Determining the Role of Internet Marketing in a Product’s Success

Nicholas Lincoln

Nicholas Lincoln is graduating this spring with a Dual Degree in Economics and Security and Intelligence. He is a member of the university's honors program. During his time at OSU Nicholas participated in the CFAES Beijing Experience study abroad program where he studied at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. He is completing an Honors thesis under the guidance of Prof. Richard Steckel in the department of Economics. Below is his thesis abstract:

Research Abstract

Internet advertising spending has been growing in recent years, and is projected to overtake television and radio advertising within a decade. Market research by Experian has shown that over 60% of consumers of every age group research a product online before making a purchase, but there is little research in forecasting a product's success based on its online popularity. This study examines the influence of internet advertising on a product's online popularity, as measured in search queries, and whether this can predict sales revenue. The sales data, ad spending, and Google search volume of several Apple products was collected and developed into a distributed lag model to test for correlations. Preliminary results suggest that there is a strong positive correlation between a product's search volume and sales. The correlation between internet ad spending and search volume appears to be weak however, suggesting that consumers learn of the product through alternative sources. The results of this study could be used to determine the effectiveness of internet advertising and whether Google searches can predict sales revenue.

Learn more about study abroad programs.