A recent report from the Direct Marketing Association indicates that American marketers see digital marketing as a valuable way to reach consumers.

At the start of 2010, eMarketer quoted an Ad-ology survey indicating that 46 percent of U.S. businesses didn't even have websites. In 2011, the marketing landscape has clearly shifted toward online avenues. A recent report from the Direct Marketing Association indicates that American marketers see digital marketing as a valuable way to reach consumers.

According to the report, roughly two-thirds of marketers think that the internet can be used to build strong relationships. Marketers in the U.S. are trending toward digital channels, and 35 percent reported “a lot of change” in the composition of their 2010 marketing budgets.

“Increasingly, marketers in both Canada and the US are recognizing the value and opportunities that digital channels offer. And the more they learn how to optimize and measure the effects of newer platforms such as video, mobile coupons, and in-game ads, the more eager they are to use them,” said Yoram Wurmser, DMA research manager.

Indeed, the relatively new mobile platform is gaining rapid adoption. Nearly half (47 percent) of American marketers plan to increase mobile spending in 2011.

For brands looking to gain an edge in the mobile market, it would be wise to optimize sites to catch clicks from the growing audience of on-the-go searchers. Just yesterday, Brafton reported that Google offered some mobile SEO insight for marketers looking to perform well in Google mobile search.

Katherine Griwert is Brafton's Marketing Director. She's practiced content marketing, SEO and social marketing for over five years, and her enthusiasm for new media has even deeper roots. Katherine holds a degree in American Studies from Boston College, and her writing is featured in a number of web publications.