The value of click-throughs as a metric of advertising success is under question after a report has shown that a decreasing percentage of users are making up an increasing portion of all click-throughs.

eMarketer has revealed that comScore and Starcom USA have followed up a July 2007 study conducted with Tacoda that segments internet users into heavy, moderate and light clickers.

It found that heavy clickers only accounted for 4% of all internet users in March 2009, but they were responsible for more than two-thirds of click-throughs that month.

More concerning is that non-clickers rose as a proportion of all internet users by 16 percentage points. Both moderate and light clickers decreased in number and in share of clicks.

According to the report, marketers and researchers have suggested other metrics, such as the view-through rate, gross ratings points (GRPs) and dwell time are more appropriate gauges of success.

“A click means nothing, earns no revenue and creates no brand equity. Your online advertising has some goal – and it’s certainly not to generate clicks,” said John Lowell, Starcom USA SVP and director, research and analytics.