Infographic: I get by with(out) a little help from my friends

Digital marketing can be a daunting undertaking, so it's no surprise that about 59% of businesses with revenues of more than $500M depend on local affiliates to get the job done. But with only 4% of national brands ranking affiliates' local marketing as “excellent,” the old saying holds true: If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.

Now more than ever, brands need to focus their digital marketing locally, as well as nationally. According to Balihoo's Micro Study: National Brand Use of Digital in Local Marketing, nearly 68% of surveyed respondents list digital marketing as “extremely” or “very” important for a brand to succeed on a national level, with 45% of organizations with $500M or more ranking it as “extremely” important. In fact, many marketers already know which digital categories they want to expand in 2013. According to the study, 35% of respondents plan to add mobile marketing to their digital regimen in 2013, with local blogs (32%) and online customer reviews (31%) trailing right behind.

While some organizations may turn to brand affiliates to lighten their digital load, the majority of surveyed respondents advise otherwise, with 87% claiming that national brands are not “well represented” on their affiliates' sites, according to the study. In fact, about 53% say affiliates lack the expertise and skill needed to effectively execute mobile, followed by SEO (49%) and PPC (47%).