Google Tops 125 Online Sales Organizations in Annual Satisfaction Survey

For the sixth year, the sales organizations of one hundred twenty five (125) websites were evaluated for the 2007 Myers Survey of Advertising Executives. Respondents evaluated each sales organization on five attributes, using a one to seven scale, with one representing extremely poor performance and seven representing excellent performance. The performance rankings incorporated into this summary are based on the percent of respondents who rated each organization "6" or "7" on the seven point scale, also referred to as top 2 box percentage.  Additional details are available at jackmyers.com.

The Myers Power Score attributes evaluated include:

• Sales Reps are responsive to my needs and interests
• Sales Reps have knowledge of product, content & competition
• Organization delivers on promises
• Organization offers valuable non-traditional opportunities
• Overall value of the relationship to you

Overall Performance Power Scores provide a unique view of the overall performance of each site across all attributes, with attributes weighted according to their importance and influence on the media planning and buying process. These scores were used to determine the sales organizations that have the highest quality relationships with advertisers and media decision makers.

•Online publishers and networks made significant improvements in the perceptions of their sales organizations from 2006 to 2007 (after a decline in perceptions from 2005 to 2006). The average Overall Performance Power Score increased 60% year over year from 23.1 (based on the 111 sites evaluated in 2006) to 37.0 across the 125 sites included in this years’ survey. This is a clear indication that online sales organizations are maturing and better servicing the advertising community. It also means that there is increased competition; many sales organizations with slightly higher ratings than last year have declined in their relative ranking. There was no difference in the average Overall Performance Power Score reported by those who spend at least 75% of their time on online advertising, versus those who spend less time focused on online advertising. However, among those who met with a sales rep, the average Overall Performance Power Score was significantly higher (42), illustrating the power of in person meetings.

Ranked as the top sales organization across all website categories, Google.com received an Overall Performance Power Score of 63.9, 173 percent higher than the average Overall Performance Power Score of 37.0. Historically, Google.com has performed extremely well, ranking second in the 2006 Myers Survey of Advertising Executives with an Overall Performance Power Score of 53.9 (compared to the average Overall Performance Power Score of 23.1 for 2006¹). In this years’ survey sub-properties of the major portals were included as separate sites. YouTube.comand Google Video ranked 81st and 19th respectively among all sales organizations.

•SI.com and Gamespot(CNET) also performed very well overall, ranking as the second and third top online sales organizations. SI.com was not included in our 2006 survey. Their 2007 Overall Performance Power Score was 60.2. Perceptions of Gamespot,comhave significantly improved (Overall Performance Power Score of 57). In 2006, Gamespot.com was 14th among those who spend 75% or more of their time focused on online media, but did not rank in the top 20 sites among total respondents.

•The three major portals, while remaining some of the sites most used by advertisers, all declined in overall rankings in 2007. In our 2006 survey, Yahoo! Searchhad a slightly higher Overall Performance Power Score than Yahoo! (43.3 vs. 42.2), placing Yahoo! Search and Yahoo! in 4th and 5th place respectively. In 2007, both of them have declined significantly in their overall ranking. With a Overall Performance Power Score of 48.6, Yahoo! Search has slipped to 21st, while Yahoo! has declined to 30th place (45.5 Overall Performance Power Score). AOL Media Networks declined from 14th to 35th in 2007. MSN declined to 60th. With increased competition in the marketplace (in many cases from smaller companies which can be more flexible and responsive), these major companies need to ensure their sales forces are focused on providing the best opportunities and service.

•USAGE: The top sites used by advertisers in 2007 were Yahoo! (used by 88% of advertisers), Google (87%), Yahoo! Search (76%), AOL Media Networks (75%) and MSN (75%). Overall usage across the 125 web sites included in this years’ survey increased from 25% in 2006 to 31%. This increase was most dramatic among advertising clients. In 2006, the average site was used by 16% of advertising clients; average usage nearly doubled to 31% in 2007. MySpace.com was used by 39% of our respondents in 2006; two out of three of our respondents used MySpace.com for advertising in 2007. ESPN.com grew is usage year over year from 49% to 65% in 2007. As time spent with online and mobile media continues to increase, and the online advertising industry continues to mature, we expect to see increases in usage on many of these sites over the next few years.

•MEETING WITH REPS: Reversing a decline from 2005 to 2006, an increased percentage of advertisers and agency executives have personally met with a sales rep in 2007. In 2006, on average, advertisers met with 26% of sales rep across all sites with which they were familiar. This increased to 36% in 2007 (despite an increased number of sites tracked in this years’ survey). Among those who spend at least 75% of their time focused on online media, the average was 44%. For the four major players, more than 70% of advertisers personally met with sales reps for Google, Yahoo!, MSN and AOL Media Networks. Yahoo! topped the list with 79.5% of advertisers personally meeting with a Yahoo! sales rep in the past twelve months.

•UNAIDED RESPONSE: The results for unaided responses differed somewhat from the aidedresponses within the 2007 study. When asked to name the five online media sales organizations that provide the best overall support for their marketing and media buying needs, 23 sites were mentioned by more than 3% of advertisers. Yahoo! was ranked first with 39% of total respondents naming the organization. Yahoo! also ranked first in unaided response in 2006, with 50% of respondents mentioning Yahoo!. Google was mentioned by 33% of respondents, and AOL Media Networks and MSN 32% and 24% respectively. These rankings varied slightly among those who spend more than 75% of their time focused on online media. Yahoo! was still ranked 1st in unaided response. However, Google was ranked 4th (after AOL and MSN) among these respondents.

•TOP PERFORMER BY CATEGORY: In addition to the overall top online sales organizations, Overall Performance Power Score were determined for each of the seven individual website categories. The following is a list of top performers for each category:

 

In addition to specific sales organization measures, the Myers study explores advertisers’ perceptions of key attributes of sales organizations and their importance and influence in forming opinions about the quality of relationships with online sales organizations.

Key Drivers of Advertiser Relationships with Sales Organization

•Knowledge, trustworthiness and responsiveness of the sales organization were the top three attributes influencing advertisers’ opinions about their relationship with a specific sales organization. Four out of five advertisers rated delivering on promises, responsive to my needs and knowledge of product, content and competition top two box in importance in influencing opinions. Sales rep accessibility was ranked 4th. Each of these key attributes can be improved upon with a high performing sales force.

•Behavioral targeting and targeted audience reach was cited by 71% of total respondents as influencing the opinions about the sales organization (ranked 5th).

•For advertiser clients, cost efficiency was considered to be the third most important attribute in influencing and forming their opinions, with 81.3% providing a rating of “very/extremely important”. Organization offers measurable ROI was 5th most important among advertiser clients, with 75% top two box ratings.

 

Evaluation of Component Attributes of Overall Performance Power Score

•Across the 125 sites rated in this years survey, knowledge of product, content & competition as well as responsiveness of sales force are the two attributes that had the highest performance. These attributes were ranked 2nd and 3rd most important in influencing and forming opinions about sales organizations. Organization delivers on promises was considered the most important attribute in influencing opinions about a sales organization. On average, this attribute received a 35% top two box performance rating. Offering non-traditional opportunities was ranked lowest in performance (still important with a 45% top two box rating). The average rating on this attribute was lowest across the five attributes rated for each site.

 

The complete set of results can be found in the full report.
Additional details are available at jackmyers.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*The Myers Power Score attributes evaluated in 2006 differed slightly from 2007.
2006 attributes included Sales Rep Accessibility and Responsiveness, Overall Stewardship of Schedule, Quality and Value of Presentations and Support Materials, Sales Creativity and Marketing Support and Overall Value of the Relationship to You.