Constructive Communication Inc., a specialist in public relations and marketing communications for professional service firms and members of a variety of technical industries, announces the results of its 2017 Marketing Trends Survey.
Participants in the online survey include professionals in the architecture, engineering, construction and other technical industries from across the United States. According to Kimberly Kayler, President of Constructive Communication, the purpose of the survey was to identify challenges in the technical industries the firm serves – including chemical, architecture, engineering, construction and electronics -- and how the marketing sector is responding.
“Constructive Communication’s marketing survey has identified several trends for 2017, including an emphasis on website development or updates and e-mail marketing,” says Kayler. “The survey’s results align with current studies indicating an increased need for mobile responsiveness.”
Businesses are realizing a need for more mobile-friendly websites, as half or more of web traffic is coming from mobile devices, according to SimilarWeb’s State of Mobile Web US 2015 report. Likewise, approximately 55% of all e-mails are now read on mobile devices, according to Litmus software’s “Email Analytics.”
“Marketers are responding to these changing needs with more mobile friendly websites and e-mail communication,” says Kayler.
Findings from the survey include:
- Respondents identified shrinking profit margins (28%) and finding qualified employees (24%) as the two biggest challenges facing their companies in 2017. Other challenges mentioned by respondents include healthcare and securing business opportunities.
- Approximately 52% of respondents named e-mail newsletters or newsletters as the most effective marketing tactic for their company in 2016. Other effective strategies identified by respondents are trade shows, public relations and white papers.
- 88% of respondents plan to maintain or increase marketing spending in 2017.
- In 2017, 44% of respondents plan to invest in new marketing strategies or technology such as website updates, video or marketing automation.
- The social media platforms businesses most expect to utilize in 2017 include: LinkedIn (approximately 91%); Twitter (approximately 70%); Facebook (approximately 65%); YouTube (approximately 57%)
