eCommerce and Mobile

ecommerce is continually growing at a ever increasing rate according to some of the latest reports and mobile is becoming a larger component of this category as the figures show. Increasingly consumers and businesses will respond to a call-to-action almost instantaneously from their mobile device.

So how do you go about creating a strategic campaign and find the tools to make the campaign happen?
We'll discuss this and some of the campaigns we've created in future articles...

Please note our Social Media Marketing • Philanthropy Marketing • Promotional Products and Eco Programs are moving to our "Bespoke Blog" on our Allard PPC website

Facebook doubling Worldwide Ad Revenues this year?

A new eMarketer forecast predicts 104% growth in global advertising revenues for the world's largest social networking site. US ad revenues still make up the bulk of funds, and will total $2.01 billion by the end of this year.
Full Article

In our local area I must admit "LivingSocial" is my fav. We've been landing some great deals and a good way to check out just how good some of those Restaurants and Businesses really are...

A new eMarketer report examines the uptake of mobile coupons, including daily deals, among US mobile and smartphone owners. As digital couponing increases overall, mobile coupon usage will nearly double by 2013.
Full Article

the Mobile Market continues to ramp up. Article: Sizing the Mobile Payments Market

Our take - The Momentum most certainly continues to build, part of a conversation with a client this morning over breakfast

Many companies are eager to enter the nascent mobile payments space, from retailers that are considering accepting such payments to carriers, credit card companies and other service providers that want to facilitate them—and take a cut. Researchers disagree on current levels of consumer spending, but converge on one key fact: the market is growing dramatically. Full Article

Solid Ecommerce Spending Recovery Suggests Strong Holiday Season

Ecommerce sales still make up only a fraction of total retail sales, but they continue to grow at a faster pace. Online sales are posting steady growth this year, signalling the possibility for a good holiday season for online retailers.
Full Article

Two in Five Mobile Owners Use Internet on the Go

Our take.. We're certainly receiving more requests for Mobile campaigns and sites.
Some of our own fav apps being "LivingSocial", "Yelp" with AR and our "Starbuck" app of course!


...with NFC, now we're talking (no pun intended)!




via emarketer... A new eMarketer forecast projects nearly 50% growth in US smartphone users this year, along with almost 25% growth in mobile internet usage. By the end of 2011, nearly 100 million Americans will be hitting up the web via mobile each month.Full Article

Change in Facebook User Behavior

Facebook is still growing its worldwide user base, but in the US and other advanced countries, growth has tapered and user habits are shifting. Similar changes are under way for other social media. Could less user activity be a boon for marketers?Full Article

Most Who Read Tweets Also Write Them

Twitter is still far from a mass medium, but with a solid base of US users the service is showing greater stickiness and maturity than it has in the past. Research suggests that rather than "Twitter quitters," the site now boasts an active and engaged audience. Full Article

Online Coupons Boast High Redemption Rate

Old-fashioned coupon clipping is still thriving and mobile coupons are the latest innovation being picked up by consumers, but online coupons printed out and used in-store are among the most likely of any format to be redeemed, especially as digital promotions continue to replace weekly circulars. Full Article

Consumers to Behavioral Advertisers: We Know You're There

For online marketers who think the average US internet user is unaware of when they are being tracked and ad targeted, think again. Consumers are increasingly aware of such terminology and tactics and are reluctant to share personally identifiable information with advertisers. However, marketers and publishers that are upfront about their display ad intentions can increase consumer favorability.
Full Article

iPhone rules with Advertisers

The iPhone may have grabbed the hearts and minds of many in the smartphone market—and the advertising community—early on, but now Android-based handsets are more common. But that's not where brands are focusing their mobile efforts. Full Article

Mobile websites

I recently came across this insightful article on Mobile Websites for the HVAC community by Nadia Romeo. It applies any business who should be considering a Mobile Website for ease of viewing and ease of use. Worth particular note though is the spontaneity and willingness to act on the information.

Google Blogger version of this blog is a good example of a Mobile Site, the information is condensed and mobile user friendly

the article....


At the end of 2010, Google conducted a study, "The Mobile Movement: Understanding Smartphone Users," and its findings astonished many marketing professionals.  It wasn't surprising that Google found that smartphone users frequently sought information about local businesses on their devices, but what was surprising was the users' widespread willingness and desire to act quickly on that information. The Mobile Movement study found that:


>95% of smartphone users have looked for local information with their devices.

>88% of these users took action within a day, indicating these are immediate information needs.

>77% contacted a business, with 61% calling, and 59% visiting the local business.



Smartphones and other mobile devices are becoming a bigger part of consumers' daily lives. Many use them as an extension of their desktop computers in addition to communicating and accessing media. As this penetration deepens, more consumers will be using mobile search to make purchasing decisions.



This is exciting news for HVACR contractors because their business model is to serve a locally defined market and therefore ideal for mobile search and commerce. In fact, considering the research from Google and other reputable companies, you should assume that potential customers are looking for you with their mobile devices and take the necessary steps to make sure they can find you. Do this by creating a mobile version of your website.



How Mobile Websites Differ



While many mobile devices are enabled to access websites via a mobile-version of an Internet browser, standard websites display differently on mobile devices than they do on computer screens for a variety of reasons, including:



> Mobile devices have different operating systems than computers. The mobile version of the Windows or Mac software that runs your computer would not work on your mobile phone or tablet. This incompatibility can cause a website to display oddly or incompletely.



>Mobile screens are much smaller than computer screens. This causes usability problems, such as eye discomfort or the inability to view all of the information on a standard website.



>Mobile Internet speeds can be significantly slower than they are for a desktop user, meaning that impatient visitors won "stick around" for your website to finish loading.



>Usability differs. When building a website optimized for a computer screen, the web designer assumes that the user is sitting down, has access to a full keyboard, and has full use of both hands. These assumptions are rarely true for mobile-device users.



When was the last time you pulled up your company website on a mobile phone? Never? Do yourself a favor and test your company's website on various mobile devices. Unless you have a mobile version of your website, you probably won't like what you see.



Planning Your Mobile Website



If a digital-design professional will be building your mobile website, they should know all of the technical specifications for the dominate mobile operating systems. Just be clear that you want the site to be tested against as many operating systems as possible for both smartphones and tablets. (The major players each have their own operating system, i.e., Android, Apple, Windows, etc.)



If your existing website is well-coded and has been built using best practices, it should be fairly easy to make a mobile version of your site.



What's important for you as a company leader is to plan for how you want the site to look and function before engaging the design professional. Your goal is to plan a site that ensures visitors will have a positive mobile search experience, and, most importantly, that they will take action and contact you.



Start this planning process by looking at your existing website on a variety of devices and noting what is working, what isn't, and what features you want to carry over to a mobile version.



A word of caution — be selective. A mobile website is more of a tool then an online storefront. If someone wants to know the history of your company or read bios on the executive team, they can do that when they are sitting in front of a computer. If they are using a mobile device, they are in "action" mode and want to get something done — namely, find a contractor to fix a problem or fulfill a need.



You could also ask friends, employees and/or loyal customers to review your existing website and make suggestions on what they would want to see in a mobile version. Request that they explore tasks that a standard mobile user might do, such as finding a phone number, contacting you via email, or reviewing a description of your services or your service area. This will help you to understand how potential clients will go about finding information about your business.



Avoid using big images, videos, tables, or Flash in particular, which all take too long to download for most mobile users. Minimizing the number of clicks is another vital element that needs to be considered when designing a mobile site. An additional click on the desktop may not be a big deal, but for a mobile user who is on the go, additional clicks or scrolling may cause irritation and result in the loss of potential business for you.



A good rule of thumb is to remove all the content that is not going to help a mobile user solve a pressing problem. If someone's AC is not working, and it is 100 degrees outside, they don't care to read about the work that you've done in the community or learn the technical details of the products you sell. They want to get your phone number and give you a call. Make it accessible to them in one click. (You could always tell users to visit the desktop version of your site for more information in company history, company news, product information, etc.)



Be sure to keep the mobile site's brand message consistent with the other media that you use to communicate with consumers. And as with the desktop site, it is vital that your mobile site is optimized for search.



Staying Ahead of the Competition



The advantages of mobile websites are obvious — the customer gets the right content or information whenever, wherever they need. By developing a well-designed mobile website now, you can take leads and potential business away from competitors that either don't have a mobile site or have a site that is not user friendly and takes too long to load on mobile devices.



Once you have a mobile-optimized website, consider it a vital part of your marketing, branding, and sales efforts and update it regularly as technology improves and search-engine methodologies changes. This will keep you from losing your mobile advantage.



Think of the mobile website as an opportunity to generate more leads and more revenue by engaging your audience over the most personal medium available. Keep in mind the number of mobile phone users today and the ones that are being added every day. It's truly a market you can't ignore.



Don't miss out on the new opportunities that the mobile web presents. Commit time and resources to designing a mobile version of your site that will benefit your business today and far into the future.

Marketers Look to Boost Lead Gen, Customer Targeting

This year, marketing executives are looking to increase the effectiveness of their marketing initiatives primarily through lead generation and client segmentation—surely with the intent to up customer lifetime value and drive incremental sales. Full Article

Video killed the Radio Star...

With several large Air Conditioning distributors in our clientele this article (edited) from the AACA is very timely assuming you wish to increased traffic to your site. Tie some campaigns with QR code and "calls to action", then check those analytics! 

Some of the campaigns we've run over the past few years have had some excellent quantifiable results, particularly when adding some good useful and highly desirable Promotional Products such as Tervis Tumblers.

 

Jeff Lee, Mechanical Heating & Cooling

Video killed the radio star, but don’t let it be what kills your marketing efforts…embrace it and make it work for you. Learn how using mostly ‘no cost’ television, video, and internet methods can dramatically increase your web presence and your sales. These new and unique strategies will also boost your company’s image and name recognition – all in a very short period of time. If you’re looking for effective methods to take your company to the next level in this new era of marketing.

Advertisers Begin to Look Beyond Facebook and Twitter

While many companies conduct marketing activities across a variety of social media sites, most limit social network ad buys to Facebook or Twitter. But, encouraged by the results, many plan to increase their efforts and invest in advertising on YouTube, LinkedIn and beyond. Full Article

The future Role of Brand Manager in 2015

Chris gives a detailed insight into the Role of Brand manager and all that it entails... good read! 

Work in the sustainability field and you’ll already see the trend, among B2C and FMCG companies especially, of moving sustainability from corporate down into brands. Why?  Because doing so is a way for companies to leverage sustainability to tackle new business opportunities, making sustainability more market-facing, more commercially relevant rather than just a risk reduction or effeciency tactic. In essence, today's brand leaders are taking sustainability to their customers and consumers though their brands.

As sustainability becomes mainstream in this way, the role of the traditional brand guardian will evolve too.

So what will the job of the brand manager look like in the future and what factors, issues and competences will it contain? Here are 10 things you may find in every marketers' job description in the future:

1. Must be able to have a relevant and meaningful conversation with their sustainability or CSR manager - which both understand
2. Must be familiar with concepts like lifecycle analysis, carbon or water footprinting, or eco-impact assessment
3. Will seek insights from stakeholders – NGO’s, opinion formers, thought leaders – as well as consumers or customers
4. Will have read – and can reference – their companies Sustainability or CSR report. Will know and can quote - their corporate sustainability targets
5. Will follow trends from sources like Sustainable Life Media, treehugger, Business for Social Responsibility, Ethical Corporation, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Green Futures, and Guardian Sustainable Business Network
6. Will know how to track consumer views on sustainability through appropriate market research and consumer insight
7. Can measure the environmental and societal value, as well as the brand equity value, of their recent campaign, innovation or activation
8. Will take the lead on ensuring that sustainability is a core consideration in any new product or innovation programme within the business
9. Will know how to engage peers and especially brand and marketing teams in the importance and relevance of sustainability in everyday brand management 
10. Will be prepared and able to build the business case on sustainability for any cynical or unenlightened senior manager or marketing director. Remember it's about opportunity and reward. Not risk mitigation.

Lest you think this is a view toward 'sometime in the future', be aware that Unilever already has a sustainability manager embedded inside all its categories while pioneers like Ben & Jerry’s have a specialist Social Mission manager. While these are still separate, specific sustainability roles we believe they will and should become integrated and become simply part of normal marketing practice. Encouragingly, in our work we are seeing a new generation of young brand managers coming through for whom sustainability is simply part of their values, interests and behaviours. What companies must do now is harness, nurture and channel this interest, rather than beat it out of their yound leaders, or risk loosing top talent to more enlightened competitors.

For brand managers themselves, the need is to carve out regular time for getting clued-up on sustainability. I expect a wave of young marketers to start attending the many great sustainable business courses there are out there, to compliment their traditional branding skills. The brand manager of the future will focus on building great, profitable and sustainable brands.

This article is an extended version of one first appearing in DragonFly: sustainability edition, Dragon Rouge’s in-house magazine.

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Chris Sherwin is sustainability consultant at global brand marketing consultancy Dragon Rouge. He has worked with clients like Mars, Akzo Nobel ICI Paints, SABmiller, ebay, sony, etc, to help integrate and innovate sustainability through their brand. Chris is also an Associate at Forum for the Future, where he was previously Head of Innovation, plus held sustainability positions inside Philips and Electrolux throughout his 15 years of sustainability experience

Mobile Apps Improve Business Productivity

Mobile applications may be small business owners' new best friend, according to new research. 

The Small Business and Entrepreneurship (SBE) Council has released a survey that estimates that the use of mobile apps by small businesses, for everything from credit card processing to GPS directions, resulted in 725.3 million hours saved for the year. This roughly translates into $17.6 billion saved annually due to the use of technology that did not exist just a few years ago. The study, which drew on the responses of 304 owners of companies with 20 employees or fewer, found that 51% of respondents believe the use of apps on their smartphones and iPads made their companies more competitive.

Small business owners, though, say that there is even more room for growth in how their companies use mobile apps in their businesses. In fact, only 31% of respondents to the SBE Council survey report implementing mobile apps into their daily business routines. "It will no doubt grow when you look at the expanding use of smartphones and iPads and related tablets," says Ray Keating, chief economist with the SBE Council.

The most popular type of application used was GPS navigation, with 68%, followed by apps for contact management at 46% and remote document access at 41%. Other popular kinds of apps included travel planning (32%), banking and finance management (30%), social media marketing (27%) and location-based services (23%). Keating says he expects to see more usage from small business owners with apps that process credit card payments, such as Chase's recently launched Jot app, which allows Ink From Chase cardholders to tag purchases and view all transactions on the account, including those by employees.

Via ASI

Online Video Ad Viewers Lead to Greater Engagement

Online video viewers have come to expect in-video advertisements as the common currency for free viewing. Findings suggest video advertisers willing to give viewers a choice when it comes to video ad viewing are likely to be rewarded with better ad engagement. Full Article

B2B mobile marketing

Mobile marketing integrated with social media is a perfect fit for business-to-consumer marketing strategies, but what about business-to-business? Is there relevancy here?
Business-to-business mobile marketing spending will quadruple over the next four years, rising from $26 million in 2009 to $106 million in 2014, according to Forrester Research, so the answer is a definite yes.
Deeper Customer RelationshipsLike social media, mobile marketing can be as much about creating deeper relationships with existing customers as it is about attracting new ones. Marketers such as FedEx have done this by building mobile applications that allow businesses to track shipments on the go.
“These are going to be mobile applications that you can put in the hands of salespeople or applications you can give to your customers to help them execute on your products and services,” says Michael Green, analyst for Forrester Research. “A great example is FedEx letting customers track their packages from their handsets.”

Sales SupportIn addition to customer engagement and education, mobile can be a useful channel for a company’s sales force.
“A mobile application is an easy way to put a product demo into the hands of a salesperson,” Greene says. “Instead of carrying a big physical presentation around, it can be in their hands at all times and deliver collateral that engages the client.”
In terms of reaching customers, generating sales leads is a fantastic goal, and mobile can help that along, but the channel’s greatest strength is as an engagement tool.
Creating Value“It is less about the high end of the funnel—lead generation—and more about ‘Once we’ve identified this customer, how do we bring them along the purchase path?’” Greene says.
While B2B marketing has not always been associated with the cutting edge, Greene believes that is beginning to change.
 “They are going to use these digital channels to engage customers and we might even see more benefit from mobile for B2B than for B2C,” he adds.
“For B2B marketers, it’s not about launching the coolest app, it’s about creating value and utility for the sales force and the customer.”

 

Source: Dan Butcher is the former associate editor of Mobile Marketer and Mobile Commerce Daily

Consumers Embrace Social Media for Brand Feedback

Consumers are increasingly turning to social media channels to discuss products, services and brands with their peers. While the feedback ranges in levels of satisfaction, certain industries are faring better than others. Full Article