Some 73% of web users have left websites because of annoying ads, recent research has revealed. An annual study of consumer attitudes to online ads revealed the number of people driven to leaving a site because of intrusive or annoying ads grew 46% year on year.

The study also found 59% of web users have stopped visiting a website altogether because of intrusive or irrelevant advertising.

Ads with loud noises, pop-ups covering web content and ads that were tricky to close, minimise or click away from were the most annoying.

Back in August we reported on the rapidly growing decline of banner ads and pop-ups. It seems many brands are making the mistake of going into online advertising with the same mindset as offline. Online advertising needs to be more subtle and less invasive otherwise the company’s brand image could be severely tarnished.

If you need advice or assistance with your online presence then why not give us a call and arrange an initial consultation with James, our SEO Guru.

Lightspeed Research recently surveyed 1,000 UK panelists to understand how they use search engines and found that the majority of respondents are very reliant on them.

Even if they already know the name of the company they’re looking for, 83% will still use a search engine to find its website. Only 17% would try guessing the company web address and type it directly into a browser.

The overwhelming majority of respondents click on organic search results rather than sponsored links – 92% say they look at organic results first and 93% say these are the most relevant.

With so many people using search engines, allocating budget to search marketing is certainly an effective use of funds. Here at HeadRed we understand the value of organic optimisation and can help you capture a large amount of potential new business.

Read more about our SEO service.

Fresh off the success (or not, in my case!) of the HeadRed Clay Pigeon Shoot-off, the team here are donning flame-retardant boiler suits in abundance and are off to Mr.Karting in Harbury for some Go Karting action.

The event takes place on the 22nd October and is being run by the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce.

With trophies and champagne for the top 3 placed drivers we’re going to be driving all-out for HeadRed’s honour and our own personal glory.

Eager to improve on an ignominious last place from the previous event I’ll be looking for an exponential improvement in my own form. Fortunately for me James can’t even drive having never passed his real test. Surely, given my 11 years of driving experience I couldn’t possibly lose to a complete novice? Hope springs eternal!

To view the full event details click here. I’ll be posting the results of the event in our Halloween edition of the HeadRed newsletter so keep reading!

UK online sales of DVDs, books and music are set to grow to £2.02bn by 2009, according to Jupiter Research. Its research into European commerce forecasts online sales in this area will increase by £320m from £1.7bn in 2007 to £2.02bn by the start of 2009.

Figures such as these can only illustrate further the growing potential that e-commerce can offer traditional retailers. By selling online your company can gain access to a huge pool of ever-expanding revenue.

Whilst this particular example focuses on low-level, entertainment-based purchases, it paints a very rosy picture of the amount of money people are now willing to spend online. With growing broadband proliferation and heightened financial security measures consumers are happier than ever to turn their capitalist interests to the web.

Plus, given the state of the UK weather you can hardly blame them for doing so.

With Christmas approaching there’s no better time to take advantage of the online marketplace – contact HeadRed today and we can help you take your first steps in the world of Internet retailing.

Our strong link with local companies is showing no signs of abating as we sign two new contracts with Coventry-based organisations.

Synchro Ltd is a UK-formed software development company. Their custom-developed software, the self-titled Synchro, is a project management package that can be used to plan and implement complex construction projects.

HeadRed have been tasked with the redesign and redevelopment of Synchro’s website, which provides potential customers with information on the company and the benefits that the software itself can offer them.

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Godiva PBC is a commissioning collaborative of Coventry GP practices that operate under the National Health Service (NHS). Their mission is to put people in control of their own healthcare and provide patients with a wider range of convenient, innovative and responsive services.

HeadRed will be designing and developing a new front-end website for Godiva PBC, but also building a sophisticated back-end that will be used as a practice management system for all the consortium’s members.

EMC Events are a fast-growing event management company. It is essential that their site provides them with a professional image for the business and an effective showcase for their services. The finished site features a modern, fresh and dynamic design style, and gives visitors easy access to their Events and Bar services as well as their work portfolio.

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The Pulp Room sells high quality wedding stationery materials to trade customers. Their site has been designed in a contemporary style and the layout is structured to prominently promote their key product ranges.