As the Squeeze on Costs Continues - Companies move their Marketing Budgets Online for the Measurability and Higher ROI

Drawing on the resources of search engine optimisation firms to determine return on investment for marketing spending is easier than other media platforms, it has been claimed.  Search engine metrics and measurements make it much easier to determine whether investment is creating value for money, according to consultancy Digital Brand Expressions (DBE).

Vice-president of client programmes and services Marc Engelsman explained that search marketing is also relatively inexpensive compared to other platforms.  He said: "The ability to capture metrics like conversions that are directly attributable to search marketing tactics provide the rationale for reallocation of budget from less 'trackable' marketing tactics.  "It is not only a proven effective medium, it is remarkably efficient as well."

A recent report by the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organisation (SEMPO) indicated that return on investment was one of the biggest challenges facing the industry this year.

However, the prospect of search engine marketing offering returns have seen 49 per cent of the companies surveyed reallocating budgets to this medium from print advertising.

The research also highlighted the dominance of Google as a search engine, with 97 per cent of companies paying to advertise on the internet search giant's AdWords product.

Despite this, search engine optimisation, paid search and social media marketing investment returns are still proving a challenge for marketers.