Importance of sentiment

“The way you make me feel.”

In our previous IAS Insider blog around the IAS Power of Context UK report, we discussed the importance of context. But ads related to the content of a page aren’t the only details that impact consumer perception. 

Sentiment can also be a factor. Technology can be used to determine the sentiment and underlying emotion being conveyed in online content. Through granular semantic analysis the meaning and sentiment of words on webpages can be uncovered.  

Positive about positivity 

IAS carried out an online survey to determine the types of ads UK consumers prefer to see in different environments, and how the sentiment being conveyed in an article impacts their feelings towards advertisements running alongside. Here are the top 3 consumer insights:

• Almost three-quarters (73%) state that the sentiment (positive/negative) conveyed in an article impacts their perception of a brand who has advertised alongside it.
• Sentiment perception impacts all industries. Across the vertical samples, when an ad appeared next to a positive headline, consumer receptivity increased by up to 39%.
• When presented with examples from specific verticals, consumers were more receptive to content with positive and neutral sentiment. They also felt more favourable towards the associated brands.

In an increasingly competitive advertising landscape, where brands are vying for consumer attention and engagement, ad environments must be considered from a contextual and sentiment perspective in order to truly capture consumer interest.  

The full IAS Power of Context report highlights how the context and sentiment of the content alongside a digital ad impacts consumers’ perception towards brands. Download the report today. 

For more information on IAS’s semantic technology and contextual targeting capabilities, download the Toolkit