Having a “presence on social networks” is one of the top priorities for marketers in 2010, with nearly six in 10 planning to include social-media spending in their next-year’s marketing budget, according to the “2010 Media Planning Intelligence Study” from the Center for Media Research, conducted with InsightExpress.
The number of marketers hoping or expecting to allocate dollars to social networks puts the medium second only to e-mail, the study found. Specifically,? 57.7% of respondents “ideally” plan, and 56.3% “realistically” plan to include social media in their media plans next year.
Email marketing is still the #1 medium, cited by 56.8% of respondents as being a realistic part of their 2010 media plans. However, plans for investing in “non-traditional” media such as online, mobile and other emerging media platforms outweigh plans for more traditional media (TV, radio, print and out-of-home) by 57% to 43%.
Percentages of respondents saying they will invest in other forms of traditional and non-traditional media:
Additional study findings:
- Those who plan, buy, approve media would ideally buy presence on a social network.
- Nearly twice as many respondents would ideally buy mobile video than will realistically buy it.
- Agencies and brands both would ideally buy more national TV than they will realistically buy.
- Advertising with regional newspapers will be significantly larger than with national newspapers.
- In terms of traditional media, there is relatively strong support for email marketing, magazines and radio advertising.
“We expect that the data and insights in the study can assist agencies and other media planners and buyers to make the case for particular media spending next year,” said Chuck Martin, director of the Center for Media Research.
A recent study by Alterian found a similar phenomenon in terms of the importance being placed on social media. Despite the acknowledgement by marketers that email provides the most measurable ROI, social media continues to receive a large? portion of marketers’ attention because of its potential influence on consumers.
In another study that examined the complex relationship between email and social networks, The Nielsen Company found that the heaviest users of social networks also show increased email use, likely because of the multitude of “status update” messages that flood social networkers’ inboxes.
About the study:? The study was conducted conducted between July 17 and Aug. 10, 2009 and is based on a survey of 1,972 MediaPost subscribers, including 1,164 who report that they have planning, buying, approving responsibility for 2010. The report covers more than 25 industries, and is available for purchase at the MediaPost website.
