Rich Media – What Is It?

It took me a while but I thought that a formal definition of Rich Media would be useful to all of you. We hear the term with regularity, but there hasn’t been a clear definition. At first glance, most will consider rich media is the same as video or as flash.

There are several definitions and here are a few that I found:

• Rich media is an Internet advertising term for a Web page ad that uses advanced technology such as streaming video , downloaded applets (programs) that interact instantly with the user, and ads that change when the user’s mouse passes over it.
• The term rich media was coined to describe a broad range of digital interactive media. Rich media can be downloadable or may be embedded in a web page. If downloadable, it can be viewed or used offline with media players such as Real Networks’ RealPlayer, Microsoft Media Player, or Apple’s QuickTime, among others. The defining characteristic of rich media is that it exhibits dynamic motion. This motion may occur over time or in direct response to user interaction.
• Wikipedia notes this explanation: The term is synonymous for interactive multimedia , yet when searching through Wikipedia, the term Multimedia is the result.

Why is Rich Media Important?

In online advertising, it boosts response and conversions. It also impacts time on site (Dwell Time), Canadians are really involved in online video and it influences all key consumer demographics.

If your budget permits, online video and all types of media should be part of your online presence. If you want to gain attention and have time on site, increase brand recognition, it’s a winner.

Michael Bickerton, Raven5 Ltd, November 2010