• by Laurie Sullivan , Staff Writer @lauriesullivan, February 28, 2017

Acquiring new customers has always been one of the top priorities for marketers. A study conducted in February shows that 61% of marketers plan to focus more on user acquisition this year, either through a new mix of marketing channels or creating innovative products.

But acquiring new customers isn't the biggest challenge, according to YouAppi's 327 customers who participated in a Dimensional Research survey. Some of the challenges range from ad network fraud to simply choosing the correct media to create that memorable experience.

With more consumers looking to connect with brands that can provide an experience along with fair prices and quality, marketers have their hands full trying to determine the types of rewards, search, social and video media that will keep consumers coming back.

The study -- intended less to prove something and more to learn about the tactics that marketers will focus on -- shows that 86% plan to make securing new customers or users a "priority" for their marketing organization in 2017. Some 68% want to increase engagement or activity with existing customers, while 55% will focus on segmentation and targeting, and 50% on reengagement. And 47% said they simply want to bring awareness to products and services, get the company's name out there "so people know we exist."

The majority of marketers -- at 48% -- will focus on acquiring new customers or users because it generates the highest return on investment, according to survey participants.

When asked about the types of methods that are most important to reengaging customers, 41% said in-app push notifications, 30%, paid advertising; 13%, social media; 11% email, and 5%, none.

Some 89% of survey respondents said Facebook is the most effective social platform for paid social campaigns. Instagram followed with 41%, Twitter at 19%, Snapchat at 7%, Pinterest at 6%, and other at 6%. A mere 2% said none.

Although 40% said it's difficult to measure their video investment, the study shows 48% plan to use video for social media, and 48% plan to use in-app video. Some 38% will use brand video, and 36% will use video for the mobile Web.  

Marketers, at 47%, said they will use video to acquire new customers, although it has proven to be the most challenging media to achieve this. Some 17% said using video to create engagement is challenging, followed by brand awareness at 17%.  

About 33% are concerned about fraud on the ad network that deliver video, yet 3 in 4 plan to increase their investment in mobile marketing video this year. Seventy-four percent said they plan to increase investments, 17% said they plan no change, and 9% will decrease spend in this area. Some 94% said video is important to their customer's journey, and 81% plan to use video to acquire new customers.

About 71% plan to use video to bring awareness to the brand, while 62% will use video to increase engagement, and 40% plan to reengage consumers through social channels.