Study reveals 30% increase in search marketing spend

24th July 2008

Worldwide spending on search engine marketing has increased by 30 per cent during the past year, according to a new report.

The 2009 Search Marketing Benchmark Guide, compiled by Marketing Sherpa, has indicated that around half of all online marketing spending is now dedicated to search engine optimisation (SEO) strategies, search-related marketing tools and paid online ads.

According to the report's authors, SEO is now viewed as a "legitimate" inexpensive tactic for marketing, similar to email marketing and public relations, although it was "once considered something of a 'dark art'".

Meanwhile, data compiled by Dr Dave Chaffey of E-consultancy and published earlier this month has indicated that the average digital marketing spend has now doubled the figures reported in 2005 in the UK.

Dr Chaffey's report revealed that a total of 23 per cent of the total marketing communications budget in the UK is now used as an investment in digital marketing channels.