Research argues offline marketing key to debut website visits

by Dan Leahul, Brand Republic 13-Jul-09, 13:45

LONDON - Two thirds of UK consumers say traditional direct marketing is more likely than digital marketing to encourage them to go to an unfamiliar website and consider a purchase from a company, according to new research.

A poll commissioned by direct marketing technology company Pitney Bowes found that 60% of respondents believe that offline marketing, in the form of addressed mail or direct response ads, is most likely to get them to visit the website of a company they have not bought from before.

Only 24% of consumers said that email or digital messages, such as a sponsored link or an ad on a social networking website, would drive them to a company site with a first-time purchase in mind.

Women were more likely than men to be swayed by traditional direct marketing, at a rate of 63%, compared to men at 57%.

Direct marketing was more effective at driving serious consumer traffic than digital activity across all age groups, with UK consumers aged 25-34 (67%) most likely to visit and consider buying from a website for the first time after being directed there by an offline message.

The next most likely age group was 35-44 at 64%, followed by 45-54 at 60% and the 18-24 and 55+ age groups both at 56%.

The 18-24 age group was most responsive at picking up digital marketing at a rate of 41%, followed by 25-34 at 37%, 35-44 at 25%, 45-54 at 16% and 55+ at 14%.

The figures come out of a broad European study conducted for Pitney Bowes by Lightspeed Research, part of the WPP Group.

It involved a survey of 10,000 adults in the UK, Germany, France, Scandinavia and Benelux.

Gareth Stoten, general manager, Pitney Bowes UK and Ireland, said: "These figures demonstrate how critically important it is for businesses to find the right marketing mix.

"Online channels such as social networking are a hot topic, but it is the traditional print and mail channels that are driving people to make web purchases.

"A digital presence on its own does not provide a strong enough impetus for brands seeking to make a connection with prospects -- even when it comes to those consumers looking to buy over the internet."