Internet Traffic Down by 24% YOY

Welcome to the Dove Direct Print and Marketing Blog. Today's post, "Internet Traffic Down by 24% YOY," exposes the pandemic's impact on internet usage. Website global page views decreased by 29%, while time per session was down by 30%. Statista reported these numbers as of May 2021 over May 2020. These stats bear out what digital marketers have stated: approximately 50% of their digital marketing users did not see their ads. In a nutshell, the pandemic has altered behavior. One could also argue that Google's constant algorithm changes contribute to digital marketing teams' challenges. It takes a ton of learning to stay afloat in the ever-changing digital world. That said, digital presence and communications are here to stay, and all of us must be able to navigate in that arena. As we look deeper into more recent statistics, we'll see that above all; there is a degree of static in today's marketplace.


Our Quote of the Day: "One of the internet's strengths is its ability to help consumers find the right needle in a digital haystack of data."
— Jared Sandberg

Content Marketing Statistics

Responsify has gone to great lengths to provide the following statistics across several analytical data points, which should serve as a beacon of insight rather than a hard case marketing agenda. Using data statistics is but a mere portion of the framework used to create effective marketing strategies. There is much more to crafting and executing an efficient and effective marketing campaign. And without a doubt, depending on the brand, the sector, and external competitive factors, the marketing brainstorming is replete with a bevy of influences.


As of July 2018, mobile began outpacing desktops worldwide, with 52.95% of people using mobile compared to 43.11% who prefer to use desktops. As we know, the pandemic accelerated the shift to mobile commerce, and its rapid growth will only continue. Naturally, there are more considerations to make when looking at mobile versus desktop. The determinate factor depends on the type of consumer who prefers mobile, and conversely, which type favors desktop. Brands will find that this is where data capture comes into play. All of the omnichannel or multichannel efforts a brand is investing in can reap considerable rewards in determining the particulars of those who engage or respond to digital communications. This communique can range from blog posts to emails to social media, website traffic, and of course, video marketing efforts. Nor do we expect it to let up, as people are more willing to try many innovations.


Nonetheless, it's a good idea for brands to ensure a mobile website presence and that load times are in line with consumer expectations. Responsify data also suggests that 71% of mobile users expect websites to load as quickly on their phones as their desktops. Typically, the 5-second rule applies here under normal web traffic conditions. Some may argue that the overcrowding of website traffic could also contribute to internet traffic numbers being down, regardless of the number of users attempting to navigate various sites.


Blogging is a Priority

Blog content continues to surge among top marketers, and 53% of them in a recent survey stated precisely that: "Blogging is their top content marketing priority." While seemingly an inexpensive marketing method to reach potential targets and consumers, blogging requires content research, strategic insights, and updated information to secure engagement. People are looking for information every day, and given the shifting pandemic variants, people expect to find health, finance, marketing, data, and the business information they crave.

Responsify research also revealed this gem: "Brands that contain blogs can expect 67% more leads every month compared that to brands that fail to have a blog."


Content is Critical

It is surprising to learn that 70% of marketers lack a consistent or integrated content strategy in a data-driven society. Content is one thing, and we know content drives both engagement and response rates. However, before generating the content, there must be a strategy in place. If brands are flying by the seat of their pants, without direction, quality content is near impossible to create. The data should drive the content; without this alignment, the marketing elements will likely fail to deliver a seamless experience where all the moving parts are working together.

The Responsify survey states that the most successful brands and marketing teams spend about 40% of the total marketing budget on content marketing. Conversely, the average for all respondents in this survey fell to a paltry 26%. That said, one may argue that while budgeting lies at the forefront of all marketing strategies, it remains unclear as to the value of the content marketing budget and how it directly affects businesses. Again, data surveys can only reflect what is measured as it relates to a particular industry sector. Therefore, we recommend using weighted data points from several surveys as they relate to your company's strategic business plan.

Learning Through Content

Let us share another interesting statistical data point from the Responsify survey. "70% of internet users want to learn about products through content versus traditional advertisements." The survey continues to highlight several other data points, including the following:

• 59% of consumers cited at least one or more channels as a source of initial awareness.
• Top five B2B content marketing tactics: Social media content 92%; eNewsletters 83%; articles on your website 81%; blogs 80%; in-person events 77%.
• Only 58% of marketers say they are often successful in achieving their marketing goals.
• 57% of content downloads generate leads with the highest conversion rates.
• Consumers see 5,000 ads every single day!

According to the AMA (American Marketing Association), consumers who receive direct mail with digital marketing content strategies will yield higher conversion rate results. These users are not distracted from the digital clutter on a computer monitor or mobile device.


The Net-Net

There is a tremendous amount of new content published daily, to the tune of billions of posts. Regardless of the content type, it's still content at the end of the day. The key to understanding the implications of the myriad of data points is to create engaging content for the Omni- or multichannel employed by your brand, including a website, videos, emails, and more. While we reviewed internet traffic as a whole, remember that the real kicker for marketers is that brands that incorporate direct mail will yield an even higher response, engagement, and conversion rates for all digital destinations. Thanks for reading "Internet Traffic Down by 24% YOY."

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