According to a new Marin Software study, conducted by Forrester Research, marketers are using online advertising to drive revenue outcomes, but face challenges without ample visibility into key performance metrics. The study suggests that advanced ad management programs can help advertisers scale ad programs, enable insight into data, offload operational headaches and improve program performance. US Interactive Marketing Spend ($US Millions) Media 2013201420152016 CAGR Social Media $2,760 $3,453 $4,217 $4,995 26% Email marketing 1,875 2,066 2,262 2,468 10% Mobile marketing 4,238 5,697 7,057 8,237 38% Display advertising 19,783 19,783 23,919 27,600 20% Search marketing 24,613 27,515 30,433 33,319 12% Total49,57158,51567,88876,62017% Percent of all ad spend 20% 22% 24% 26% Source: Forrester Research, January 2013 Key findings of the study show that advertisers value online advertising because it’s flexible, targetable and drives immediate revenue outcomes. 83% of respondents are already held accountable for revenue outcomes; 79% say that driving revenue is a primary objective for online initiatives. 74% look to technology to ameliorate problems. Benefits of Online vs. Offline Advertising (Top 3; % of Respondents) Benefit Most ImportantSecondThird More accurate targeting 23% 17% 18% Campaign measurability 15 21 13 More efficient marketing ops 10 10 16 Adjust strategies dynamically 9 14 17 Better ROI on marketing campaigns 12 13 13 Cost savings 13 11 6 Better conversion rates 7 9 6 Access to consumer response data 6 4 9 Source: Forrester Research, January 2013 Most respondents said paid search, audience buying, retargeting and contextual ads when asked which online program types are most important for their business goals. Importance of Marketing Program in Achieving Business Goals (Scale 1-5, 5=Extremely Important, 4=Very Important; % of Respondents) ProgramVery ImportantExtremely Important Traditional paid search ads 35% 43% Audience buying 47 26 Retargeting 40 28 Contextual display ads 44 21 Mobile paid search ads 35 28 Traditional display ads 38 19 Product listing (e.g. Amazon, eBay) 36 18 Pay per click ads on social networks 25 5 Source: Forrester Research, January 2013 48% of respondents outsource management of paid search to agencies, 35% use free or propriety tools, and 17% purchase 3rd party tools to aid search program management. Online advertisers focused on real-time buying of targeted or direct response media will gain prominence over the next 18 months, according to the report. With the trend underway, the emphasis is on driving immediate and quantifiable revenue outcomes.