comScore, Inc’s August 2009 study of locally targeted online display advertising across four major U.S. markets – Atlanta, Chicago, San Francisco and Washington D.C. – indicates that around 10 percent of all display ads in these markets are locally targeted.

comScore identifies advertisers as locally-targeting ads in a particular market where their relative share of display ads is substantially higher than that market’s share of display ads nationally. For example, if the Chicago local market accounts for 3 percent of display ads nationally, but 10 percent of a particular advertiser’s ad impressions are delivered in that market, comScore regards those ads as being locally (or regionally) targeted.

comScore’s study indicates that 9 to 11 percent of display ads in the four markets among all publisher sites are locally targeted. San Francisco (11 percent) and Washington D.C. (11 percent) have a relatively higher share of ads being locally targeted, while Atlanta (10 percent) and Chicago (9 percent) have slightly lower ad shares.

In the regional/local site category – including sites such as Yahoo Local, Citysearch and Yelp, which are specifically aimed at local audiences – the share of locally targeted display ads is substantially higher, ranging between 23-33 percent among the four markets.

Not only are advertisers embracing locally targeted advertising but they’re willing to pay for the privilege.

“Our research indicates that advertisers understand the value of locally targeted ads and are willing to pay a premium for them – anywhere from 20 to 100 percent – depending on the geography and vertical,” said Matt Booth, senior vice president and program director, Interactive Local Media, BIA/Kelsey.

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 18th, 2009 at 7:29 pm and is filed under Online Advertising, Search Marketing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.