According to a study reported in the online edition of B-to-B magazine, display ads on the web have a positive impact on search activity, improving clicks for organic and paid search by 155% on average, depending on the industry.

The study by Specific Media, an online media distribution company, analyzed comScore Ad Effectiveness data over a 12-month period.  While the study was largely consumer-focused, there’s no reason to believe the results would be different for b-to-b or industrial marketing.

And while not conclusive, it gives credence to the theory that online display advertising has a branding impact.

In our experience, search, both organic and paid, routinely enjoys significantly better performance than other online media, as measured by click-through rate, time on site, pages viewed, bounce rate, conversion rates, and cost efficiency. As a result, we consider search the online medium of choice for driving prospects to a web site and building marketing return on investment, or marketing ROI.

The Specific Media study, however, puts that direct response activity in context, showing the interdependence of all media types in a hyperintegrated world. Prospects may not be clicking on an ad, but the study clearly shows they’re seeing it and responding more favorably in their future search queries, as a result.

It’s all part of the changing media landscape that is revolutionizing b-to-b integrated marketing communications.