More money being spent on online advertising by UK firms

British companies are spending more money on the online marketing channel according to a new survey which revealed that a third of these firms now dedicate 25 percent of their marketing budget to internet-based pursuits.

The research, carried out by the Online Marketing and Media Show, revealed that this represents approximately a 15 per cent increase in total online advertising spending compared to the predicted spend in 2007.

It was also revealed that 75 per cent of companies are now generating more accountable return on investment (ROI) from their online marketing activities than their more traditional marketing channels.

Sally Maltby, event director for the Online Marketing and Media Show 2008, which will be held in London at the end of June, said that marketers are investing in areas where they can get the most tangible results.

"Historically, search, SEO and pay per click campaigns have been the leaders for this reason," she said. "As the industry starts seeing improved measurement tools in place for social media, marketers will begin experimenting and investing more online."

Last week, telecoms company BT advised attendees at the Work Wise UK summit that user-generated content (UGC) can deliver real value to marketing campaigns.