Devnet Cloud View & Web Industry News

In a recent posting by Forrester Research, interactive marketing in the U.S. is expected to jump to $24 billion next year with Search no longer being the dominant channel.

Interactive marketing is being driven by innovative marketers who are leveraging multiple channels such as e-mail, search, display advertising, online video and emerging media ad channels like social and mobile. Marketers are now investing more across all channels according to Shar Van Boskirk, Principal Analyst at Forrester. Search was once the powerhouse mopping up the new money invested in interactive marketing, but now we are really beginning to see that change.

Search is currently taking up about half of the online spend, but as the total U.S. interactive marketing spend grows to the predicted $61 billion in 2012, that distribution will change. Forrester estimates that email will take up $4.3 billion of that figure.

Australia is following suit. More and more marketers are embracing the wide range of interactive marketing channels and the social networking revolution. Search will always be important. But its dominance in online marketing will decrease as marketers invest more across channels.

Marketers now realise that there is more than one way to reach their audience. Email will continue to be a very important element, but for best ROI, the future will be about using the entire set of interactive marketing tools, not just relying on a couple of familiar pieces.

Craig Deveson