According to a new Advertising.com study, the ad network's so-called NetBlocks - similar to roadblocks on specific content, but expanded to include an advertiser's "ownership" of a chunk of the entire ad network - can significantly increase consumer/brand engagement in the days following exposure. That "ownership" can be defined as a desired volume of impressions or all impressions served to a specific demographic segment, or other criteria. Overall results showed that NetBlocks increased - up to 1,700 percent (versus a control group) - traffic to the advertisers' websites.

Exposed consumers also demonstrated higher engagement levels with the advertisers' sites - up to 3,600 percent and 1,500 percent increases in time spent and pages viewed, respectively.

For the study, engagement was measured as visits, time spent and pages viewed on an advertiser's site. Through a partnership with comScore, Advertising.com measured the impact of NetBlocks on these metrics against a control group. The analyzed post-exposure periods included 24 hours following the last exposure, 48 hours following the last exposure, and he seven days following the last exposure.

"NetBlocks provide an innovative way to achieve mass reach of a targeted audience in a short time frame," according to K-Yun Steele, VP/AMD at Beyond Interactive, "Clearly, the combination is powerful - resulting in a high level of interaction and lasting mindshare for an advertiser's brand."