems kind of weird to me. For that matter, I know McDonalds is a popular restaurant simply because they run advertisements. The goal of many ads isn't to make the consumer say "wow I need to buy that now!". It's so when the consumer is presented with a handful of choices, they say "yeah, I know this brand." And is certainly is measurable, in brand awareness studies.
    - dhimes 11y ago
      Do you think you have gotten brand awareness from Google ads? I think I have (freelancer sites, for example).
      - freehunter 11y ago
        I'd say so, yes. Even seeing the name being repeated helps. I've never played Game of War nor do I know what the core gameplay is like, but I've seen enough ads to know the name and tell you it's a mobile medieval combat game that's free to play. The hardest part of relying on brand awareness in ads is you have to repeat the ads over and over and over, and hope people start to recognize the name before they get sick of seeing the ad.
- dhimes 11y ago
  Thank you for your concern, but those answers would be fine. I'm thinking of buying some adword ads and this article called the process to mind. Rarely is as good as never for my purposes, and clicking an ad that they didn't know was an ad is also a non-vote.
TeMPOraL 11y ago
Go ahead and ask it. I expect a flamewar about whether or not people actually click on ads. I'll be happy to participate, because I feel the need to vent out some of my issues with the advertising industry ;). Oh, and to answer your question - personally, no, not directly through an ad.

Serious question: have you ever made a purchase because of (indirectly or directly) an ad that appeared on a search page? (Maybe this should be an 'Ask HN')

by dhimes 11y ago

Serious question: have you ever made a purchase because of (indirectly or directly) an ad that appeared on a search page? (Maybe this should be an 'Ask HN')

Klathmon 11y ago

I know I have. I've gotten a job because an ad for a job search website that looked interesting, I've found out about new products and (after some of my own searching) purchased them, and i've definitely gone back to products i've left because of newly advertised features. (Microsoft Azure being one of them) I don't remember if these were specifically on a search page (chances are they weren't) but they were ads on the web.

mattmanser 11y ago

I would be careful of a self-answered question like this, I would suspect a lot of people will say 'no' when the actual answer is 'yes' just because they didn't even realize they were clicking an ad or because it's something they do so rarely they think they never do it when in fact they very rarely do it. But very rarely is in fact 'woohoo loadsa money!' for everyone involved.

lsaferite 11y ago
I'm fairly certain that in the last 10 years or so I've never bought anything because of a web ad or a TV ad for that matter. You could argue perhaps there is a subconscious element that drove a later purchase, but even if true there is no directly measurable correlation for the ad networks.
- freehunter 11y ago
  One perfectly valid outcome for an ad is simple awareness. If I go to McDonalds, I know the McRib is on their menu because a billboard said it was. The billboard didn't make me buy one, but I know it's an option. When I go to the store, I see a dozen brands of soda. I know Pepsi and Coke are popular choices because of the number of ads I see for them. I've never seen a Mr Pibb ad, so that brand seems kind of weird to me. For that matter, I know McDonalds is a popular restaurant simply because they run advertisements. The goal of many ads isn't to make the consumer say "wow I need to buy that now!". It's so when the consumer is presented with a handful of choices, they say "yeah, I know this brand." And is certainly is measurable, in brand awareness studies.
  - dhimes 11y ago
    Do you think you have gotten brand awareness from Google ads? I think I have (freelancer sites, for example).
    - freehunter 11y ago
      I'd say so, yes. Even seeing the name being repeated helps. I've never played Game of War nor do I know what the core gameplay is like, but I've seen enough ads to know the name and tell you it's a mobile medieval combat game that's free to play. The hardest part of relying on brand awareness in ads is you have to repeat the ads over and over and over, and hope people start to recognize the name before they get sick of seeing the ad.
dhimes 11y ago
Thank you for your concern, but those answers would be fine. I'm thinking of buying some adword ads and this article called the process to mind. Rarely is as good as never for my purposes, and clicking an ad that they didn't know was an ad is also a non-vote.

TeMPOraL 11y ago

Go ahead and ask it. I expect a flamewar about whether or not people actually click on ads. I'll be happy to participate, because I feel the need to vent out some of my issues with the advertising industry ;). Oh, and to answer your question - personally, no, not directly through an ad.