Spam and phishing top marketers' anxieties in 2009

Increased spam and phishing attacks along with further e-mail and image blocking by ISPs top the lists of marketer's concerns for 2009, according to a Goodmail-sponsored survey by Jupiter Research.

The survey asked 202 e-mail marketers which challenges related to the success of their e-mail marketing initiatives over the next 12 months most concerned them.

Marketers cited 'increased spam and phishing attacks' as the most pending anxiety, with 53 per cent of respondents describing it as a top concern in 2009, followed by 'further e-mail and image blocking by ISPs' with 45 per cent.

By comparison, survey respondents were less concerned about 'slowing consumer spending' (40 per cent); their ability to stay relevant with subscribers (27 per cent), or securing adequate budget for their programmes (16 per cent).

Only 11 per cent feel that their e-mail programmes are threatened by 'increased consumer preference for social and mobile communications'.

Peter Horan, chief executive officer of Goodmail, said: 'It is telling that marketers are more concerned about challenges related to spam and phishing than they are about sour macroeconomic conditions.

'As a highly cost-effective and targeted means of communicating with customers, e-mail is increasingly seen as the marketing department's workhorse.

'But marketers also understand that in order to be effective, their e-mails must be reliably trusted, delivered and viewable to recipients.

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