Half of UK businesses believe that marketing has evolved more over the last couple of years than it has in the last 50.
Newquest Media Group’s LOCALiQ made the findings in its first State of Digital Marketing Report.
During the summer, it conducted a nationwide business survey, with the intention of better understanding the state of digital marketing in the UK.
Researchers spoke to more than 300 SMBs about the use and adoption of marketing tech; outsourcing and their inclination to work with agencies; and organisational challenges.
“This first ever State of Digital Marketing Report from LOCALiQ helps businesses in the more than 200 local communities we work with, understand how their peers are navigating the ever-changing digital landscape,” said Nikki Broxup, Marketing Director, LOCALiQ.
Reducing costs ranked last in the priorities for marketers this year, top of the list was gaps in knowledge and skill sets.
It also found that 70% of businesses struggled to keep up with changing technologies within the marketing industry and 46% prefered to outsource marketing, including websites, SEO and digital advertising, and a quarter plan to outsource more in 2023.
More than half (64%) of businesses are using social media as part of their marketing strategy, even though almost half said they felt they needed more training in social media
