Direct mail and search: complementary channels

As paid-for search increases in popularity and effectiveness as an advertising medium, this benchmark consumer research study explores the relationship between direct mail and paid-for internet search.

Media-research specialists Hall & Partners interviewed 800 UK consumers to discover the following:

• Mail can help online search work harder by driving up click-through rates and developing brand familiarity.

• Two thirds of consumers use mail to help point them in the right direction when they're researching an online purchase.

• Mail can help deliver web addresses directly to consumers for those brands that perform less well on search.

• And follow-up mailings can help complete sales that started offline, and provide detailed supporting information prior to purchase.