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

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 because consumers are doing more Internet searching in connection with their financial services activities. Consumers looking for bank or credit card plans identified "search engines" as the fourth most important marketing channel for learning more about their product choices. Those who had recently purchased mortgages or investments identified "search engines" as the third most important channel, according to DoubleClick's recent Touchpoints study.

The Internet excels at delivering up-to-the-minute information and financial services is particularly well suited to this medium because it is an information-rich product, Bruner notes. Another factor pointing banks in the direction of greater Internet marketing is the spread of the use of broadband Internet connections, which facilitate the more elaborate rich media ads, Bruner says. Nearly half of Internet users now have broadband access at home. Among those who frequent financial services websites, the figure is 69 percent.