It is built on a field (advertising) that stretches back generations and has developed incredibly potent principles and practices. And it is also built on a platform (the Internet) that has only scratched the surface of its potential.

This combination of old and new, history and novelty, makes the future of online advertising an exciting prospect for anyone.

Likewise, it’s important that we understand how this so-called digital persuasion affects us, and will continue to affect us, taking into account both the value it can add to and detract from our lives.

The Best of the Best Emerge to Share Insight

The passion for online advertising extends far beyond this little blog. In fact, an organization called Future of Online Advertising brings people together for two-day conferences that cost nearly a thousand dollars to hear from speakers on the cutting edge of this field.

The talent and insight that have established their reputations extend beyond any one niche. Market analysts, computer programmers, web designers, media researchers, and of course advertisers from all walks of life have something to bring to the table.

This multidimensional approach produces the increasing variety we see among digital ads, which not only employ different mediums (video, audio, text, visual), but all in different ways.

Network Solutions CEO Jeff Zimmerman said in an interview with Practical eCommerce:

“Ultimately, you must find the most cost-effective way to find your target customers in a relevant context …We recommend that business owners pursue a multi-pronged approach to marketing their business … Within the advertising space in particular, online advertising will continue to expand into new mediums.”

This blog has given an overview of what online advertising has produced so far, but things will surely change, as advertisers discover more about what people respond to.

Our Never-Changing Responsibility:

And as they learn more about what makes us tick, we must become extra conscious about how we’re ticking.

Ultimately, this is an opportunity for consumers to become more critical and efficient in their decisions, among an unprecedented abundance of options.

And if you have any doubt that the Internet is a hot spot for advertisers to draw new prospects and customers, the Million Dollar Homepage will dispel you of uncertainty.

An new idea for a new age…

The idea was one of a broke college student named Alex Tew, who at 21 years of age came up with this idea after 20 minutes of brainstorming, BBC News reported.

Tew invested $100 for the Web site, and earned $1 million back – not with great content supported by advertising, but with advertising as the content itself.

Alex Tew - The Million Dollar Mastermind

The ads that fill one million pixels on this page may be small, simple, uncreative and uninspiring – but they’re a testament to the impact advertising on the Internet, and vice versa.

At $1 per pixel, Tew offered advertisers not only the small chance to be seen, but the self-proclaimed opportunity to “own a piece of Internet history!”

Internet history and advertising – how can they be so intertwined?

My guess is simply that the Internet has opened new doors for advertisers to connect with prospects on a global scale.

And likewise, advertisers have rushed on the scene to keep it in a constant flow of competitive improvement.

This dynamic, symbiotic relationship has indeed made online advertising one of the core players of the rapidly evolving digital age.

The positive spin of online advertising

Ads can certainly lead us to annoyance, or worse yet, scams and fraud.

But let’s not forget all of the web pages that wouldn’t exist if online advertising never picked up speed – this one and so many other free WordPress blogs included.

If the Million Dollar Homepage can make a million dollars on a web page of only banner ads, and if billions more dollars in advertising are going to the support of all different kinds of Web sites, where will this momentum take us next?

It’s hard to say for sure. But it’s a sure bet that online advertising is only on the rise, and I see it as a good thing.

For all it’s faults, online advertising has reaped some incredibly positive consequences – from the variety and quality of Web sites that continue to expand every day, to the support of a broke college student, with whom I can easily relate.