Research from Shape the Future, carried out between September 23rd and October 4th across 1,492 UK businesses, shows that almost 20% of UK businesses surveyed planned to increase their spend on, or investment in website optimisation over the next twelve months. 

36.4% of those surveyed intend to increase overall marketing budgets, while around a fifth planned to increase their direct marketing spend. Almost 20% said that they intended to decrease their expenditure on printed products.

9% were unsure of their future marketing spending plans.

The survey stated that business services companies were the most likely to boost marketing budgets, while property services, retailers and wholesalers were more likely to decrease spending.

25.1% of businesses were intending to increase online promotions, while 11.9% were thinking about increasing PR activities. 

This appears to show a turnaround on historic marketing cuts, which were commonly perceived to be the standard way of cutting costs during a recession. It seems that valuable lessons have been learned, and that many more companies these days have a clearer perception of the increased reach and adaptability conferred by having a robust online presence. 

Peter Martin, managing director and author of the report, commented: “There is a clear message here that companies have really got to grips with the influencing power of the internet.”