Ads get more targeted

Advertisers and publishers have found new and better ways to target online ads as they become more ubiquitous, reports The Wall Street Journal.

One of the most popular formats is the "rich media" catch-all, which covers a wide range of animated, video and other interactive ads. Another is video. Pre-roll length and effective placement strategies are regularly debated by ad placement specialists.

Publishers are also working on increasing inventory by breaking stories up onto multiple pages and placing some on the front pages of sites. Visitors must click through to get to the story. They are also learning how to interpret data that users voluntarily provide, such as zip codes, to better target ad delivery.

Still, publishers don't want to outdo themselves out of fear of discouraging viewers. Some sites like CNN make sure not to put too many ads on one page so as not to diminish the user experience.