Longevity of Websites and Interactive Advertising Communication

This study traces survival of advertising-related Web sites for a five-year period from 1997-2002. Client organizations had the best survival rate, about 70%, while less than 50% of advertising agency sites survived. Frequency of mentions in the advertising trade press was not related to site survival, but Web sites with shorter addresses were more likely to survive. This study also reports on a longitudinal analysis of health-related Web sites. Managers of surviving sites reported that resources were a critical factor for survival. Managers of failed sites often blamed the site’s demise on external factors. A major implication for advertisers is one manager’s observation that technology itself is less important than the ability to adapt to the changes it brings.