Latest Digital Marketing Statistics – State of the Industry 2024
By Andrea
February 6, 2024
If you put your laptop away for a minute and step outside, you’ll see people walking, jogging, and running red lights with their faces glued to their mobile devices. Given that most of us work for eight hours and ideally spend another eight hours sleeping, that leaves us with just a third of our day to fill as we please. With that in mind, let the fact that digital marketing statistics show we spend 5.9 hours per day on digital media sink in. Mary Meeker’s 2018 Internet Trends Report came up with this figure and provided one particularly crucial insight for all businesses: If you want to be seen at all, you need to establish a strong online presence.
The text below will tell you what you need to know to stay competitive in today’s online market. We’ve collected the most interesting and relevant online marketing data from reputable sources like Statista, Accenture, Gartner, Clutch, Pew Research, and a variety of government websites. With this up-to-date information, you can get a better idea of what to expect from online marketing in the near future.
Most Interesting Digital Marketing Statistics – Our Top Picks
- The marketing executives of some of the most successful companies spend an average of more than 21% of their marketing budget on advertising.
- 70% of marketers lack an integrated content strategy.
- 72% of consumers who search for local businesses end up visiting stores within five miles.
- Strategic landing pages help 68% of B2B businesses acquire new leads.
- By 2021, global revenue from offline commerce channels will decrease by almost 20%.
- Global digital and alternative media revenues grew an estimated 11.6% in 2018, amounting to $496.08 billion in total.
- In 2017 in the UK, digital advertising overtook all other forms of advertising, reaching a 52% share of total advertising spending.
Digital Marketing Stats
Global digital and alternative media revenues grew an estimated 11.6% in 2018, amounting to $496.08 billion in total.
(PQ Media)
Digital and alternative media such as smart-technology advertising, micro-influencer marketing, and video advertising are increasingly successful at converting leads. Any business operating in the current global economic climate ought to tune in and learn how to leverage this technology. Digital advertising includes email marketing, social media marketing, SEO, social PPC, content marketing, and display marketing. For businesses who know what they are doing, this digital advertising revenue is worth every penny.
By 2020, B2B digital commerce revenues will almost double, accounting for around half of all B2B revenues.
(Accenture)
In a recent study, Accenture Interactive surveyed more than 1000 B2B sales executives to gain a better understanding of the latest trends in digital commerce. In 2018 and 2019, Accenture estimates that digital commerce will comprise almost half of B2B businesses’ total revenue, whereas that figure was 29% in 2017. This surge in digital commerce prevalence requires businesses to shift their focus to digital marketing, regardless of whether they are a hotdog booth or a film studio.
By 2021, global revenue from offline commerce channels will decrease by almost 20%.
(Accenture)
The shift from offline to online commerce channels carries massive, far-reaching implications for the way B2B organizations handle their digital channels. How is digital marketing different from traditional marketing? It appears you can no longer count on people looking away from their phones to notice your brick-and-mortar shop, regardless of its unique charm. Not the way they used to, anyway. If you want fresh, hot traffic likely to convert into paying customers, you need to grab people’s attention in the virtual world.
In 2017 in the UK, digital advertising overtook all other forms of advertising, reaching a 52% share of total advertising spending.
(Online advertising in the UK, Plum report)
Digital marketing statistics UK match what we see across the world. In fact, digital marketing has now surpassed television, radio, outdoor media, cinema, and printed press combined.
The marketing executives of some of the most successful companies spend an average of more than 21% of their marketing budget on advertising.
(Gartner)
Gartner, the world’s leading research and advisory company, came up with this figure in 2018. Researchers interviewed 621 marketing executives in North America and the UK, in companies with $500 million to $10+ billion annual revenue. The executives estimated that they’d spent 8.9% of their budget on digital advertising (social, mobile, and display advertising), 5.3% on paid search, and 7.0% on offline advertising (TV and out-of-home media).
61% of marketers ranked improving the ability to measure and analyze marketing impact as a priority.
(Demand Gen Survey Report)
The key to successful online marketing strategies is knowing exactly what’s making you money and what you could be doing better. The 2018 Demand Generation Benchmark Survey polled 160 marketing executives to learn how they plan on improving their marketing efforts, and what marketing methods they had previously employed. The companies were predominantly from North America (87%), with respondents from EMEA (8%) and APAC (5%) also represented. Most of these diverse companies (73%) focused on lead quality over lead quantity, while 72% were committed to improving conversion rates.
58% of marketers believe they have a very successful strategy for generating user demand.
(Ascend2)
Ascend2 collected these statistics on marketing in 2018 in the Generating and Nurturing Leads Survey. Researchers asked 229 marketing influencers for insight into what they consider a successful demand-creation strategy. A smaller percentage of marketers (35%) described their tactics as moderately successful, with only 7% believing their demand-generation strategy was unsuccessful.
Nearly a third of marketing budget (29%) covers marketing technology (martech), while in-house labor investments are dropping.
(Gartner)
Rising from 22% in 2017, martech resources and programs currently represent the largest area of investment. Recent digital marketing stats show that companies believe marketing technology and automation will deliver more relevant customer experiences and help them stay in control of their marketing activities. Effective marketing technology helps businesses keep track of changes in customer habits and channel engagement rates. It also helps businesses understand why these stats are changing. As a consequence of this technological advancement, however, labor budgets slipped in 2018 from 27% to 24%.
Only 64% of small businesses have their own website.
(Clutch)
It’s amazing to think that in 2021, more than one-third of small and mid-sized businesses aren’t online. While those business owners might think all this digital marketing mumbo jumbo is useless, digital marketing stats show that local searches are now hugely important for brick-and-mortar businesses. Even if you sell hot dogs on a street corner, it’s worth creating an online presence, and with resources such as free website builders readily available online, there’s really no excuse.
About 28% of small businesses spend less than $500 on building their website.
(Clutch)
It seems the fear of wasting too much money on a website remains strong. Although it’s easier than ever to use DIY website-building software that requires no knowledge of code or, many business owners are still hesitant. The best idea here is to start small; build a landing page, include all the relevant information about the product/service you provide, and create your own social media presence.
72% of consumers who search for local businesses end up visiting stores within five miles.
(WordStream)
Online marketing statistics show that if you create your own website and optimize it for local search, you won’t regret it. The best way to optimize for local SEO is to reverse-engineer the local terms visitors have used to find the type of service you offer. Check out web analytics and the Google Ads Keyword Planner to get started. You can find local search terms yourself simply by typing in your city/area and the service you offer (ie. “car wash East Chicago”).
Strategic landing pages help 68% of B2B businesses acquire new leads.
(Marketo, 2018)
While most businesses with a website try to optimize their landing pages, lead generation statistics show that only 50% of landing pages are mobile-optimized. You can get ahead of the competition by publishing special offers on your landing page, optimizing it for mobile devices, and including relevant videos.
29% of marketing leaders are deploying either a lead-management platform or a social analytics platform.
(Gartner)
This research is based on Gartner’s CMO Spend Survey 2018-2019, which involved 621 marketing executives in North America and the U.K. Gartner’s digital marketing stats show that marketing technology is taking up an increasingly high share of marketing expense budgets. Social analytics includes web tools such as Google Analytics, as well as social media analytics. The data these tools provide include demographics and interests, and can help you analyze user behavior on your website and social media platforms.
Content Marketing Statistics
The most successful marketers spend 40% of their total marketing budget on content marketing.
(B2B Content Marketing Report)
According to the 2018 B2B Content Marketing Report, the average content marketing budget for all respondents was 26%. The least successful respondents reported spending only 14%. As clarified in the report, though, the top performers were self-proclaimed, as they themselves assessed how well they were doing. Self-confessed poor performers, on the other hand, characterized their overall approach as minimally or not at all successful. Regardless, this shows B2B content marketing tactics are more important than ever.
70% of consumers want to learn about products through content as opposed to traditional advertising.
(Content Marketing Institute)
This is one of the most relevant digital marketing facts when deciding whether an established business should invest in inbound or outbound marketing. Where money is concerned, people don’t trust ads as much as they trust statistics, research, and what they perceive as fact. An active website rich in content gives off the impression that potential users and customers are dealing with experts.
55% of marketers say blog content creation is their top inbound marketing priority.
(HubSpot)
These digital marketing statistics appeared in HubSpot’s State of Inbound 2018 report. Marketers believe relevant, engaging content will maximize their reach and bring inbound leads. Most audiences feel the same and would rather trust fact-supported content instead of ads when it comes to learning about products. Insightful blog posts are more likely to get links, likes, and shares, thus expanding marketers’ audience.
Altimeter found 70% of marketers lack an integrated content strategy.
(Altimeter)
Everybody seems to know how important content is as a marketing tool. Nevertheless, most marketers admit that their content efforts aren’t consistent or integrated enough to produce the desired result. Many ambitious marketers aim to create Google and Facebook ad campaigns, while simultaneously establishing a presence on several social networks and writing SEO content to match. The odds are that they’ll simply end up working on five entirely separate campaigns that lack cohesion. Only 10% of the marketers Altimeter surveyed integrated their content into processes such as customer-relationship management, business intelligence, and inbound marketing platforms.
61% of marketers say improving SEO and growing their organic presence is their top inbound marketing priority.
(HubSpot)
SEO statistics show most marketers are aware that organic SEO helps strengthen website visibility for potentially enthusiastic customers. Your target audience is already searching for the type of service you provide. Articles, blogs, and relevant content on your website will make you one of the first search results to catch their attention. To create this top-notch organic presence, the most successful companies know how to mirror their customers’ behavior by including words and phrases their potential customers might use to find appropriate products and services. Inbound marketing statistics collected in HubSpot’s 2018 report confirm that investing intelligently in SEO brings a massive increase in targeted visitors to your website.
The most popular lead-generation tactics are social media (47%), email (46%), content or video (39%), and SEO (38%).
(Ascend2)
As Ascend2’s 2018 report Generating and Nurturing Leads to Create Demand shows, most marketers identify and cultivate potential customers using social media, email marketing, and content. According to the survey, the least popular lead-generation tactic was paid ads (30%).
The most popular lead-nurturing tactics are email (47%), content or video (45%), and social media (40%).
(Ascend2)
Nurturing leads is about encouraging users to become repeat customers, thereby increasing your sales revenue. Email marketing statistics show email is still marketers’ tool of choice for nurturing leads. According to Ascend2, content or video was a close second, followed by social media marketing. Events and demos (29%) and paid search or display ads (29%) came equal last.
49% of people said they choose to engage with text ads.
(Clutch)
Clutch’s December 2018 research indicates that people can recognize and differentiate paid ads from organic traffic. Despite that, they still often choose to engage with paid Google ads: 31% of respondents claimed they click on shopping ads and 16% click on video ads. Clutch digital marketing statistics also indicate that 75% of people claim paid search ads facilitate their online searches. With this information in mind, businesses ought to create ads relevant to people’s search queries.
23% of U.S. respondents to a 2018 study claimed they are using or have used order-only stores.
(Statista)
This statistic shows how interested American buyers are in new shopping options and technologies. In the study, 12% respondents reported that they regularly use subscription products that they’ve had delivered.
The best content to offer in emails is a discount (38%), followed by informative brand content like articles or videos (36%).
(DMA)
Some useful statistics for marketers: If you want your email campaign to be successful, this is how you bring a customer to your door. Either give them a chance to experience your product for less money or send them evidence-supported content that highlights its quality. Promising loyalty discounts can also be a good idea, with 30% of customers interested in ongoing discounts. Despite that, only 15% of marketers currently use loyalty schemes.
For every £1 you spend on killer email marketing, you can expect an average return of £32.
(DMA)
According to the 2018 DMA report, 50% of marketers believe their organization can correctly calculate its ROI. DMA found that ROI for every £1 spent on email marketing is an incredible £32.28, a solid increase from the 2016 figure of £30.03. While these email marketing statistics might appear optimistic, there’s something to them. An Omnisend study has shown that sending three abandoned cart emails results in 69% more orders than a single email.
Mobile Marketing
In Q3 2018, 37.25% of website visits came via desktop and 53.59% via smartphone.
(Monetate)
A 2018 Monetate report found tablets comprised 8.67% of web visits, while 0.49% came from other devices. These figures show beyond doubt that businesses without a mobile-optimized website are at a great loss. The failure to adapt to user behavior on this level could result in significantly lower visibility, and therefore a lower ROI.
As of July 2018, 52.95% of people worldwide used mobile devices compared to 43.11% who used desktop.
(Stat Counter)
Mobile use has surpassed desktop use, giving marketers an opportunity to communicate with users 24/7 wherever they are. The most successful businesses analyze these digital marketing statistics and adapt to this shift in user behavior. People now read blog posts, articles, and other online content wherever they are and whenever they feel like it, without any tolerance for time delays. That’s why it’s increasingly important to create a fast-loading website that works as well on mobile as it does on desktop.
In Q3 2018, conversion rates by device were as follows: 3.94% for desktop, 1.84% for mobile, and 3.78% for tablet.
(Monetate)
According to the new eCommerce 2019 KPI report based on data from Monetate’s European and US-based international clients, mobile conversion rates have decreased slightly, even though people spend more time browsing the web on their phone. It seems the big decision to actually pay for a service online still requires some in-depth consideration. Even though your users are more likely to pay via desktop, you’ll still need an optimized website to catch their attention and establish authority. Online conversion rates tend to be highest in more mature markets where people are less likely to buy in-store, but also rely on brand trust. Companies based in countries where users put less trust in the online economy generally see lower mobile conversions.
90% of all mobile and tablet search traffic comes from Google.
(Business Insider)
Google’s tight grip on the online market is just as prevalent in mobile use, with digital marketing statistics showing that almost all search traffic comes via this engine. Google processes around 3.5 billion searches per day, and at the moment there doesn’t seem to be any competitor that can challenge it.
By the end of 2019, nearly all (94%) small business websites will be optimized for mobile.
(Clutch)
Even though 36% of small businesses don’t have a website, those who understand the importance of having an online presence are optimizing their content at breakneck speed. In a mobile-first world, recent marketing facts indicate that small businesses need to enhance user browsing experiences, boost search engine rankings, and increase their overall visibility. Otherwise, their products and services, no matter how useful or engaging, might literally become invisible. In 2018, research by GlobalWebIndex found that people spend more than two hours per day socializing online. That’s a lot of time when you consider that U.S. adults spend a total of three hours and 35 minutes online on their mobile phones every day. If you want your audiences to see you while they’re waiting for the bus, taking a smoke break, or curled up in bed, this is your shot.
About 11% of online shoppers use mobile phones to shop online on a weekly basis.
(Statista)
The most recent data on global online shopping device use and frequency shows that, while only a small number of shoppers actually lighten their wallet on their mobile devices, more than double that number claim that they plan to in the future.
Social Media Marketing Statistics
Over 88% of companies are now marketing on social media. If you aren’t, now is the time to get started.
(Adweek)
In 2019, people are expected to spend an average of 170.6 minutes each day online, with two hours and 22 minutes of that time dedicated to social media. If you want to communicate your message to prospective customers, a marketing plan integrated with a strong social media presence is a must. A 2018 Pew Research report on digital media statistics showed that people aged from 18 to 29 are about four times as likely as those 65 and older to get news from social media websites on a regular basis.
90% of people have communicated directly with a brand via social media.
(Smart Insights)
People feel comfortable sending messages via channels they’re already used to. It’s easier and less formal than an email. It also puts less pressure on the user, as they don’t have to engage in the potentially stressful scenario of talking on the phone. An established social media presence is one of the most useful digital marketing tools for resolving complaints and improving your service. People mostly message brands when they have a problem with a product or service, according to a recent Sprout Social survey.
89% of social media messages to brands go ignored.
(Sprout Social)
Imagine the engagement rate if brands would stop ignoring customers who are literally trying to engage in a conversation? On average, a brand takes 10 hours to respond to a message, according to research by Sprout Social. Users, on the other hand, are only willing to wait four hours tops. Employ a competent social media manager and you’ll improve your digital marketing stats beyond belief. Companies spend their resources on complex marketing tools and campaigns, yet many refuse to answer simple questions. As in any industry, your company can stand out by providing excellent customer service.
94% of marketers use Facebook advertising regularly.
(Content Marketing Institute)
Social media advertising statistics show there are about three million businesses using Facebook right now. Facebook is still the most widely used media platform, with more than 2.3 billion active monthly users. An active user is anyone who has logged in within the past 30 days.
One in 10 marketers will decrease their organic marketing on Facebook. About 51% plan on increasing theirs.
(Social Media Examiner)
Even though Facebook is still the leading social media platform, current digital marketing statistics show a slight decline in popularity. The biggest indicator of this downward trend is the decrease in new investments. For the first time in five years, Facebook lost share as the most important platform for marketers, dropping from 67% in 2018 to 61% in 2019.
40% of Twitter users have bought something as the direct result of an influencer’s tweet.
(Forbes)
This stat might discourage small and mid-sized businesses, as you might expect only celebrity demi-gods like Katy Perry can wield this kind of power. Recent internet marketing stats, however, show that micro and nano-influencers (up to 5000 followers) are a safer bet. What they lack in the sheer number of followers, micro and nano-influencers make up for in engagement, or “real-time personalization of the brand,” as one influencer puts it. Also, small-time influencers are less likely to get embroiled in controversy and go down in a heartbeat, taking you and your investment with them, like Logan Paul or PewDiePie.
Email Marketing Statistics
In 2018, emails personalized by AI increased marketers’ revenue by 41%, and their CTR was higher by 13.44%.
(Return Path)
AI helps you contact prospective customers both in depth and in large numbers, which could in turn increase your ROI. For example, one person is likely to check their email while drinking their morning coffee. Others, however, are sure to find your message in the evening. Personalized, AI-tailored messages will reach your leads whenever they are most likely to see them.
Emails with personalized subject lines are 50% more likely to be opened.
(Cision, PR Newswire)
Even something as small as a personalized subject line can make all the difference to your digital marketing statistics. A tailored subject line will stand out and make your message appear intimate and relevant. According to Yes Lifecycle Marketing, personalized subjects drive significantly higher engagement than non-personalized ones.
46% of all email opens take place on mobile devices.
(Litmus)
Businesses should not overlook mobile devices for their email marketing efforts, as almost half of email opens happen on mobiles. Webmail opens are next at 35%, with desktop opens representing 18%. A 2018 study by Litmus found these results by analyzing 15 billion email opens to see where subscribers read emails. Litmus’s advice is to optimize both content and design for both mobile and desktop.
According to Salecycle, 28.3% of eCommerce revenue comes from abandoned cart emails.
(Sale Cycle)
According to Sale Cycle, 48% of shopping cart abandonment emails are opened. Prospective customers click on 50% of these emails, and 50% of those people actually make a purchase. Speed is of the essence here, with a number of studies showing that it’s best to send the first email 30 minutes after the cart has been abandoned. If unsuccessful, it’s a good idea to send a follow-up within 24 hours. Finally, send a third email within 48 hours, offering a discount. As many as 54% of shoppers will end up making a purchase if tempted by lower prices.
In Conclusion
So, how effective is digital advertising? Currently, the chances are that a giant neon sign flashing in a busy street is less likely to grab your customers’ attention than a good website. As people spend more and more time consuming digital media, businesses need to transform their marketing tactics. If you plan on growing your business, or even just staying afloat in the current market, you need to establish a strong online presence, optimize for mobile, write relevant SEO content, and enrich that landing page with some videos. Otherwise, you should make peace with fading into oblivion along with the 70% of businesses that fail by their 10th year. We advise you to stay one step ahead by using the digital marketing statistics we’ve provided to your advantage.