Archive for the ‘Social Networks’ Category

Social Media Websites - A Source for Advertising & Marketing

Thursday, July 15th, 2010

Many people believe that it’s fair to say the marketing industry has
changed more so over the past decade or so than it has since its
inception. Classic marketing techniques such as direct mail, print and
radio advertising are no longer considered to be nearly as effective
as they were in the past, and have been eclipsed by digital marketing.
The advent of technology has changed how people consume media, which has had a direct effect on how marketers reach their target audience.

Digital marketing is without a doubt the future of the industry, and
it is best for agencies to jump on the bandwagon early before it is
too late to get with the times.

Social media is perhaps the most popular aspect of technology to
emerge in the last few years, and has quickly become an institution.
With websites such as Facebook and Twitter, people have never been
able to integrate their online and offline lives together better than they can now. Since so many people spend a good deal of time visiting and updating their profiles on sites such as these, marketers have come to realize that there is no better way to reach people these days than through social media. Taking advantage of social media sites can make marketing easy and inexpensive.

Marketers use social media in a variety of different ways. Most social
media sites sell ad space, which can be used to target either a national or local market. Marketing agencies are learning that since these sites can target someone based on their location it is not much different than advertising in print, yet it costs a whole lot less. On top of these methods, marketers are also starting to set up their own Facebook and Twitter accounts so that they can report any type of news or events. If the page is fun and interesting to read, it may even be possible to develop a following of people that you can market to on a regular basis. Using social media to this effect is perhaps the single most important thing agencies can do.

James Mowery is a computer geek who writes about technology and related topics. To read more blog posts by him, go to online dating.

To Buzz or To Tweet: Google and Twitter Go Head-to-Head

Friday, April 2nd, 2010

koeppel_headshotWith the launch of Buzz, Google’s new social media offering, the search engine giant appears to be directly challenging Twitter and taking advantage of the social media sensation’s many admitted weaknesses.

Twitter has long struggled with both uptime and search-ability, two areas in which Google is the acknowledged champion. The question is whether Twitter is really doomed in the face of Google’s clear attempt to take over their turf.

While it’s not clear at the moment, it doesn’t look good for Twitter.

While Google Buzz got off to a rocky start by automatically enrolling anyone with a Gmail account into Buzz and connecting them with everyone else in their contact list, the blunder still proved that Google has the power to make this kind of social media tool far more easy to use than Twitter ever has.

Twitter’s search ability is limited. Google’s search engine can be put to excellent use in helping people find who and what they’re looking for. 

On the other hand, Twitter already has a thriving culture and traditions, with its own cadre of words, lots of offline spin-offs like Tweetups and live-Tweeting, and the use of the hashtag, which Google Buzz hasn’t yet incorporated.

Finally, there’s also the question of whether people are even interested in learning how to use a new social media tool, when they already have so many to handle. The groundwork has been laid by an evolution of social sites, and Google’s Buzz will more than likely build upon what has already been successful. Tying this in with their other powerful tools for example; Google Maps, Picasa, Trends, and Product Search, certainly can be a convincing way to make people want to give Buzz a try.

Peter Koepell is the President of Koeppel Direct and has over 25 years of advertising, marketing and media experience. You can follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/drtvbuyer.

ERA’s Tomi Turner on the FTC’s Revised Guides

Tuesday, October 6th, 2009

picture-150x150Yesterday, the Federal Trade Commission released its revised Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. The Guides are more than 80 pages long, so we’re still analyzing the changes. However, there is no question that our extensive advocacy efforts have had an effect on the final iteration of the Guides. The commentary included with the changes explains that advertisements using consumer testimonials should be evaluated by the net impression of the advertisement. A footnote in the revised Guides also suggests that in some cases a disclaimer could be sufficient. A more comprehensive legal document will be circulated shortly, but it is clear from a preliminary review that our efforts have not been made in vain. The 35 advocacy meetings on the Hill, 40 constituent meetings at the Fly-In, the testimony before the Senate, two sets of detailed comments and our suggested language were all helpful in presenting our case to the FTC.

However, the new Guides certainly do present some challenges, both to traditional TV marketers and those in social media. ERA is already planning educational opportunities that will provide suggestions for compliance with these changes. We hope the FTC will seize the opportunity to improve the marketplace by presenting to these changes to ERA members at one of our conferences.

Members who attended the Fly-In, supported the Leadership Reception, participated in the Government Affairs Committee, helped to author and review our comments to the FTC, and of course, testified before the Senate, were all instrumental in mitigating some of the more harmful changes. We thank you.

Tomi Turner is ERA’s legislative manager.

To read ERA’s official statement, click here.

To read more about ERA’s government affairs efforts and what you can do to help, click here.

To read Electronic Retailer magazine’s June cover story on Endorsements & Testimonials, click here.

Net Neutrality Gains Momentum

Thursday, September 24th, 2009

pictureIt has been an exciting week in the world of net neutrality. This week, Julius Genachowski, the Chairman of the FCC, announced the Commission’s intention to enter into a formal rulemaking process to codify the four principles of net neutrality currently in use and to add two more principles. The additional principles include a statement that consumers must be able to access the lawful content of their choice, subject to reasonable network management. Essentially, ISPs cannot block traffic to say, NBC Video, just because they have a partnership with Hulu. However, they still may prioritize all video content over all file sharing in order to manage the use of the network. In addition, networks must be transparent about what they are doing to manage traffic. This would give small business and direct response marketers more information about how consumers are experiencing online offerings like video advertising. Specifically, if you are providing an application for wireless devices or making videos available on sites like YouTube, you will know if some of the network providers are slowing certain services during peak hours. You will then be able to adjust your content delivery accordingly.

This plan still faces major hurdles. Although President Obama and several influential members of Congress have come out with statements supporting the open Internet, it is early in the process and various obstacles remain. Several influential Senate Republicans have sponsored an amendment that would prevent the FCC from using its funding to create rules on net neutrality or to take enforcement actions relating to net neutrality. There is also major opposition from wireless service providers who are concerned that they will have to allow any device on to their network by ending exclusive deals that only allow some phones to connect to any given network.

For more information on ERA’s government affairs efforts, click here.

Tomi Turner is ERA’s legislative manager.

Online Strategies September Issue Now Available!

Thursday, September 24th, 2009

os09092 Click here to read Online Strategies magazine’s September issue!

Three Easy Pieces to Achieve Greater Customer Satisfaction

Friday, September 11th, 2009

adam264In the first half of this year, I talked about retailers revamping their marketing mix in the wake of the 2008 holiday season. Now as we approach another holiday season, online retailers have the benefit of knowing more about how their customers react and respond in tough economic times. Now is the time to harness that awareness and strengthen your bonds with customers. Whether you are a marketer, or business owner who wears the marketer hat, you can introduce some new ways to deepen the customer connection.

Expand beyond the walls of your website: September signals a flurry of activity running the gamut from back-to-school functions to various business networking forums. So take this approach and apply it to the online world. For example, many retailers are developing portable widgets that link to their content and services and finding other “outposts” across the web to place the widgets. In addition, the concept of an app store, such as the Conduit Marketplace, is one venue that allows businesses such as eMusic, Cartoon Doll Emporium and Pretentious Pooch to distribute their content and services beyond the walls of their websites. Customer acquisition and overall satisfaction get a boost with this expanded online presence, as more and more customers laud the efforts of retailers who develop convenient applications to meet their needs.

Make information easy to access: Time and again, one popular method retailers use to try to keep consumers satisfied is discounts. Once you understand your customers’ needs and the factors driving their decisions, you need to alert them to the promotion without spending so much time and money doing so that it drains your coffers. Savvy online shoppers know to search for coupons and promotions on sites such as RetailMeNot and A Thrifty Mom. As a matter of fact, these sites have even created customized applications on which shoppers can receive updates via their browser. These sites go the extra mile to be on the same page as consumers by not only lending a virtual helping hand with coupons and discount codes, but also providing a simple conduit to the information their users covet.

Provide convenient forums for feedback and questions: Social networks such as Facebook and Twitter offer another means to gather feedback and answer questions about your company and products. Don’t be shy about utilizing these avenues, but you must plan to be diligent about updating and responding so that negative comments don’t go unanswered. If you decide to create a business Twitter persona, or already have one, decide whether the primary function will be to serve as help desk or a personality that provides color and commentary within your industry. Then make sure that you have a consistent voice as you disseminate messages and responses. Make sure you aggregate all of your social networking tools on your website and create a conduit to customers with a branded community toolbar. Pretentious Pooch, an upscale pet supply store based in Baltimore, is a great example of a small retailer that has been able to deploy social media, content, and e-commerce in a single location to drive loyalty and sales.

Adam Boyden is president of Conduit.

September ‘09 Issue Now Available Online!

Tuesday, September 8th, 2009

er09091 Electronic Retailer’s September ‘09 issue featuring Montel Williams is now available online! For more information about Motel’s upcoming keynote presentation at the ERA D2C Convention on Monday, Sept. 14, click here.

Online Strategies August Issue Now Available!

Monday, August 31st, 2009

os0809Click here to read Online Strategies magazine’s August issue!

YouTube: Your New Partner in Sales?

Friday, August 28th, 2009

pic3When utilized correctly, YouTube is quite the sales force to be reckoned with. On a recent conference call with ERA’s Internet & Emerging Media Council, certain members discussed how some direct response products have found success simply from videos being uploaded to YouTube.

Creative YouTube videos are a great way to drive incremental sales, if even on accident. If you’re Chris Brown, a singer recently convicted for felony assault against ex-girlfriend Rihanna, how do you get a year-old single onto the top 10 most purchased songs on iTunes? Oh, by being an integral part of a wild fire-spread YouTube video. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably seen this “Forever” wedding video.

While perusing iTunes when this video hit viral fame a few weeks back, I noticed that Chris Brown’s “Forever” was listed in the top 10 purchased singles. A web hit featuring one of his songs couldn’t have come at a better time for this artist whose image is tarnished in the press. I too, drank the Kool-Aid. I watched the video and loved it, logged onto iTunes and purchased.

Consequently, aside from user-generated content, YouTube also plays host to professional content, sometimes to the chagrin of the content creators. Monty Python’s producers found their content all over the web illegally, however they decided to be proactive and take control of their content in these channels, which turned out to be a very good idea. According to a recent release:

The Pythons created a YouTube channel in November 2008 just to stop their content from being released illegally on the Internet. “We felt the time had come to deal with the ‘YouTube problem.’ On the one hand, we were surprised at the number of clips that had been uploaded to YouTube in clear infringement of our copyright, and while we didn’t want to be spoilsports, it was getting pretty much out of control and we could see no real benefit. So I arranged a trip to meet the YouTube guys on the Google campus in San Jose and discovered that they had a program that would enable us to have our own Monty Python channel on YouTube where we could put up clips from the movies and TV shows of far greater quality and order that might also encourage viewers to want to see whole movies or TV episodes via links to Amazon and iTunes and expand our Monty Python fan base,” says Monty Python producer John Goldstone.

When Goldstone launched Monty Python’s Channel on November 14, 2008, he took advantage of YouTube’s click-to-buy program. The Python’s DVDs quickly climbed to No. 2 on Amazon’s Movies & TV bestsellers list and DVD sales increased 23,000 percent. “The click-to-buy ability was exactly what we were looking for to make the link from video to the right Amazon page much more effective than the URL by the side of the video description. We are only now beginning to address premium advertising, which is only possible when you can show the size, composition, and consistency of your viewers,” he says.

I guess the moral of the story would be that while YouTube may be struggling to support itself with a successful advertising platform, it currently sits as a lucrative marketing channel for the opportunistic, inventive marketer.

Pat Cauley is Electronic Retailer magazine’s eMedia editor.

All Aboard! Your Upcoming ERA Travel Itinerary

Thursday, August 27th, 2009

pic2In addition to its upcoming D2C Convention in Las Vegas Sept. 13-15, ERA has also announced an October 19th networking reception in San Diego!

Before booking your travel to Las Vegas or San Diego, you may first want to get a few tips from “Saturday Night Live” travel expert Judy Grimes.

Did you miss out on the recent networking receptions in NYC and L.A.? Click here to view pictures from various events at Electronic Retailer’s Buzz page!

Pat Cauley is Electronic Retailer magazine’s eMedia Editor.

Bing One and Bing Two: Double Takes on Microsoft’s New Search Engine

Monday, August 24th, 2009

koeppelpeter031Microsoft’s new search engine has garnered a lot of media attention as it seeks to directly compete with Google, especially in a time when it seems no one in their right mind seeks to compete with Google.

The giant of the search-engine industry has its fingers in every possible pie, and it’s very rare that it doesn’t come out ahead. So what are Bing’s advantages and disadvantages?

Here’s two ways of gauging its chances of survival:

1. The Product Advantage

Bing is supposed to yield more relevant search results, which may actually sway consumers over to its side. The advantage to advertisers in that relevance is more precise, target marketing, which could change their game plan as well - if, that is, Bing’s searching is in fact superior to Google’s.

The content-driven approach helps sell that relevancy claim, as the system also adds consumer comments and reviews on the search results, e.g. getting customer reviews on a restaurant from services like Yelp.com.

2. The Marketing Advantage

Google has rarely spent money on advertising its own products. Consumers are ready to jump on just about anything that Google puts out, which means that the usual big spenders in a marketing budget are moot - television ads, for example. Microsoft’s Bing may have an advantage here, as the company seems to be willing to pour a near-endless stream of funds into promoting its new product.

It’s not a bad strategy, especially since nothing short of full media saturation is likely to sway loyal Google enthusiasts. Since they have no competition in many of their outlets, it might just give Bing a chance to play with the big boy.

Peter Koeppel is a Wharton MBA and president of Koeppel Direct, a full-service media buying agency based in Dallas.

Net Neutrality Bill Introduced in the House

Tuesday, August 4th, 2009

picture1Late last week Representatives Markey (D-MA) and Eshoo (D-CA) introduced a bill that would keep the Internet open by preventing Internet service providers (ISPs) from imposing “a charge on any Internet content, service, or application provider to enable any lawful Internet content, application, or service to be offered, provided, or used. In other words, they cannot charge you (as a content provider) more than the cost of service for your lawful content and any lawful applications you make available.

The bill also prevents ISPs from providing or selling any content, application, or service provider any offering that prioritizes traffic over that of other such providers. This addresses concerns that ISPs will sell premium access to some companies, which would have the end result of degrading everyone’s content. This is important to any company that is using video online, but is not interested in paying more than they currently do to ensure the quality of the video is not reduced. It’s not easy to be moved by advertising when the video is pixilated or freezes every three seconds.

Similar bills were introduced in the last two Congresses. However, the larger Democratic majority and President Obama’s stated priority of keeping the Internet open may mean there will be some movement on this bill. However, the House will be in a District Work Period (aka recess) until after Labor Day.

In the meantime, you can watch this video. 

For more information on ERA’s government affairs efforts, click here.

Tomi Turner is ERA’s legislative manager. 

ERA’s 2009 D2C Convention Education Tracks

Friday, July 31st, 2009

Here’s a sneak peek at what attendees can expect from the education lineup at ERA’s upcoming D2C Convention September 13-15, in Las Vegas. 

Track One: Direct Response Success

 

Track Two: Digital Marketing Intelligence 

Track Three: Operations and Profitability

ERA’s Women in Business Symposium