The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) just released the 2011 Edition of its Statistical Fact Book. Now in its 33rd year of publication, the book reflects changes in direct marketing, this year focusing more closely on the mobile market. Some key findings:
- While ereaders were marketed in 2.5% of the mobile campaigns in 2010, that number is projected to rise to 18.75% in 2011—the biggest jump of any category.
- Books/music/video were the most ordered products and services online over the last 12 months, with 39% of all online buyers ordering something in these categories.
- More than half of expenditures (54%) in internet marketing go to search. Word of mouth is the strongest prompt to search online (57% cite it), followed by TV advertising and newspaper/magazine ads.
- 36% of consumers follow a brand on a social networking or media site. 77% say incentives are the reason, with only 28% asking to be entertained.
- 49% of email marketers find that a mid-day (10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.) email blast produces the highest ROI.
- Teenagers (ages 12–17) use Web-based email 59% less than they reported a year ago.In 2010, direct marketing accounted for 8.3% of total US gross domestic product. Also in 2010, there were 1.4 million direct marketing employees in the US.
- Spending in direct mail is actually projected to rise—by 3.6% annually from 2010 to 2014.
