Marketing Forecast from Ad-ology

It will come as no surprise to industry watchers that most marketers intend to increase spending on search engine marketing technology in 2012. But these marketers have something new to grapple with this year – the inclusion of social data into the search process. More marketers are also looking for tools and technology to help them manage search on an international basis.

Auto makers and dealers have long relied on repeat business to drive a significant portion of their sales. But lately, more consumers are switching brands. These defections have caught the auto makers’ attention and they’re changing their promotional strategies to appeal to both old and new customers.

Ever since marketers started paying for advertising, they’ve wanted to know if it’s working. Marketers who write the checks for digital campaigns want accountability from the media space providers, too. Defining and measuring ROI has been difficult until now but vendors are rolling out new tools designed to make a difference.

Consumers want information about the local businesses operating in their communities. These businesses are likely advertising in both traditional and digital channels. But the latest research shows that consumers exhibit ‘different pattern of information seeking’ when they are checking out some kinds of local businesses – a behavioral pattern that has broad implications for media mix.

At last month’s Consumer Electronics Show, manufacturers rolled out their latest line of Smart TVs. Analysts believe that unit sales of Internet-ready TVs will approach the sales of traditional TVs within 4 years. But marketers may be much slower to shift some of their ad budgets to this format.

Retailers are as mad as hell and they’re not going to take it anymore. For years, consumers have been going into bricks and mortar stores to size up the look and feel of a product and then head home to buy it online. Retailers call this trend ‘showrooming’ and they’re rapidly developing new strategies to better compete with online marketers.