Pontiflex CPL Benchmark Study Reveals Industry-wide Pricing Data on Cost-Per-Lead Advertising

Study Includes Data from CPL Campaigns With Some of the World's Largest Brands

New York, NY -- August 24, 2009 -- Pontiflex, the industry's first transparent Cost-per-Lead (CPL) marketplace, today unveiled the Pontiflex CPL Benchmark Study - a year-long, industry-wide measure of how different industry verticals use marketing leads and how Cost-per-Lead prices vary based on industry sector and the type of information being collected.

In Cost-Per-Lead advertising, advertisers run ads with publishers. But instead of paying for wasted clicks or impressions that never convert, they pay only for qualified sign-ups. As CPL continues to gain market share - according to the IAB, performance-based media accounted for 57 percent of Internet advertising revenues in 2008 and is expected to increase significantly this year - the data revealed that a majority of brands are using CPL to drive engagement to brand or community sites. According to the study, the second most popular use is e-newsletters with deals or special offers. Additionally, the data showed that increasing the amount of information collected in turn increases the Cost-per-Lead.

We've always known that Cost-Per-Lead prices can vary greatly depending on the industry vertical and data collected Now, for the first time, we have a comprehensive, industry-wide measurement of the actual numbers.
It comes as no surprise that despite the fact that we may be experiencing a slight market rebound, advertising and marketing strategies will not go back to where they were before the recession. Both brand marketers and agencies are being held more accountable than ever to ensure they are driving tangible results, and CPL advertising is one way for them to do that.

"We've always known that Cost-Per-Lead prices can vary greatly depending on the industry vertical and data collected" said Zephrin Lasker, CEO and Co-founder, Pontiflex. "Now, for the first time, we have a comprehensive, industry-wide measurement of the actual numbers."

The data was segmented into two tiers:

* Basic fields: Includes First Name, Last Name, Email Address and Postal Address fields
* Premium fields: Includes more detailed information like telephone number, Twitter handle, custom questions and geo-targeted information

The study will be released with updated data on a quarterly basis in the future.

Key Findings from Pontiflex CPL Benchmark Study:

* How advertisers engage with leads: 51% brand / community site, 31% e-newsletter with special offers, 9% free trial offers, 5% advocacy.

* Premium fields in the technology vertical had the highest price at an average of $3.75 per lead. Health leads came in second at $3.36 per lead. Premium fields in the CPG vertical had the lowest price at an average of $1.13 per lead.

* Basic fields in the technology vertical had the lowest price at an average of $0.43 per lead. Basic fields in the travel vertical had the highest price at an average of $1.40 per lead.

* Basic fields for the online retail and catalog vertical had an average of $0.59 per lead.

"It comes as no surprise that despite the fact that we may be experiencing a slight market rebound, advertising and marketing strategies will not go back to where they were before the recession," Lasker said. "Both brand marketers and agencies are being held more accountable than ever to ensure they are driving tangible results, and CPL advertising is one way for them to do that."

About the Pontiflex CPL Benchmark Study / Methodology

The Pontiflex CPL Benchmark Study was compiled for the time period August 1, 2008 to July 31, 2009 across a sample of 709 publisher websites. The leads for campaigns included in the report were non-incentivized, opt-in and purchased on a Cost-per-Lead pricing model. Lead price data was collected for CPG, travel, non-profit, health, entertainment, online retail and catalog and technology verticals. The consumer sample focused on adults 18+ in age who live in North America.

Source: Pontiflex