The future of online marketing: more rich media and "search" advertising.

• Position: Marketing News

Two predictions: In the future banks will be buying more rich media online ads as well as doing more Internet search marketing.

These prognostications come from Rick Bruner, research manager at DoubleClick, New York, a provider of online marketing.

Bruner bases his assessments on the rapid growth of customers accessing financial services online. In June 2004, for example, 41 million Americans visited a banking website, which is 23 percent of the adult population, according to Nielsen/NetRatings. In addition, between January 2003 and June 2004, the number of people using financial services online grew by 24 percent.

The use of rich media ads is expected to grow in both financial services and other industries. The reason? Measured against a range of results, rich media ads are more effective than nonrich media online ads for both direct marketing goals and brandbuilding objectives, Bruner says. Rich media is defined as animated Web ads, including moving images or video clips that reflect a marketer's television spot.

Currently, financial services account for about 19 percent of rich media usage. Big rich media users in the financial services industry include Morgan Stanley, American Express and Bank One.

The use of search marketing is expected to grow...