Bullish marketers roll with punches despite NI blow

Government plans to get businesses to shoulder some of the cost of repairing “broken Britain” might have sparked a mass gnashing of teeth among Britain’s bosses but it seems marketers are taking it in their stride, with many planning to boost spending by up to 50%.

That is according to a new study by digital agency No Brainer, the “2025 Ecommerce Trends Report”, which reveals almost half (47%) of UK marketers fear budget cuts will severely impact on their 2025 ambitions.

From April, the amount employers must pay in NI contributions will increase to 15%, with squeezed budgets likely to see companies cut costs and reduce spending.

Even so, marketers remain optimistic, with 56% planning to increase content marketing spend, with half boosting both SEO (51%) and digital PR (50%).

It also revealed specific insights into how much marketers in the ecommerce sector in particular plan to increase their respective spends – with figures coming in at well above the national average.

In fact, while half (50%) believe marketing is always one of the first areas to be cut when budgets are tighter, but pressure and expectations remain just as high.

Marketers in the ecommerce sector in particular are planning even bigger budget increases. The data showed that 74% of ecommerce marketers plan to increase spending on content marketing, as well as SEO (60%) and digital PR (63%).

Ecommerce marketers also consider funding for new technology a top priority, with 73% intending to increase spend on AI and machine learning in 2025.

Despite a potentially gloomy backdrop, half of marketers are confident the UK economy will recover in 2025.

However, a slowdown in spend is predicted for traditional media, with 55% of marketers saying they are going to spend less on TV, radio and podcasts. That compares with 2024, when 74% said they intended to increase budget spend for broadcast.

This year, businesses must not only deal with NI increases – they also face the prospect of rising energy bills and an increase in the National Minimum Wage.

No Brainer managing director Gary Jenkins said: “Marketing leaders tasked with delivering growth have had to contend with five years of rising costs and inflationary pressures, and our report shows that many people think it’s unlikely to get any easier.

“Faced with these challenges, it’s testament to the strength and resilience of our sector to see its continued buoyancy and leaders remaining bullish in the face of adversity, with the majority still looking to further their spend.

“No matter what happens over the course of 2025, we know any reduction in budgets will place a key emphasis on making the pennies and pounds go further, and a key part of that will be utilising services and channels that deliver a solid ROI.”

Bullish marketers roll with punches despite NI blow

Be the first to comment on "Bullish marketers roll with punches despite NI blow"

Leave a comment Cancel reply