Guess what...call to action rules OK

It is a debate which has been raging since the first online ad was created but finally the truth has been revealed, and, surprise, surprise, the most effective ads are simple ones that include a call to action.
While this golden nugget is hardly world-shattering, a new study by open ad management firm Sizmek does at least determine which formats go down the best with consumers.
In no particular order, they are custom headers, billboards, pushdowns, and two types of expandable banners – representing the majority (93%) of all rich media traffic.
These formats are all highly interactive and compelling for the consumer, but the bad news for creatives is that they require minimal design input.
According to the research, it is the interactive nature of these formats that makes them effective. The opportunity to directly connect with advertising increases user engagement with both the brand and its message, driving brand awareness. Interaction rates for pushdown and expandable formats average over 1% – which apparently is a good thing.
The study stated: “The force driving the high performance of these ads are often overlooked, but include one essential element – the call to action. Creative content in strong, rich media ads frequently included call to actions, such as ‘expand for video’ or ‘learn more’, which immediately capture consumer attention and offer an in-page opportunity for brand engagement.
“Though click-through rates were almost equal to standard ads, more robust in-page content enable rich media ads to create an impact that reaches beyond website-based activity, providing marketers with a deeper insight into performance than measuring clicks alone.”
However, there will be many who say, if you did not know that already, you are in the wrong job.