Online marketing news - Research shows firms value search engine optimisation

According to research published by multinational search engine optimisation firm Clash Media, more than half of the firms in the UK, Europe and abroad have increased their marketing budgets, with online marketing accounting for much of this.

The benefits of natural search and email marketing were perceived to be strong by three-quarters of respondents, with cost-effectiveness seen to be impressive for these tactics. Paid search results, such as PPC, saw a significant fall.

The international agency's director said, "It's great news for the industry that the majority of marketers are seeing increased budgets - and very few are seeing a reduction - and that they can see the benefits of online lead generation."

Fuse's SEO specialist Mark Chapman adds, "This research shows that well-managed natural search optimisation techniques can be as positive for businesses as they are for the user experience of a website."