More companies cite lead generation (37%) than branding (27%) as their main social media advertising objective, according to [download page] a new study from Econsultancy in association with Adobe. The survey – of company marketers around the world, but primarily from Europe – indicates that fewer respondents are looking to increase traffic (18%) or drive direct online sales (18%) from their social media advertising efforts.
The results mark somewhat of a departure from recent studies which have suggested more of a branding focus from social media ad buys (see here and here).
Lead generation is also the primary objective for a plurality (37%) of in-house marketers engaged in online display advertising, although direct online sales (26%) is their second-biggest objective. When it comes to paid search, direct online sales (40%) counts as the primary objective, followed closely by lead gen (38%).
The bulk of social advertising dollars are being spent on Facebook, per the report. Client-side respondents indicate that they’re allocating 41% of their social ad budgets to the platform, compared to 18% for LinkedIn, 17% for Twitter, and 24% to other networks. Agency respondents estimate that an even greater 53% of their clients’ social ad budgets are being directed to Facebook.
It should come as no surprise, then, that Facebook ad types are most popular: 66% of client-side respondents invest in newsfeed ads and 45% in marketplace ads. Promoted tweets (40%) and LinkedIn ads (37%) are the next-most popular, with Facebook Exchange units (36%) close behind.
Agency respondents report similar priorities, with 84% saying their clients invest in newsfeed ads and 59% in marketplace ads. LinkedIn ads (47%) get the nod over promoted tweets (45%) for this group, though, with Facebook Exchange ads (37%) a little further behind in adoption.
About the Data: The 10th Quarterly Digital Intelligence Briefing is based on an online survey of 600 client-side and agency respondents carried out in July 2013. 55% of respondents are client-side. 44% are based in the UK, 29% in other parts of Europe, and 19% in North America.
