That chorus of “I Told You So” heard around the world on Monday came from media watchers and marketers who have been patiently waiting for this day to happen.
A study released this week by OutSell notes that spending on digital advertising will be up 10% this year and will, for the first time ever, surpass, money spent on print advertising. Of the $368 billion to be spent by marketers this year, 32.5% will go towards digital media while 30.3% is expected to be spent on print. With very real numbers like this, it is no question that digital advertising has now officially arrived.
This is one of those first time ever situations and a cause for ad types to pat themselves on the backs, but it was a long time in the making. Internet advertising has not always been a cash cow and up until recently it was thought of as risky, classless, and hard to prove effective. Many old school companies have resisted the genre and stuck with their tried and true methods. But then the economy fell apart while online media got larger and the publishing world collapsed and suddenly digital is the only game in town. Radio felt a similar sting a few years back and now it is publishing’s turn. In fact, many would argue that this increase has been happening for quite some time, but the world is only now starting to notice now.
Digital media offers marketers tons of options so it isn’t a surprise that it has eclipsed print. Money poured into digital marketing, lest we forget, can be spent in a myriad of ways. From social media marketing and custom blogs to videos and website advertisements, there certainly no shortage of ways to spend those digital dollars. It is no longer enough to simply slap together a commercial or a coupon for the local newspaper. Online media has upped the game and consequently makes it more interesting.  Digital campaigns are more complex and layered than ever,requiring higher maintenance and smarter, more creative minds.
So Brandsplatees, how are you planning on cashing in on the digital advertising boom?
Leave a Reply