Mar, 2009 : Rackspace Offers Online Marketing Survey
📅 - Managed hosting provider Rackspace Hosting (rackspace.co.uk -> rackspace.com) announced on Monday it has revealed the results of a recent survey that shows that IT managers are increasingly failing to align technology with the delivery of online marketing.
The research also indicates that businesses are not engaging effectively online or aligning formal objectives with business goals.
The survey was based on the views and future plans of 250 IT decision makers among eight industry sectors and across several regions, including the UK, Northern Europe and South Africa.
The study showed 64 percent percent of UK respondents expect to invest more in online marketing in the coming year, while 65 percent say they would not be involved in its delivery.
The findings were similar across Northern Europe, where 44 percent stated online marketing would be a big focus, but 45 percent did not expect to get involved in it.
As well as the disconnect between IT and the delivery of online marketing, only 20 percent of UK businesses and 32 percent in Northern Europe are investing in blogs and web forums.
According to Rackspace, these figures suggest that businesses might be at a competitive disadvantage as "the use of social media as a channel to communicate with customers increases in many sectors."
Meanwhile, 36 percent of IT decision makers have formal objectives aligning IT with business goals, compared to only 28 percent in Northern Europe.
"The online ambitions of the marketing departments need to be supported by the technical expertise of the IT department for the benefit of the whole company," says Fabio Torlini, marketing director at Rackspace. "Technology has evolved in such a way that businesses can have almost any service adapted to support their marketing needs. So for businesses not to use this to their advantage is completely misguided."
The research also indicates that businesses are not engaging effectively online or aligning formal objectives with business goals.
The survey was based on the views and future plans of 250 IT decision makers among eight industry sectors and across several regions, including the UK, Northern Europe and South Africa.
The study showed 64 percent percent of UK respondents expect to invest more in online marketing in the coming year, while 65 percent say they would not be involved in its delivery.
The findings were similar across Northern Europe, where 44 percent stated online marketing would be a big focus, but 45 percent did not expect to get involved in it.
As well as the disconnect between IT and the delivery of online marketing, only 20 percent of UK businesses and 32 percent in Northern Europe are investing in blogs and web forums.
According to Rackspace, these figures suggest that businesses might be at a competitive disadvantage as "the use of social media as a channel to communicate with customers increases in many sectors."
Meanwhile, 36 percent of IT decision makers have formal objectives aligning IT with business goals, compared to only 28 percent in Northern Europe.
"The online ambitions of the marketing departments need to be supported by the technical expertise of the IT department for the benefit of the whole company," says Fabio Torlini, marketing director at Rackspace. "Technology has evolved in such a way that businesses can have almost any service adapted to support their marketing needs. So for businesses not to use this to their advantage is completely misguided."
Reads: 2152 | Category: General | Source: TheWHIR : Web Host Industry ReviewsURL source: http://www.thewhir.com/web-hosting-news/031609_Rackspace_Offers_Online_Marketing_Survey
Company: Rackspace-UK [rackspace.co.uk -> rackspace.com]
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