Externalities across advertising markets

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper analyzes externalities generated by offline advertising campaigns on the performance of online ads. Using advertising data on a panel of firms in the hotel industry, we estimate how a firm’s offline, display, and competing ad campaigns impact the effectiveness of Google and Facebook advertising. We find a positive effect of traditional mass-media campaigns on Google clicks. Advertising from competitors does not affect Google ad performance but it increases advertising prices, suggesting keyword poaching. Further analyses hint that Google’s monopoly power and auction system allow free-riding on advertising externalities. Although we find similar positive effects on Facebook ads, they are not significant.