• Khaleej Times, Monday, October 3, 2011 12 PM

Digital marketing is growing for Middle Eastern businesses, but research by Dubai-based research company Real Opinions shows 37% of businesses in the region say their use of digital marketing is poor and a further 30% claim that effective and accurate assessment of return on investment is inadequate.

A separate study by digital marketing experts Econsultancy, "The State of Digital in MENA," finds that while investment is increasing, a lack of knowledge is becoming a major barrier to online marketing. According to the report, 58% of businesses in the region are increasing their digital budgets this year, and 53% are doing the same for mobile marketing. Fifty-six percent of Middle Eastern companies are using social media to attract business, but 39% of the marketing professionals surveyed said that a lack of understanding was holding back digital marketing that was effective and influential.

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