Guide to Marketing Information Online: The best online sources even marketers don't know about

Posted At : June 12, 2008 11:50 AM | Posted By : Matt
Related Categories: JJHill Library, HillSearch, BizToolkit

(Unless they're really good.)

Marketing gets the word out about your company – hopefully in a fun and exciting way. But, as is the case with most important things, you’ll have better luck if you go into it with some background information. Marketing should be exciting, but it should also be well-informed.

The Internet is rife with marketing information – from super-high-level industry reports to very specific niche strategy blogs. But you need not slog through it all. Today, we’ll be your guide. Put down those Web search strategies, take your hands off the home-row keys, and let us show you the best the Internet has to offer the marketing industry.

We’ll look to industry surveys to keep you up on industry developments, point out marketing research reports to track and predict industry spending, and highlight agency reports to learn more about successful companies and gain competitive intelligence. We’ll also provide just a sampling of the type of consumer research available online to inform your next targeted B2C marketing push.

Whether you’re a marketer in an established practice, or in a small business striking out on your own into marketing for the first time, these sources will ensure that your next campaign is conducted knowledgeably.

Marketing Research

Use these sites to access highly-detailed and current statistics on various segments of the marketing industry, from search to mobile to interactive to direct.

Communications Industry Forecast – Direct Magazine
This late 2007 article (“What Lies Ahead”) looks at the big picture marketing/advertising industry, provides broad forecast statistics, and discusses the direct marketing industry in detail. The author pulls ample data from the Veronis Suhler Communications Industry Forecast, an excellent publication that we purchase here at the Library for several thousand dollars.

Interactive Marketing Guide 2008 – BtoB Magazine
This report offers guidance, best practices, and statistics on numerous interactive/online marketing topics including Web analytics, social media, online advertising, and more.

Mobile Marketing Guide – AdAge Magazine
This report from AdAge and the Mobile Marketing Association profiles the state of mobile marketing and offers ten tips to consider when starting.

Search Marketing Fact Pack – AdAge Magazine
This is the go-to source for free online info on the search marketing industry. AdAge’s report covers top search terms, top Web sites by category, search adoption by marketing firms, and much more.

Surveys

Use these surveys to learn more about how marketers are using particular types of marketing tactics and to compare your own marketing to industry averages

2007 Online Marketing Survey – Direct Magazine
This September 2007 article (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”) dissects results from the Direct Magazine 2007 Online Marketing Survey and predicts a drop in online marketing investment. Online sales generation and email marketing are highlighted.

Email Marketing Survey – Internet Retailer Magazine
This May 2007 (I know, it’s getting old) survey (“A Missed Message”) finds that more and more retailers are adopting email marketing strategies, but more and more flaws in these strategies are emerging.

Email Marketing Metrics Report - MailerMailer
This second half 2007 report looks at email marketing campaigns from various industries, analyzes success rates, and provides guidance on strategies to optimize for success.

Media Usage Forecast 2008 – Target Marketing Magazine
This survey on direct marketing media spending looks at budget forecasts, direct marketing acquisition and retention strategies, and industry implications regarding the slowing economy.

Search Engine Marketing Survey – Internet Retailer Magazine
This March 2008 article (“Better Bang, Bigger Buck”) looks at retail use of search engine marketing, both paid and organic – and provides statistics on usage, performance, results, and tactics.

Affiliate Marketing Benchmark Report – Internet Retailer Magazine
This 2007 report (“Affiliate Networks Shrink”) provides several charts on affiliate programs, conversion rates, site transactions, and more.

Consumer Promotions Report – Incentive Magazine
This report looks at consumer promotions marketing tactics, the reasons for running these promotions, the types of promotions run, and which ones are most effective.

2008 Marketing Priorities and Plans – BtoB Magazine
This survey looks at marketing budgets, marketing goals, and media usage across business to business marketers.

Company/Competitive Intelligence

Use these sites to learn more about top agencies, their campaigns, and clients

BtoB Top Agencies – BtoB Magazine
This annual report awards several top marketing and advertising firms in four categories.

Advertising Report Cards – AdWeek Magazine
These report cards offer detailed analysis and critique of numerous marketing, advertising, and pr firms across the U.S. Specific campaign critiques along with implications for the future make these reports invaluable for company research.

BtoB Marketers Resource Guide – BtoB Magazine
This special issue from BtoB magazine lists top companies in over a dozen industry categories. Click the “Contents” tab for direct access to these lists, and then use the “Zoom” function to read about each company’s contacts, revenue, employees, and key clients.

Consumer Research

Use these sites to get a feel for the depth of consumer profile information available online on various demographic segments.

Hispanic Fact Pack 2007
One of the many excellent (and free) reports put out by Advertising Age, the Hispanic Fact Pack gives info on Hispanic media use, technology ownership, time use, and demographics.

MPA Market Profiles
Created and maintained by the Magazine Publishers of America, these reports cover several demographic segments (African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Hispanics, and Teens), and provide population trends, buying power information, and broad consumer profiles.

AARP Policy and Research
This collection of poll and survey findings can lend insight into the older generations, on topics ranging from transportation to technology and health care to financial planning.

Pew Internet & American Life
The Pew Research Center puts out an excellent series of reports covering how Americans of all backgrounds use the Internet.

Gratuitous Web Sites

Use these for more background research and how-to help

Marketing Charts
This site pulls and displays statistical charts of interest to anyone in the marketing, advertising, and publishing world. Find hundreds of charts in specific topics using the Article Topics link in the right-hand column.

KnowThis.com
This well-known and well-used site is our favorite for tutorials, lessons, and how-tos in the marketing industry.

As a broad overview I hope I’ve hit on the most important sites and reports covering research in the marketing industry. Marketers, did I miss anything? Leave a comment telling us about your favorite site for marketing information. And good luck with your next campaign!