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Opinion

Key 2023 UK marketing statistics: A comprehensive guide.

Welcome to our comprehensive guide to UK marketing statistics, updated for 2023. Here, our search specialists and marketing maestros have curated a list of the essential marketing stats you need to know to understand the UK’s current marketing landscape. We haven’t just provided the stats, but also insights into the stories behind the latest digital marketing trends in the UK and the brands who’ve utilised them best.

Enjoy our one-stop shop for all the data-backed insights into UK marketing trends 2023 - and use this resource wisely.

UK digital marketing statistics

Digital marketing as we know it is transforming; 2023 saw the boundaries of digital marketing shift drastically. This is thanks in part to massive international campaigns from Warner Bros. for the Barbie movie, an uptake in AI-led campaigns and CGI. These new possibilities present larger brands with an opportunity to make an impact on audiences by striving for new levels of originality and creativity, both on and off the screen.

Here’s the impact of that in some [pretty remarkable] numbers

  • Digital marketing spending is estimated to have risen from $553.5 billion to $567.49 from 2021 to 2022 - an increase of over 2.5% (Statistica). This is predicted to reach $626.86 by the end of 2023, which we think might have something to do with the rollout of big AI and CGI-based digital campaigns by brands such as Lounge Underwear.
  • Skills shortages appear to be one of the greatest challenges to the marketing sector, as 79% of marketers believe the skill set required for the job has completely changed over the last decade (The Chartered Institute of Marketing). This has led to a lack of confidence in certain areas as a result of the shift to an increasingly digital landscape, but can be managed by levelling up skills with training from LinkedIn Learning, Udemy and Yoast.
  • Organic search produces the best marketing ROI, according to 49% of businesses surveyed by WordStream, and is estimated to produce 53% of all web traffic. However, data from Semrush suggests that 46% of businesses also perform SEO to optimise their content to reach a target audience, so both are central to brand awareness and reach.

Social media stats UK

You don’t need us to tell you that social media is an unprecedented force to be reckoned with. Currently, the number of worldwide social media users sits at a record 4.9 billion people, with over 2 million active monthly users on Instagram and WhatsApp and almost 3 billion on Facebook (Forbes). The way we interact with brands on social media is evolving too, with distinct personas being crafted by the likes of Aldi and Oatly, through customer engagement and campaign messaging respectively. Users are scrolling, swiping and double-tapping more than ever, demanding a more constant stream of inspiring content from brands with staggering effects.

This is the power of social media in stats

  • Short-form video content such as Instagram Reels and TikToks is the most effective type of content for engagement, according to Search Engine Journal. This is hardly surprising given that the average user is watching around 17 hours of online videos on average per week, 75% of which is short-form content on their mobile devices (Hubspot).
  • 96% of B2B content marketers use LinkedIn for organic social media marketing (WordStream), making it one of the most effective social media platforms in the UK for B2B marketing.
  • In a recent survey of over 1,700 marketers, Semrush found that 47% perform audience research and 45% of them are publishing more content and more frequently. With increased capacity for audience segmentation within Meta campaigns, it’s unsurprising that users are making the most of these features to optimise their social media content to achieve marketing goals.

Content marketing statistics UK

Content marketing is one of the main ways that many brands define their persona by letting their characteristics shine through and building connections with their audience. If there’s an important campaign to get over the line, content marketing is sure to get it there by combining different elements such as email marketing, newsletters and PR for a comprehensive campaign execution. In particular, 2023 has seen the rise of 16:9 content like YouTube Shorts offering a huge opportunity for advertisers to invest in storytelling. Household brands like Nike and Les Mills have utilised this opportunity to create behind-the-scenes or user-generated short-form content to build their brand story.

The impact of content marketing is clear in these [impressive] numbers

  • Outsourcing content marketing is becoming an increasingly common practice for marketers, as half say they do this for at least some content (Search Engine Journal). As a cost-effective marketing solution, outsourced marketing allows many businesses to access additional support to augment their in-house resources, supporting efficiency and providing [fresh] new perspectives.
  • Short content and videos were the most popular types of content that B2C marketers used in 2022, with 83% producing short articles and posts and 61% producing video content, according to Search Engine Journal. This doesn’t mean that long-form articles are dropping off the radar though, as their use also increased from 22% to 44% in the same period.
  • When it comes to email marketing, it’s estimated that the return on investment (ROI) is around $36 for every $1 spent, making it one of the most cost-effective methods of content marketing (Wordstream). But this remarkable impact isn’t possible without a clear strategy, so it’s important to consider how you maximise the effectiveness of every email element. Consider every element from the subject line and preview text to encourage opens, to the CTAs you choose for the buttons and how you communicate the value of the content throughout.

Did you find these UK marketing statistics useful?

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