More marketers are using digital media to sell and build stronger relationships with their customers according to a new report from the Direct Marketing Association and David Shepard Associates.

The report found social networking sites to be the most used platform by digital media marketers. However, many businesses still consider themselves operating in the learning, transitioning, and integrating phases.

'Not surprisingly, the study shows many companies are continually testing targeted messages across various media to find optimal cost efficiency and marketing effectiveness," said Rus Rempala of David Sheppard Associates. 

"We expect to see much more advanced strategic testing in the near future as more and more marketers navigate the multichannel digital age."

Highlights of the DMA report include:

*Most marketers cite brand building (71%) as main purpose of their digital marketing

*Direct mail still represents 17 percent of the overall marketing budget, which is larger than the share held by any other media.

*35 percent of companies us CPM (cost per 1,000 impressions) to manage online programs.

*The most frequent use of digital media for publishers is generating online sales.

"Two findings come through loud and clear from this report," said George Orme from David Shepard Associates. 

"First, most marketers today are using digital media to both sell and nurture a stronger bond with their customers.  But the study also underscored that very few companies have mastered the analytics and found ways to accurately measure the incremental effect of each media within a multi-media campaign."