Digital ad spend to focus on direct response and branding equally

Digital ad spend in the US is currently more heavily focused on direct response than branding, but according to an eMarketer report, Making Sense of Blurring Channels Marks the Latest Key Digital Trend, this will change by 2017.

The forecast says that the split will be more or less equal with advertising dollars for  branding (48.5%) and direct response (51.5%) to enjoy double-digit spending growth in the next five years.

For this to happen, digital brand advertising spending growth will begin to outpace direct response for the US digital ad market.

In 2017, eMarketer projects branding and direct response will enjoy nearly equal portions of the digital advertising pie.

2013 digital advertising increases by intent

• 18.1% for branding
• 11.2% for direct response

Critical Marketing Tactics for Branding

That study also states that 70% of brand marketers anticipate to increase their advertising spend on social media as well. Advertising utilizing mobile (69%) and video (64%) will also face similar growth during this period.

Digital advertising can be both an important driver for service brands, product brands, eCommerce, networks and even non-profits.  The role digital advertising may play for an organization and the proportion of that role will be unique.

SOURCE: US digital ad spending in 2013 - Key Digital Trends for Q3 2013: How Omnichannel Is Blurring Boundaries Everywhere.