With the rise of digital technology, businesses are presented with various ways to reach their target audiences. Digital marketing offers tools like websites, SEO optimization, email campaigns, social media platforms, and more to engage potential customers and boost sales.
These latest digital marketing statistics provide invaluable insights into industry trends and help inform strategic decisions. Here are some of the key insights you need to know:
Key Highlights
- The estimated global expenditure on digital advertising in 2021 is projected to exceed $389 billion
- More than 70% of digital ad spending is allocated to mobile advertising
- Social media advertising spending is anticipated to surpass $113 billion in 2021
- The projected value of e-commerce sales for 2021 is over $4.9 trillion
- A majority of consumers (72%) express a preference for connecting with brands through email
- Across all industries, the average email open rate stands at 18.0%
- Content marketing is considered a crucial component of marketing strategies by 88% of marketers
- Video is the most widely utilized form of content marketing, with 86% of businesses incorporating it into their strategies
- Mobile devices account for 60% of all Google searches
- It is predicted that by 2022, voice search will comprise 50% of all searches
Overview of Digital Marketing
Digital marketing promotes products or services through various digital platforms and technologies, including the Internet, mobile phones, and other digital media. It has become an essential component of modern marketing strategies due to its effectiveness in reaching and engaging target audiences.
Digital marketing offers businesses numerous advantages over traditional marketing methods.
- It provides a wider reach, allowing businesses to connect with customers globally and precisely target specific demographics.
- Digital marketing enables businesses to track and measure their marketing efforts in real-time.
- Businesses can gather valuable customer behavior, preferences, and engagement data with analytics tools. This data-driven approach helps optimize marketing campaigns, make informed decisions, and improve overall ROI.
The Growth of Digital Marketing: Trends & Insights
The popularity of digital marketing has been increasing rapidly in recent years. Some important statistics illustrate this growth.
Digital Marketing Expenditure
According to statistics, global digital advertising spending is forecasted to increase from $333.25 billion in 2019 to $517.51 billion in 2023.
Compare With Other Traditional Marketing
It’s almost impossible to deny that digital marketing has taken over traditional marketing. For the first time in 2020, digital advertising spending surpassed traditional ads, with a massive 52% of total advertising spending going toward digital.
This trend was set to continue into 2021, where digital ad spending worldwide is projected to reach a staggering $389.29 billion, compared to traditional ads at just $275.8 billion.
As these numbers demonstrate, it’s clear that digital marketing has become the go-to choice for businesses looking to get the most bang for their buck regarding advertising campaigns.
Mobile Advertising
With the proliferation of smartphones and the increasing time spent on mobile devices, advertisers have recognized the immense potential of reaching consumers through mobile platforms. This trend has led to a rapid expansion of mobile advertising and substantial investments in this medium.
In 2021, spending on mobile advertising was projected to reach new heights. Several factors contribute to this growth.
- Mobile devices have become ubiquitous, with many of the global population owning smartphones. This widespread adoption gives advertisers a vast audience to target and engage with.
- Offers unique advantages over traditional advertising channels. It allows for highly targeted and personalized campaigns based on user demographics, location, behavior, and interests. This enhances the effectiveness of advertisements and increases the likelihood of generating meaningful user engagement.
- The increasing popularity of mobile apps and mobile-centric platforms has created additional avenues for advertising. Advertisers can leverage in-app advertisements, mobile video ads, native ads, and other innovative formats to capture the attention of mobile users.
Social Media Advertising
Social media advertising has emerged as a significant component of digital marketing strategies. It has transformed how businesses connect with their target audience and promote their products or services.
In 2026, spending on social media advertising was projected to reach $358 billion, showing substantial growth compared to the $181.2 billion spent in 2021.
This upward trend reflects the increasing recognition of social media platforms as effective channels for reaching and engaging with consumers.
The ability to target specific demographics, leverage user data, and utilize various ad formats makes social media advertising a powerful tool for businesses to enhance their digital marketing efforts and drive results.
eCommerce
eCommerce has become integral to digital marketing, and the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of online shopping. The convenience, accessibility, and global reach of eCommerce have made it a crucial component of digital marketing strategies.
The pandemic further amplified the importance of online shopping as consumers turned to digital channels due to lockdowns and safety concerns.
Businesses quickly adapted by enhancing their digital infrastructure and implementing effective digital marketing strategies to cater to the growing online market.
According to the latest 2020 ARTS report, e-commerce sales rose by $244.2 billion or 43% in 2020, the first year of the pandemic. This resulted in a total sales value of $815.4 billion compared to $571.2 billion in 2019.
Key Statistics of Social Media Marketing
Social media has become an essential part of people’s lives and a crucial channel for businesses to connect with their audiences. Here are some key social media marketing statistics:
Number of Users
Social media platforms have a significant global reach, with over 4.48 billion people worldwide using social media. This represents approximately 60% of the global population.
The widespread adoption of social media has made it a ubiquitous part of people’s lives and has transformed how individuals connect, share information, and engage with content.
The popularity of social media continues to grow, making it a vital channel for businesses to connect with their target audiences.
Most Popular Platforms
Facebook is the largest social media platform, with 2.98 billion monthly active users. It offers many features, including personal profiles, pages, groups, and a news feed, allowing users to connect, share content, and engage with others.
- YouTube is a popular video-sharing platform with over 2.1 billion monthly active users. It allows users to upload, view, and share videos, making it a valuable channel for content creators, marketers, and entertainment purposes.
- WhatsApp is a messaging app with over 2 billion monthly active users. It enables users to send text messages, make voice and video calls, and share multimedia content, serving as a convenient and widely-used communication tool.
- Instagram has over 2.35 billion monthly active users and focuses on visual content, particularly photos and videos. It offers features like Instagram Stories, IGTV, and Reels, making it popular for visual storytelling and engagement among individuals and businesses.
- TikTok has rapidly gained popularity, with over 1.05 million monthly active users. It is a short-form video app where users can create and share entertaining content, often featuring music, filters, and special effects. It is a platform known for viral trends and creative expression.
These platforms offer various opportunities for individuals and businesses to connect, share content, and engage with a wide audience, making them influential and important channels in the social media landscape.
Demographics of Social Media Users
Social media use is highest among younger demographics, with the age group of 18-29 being the most active on social media platforms.
However, social media use is also high among older demographics, indicating widespread adoption and usage across different age groups.
Design and Development Tools
You will need design and development tools to create a visually appealing and user-friendly social media website. Popular tools for this purpose include:
- Adobe Photoshop: Allows you to create and edit your social media website’s images, graphics, and layouts
- HTML and CSS: HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) are essential for web development
- JavaScript: JavaScript is a programming language that adds interactivity and dynamic features to websites
Using tools like Adobe Photoshop for design, HTML and CSS for web development, and JavaScript for interactive features, you can create a visually appealing and user-friendly social media website that engages users and provides an enjoyable browsing experience.
Advertising Budgets
Global social media advertising spending is projected to reach 358 billion U.S. dollars in 2026, a significant increase from 181.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2021. This growth reflects the growing importance of social media as an advertising platform for businesses.
The ability to target specific audiences, leverage user data, and engage with users in a more personalized manner has contributed to the rise in social media advertising investment.
As businesses recognize the impact and reach of social media, they are allocating more resources to tap into their advertising potential and connect with their target customers.
Key Statistics of Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
The purpose of SEO is to enhance website traffic by increasing the visibility of a website or web page in the organic results of a search engine. Some important SEO stats are mentioned below:
Top SEO Trends
The top SEO trends for 2021 revolve around mobile-first indexing, prioritizing user experience, emphasizing content quality, and optimizing for voice search.
- Mobile-first indexing means search engines prioritize the mobile version of websites for indexing and ranking.
- User experience is crucial, focusing on site speed, mobile responsiveness, and intuitive navigation. Content quality entails producing high-value, informative, and relevant content for better rankings.
- Voice search optimization involves optimizing content to align with voice queries and leveraging voice assistants like Siri or Alexa. These trends reflect the need for mobile-friendly, user-centric, high-quality content that caters to the increasing use of voice search.
SEO Metrics and Tools
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is an essential digital marketing strategy that businesses should incorporate into their marketing mix to maximize visibility and reach. SEO techniques can help companies rank higher in search engine results and generate more leads.
To get the most out of SEO, businesses must stay abreast of the latest trends.
Important SEO metrics include organic traffic, keyword rankings, and backlinks. Organic traffic indicates how well your website ranks and attracts visitors through search engines.
Keyword rankings show your website’s position for specific keywords in search results, while backlinks are links from other websites that contribute to your site’s credibility and authority.
Other significant SEO indicators include page load speed, bounce rate, CTR, and conversion rate. Popular SEO tools such as Google Analytics, SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Moz help track and analyze these metrics, providing insights for optimizing your website’s search engine performance.
SEO Budgets
In 2021, spending on SEO was projected to reach $47.5 billion, showing substantial growth compared to the $41.3 billion spent in 2019. This upward trend reflects the increasing recognition of SEO as an effective tool for boosting website visibility and driving more traffic.
More and more businesses are dedicating budgets to SEO, particularly those prioritizing online presence.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a decrease in marketing budgets across businesses, with up to 54% of marketers reporting budget reductions for their campaigns. This was also reflected in paid search marketing spending, where nearly half of the marketers saw cuts in their paid ad search budgets.
Since the SEO industry is set to grow at 10% CAGR until 2023, businesses are urged to take advantage of this opportunity and invest in SEO campaigns despite budget constraints.
ROI of SEO
Businesses that invest in SEO often see an average return on investment (ROI) of about 700% and 900%.
This demonstrates the effectiveness of SEO in driving organic traffic, increasing visibility, and generating valuable leads and conversions for businesses.
Key Statistics of Email Marketing
Email marketing is sending commercial messages to a group of people via email as a part of digital marketing. Below you can find some important statistics related to email marketing.
Open Rates
The average email open rate across all industries is approximately 21.33%. However, it’s important to note that this rate can vary widely depending on various factors, including the quality of the email list, the relevance of the content, the effectiveness of the subject line, and the industry itself.
Click-Through Rates
The average click-through rate (CTR) for emails can vary widely, but industry benchmarks suggest an average CTR of 2.91%.
However, it’s important to note that the actual CTR can differ significantly based on factors such as the email’s content, the email list’s quality and relevance, the effectiveness of the call-to-action, and the overall engagement of the recipients.
Well-crafted emails with compelling content and a clear value proposition tend to have higher click-through rates. At the same time, factors like poor targeting or irrelevant messaging can result in lower CTRs.
Personalization
Personalized emails can be more effective than generic emails regarding engagement and response rates.
Research has shown that personalized subject lines can increase open rates by around 26%. When recipients see their name or personalized content in the subject line, it captures their attention and makes the email feel more relevant to them.
Furthermore, personalization extends beyond subject lines. Tailoring the email content to the recipient’s preferences, past behavior, or demographics can enhance the user experience and increase click-through rates.
Mobile Optimization
Mobile optimization is crucial for email marketing because over half of all email opens occur on mobile devices.
Ensuring that emails are responsive, visually appealing, and easy to navigate on mobile screens improves the user experience and increases the likelihood of engagement and conversions.
Key Statistics of Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising
PPC advertising is a digital advertising method that involves a fee payment by businesses each time someone clicks on one of their ads. These are some important statistics related to PPC advertising.
PPC Ad Spending
Regarding digital marketing, PPC advertising is one of the most effective strategies.
Recent stats show that companies spent a whopping $106.5 billion on search advertising globally in 2019, demonstrating just how popular this method has become.
Despite its effectiveness, however, many companies fail to regularly check their campaigns - 72% haven’t looked at them in over a month. Tracking and analyzing your PPC campaign regularly for the best results is important to ensure your company isn’t missing out on any opportunities.
Google Ads
With a significant market share, Google Ads is the most popular pay-per-click (PPC) advertising platform globally.
Google Ads held a dominant position in the digital advertising landscape, allowing businesses to display ads across various Google-owned platforms, including the Google search engine, YouTube, and partner websites within the Google Display Network.
Its wide reach, advanced targeting options, and extensive analytics capabilities make it a preferred choice for advertisers looking to drive relevant traffic and achieve their marketing goals.
Cost-Per-Click
The average cost-per-click (CPC) for Google Ads typically ranges between $2 and $4.
However, it’s important to note that this can vary significantly based on several factors, including the industry you’re advertising in, the level of competition for keywords, the quality score of your ads, and the targeting parameters you set.
Highly competitive industries and popular keywords tend to have higher CPCs, while niche and long-tail keywords may have lower CPCs. Monitoring and optimizing your campaigns regularly is essential to achieve a favorable CPC and maximize the return on your advertising investment.
Conversion Rates
The average conversion rate for Google Ads across all industries can vary widely. According to industry benchmarks, the average conversion rate hovers around 2.85%.
However, it’s important to note that conversion rates can differ significantly based on various factors, including the quality of the landing page, the relevance and effectiveness of the ad copy, the targeting and segmentation of the audience, and the nature of the industry itself.
Retargeting
Retargeting is a powerful PPC advertising strategy that displays ads to users who have previously engaged with your brand. It aims to bring them back to your website and encourage them to take desired actions.
Research indicates that retargeted ads have a significantly higher click-through rate (CTR) than regular display ads, often ten times higher. By leveraging users’ familiarity and previous engagement, retargeting increases the likelihood of click-throughs and revisits to your website.
This strategy involves placing cookies or pixels on users’ browsers to track their behavior and show them relevant ads. Retargeting targets users who have already shown interest, reinforcing your brand message and boosting conversions.
Is Digital Marketing in Demand in 2023?
The demand for marketing jobs is expected to increase significantly by 2026, surpassing the average growth rate for all careers.
This growth can be attributed to the ever-evolving digital landscape, increased competition among businesses, and the importance of effective marketing strategies in reaching and engaging target audiences.
Customer and search marketing managers are among the fastest-growing jobs in the United States, according to CNBC’s list for 2022.
- Customer marketing managers focus on developing and implementing strategies to retain and engage existing customers.
- Search marketing managers, on the other hand, specialize in optimizing search engine marketing (SEM) campaigns. They are responsible for improving a company’s online visibility through strategies such as search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising.
The inclusion of customer marketing managers and search marketing managers on CNBC’s list underscores the growing importance of customer-centric marketing and the role of digital channels in reaching and engaging audiences.
Conclusion
Digital marketing is essential to any business strategy, allowing companies to reach their target audience and drive conversions.
The demand for digital marketing jobs is increasing, with customer and search marketing managers becoming the fastest-growing roles in the US. SEO, email marketing, PPC advertising, retargeting, and other tactics are important elements of a successful digital marketing strategy.
Businesses must keep up with the latest trends and use analytics, metrics, and tools to measure performance and optimize campaigns for maximum ROI. With effective planning and execution, businesses can expect to see a high return on their investment in digital marketing.
Are you ready to take your business’s digital marketing strategy to the next level? Check out these next steps to get started on the right track.
Next Steps: What Now?
- Analyze your current digital marketing channels and identify areas for improvement
- Create a comprehensive digital marketing plan with specific goals, objectives, and strategies based on the data you collected
- Utilize analytics tools to measure ROI to optimize campaigns for maximum reach and conversions
- Track the performance of your campaigns regularly to identify trends and improvement opportunities
