Forbes’ recently published 2020 Marketing Industry report noted that digital marketing was responsible for 41.5% of total global marketing spend in 2019.
The report also found that marketers expect to spend more heavily on content in 2021, and that in-house, digital marketing and SEO teams will see the biggest boost in 2021.
Why is Marketing Spending Switching to Digital Marketing?
Forbes’ study asked marketers from different industries about the primary driver behind the increased expenditure in digital marketing. Their responses indicated that the rise in digital marketing is largely due to the fact that consumers have more options when it comes to engaging with brands in digital formats.
Just consider the fact that social media platforms like Facebook make it easy for businesses to connect with customers wherever they are.
Further, the use of ‘shadow banning’ on social media platforms means that there’s always the potential for content to be hidden from the general public. In other words, even if you put out amazing content, you still have no guarantee that your audience will see it.
Compare this to traditional methods of marketing, such as radio and television, where consumers have to consciously seek out content published by brands.
How is Digital Marketing Fuelling the Future of Marketing?
The rise in digital marketing is not simply a shift to new methods. It’s also the effect of the increasing adoption of digital marketing across all industries.
In 2021, the percentage of companies in various industries using digital marketing will reach 69% globally and 81% in the United States, according to the Forbes’ study.
This is in comparison to 39% and 46% of companies using traditional methods in 2019.
What’s more is that marketing departments are also digital marketing agencies, and they are responsible for implementing marketing strategies across various platforms and executing marketing campaigns for their clients. As a result, businesses are gaining an in-house understanding of both the strategy and execution required for effective digital marketing campaigns.
Digital Marketing and SEO Are Separate but Interrelated
The rise of digital marketing can be attributed to the fact that SEO and email marketing strategies no longer work in isolation. In 2021, 66% of marketers expect to see an increase in digital marketing activity combined with SEO tactics, while only 14% foresee a decrease.
This is largely because customers expect to see results from their marketing efforts, and they have grown accustomed to conducting research online before buying a product or service. As a result, marketing departments are now responsible for both SEO and email marketing campaigns.
One of the distinguishing factors between traditional and digital marketing is the approach taken toward gaining customer engagement and trust. While social media platforms encourage users to share and connect with others, business websites encourage consumers to consume content and make purchases.
The reason being is that businesses that promote engaging content and useful resources tend to receive more positive responses from customers, which leads to brand loyalty and increased revenue.
The Top Performing Digital Marketing Agencies in 2021
The report from Forbes’ found that marketers are relying more heavily on digital marketing to generate leads, and they are also using more sophisticated techniques and tools to achieve their digital marketing goals. This is why the top performing agencies in 2021 will differ from the agencies at the top of our previous report cards.
In addition to using more effective marketing technologies, marketers are also doing more to ensure that their content is engaging, interesting and ultimately, profitable. That means that while agency performance metrics like revenue, growth, and profit are still important – they will differ slightly from agency to agency.
Here are the top digital marketing agencies in 2021:
1. The Orchard (New Jersey, US)
This professional services firm specializes in providing full-service digital marketing and social media marketing agencies as well as digital marketing consulting to small and medium-sized businesses. The company also offers SEO, content strategy, and content creation for clients.
Based on customer feedback, Google reviews, and other metrics, companies like ByteDance, HP, Jack Ma, and TikTok use The Orchard’s marketing technology to track the effectiveness of their campaigns and optimize future strategies.
2. Agency A (London, UK)
Agency A is a top-rated full-service digital marketing agency that provides marketing communications and digital marketing services to fortune 500 companies as well as brands and agencies in the UK and internationally.
The agency offers SEO, social media marketing, content strategy, and performance marketing. Among its services are paid advertising, display advertising, and affiliate marketing.
In terms of customer feedback, Agency A has received a 97 out of 100 on Google review and is ranked in the top three percent of marketing agencies in the UK. Based on the reviews, the agency offers a top-tier service that is highly effective and highly personalized for each of its clients.
3. 360i (Berlin, Germany)
360i is a digital marketing agency that provides SEO, paid search advertising (PSA), e-commerce marketing, social media marketing, and content strategy for leading global brands.
The agency was started in 2015 and is based in Berlin. To learn more, visit their website.
4. RPA Worldwide (London, UK)
RPA is short for ‘reinforced performance analytics’, and it is a brand new agency that only just celebrated its first anniversary in 2020.
Based in London, the agency provides SEO, content strategy, and performance marketing for brands and agencies across the UK, Europe, and internationally. The company has also raised more than $2.8 million in equity financing to boost its capabilities.
One of RPA’s distinctive selling points is that it embraces new technology and approaches to marketing, which enables clients to track the effectiveness of their campaigns and optimize future strategies. For example, the agency specialises in digital marketing for B2B companies, and it uses big data and advanced analytics to make strategic marketing recommendations.
This year, RPA will focus on enhancing its digital marketing capabilities. In particular, the agency plans to expand its team of data scientists and marketers, optimize bidding strategies, and develop more advanced analytical tools. As a result, RPA’s service will become even more valuable to its clients.
5. Abrum (Berlin, Germany)
Abrum is the digital marketing arm of Wunderman, one of the world’s largest marketing communications agencies.
The agency provides digital marketing strategy, performance marketing, and content creation for manufacturers, retailers, and consumer goods companies. It also offers SEO, social media marketing, and content strategy.
To learn more, visit its website. Abrum also has a blog with helpful advice for marketers.
6. The Drum Shop (London, UK)
Part of WPP, the world’s largest marketing communications group, The Drum Shop is another top-rated digital marketing agency with operations in over 45 countries.
The agency provides integrated marketing communications including marketing research, event marketing, and marketing analytics for some of the world’s biggest brands. It also manages social media platforms and digital marketing campaigns for its clients.
To learn more, visit The Drum Shop’s website or download the firm’s annual report.
7. Saas Marketing (Zürich, Switzerland)
Founded in 2016, Saas Marketing is a marketing agency that provides SEO, content strategy, and performance marketing for software companies.
The agency is based in Zürich and is part of the DAAH Group, which is owned by WPP. With this partnership, DAAH gains access to the combined resources of WPP, the world’s largest marketing group, and its own subsidiary agencies.
As one of the most highly rated agencies in its category, Saas Marketing stands out from the crowd with a service that is both innovative and highly effective. The agency launched a fully managed social media platform for software companies, called Mentioneer, which provides analytics, content strategy, and performance marketing.
8. M12 (London, UK)
M12 is a global marketing agency with 17 offices across North America, Europe, and Australasia.
Founded in 2010, M12 focuses on providing integrated marketing communications including marketing research, advertising, and public relations for brand and business clients across diverse industries.