Online adverts ‘more popular if with free content’

Consumers are more willing to watch adverts on the internet if they are guaranteed free online content instead of having to pay for it, a study has shown.

According to KPMG’s third annual global Consumers and Convergence survey, approximately 60 per cent of consumers in the UK would prefer to get the free content than pay for it by watching an online advert.

Just 16 per cent of UK users would opt for paying for online content to avoid adverts, while 21 per cent would pay to not get any ads on their mobile phones.

“This willingness to view adverts in exchange for free content is good news for advertisers,” commented Tudor Aw, convergence partner at KPMG.

He added that the findings may also act as “a pointer in the on-going debate over whether advertising or subscription is the right revenue model”.

Recent figures from the Internet Advertising Bureau revealed that online advertising spend increased by 17 per cent last year.