UK - Mobile Gets 20 Per Cent of a Third of UK Marketing Budgets

83 per cent of UK marketing managers see a mobile strategy as important to their activities, according to the findings of an independent research project of 100 marketing managers commissioned by Webtrends, the mobile and social analytics specialist.

The Marketer App-etite survey found that marketers are embracing the channel, and realising its potential to build their brand’s image and reputation, with 37 per cent rating mobile strategy as very important to their company.

The survey also found that marketing managers are putting more and more budget aside for mobile marketing campaigns, with 34 per cent planning to spend more than 20 per cent of next year’s marketing budget on mobile. This shift to mobile is also reflected by the fact that over half (55 per cent) see mobile strategy as a standard part of planning any campaign.

Building a brand’s image is the main driver behind developing a mobile channel, according to 59 per cent of respondents, with 55 per cent citing existing customer demand as a main driver. Furthermore, 55 per cent of those surveyed believe a successful mobile campaign will help them attract new customers.

Mobile apps and mobile websites were found to play a large role in mobile campaigns, with only 16 per cent identifying neither mobile apps nor mobile websites as appropriate for their business. In fact, the research found that 89 per cent plan to invest in a mobile website, and 87 per cent have plan to invest in apps.

Some other key findings from the research:

- 51 per cent of those surveyed believe mobile marketing to be effective due to their own personal mobile interactions with brands
- Cost constraints and lack of internal skills are the main barriers to mobile success (32 per cent each). Only 10 per cent cited a lack of demand
- Competition from rival brands (37 per cent) and the growing reach of the mobile web (34 per cent) drives the development of mobile apps
- New and existing staff are the main managers of app development, with only 20 per cent outsourcing the work to external specialists or consultants
- 43 per cent think that developing a mobile app would cost £10,000 or more

“In an increasingly connected world, we are seeing brands of all shapes and sizes turning their focus towards mobile marketing through market demand,” notes Nick Sharp, VP and general manager, EMEA and Australia, at Webtrends. “Our findings in the Marketer App-etite survey have confirmed that more and more budget each year is being allocated to deliver mobile marketing campaigns, as mobile cements its place as an essential technology.

“We see mobile apps deployed on daily basis by marketers aiming to interact with smartphone users, but it is also important to note that mobile websites are also experiencing growth.

Mobile sites can also be a great marketing tool to engage with consumers, and in many cases they can be more effective than an app. However, clever and efficient use of both channels, alongside analytics software to gather data on the way users are interacting with your brand, undoubtedly reap the best rewards and provides the best service to new and existing customers.”

Source: http://www.mobilemarketingmagazine.com/content/mobile-gets-20-cent-third-uk-marketing-budgets by David Murphy on 20th September 2011.

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