Region's marketers connect online

Marketers must act now to maximize the power of this communications medium as consumers increasingly turn to the internet for information on products and services to help inform their purchasing decisions.

The caution comes from Australasia's foremost online marketing expert, Patty Keegan. "Online is shaking up the traditional marketing and advertising landscape as more and more advertisers embrace it with confidence," she said.

Internet advertising is expected to more than double from $21 million (AED 77 million) in 2007 to $43 million (AED 157 million) in 2011. With an estimated 28% of households having broadband, the UAE has the highest penetration rate in the Middle East, although it is still far behind Western Europe and the USA.

Keegan is general manager of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) in Australia and director of Vanishing Point Media, a consulting business that helps businesses gain a better understanding of digital media.

She will be in Dubai next month to deliver an intensive one-day Advanced Marketing Masterclass: Maximizing Results from Online Advertising.

The event, part of a series of Advanced Marketing Masterclasses organized by Gulf Marketing Review, is designed specifically to address online issues relevant to the region's marketers.

"The Masterclass will give attendees an understanding of the fundamentals of internet advertising, and the trends driving the industry, as well as how to plan, buy and manage a campaign. It would be perfect for media agencies, either client or agency side, who have taken on the responsibility of internet advertising," says Keegan.

"There's plenty of potential for growth across all the market sectors in online advertising," adds Keegan. "It may be a virtual marketplace but online is delivering real results. It's proven its worth and marketers are recognizing its value."

Maximizing Results from Online Advertising takes place on Tuesday 12 June, at Dubai's Jumeirah Beach Hotel.