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Survey reveals business use of internet marketing tools

08.04.09 – Web analytics and marketing intelligence specialist WebTrends is today launching findings from a survey of internet marketers, which found that only 2% of businesses have used the micro-blogging sensation Twitter as a marketing tool.

The survey also found that traditional marketing tools such as e-Shots (46%) and web analytics (37%) are still at the vanguard of the internet marketing machine, while online advertising (35%) only just surpassed optimised search (34%) as the third most-used means of communicating with customers.

Better data analysis is seen as critical in helping to inform decisions that drive sales by 65% of respondents, and a variety of technologies and analysis tools are available to the internet marketer to support this process. However the research found that traditional methods still lead the way over emerging web 2.0 technologies.

Marketing Tool % of companies using always/often
e-Direct mail: 46%
Web analytics: 37%
Online advertising: 35%
Optimised search: 34%
Website e-news sponsorship: 9%
Online competitions: 8%
Internet forums: 8%
Viral marketing: 6%
Blogs: 6%
Podcasts: 6%
Twitter: 2%

“Twitter is undoubtedly the hottest thing on the web at the moment. It has been fully embraced by the mainstream, and millions of people are now receiving blow-by-blow updates on the lives of their friends and even celebs from Stephen Fry to Ashton Kutcher (the latter recently ‘tweeting’ a most-likely staged picture of wife Demi Moore’s backside). It has also impacted greatly on the media – publications are now tweeting headlines and journalists are using Twitter to share stories, appeal for information and post their own scoops before anyone else,” comments Colette Wade, marketing director EMEA, WebTrends. “However it comes as no surprise that the business world has been more circumspect. Many are simply not sure how to use it, and even if they could they wouldn’t be sure of what to say, and who exactly they would be saying it to. Some are also concerned about the implications of individuals posting personal views that could be misconstrued as representative of the companies they work for. Businesses also don’t want to be perceived as ruining something that has taken-off organically and is essentially a fun communication tool for individuals. The people that built these communities can be very cynical of clumsy corporate involvement.”

“The advice to any business that does want to jump onto the Twitter bandwagon is to think carefully about the message they want to convey, and whether or not Twitter is actually the correct vehicle for that message.”

For a full copy of the WebTrends report please contact:

Tom Flisher

Octopus Communications

tom {at} octopuscomms(.)net

0845 3700 655

-ENDS-

Methodology

Findings from the WebTrends Analysis & Action Research are based on 300 interviews with online marketing managers in businesses with more than 250 employees. 50 interviews were conducted by telephone in each of UK, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and Australia.

All respondents in the survey rely upon internet marketing to either sell directly to customer via e-commerce (40%) or engage them with sales and marketing activity.

The research was commissioned by WebTrends and conducted by Loudhouse, and independent research consultancy based in the UK.

About WebTrends Inc.

WebTrends provides web analytics and online marketing solutions to optimise marketing campaigns and customer engagement. WebTrends Marketing Lab delivers the industry’s most recognised analytics, SEM, and visitor intelligence solutions to enable companies to understand their customers, drive customer engagement, and enhance marketing and brand awareness. Thousands of leading global organisations, including HSBC, Microsoft, Reuters, General Mills, and Ticketmaster have chosen WebTrends business solutions and client services expertise to optimise their customers’ online experiences.

For more information, visit: www.webtrends.com