US digital marketing spend to surpass print, says report

A new forecast has predicted that American advertisers will up their digital marketing spending this year to the extent that it overtakes print budgets.

US firms will spend $119.6 billion (£79.7 billion) on internet advertising this year, compared with $111.5 billion on magazine and newspaper-based promotions, according to Outsell.

The company suggests that this due to advertisers seeking more accountable methods of marketing.

Its survey reveals that advertisers see their own websites as offering the best return on investment, followed by conferences and other trade events, direct mail, search engine marketing and email newsletters.

When it comes to social media marketing, Facebook came out on top as the medium believed to be the most effective, with LinkedIn and Twitter coming next in the rankings.

Chuck Richard, vice-president and lead analyst at Outsell, remarked: "Advertisers are directing dollars toward the channels which generate the most qualified leads and most effective branding."

The study comes shortly after Forrester Research launched a report suggesting that spending on business-to-business online marketing will rise by more than 100 per cent by 2014.

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