Search Marketing News

Internet ad spend increases 'for first time since 2008 

October 12th 2009
Universal Search Marketing News

Online and search engine marketing were the only areas where firms have increased their advertising budgets in quarter three of 2009, according to a new report.

Internet advertising budgets were the only category where spending increased, with budgets rising for the first time since the second quarter of 2008, the latest IPA/BDO Bellwether survey shows.

This was also the eighth consecutive quarter during which overall marketing spending has fallen, although this is the smallest reduction in budgets seen over the year.

The report suggests that this is due to growing business confidence, with 47 per cent of companies seeing improved prospects for a return to growth.

IPA president and vice-president of the Ogilvy Group UK Rory Sutherland believes that the report is encouraging.

He said: "Whilst companies are still understandably wary the report reveals a strong rise in business confidence and the suggestion that GDP may well have risen in Q3.

"It will be interesting to see whether the rise in internet spend will presage an upturn in other categories."

Last month, internet advertising spending in the UK overtook TV advertising for the first time.

A record £1.75 billion was spent on online campaigns, such as search engine marketing, in the first six months of this year.