It probably wouldn't surprise you that B2B marketers are continuing to shift dollars to digital marketing. But did you know that B2B marketers are allocating on average 10% of their marketing budget to Search Marketing? How does that compare to your Search Marketing allocation?

Google recently published the 2011 B2B Marketing Outlook study in which 85% of B2B marketers ranked Search Engine Marketing as effective for gaining new leads. And overall, 8 of the top 10 most effective media channels for reaching the B2B audience are digital. Email, SEO, Social Media, and online content are thought to be the most effective overall, while Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) are considered the most effective channels for gaining new leads. Email marketing ranks as the best way to prime, close and maintain customers.

Regarding B2B Search Marketing, Chief Marketing Officer of Siemens was quoted saying:

"We certainly track our traffic and search. If people online are searching, they’re at the point of considering or looking to purchase, and we want to be front and center in those rankings."

As B2B marketers continue to invest more online, it will be critically important to connect upper and lower funnel activities along with determining the right allocation that ultimately drives sales growth.