Businesses using managed emarketing strategies must ensure that their content is relevant to the hearts and minds of consumers, an expert has said.

Website promotion should relate to a world where fuel costs have soared and where people are looking to spend money to save money, Michelle Eichner, co-founder and vice president of client services firm Pivotal Veracity, told DM News.

A managed internet marketing company should ensure that emails sent to customers not only promote savings on their products, but show how they relate to a key topic in the elections, a pain shared by everyone or an indispensable commodity, she said.

People are surrounded by news talking about the rising costs of energy, fuel and food, so an internet marketing consultant needs to devise a strategy to imply cost savings in areas where consumers might not expect, Ms Eichner continued.

"By connecting your offers with the average consumer's needs, your digital missive will not only serve you, but you will be serving your end clients in more ways than one," she added.

Some £1.68 billion was spent by UK firms on online advertising during the first six months of 2008, according to figures released by the Internet Advertising Bureau.