SMEs Still Struggle With Digital Marketing: Sensis

SMEs Still Struggle With Digital Marketing: Sensis

Exclusive research released in conjunction with the new Sensis Business Index highlights the issues SMEs (small medium sized enterprises) face when marketing their business online.

Promoting their business (43 per cent) and attracting new customers (42 per cent) were the main reasons the 1,000 SMEs surveyed across Australia gave for investing in marketing.

However, when it came to actually putting together a marketing plan, trial and error still dominates their approach. Most SMEs (59 per cent) have tested digital marketing channels and of those, 83 per cent are using digital marketing as part of their regular marketing activity. Businesses reported using a combination of online advertising, SEM, paid and unpaid SEO and social media to market their brand.

Sensis commercial director, Rob Tolliday said, “It’s great that businesses are experimenting. Digital marketing is one of the most cost-effective mediums and even the smallest business can benefit from it. However, there are still 41 per cent of Australian businesses who have never tried any form of digital marketing.”

This reticence to try digital could be driven by a lack of understanding of overall marketing fundamentals. In over three quarters of businesses (76 per cent), the business owner is the person responsible for marketing, with only 15 per cent of companies having a dedicated marketing manager.

“Nobody knows their business better than its owner but things such as campaign measurement and getting the best out of your search engine marketing program require a bit of specialist knowledge,” Tolliday said.

More than half the businesses surveyed were not sure what digital marketing techniques they would like to learn more about, showing there’s still a big gap in the market for educating businesses on digital opportunities.

“There are so many free resources out there, including a whole social media marketing course via our website, that the biggest investment you need to make to learn more is time. With online shopping becoming more and more popular, now is the time to make that investment,” he said.

The survey also shows that despite Google’s announcement that they are now a mobile-first platform, mobile advertising is the least trialled by SMEs at only 7 percent.

The survey also revealed overall business confidence has shot up, increasing by four points to +31 points for the quarter, up from +12 a year ago.

“As business confidence is closely tied to marketing investment, this is some good news for small and medium businesses,” Tolliday said.




Please login with linkedin to comment

Event Pinterest toby talbot

Latest News

It’s Friday Quiz Time Again!
  • Media

It’s Friday Quiz Time Again!

Take B&T's trivia quiz for your chance to win a $100 booze voucher and possible cirrhosis of a major internal organ.

by B&T Magazine

B&T Magazine
Big data technology and data science illustration. Data flow concept. Querying, analysing, visualizing complex information. Neural network for artificial intelligence. Data mining. Business analytics.
  • Marketing

SenateSHJ Launches New Trans-Tasman Practices

SenateSHJ has launched a new digital, data and insights capability designed to help clients tackle the growing complexity of communication challenges. SenateSHJ Digital, Data and Insights (DDI) will combine the firm’s existing Digital and Insights functions to create a Trans-Tasman capability focused on digital communication, and the generation and use of data to improve communication. […]

New BrandStory Format From Bonzai Allows 3x More Ad Space on Mobile
  • Media

New BrandStory Format From Bonzai Allows 3x More Ad Space on Mobile

Creative technology platform Bonzai has announced the launch of BrandStory – a new premium mobile ad format. BrandStory offers triple the ad space and 2.8 times greater time in view than single scroll ad formats, addressing the surging demand from brands worldwide for more real estate to drive real results by seamlessly intertwining awareness, exploration […]

B&T’s Search For Australia’s Greatest Ad Heads To Channel 7
  • Advertising

B&T’s Search For Australia’s Greatest Ad Heads To Channel 7

B&T went through the looking glass this morning, with editor-in-chief David Hovenden (above) appearing on Channel 7’s The Morning Show to get the general public involved in our search for Australia’s Greatest Ad. Hovenden chatted with Kylie Gillies and stand-in host Matt Doran about what makes a great ad and showcasing some of our favourites […]

by B&T Magazine

B&T Magazine
Opinion: The Tall Planner’s Kate Smither On The DBA Dilemma
  • Opinion

Opinion: The Tall Planner’s Kate Smither On The DBA Dilemma

The science is not in question – smarter people than I, with far more data, have codified it. The logic is not up for grabs…it makes sense that creating mental shortcuts to your brand keeps you at the top of your mind. Lead image: Kate Smither – Owner, The Tall Planner I wouldn’t even take […]

Opinion

by B&T Magazine

B&T Magazine
African woman using a cellphone in an office alone
  • Marketing

Ortto & Tall Bob Partner To Deliver Better SMS & MMS For Australian & NZ Businesses

Two Australian-born technology providers have joined forces to bring more power and choice to marketers in Australia and New Zealand with mobile messaging that is more local, cost-effective, and integrated. It’s a partnership that sees two Australian software companies come together to deliver a world-class mobile-first solution for marketers building data-driven, personalised, omnichannel campaigns. While […]

Slew Of New Hires At Snap Inc.
  • Media

Slew Of New Hires At Snap Inc.

Snap Inc. has announced a number of new recruits. B&T unaware if it positively impacted SEEK's share price.

Reddit Gets Playful Brand Refresh
  • Technology

Reddit Gets Playful Brand Refresh

This will be of interest to any Reddit fans, graphic designers or lovers of an orange so bright it burns the retinas.

Zitcha & Broadsign Partner To Drive Global In-Store Retail Media Market
  • Advertising

Zitcha & Broadsign Partner To Drive Global In-Store Retail Media Market

Zitcha and Broadsign have teamed up to integrate the Broadsign out-of-home (OOH) advertising platform with Zitcha’s retail media platform. The collaboration empowers retailers to maximise and monetise in-store digital display networks and enables advertising partners to easily view and book available in-store inventory and review campaign performance alongside the retailer’s other media channels. With the […]

Double Rainbouu & 7-Eleven Launch Exclusive Summer Fashion Label
  • Marketing

Double Rainbouu & 7-Eleven Launch Exclusive Summer Fashion Label

Today, 7-Eleven has announced a one-of-a-kind collaboration with the popular Sydney-based anti-resort wear label Double Rainbouu. Dropping tomorrow, December 1, just in time for summer, this limited-edition capsule will infuse the fashion brand’s rebellious spirit with a distinctly iconic 7-Eleven flavour. The unisex collection features five must-have styles comprising two signature Hawaiian shirts, a peaked cap, a bucket hat […]