Online advertising is becoming an increasingly popular option among marketers.

Research conducted by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) reveals that a rising number of firms are leaning towards the internet largely due to changes in consumer attitudes and technological advances.

Meanwhile, marketers were reported to spend more than 11 per cent of their annual budget on online advertising, with this figure predicted to rise by 3.6 per cent next year.

However, CIM marketing director Geoff Hurst suggested that companies could do more to make use of the internet in attempts to successfully target audiences.

He told UTalk Marketing: "A significant majority of marketers are still not making use of the full spectrum of technologies available to help them communicate with customers."

Mr Hurst added that since last autumn there has been a rise in the number of advertisers using online marketing techniques such as podcasts and blogs.

This week, research conducted by Direct Marketing Association revealed that 28 per cent of companies surveyed were using response mechanisms alongside search engine optimisation techniques in an attempt to drive brand awareness.