Business spends big on the company website

Businesses in the US usually spend a bigger portion of their marketing and advertising budgets on their websites than they do on online advertising, new research has revealed.

Businesses in the US usually spend a bigger portion of their marketing and advertising budgets on their websites than they do on online advertising, new research has revealed.

According to the analysis by research firm Outsell, US firms devote an average 61.8% of their online advertising and marketing spend to their websites, amounting to $US65.1 billion a year, with the rest going to online advertising.

Combined, US businesses will spend $US105.3 billion on web advertising and marketing in 2008, Outsell claims, putting it ahead of spending on TV, radio and movies – worth $US98.5 billion – for the first time.

Asked which measurement they prefer to use to gauge they impact of all the money they’re spending online, 46% said they preferred cost per sale, ahead of cost per lead (37%) and cost per click (32%).

But that old dinosaur, print, remains top of the heap when it comes to making a claim on advertising and marketing budget – Outsell forecasting it will eat up 35.5% of all spending in the US, or $US147 billion, this year.