Marin Software, Inc., a San Francisco-based maker of marketing software, had a strong showing on the day it went public. When its price per share jumped from $14 to $16.26 after its initial public offering on March 21, analysts quoted in the Wall Street Journal hailed it as a good sign for the company, and for digital marketing overall.
“The advertising landscape is changing. There’s a structural shift away from things like television and billboards,” said Peter Goldmacher, a senior analyst and managing director with Cowen & Co.
Digital marketing, which includes new forms of Internet marketing like pay-per-click advertising, social media advertising, search engine optimization and website analytics, allows marketers and companies to measure how well they’re reaching their target audience. Now, companies are putting their dollars into digital, and seeking the professional marketers to manage these efforts.
Research company Gartner surveyed companies across a variety of industries, and found that digital marketing budgets will increase 9 percent in 2013. Overall, companies are working hardest on “inbound” marketing. In other words, making sure customers can find them easily, rather than trying to reach out to customers through outbound marketing efforts. Companies are most interested in improving their customers’ experiences, making sure customers can easily find what they want, and that they have a positive interaction with the business.
Interestingly, the new emphasis on digital marketing doesn’t mean IT experts will reign supreme in all marketing departments. When it comes to social marketing efforts, for example, Gartner found that only 12 percent of companies give their IT departments a major role; instead, they want employees skilled at generating content and engaging with target audiences.
To meet the demand, new degree programs are cropping up to train students: More than 100 online degree choices are available in marketing, and some campuses are expanding specifically digital programs. The University of Connecticut, for example, recently announced it was establishing undergraduate degrees in digital media and design, an area that trains students to use these digital skills in the fine arts, humanities, science and technology, and, the university’s press release adds, digital advertising and marketing.
[cf]skyword_tracking_tag[/cf]
Please Leave A Comment
Related posts:
Adobe Survey: Marketers Need to Change but Don’t Know How
Online Ad Campaigns Shifting from Direct Response to Brand Advertising, Study Says
Two Technology IPO Announcements Indicate Growing Demand for Marketing and IT Related Solutions
Content Marketing Success: First, Build Your Audience, then Monetize
Business Intelligence Software Addresses Critical Industry Need
No Comment