A new report from iProspect, conducted by JupiterResearch,  says

that 45% of search engine marketers do not integrate their search marketing efforts with offline channels and 24% of companies do not participate in offline marketing at all.

The study finds that just over half of search engine marketers (55%) intentionally integrate their efforts with at least one offline marketing channel. Specifically, that integration most often takes place with direct mail (34%) and magazine/newspaper advertising (29%), while both television (12%) and radio advertising (12%) trail behind.

Another study by iProspect, published in August of 2007, revealed that

two-thirds (67%) of search engine users are driven to search by an offline channel, and that 39% of those offline-influenced search users ultimately make a purchase from the company that prompted their initial search. Moreover, it also shows television advertising to be the leading offline channel that drives users to search (37%).

Makes sense: you see something on TV or in the paper that strikes your interest so you search for more info online. This correlates with the 61% respondents to a recent survey saying that they check review sites, blogs and other customer feedback forums before buying a new product or service.

#1 I think this makes it even more important to stay current with what is happening in your industry so that you can be present when people go online after having their interest sparked from seeing something offline.

#2 Since:

only 26% of marketers utilize the same keywords in offline campaigns as are used in search marketing campaigns in their integration efforts,

I think it makes since to correlate the two.

#3 So let’s say you put an ad in the paper with the hope that it drives people to your store as well as your site. How do you know if it’s successful? A spike in your site’s visits I guess.

#4 I think this is also saying that because of your branded advertising efforts a consumer will pick your site instead of others because they recognize your name in the search results and therefore trust you more.

Still, this doesn’t negate the Faith and expense it takes to undertake advertising to the masses.