A new global survey into marketing trends has found tradeshows and events are top targets for reduced spending in 2011 in favour of digital communication.
According to StrongMail’s 2011 Marketing Trends Survey, 65 per cent of respondents will increase investment into email marketing, and 57 per cent in social media. In contrast, 33 per cent said they would decrease investment into tradeshows and events, with a further 36 per cent reducing direct mail spending.
However, the figures are significantly improved compared to last year’s survey, which found marketers reducing spend in these areas by 44 per cent and 42 per cent respectively. The survey was based on responses from 925 global business leaders.
In an indication of how things are looking up, half the businesses surveyed said they will increase marketing budgets in 2011, while 43 per cent will maintain current levels. Only seven per cent of respondents plan to cut costs, down from 11 per cent reported in the previous year’s report.
Among social media initiatives, Facebook is the biggest priority (35 per cent), followed by viral/referral marketing programmes (22 per cent). Marketing via Twitter and implementing social media management technology tied for third place (21 per cent).
Marketers said awareness building (63 per cent) was the primary goal for social media initiatives, followed by loyalty acquisition (54 per cent) and new audience generation (42 per cent).
Yet social media marketing is seen as least effective at generating leads and revenue.
“As marketers head into 2011, they are focused on increasing subscriber engagement through increased relevancy and automating lifecycle communications,” said vice-president of strategic services at StrongMail, Ryan Deutsch.
According to a recent International Association of Exhibitions and Events whitepaper, exhibition organisers and exhibitors are increasingly viewing social media as an important tool but few have concrete strategies in place.
