Digital continues boom, more money to go online

• ADMA releases survey findings
• Digital now mainstream
• Budgets increase in '08 over ‘07

Regional - The Asia Digital Marketing Association (ADMA) has released the results of its fifth annual marketing and advertising industry survey, which shows that 95% of all respondents allocate money towards digital marketing and 58% will spend more on the medium thanks to the recession.

Well over half of the respondents said their budgets increased in 2008 over 2007, while 83% expect their budgets to remain the same or increase in 2009 despite the cautious economic climate. Over two thirds of those surveyed said that their online budgets have increased over last year.

"The survey conclusively shows that digital marketing is now mainstream," David Ketchum, chairman of the ADMA, said. 

"The vast majority of marketers and advertisers are active online, and the overall sentiment is that digital is a solid, measureable place to invest your promotional budget in troubled economic times."

Among the barriers to increased digital spending noted by respondents were lack of experience and understanding of the use and benefits of digital marketing, as well as the fact that it is not yet part of some companies' corporate culture.

Of those who spend less than 10% of their budget online, 26% said they were not convinced of the benefits of digital marketing and 24% said digital marketing was not well suited to reach their target audiences.

Corporate websites, search engine optimization, and behavioural targeting are the strategies expected to be of greatest importance in the coming year, and although just 28% of respondents say their companies maintain a corporate blog, a quarter of those without blogs say they intend to launch one in 2009. Mobile device advertising, text message promotions, widgets & gadgets, and online games are also considered promising but are less often utilized.

The survey was conducted online by Aha! Research among 345 marketers, agencies and advertisers across the region in conjunction with the Direct Marketing Association of Singapore, the Vietnam Marketing Association, the Mobile Marketing Association, the Hong Kong Direct Marketing Association and the Hong Kong Institute of Marketing.