Data-Driven Marketers Diversify Across Channels

(Press release, April 2, 2015) — The modern marketer is a multichannel strategist, relying most heavily on email, direct mail and social media. The Direct Marketing Association's (DMA) 2015 Response Rate Report, released today, revealed 65 percent of respondents use two or more media types in their marketing campaigns, with 44 percent reporting they use three or more. Of the seven key channels examined (Mobile, Email, Online Display, Paid Search, Telephone, and Direct Mail), email ranked at the top, with a full 83 percent of respondents reporting they used the channel in their marketing campaigns.

"Most organizations do not rely on any single type of media or channel for their campaigns," said Jerry Rackley, chief analyst for Demand Metric, which partnered with DMA on the report. "In fact, just 35 percent of this study's respondents claim to use just a single one, and that one is most often email. What's more likely is for organizations to use more than multiple channels, and 44 percent of the respondents use three or more. When this is the case, those media are most likely to be email, direct mail and social media."

While mobile represented the smallest sample in this survey, indicating that it is not yet fully utilized by marketers, it shows the greatest promise for growth over the next 12 months—with 73 percent of respondents indicating plans to increase their usage. Moreover, the mobile channel is rarely used on its own. The report found that 98 percent of mobile users employ at least three types of media in their campaigns—and 65 percent use at least five.

"In the increasingly digitized and omnichannel marketplace, consumers expect to explore products, perform research, and engage with merchants across a wide range of tools and channels before completing a purchase," said Gina Scala, DMA's vice president, education & professional development. "Marketers have therefore intensified their efforts to connect with consumers at as many key touchpoints as possible."

This year marks the first time social media advertising was measured in this study. Although a relative newcomer, social media is projected as the second fastest growing media type in this survey, with 64 percent of respondents planning to increase usage in the next 12 months. It also has one of the lowest cost per acquisition of all the media covered.

The report is available at the DMA Bookstore for $299 for DMA members and $499 for non-members.