Traditional media have suffered falling advertising revenues, a feature that has been particularly noticeable in local newspapers and in the results of commercial TV channels. Online ad spending did decrease slightly during the first half of 2009, though not to the extent of traditional advertising media.
However, what is not captured in those figures is the extent to which online marketing spend is being funnelled to improvements in websites, and a growing use of social media including Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter for business promotion purposes.
Website design and website management in particular remains a key area where spending has kept up. With ever more companies competing on the worldwide web, it is vital that companies exploit the potential of what is an instant medium - ever changing their web presence to ensure it continues to inform and excite its audience.
One Southampton web design company has seen an increased emphasis on search engine optimisation, as clients look to improve their ranking in search engines. And the use of online advertising is seeing increased acceptance, as companies appreciate that their spend on key word advertising can be carefully budgeted for, the effectiveness tested in real time, and the results checked quickly to ensure they are delivering a real business return.
It is also easier than ever to sell online, as payment systems reduce their transaction costs, and those providing an online shop platform make life simpler. An online shop can be automated to a large extent, enabling it to handle orders, take payment and arrange shipping of goods, with minimum human intervention.
Those ignoring the power of online marketing do so at their peril, when times are tight.
