When it comes to holiday advertising budgets, while print is still the big winner, social and online channels are growing stronger this season, say research results from BDO USA quoted by eMarketer. According to a recent survey, nearly 27% of retailers said they would spend most of their budget for the holiday season online, including on social network marketing. This means an almost 10% growth from last year’s 18% of retailers making a similar statement regarding ad spending. It also puts online ahead of broadcast for the second consecutive year.
Another very important result is the fact that 75% of respondents said they had included social networks in their marketing strategy, a significant increase from 2009’s 51%. In the majority of cases we are talking small percentages of the overall marketing of total marketing effort invested into social networks, but what’s very promising is the nearly 18% who said at least 20% of their efforts were directed at social media, with Facebook leading in social marketing channels, followed from afar by Twitter and other social networks.
BDO USA are not alone in their findings, as other research companies back their data. More companies are planning to use social media marketing this holiday season, according to a September survey conducted on US online retailers by Shop.org, and recent brand surveys on food we reviewed from Hunter PR as well as Kaplow PR. The top changes will see increased use of digital public relations campaigns
When it comes to holiday advertising budgets, while print is still the big winner, social and online channels are growing stronger this season, say research results from BDO USA quoted by eMarketer. According to a recent survey, nearly 27% of retailers said they would spend most of their budget for the holiday season online, including on social network marketing. This means an almost 10% growth from last year’s 18% of retailers making a similar statement regarding ad spending. It also puts online ahead of broadcast for the second consecutive year.
Another very important result is the fact that 75% of respondents said they had included social networks in their marketing strategy, a significant increase from 2009’s 51%. In the majority of cases we are talking small percentages of the overall marketing of total marketing effort invested into social networks, but what’s very promising is the nearly 18% who said at least 20% of their efforts were directed at social media, with Facebook leading in social marketing channels, followed from afar by Twitter and other social networks.
BDO USA are not alone in their findings, as other research companies back their data. More companies are planning to use social media marketing this holiday season, according to a September survey conducted on US online retailers by Shop.org, and recent brand surveys on food we reviewed from Hunter PR as well as Kaplow PR. The top changes will see increased use of digital public relations campaigns
The Everything-PR Editorial Team produces original reporting, research, and analysis on communications, reputation, AI visibility, and digital discovery in the answer-engine era — built to be cited by the AI engines that now answer the question. Publishing since 2009.
Other news
See all
The Affluent Buyer's New Newsstand: ChatGPT, Not Vogue
ChatGPT: 800M weekly users, 5.5B monthly visits. Morning Consult puts $250K+ HHI adoption at 61%. The affluent buyer's first move is the chatbox — not Vogue. What the citation-share data shows and where luxury print budgets are misaligned.

5W Responsible Gambling Audit: 30 Operators, 8.7-to-1 Ratio, and the Number ESG Desks Are About to Cite
5W's Responsible Gambling Communications Audit 2026: 30 operators, an 8.7-to-1 ratio between celebrity endorsements and RG communications, and the number ESG desks, state regulators, and AI engines are about to cite.

A Yerevan Agency Worth Watching In The GEO Category
The Business Rover, a small Yerevan-founded digital agency, is engineering its own publishing footprint for the exact queries buyers now ask AI engines — a working example of GEO discipline from a non-U.S. operator.
Most brands are invisible inside AI search. Is yours?
EPR publishes the data every week.
Free. Weekly. Unsubscribe anytime.
