Online Marketing Rapidly Moving To The Head Of the B2B Class

A new American Business Media study reveals that B2B marketers no longer think of online marketing as a niche. For many it has become one of the largest components of their marketing mix.

By 2008, according to the study, online marketing will be the second highest utilized marketing tactic surpassing even direct mail. The only marketing tactic that will still exceed online marketing by a slim margin will be in-person events.

The study also shows that, as of 2005, the spending on a B2B company’s Web site combined with online marketing is already the biggest category in the marketing budget. In fact, spending on a company’s Web site combined with online marketing currently outpaces the money spent in trade magazines by a ratio of 3 to 1.

Research results indicate these are the projected 2008 B2B Marketing Tactics used by US B2B Marketers:

In-person events: 60.8%
Online marketing: 54.6%
Direct mail: 48.7%
Industry-specific /trade magazines: 48.3%
Custom publications: 44.1%
Television: 44.1%
Public relations: 41.6%
General business magazines: 38.6%
Newspapers: 35.6%
Printed newsletters: 35.1%
Radio: 33.0%
Printed directories: 24.8%

Of all of the above, online marketing will have the highest growth rate over the next few years. The study was conducted by Forrester Research and surveyed 867 B2B marketing professionals. More information and statistics can be found on the above link.