• by Erik Sass , May 27, 2008

U.S. marketers say they will be cutting print and boosting online ad spending over the next three years, according to a survey by Eloqua, a Canadian-based company that helps marketers increase lead generation and customer acquisition with integrated campaigns, including online and offline components. 

The survey, titled "State of the Marketer" for 2008, asked roughly 200 marketing executives from companies with revenues between $10 million and $500 million about their plans for the future.

Overall, 90% of respondents said they plan to increase online ad spending, and 15% said they would boost it "radically." Seventy-eight percent said they will increase spending on social media, 74% on email campaigns, and 65% on mobile texting.

In part, respondents said the move to digital media is driven by increased pressure for accountability in marketing by the rest of their organizations, with 86% saying corporate pressure has increased over the last three years.

The outlook for offline media isn't as promising, with print media taking the punches. Fifty-five percent of the marketers surveyed said they anticipate spending less on print advertising in three years. The Eloqua study did not specify newspapers, magazines or both.