Laughing Along with the Funniest Gambling Memes https://ift.tt/1mJeq0Q Memes have become a popular form of entertainment for humor online over the last decade or so. Although the term “meme” is far from new, this form of visual media has become a bit like a phenomenon on the internet, with people sharing those that they find funny or relatable with friends and on social media platforms. They can cover almost anything in life, with many being used to highlight daily life aspects or things that they have seen in TV shows or films, as well as music. Indeed, those who enjoy gambling activities have even created a plethora of different memes that can be enjoyed by those who like to hit the tables or play slots regularly. Players who use this list of Australian online casinos to find the sites that offer them the best games and bonuses to pick and choose from will know that they can enjoy some of the very top experiences. Still, at the same time, they know they are going to encounter various situations that have been turned into memes. A good example of a collection of gambling memes that can provide plenty of humor or relatable moments that everyone has experienced in the past is Pleated Jeans. They have compiled a list of the top 40 that can be found. They include everything from the psychology of gambling and the thoughts that can go through an individual’s mind when they are playing to those who have taken extremely risky bets, and they know they are, such as making bets on attractive odds on markets they have no clue about – which is something that you should never do. What impact can memes have on gambling? Although memes are primarily created to provide light-hearted entertainment and a laugh, they can also be a great source of education for people when engaging in gambling activities. It is possible to learn from them, as they can highlight some of the aspects and elements that gambling can create, which may not always be evident to those who have never experienced it or do not recognize it is actually happening. For instance, it is possible to look at the memes that refer to the psyche of what an individual’s brain might be going through when sitting at the casino table. Players may not be all too aware of what their brains are doing, and these memes can potentially show them what is happening and why it is. If they can put these things into practice, they might be able to prevent certain decisions from being made, which can help them to have a more positive experience. The gambling industry could also potentially positively benefit from the creation of memes. It could help attract new players as viewers of the memes may want to experience certain things for themselves and see how relatable they are. At the same time, they can potentially help to make the entertainment activity safer and more positive for players as a marketing method. They can learn from them, thus helping the gambling industry to promote safer and more responsible play in a different method that may be more engaging than traditional marketing ways. What makes a good meme? Making a good meme may not be too difficult for some people, especially those who are creative and imaginative with their thoughts. As long as you have an idea and can make it fit with the imagery being used, it can be considered relatable and something that people will likely enjoy and potentially share with others. However, the latter part of the meme creation can be the most difficult to achieve. A good meme can go viral and appeal to many people. Achieving this is extremely hard to do. To achieve this, creators will need to tap into the current market and understand what is being liked. If they fit on trend, they are more likely to be shared as they are topical to the time. Will gambling memes continue to be popular in the future? The popularity of the meme does not appear to be dying any soon, as they continue to be shared across the internet in their millions. Gambling might be a bit of a niche subject compared to many memes that are shared. Still, due to their relatable nature – and often the commonalities that they can have with activities that we complete in our daily lives – they are also likely to remain very popular in the future. For those who continue to enjoy them, it is always worth keeping a look out for the latest ones, as there is always something that can be created and shared on the topic. Who knows, perhaps you will come up with an idea (if you’re interested in creating one) that goes viral. The post Laughing Along with the Funniest Gambling Memes appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch. Mobile Marketing via Mobile Marketing Watch https://ift.tt/2b8c6Zi March 18, 2024 at 12:42PM
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LinkedIn Working On In-App Games https://ift.tt/j3zNO0d Business-to-business social-networking platform LinkedIn is exploring a new focus: gaming. Over the weekend, app researchers have discovered code and shared screenshots that highlight the Microsoft-owned app’s newest method in user retention. “There are going to be a few different games and companies will be ranked in the games based on the scores of their employees!” wrote app researcher Nima Owji on X, who added images of three games in development at LinkedIn. Based on the three games captured by Owji -- Interference, Crossclimb and Queens -- LinkedIn is looking to provide its one billion global users with simple, puzzle-based experiences similar to the wildly popular New York Times games like Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections. As for the ranking portion of the gaming experience mentioned by Owji, it seems that LinkedIn may be attempting to integrate some low-key competition between companies involved with the platform by organizing and comparing company game scores. advertisement advertisement LinkedIn has confirmed that it is working on in-app games but has no launch date at this time. “We’re playing with adding puzzle-based games within the LinkedIn experience to unlock a bit of fun, deepen relationships, and hopefully spark the opportunity for conversations,” a LinkedIn spokesperson told TechCrunch. “Stay tuned for more!” LinkedIn's foray into gaming is likely inspired not only by the Times' success in gaming (Wordle, the word-finding puzzle game, alone is played by millions of people everyday), but by its parent company. Microsoft has been a major player in gaming for years, with its gaming companies like Xbox, Activision Blizzard and ZeniMax bringing in over $7 billion last quarter. It's unclear right now whether games will be available for free users or reserved for LinkedIn's paid subscribers. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/70vaewu March 18, 2024 at 12:41PM
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Apple Reportedly Will Integrate Google Gemini Into iPhone https://ift.tt/Pe2Jf6W Apple could expand its search agreement with Google by building the company's artificial intelligence (AI) model Gemini into the iPhone. Negotiations are ongoing that would let Apple license Gemini, Google’s set of generative AI models, to power some new features coming to the iPhone software this year, reported Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the situation. Apple also has held discussions with other companies such as OpenAI. Samsung Electronics in January released a new smartphones with AI features powered by Google Gemini. Google has built several versions of Gemini, allowing it to run on everything from data centers to mobile devices. The technology is available in Ultra, Pro and Nano versions. Each one is designed for different uses. All are multimodal, with the ability to handle a range of inputs. advertisement advertisement A deal between Apple and Google would continue to extend the reach of the company known for its search technology, giving Gemini access to billions of potential users. Despite Apple's most recent acquisition of the AI company DarwinAI, a startup focused on making AI systems smaller and faster, it also could suggest Apple isn’t as far along with its AI efforts as some might have hoped. Chelsea Alves, a consultant with UNMiss, a company that creates SEO content, believes Apple could integrate DarwinAI's technology into its vision-based technology and expand support for mobile computing. Apple has acquired more than 32 AI companies since 2010, according to CB Insights. The data and analyst firm estimates Apple has acquired the most AI businesses of any major tech company. A report by the firm analyzes AI investments in generative AI (GAI), stating equity funding in 2023 topped $21.8 billion across 426 deals. OpenAI was the biggest beneficiary last year, with $10 billion in investments. In terms of the search space, new entrants such as Perplexity raised money at valuations of $520 million, according to Business Insider, and You.com raised more than $45 million from about 10 different investors. Google, which will has scheduled its annual Google I/O conference in May, is preparing to announce new AI supported capabilities. Apple is expected to release new AI capabilities in iOS 18, the next version of the iPhone operating system, which is based on its own AI models. While those enhancements will focus on features that operate on its devices, there are so many others likely to focus on a variety of other services. Bloomberg suggests those functions will focus on creating images and writing essays based on simple prompts. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/70vaewu March 18, 2024 at 09:25AM Why You Need a Keyword Strategy and How to Create One https://ift.tt/83poadY Trying to build an SEO strategy without a keyword strategy is like trying to build a plane without wings. It’s going nowhere. Expert-led keyword research and planning are foundational to successful SEO, no matter the business, industry, or audience. This multifaceted process sets the stage for your brand to grow its digital footprint, helping you understand exactly the topics, questions and pain points you need to address with your content. What is a keyword strategy in SEO?Keywords are the terms, phrases and queries that users enter into search engines to surface relevant content. Brands and marketers use keyword strategies to gain a grasp of which keywords they should be focusing on, and how to earn visibility for them. Not only are keyword research and planning essential for informing your SEO strategy, they also provide crucial insights for your broader marketing and business development. Understanding how people search for your solutions, where search demand exists, and how keywords are trending has deeply valuable implications. Why many keyword strategies are lackingWhen SEO is not delivering results as a marketing team hopes, the core issues can often be traced back to a keyword strategy that isn’t quite right. Pursuing the wrong opportunities leads to a lot of waste and frustration. There are two prevalent challenges that brands encounter with their keyword strategies, in our experience:
With so many organizations getting stuck in the mud at this critical step, it is no surprise one recent UK study found that two-thirds of businesses are unhappy with their SEO strategy. But the good news is that it’s never too late to revisit your keywords and get on track. Building an effective SEO keyword strategyIdentifying target keywords, contextualizing them, prioritizing them, and developing a clear plan to win (and maintain) rankings are all part of a full-fledged keyword strategy. At TopRank Marketing, we focus on these five core steps: Keyword researchKeyword research sets the roadmap that your entire strategy will follow. The process involves identifying and analyzing keywords that will guide your planning. These phrases and queries all relate in some way to your buyer’s journey. To substantiate your best opportunities, you’ll want to gather data around search volumes, current rankings, keyword difficulty, SERP landscapes, and more. The goal of keyword research is to understand the language and terms your target audience uses, allowing you to optimize your SEO content accordingly. Gap analysis is a key aspect of keyword research, offering a clear view of where your best untapped SEO opportunities lie. Learn about this and other SEO services from TopRank Marketing. Competitive analysisAfter selecting keywords and topics that your brand wants to show up for, the next step is to get a full view of what you’re up against. An expert dive into the data can tell you what keywords your competitors are targeting, which audiences they’re focusing on, and how you can gain an edge. Topical mappingA topical map, as defined by Similarweb, “is a strategic map that outlines all the SEO content you need to cover the length and breadth of an entire topic. Your topical map doesn’t only include what content you need to create but also organizes it into a topic/subtopic hierarchy.” An important thing to recognize about modern SEO is that “keyword” is a bit of a misnomer, lingering from the internet’s early days when single-word searches were common. Google is now much more concerned with semantic search, and serving results based on user intent and behavior. In many cases, a keyword will actually be a string of words aligning to specific prompts or questions entered by users. Topical maps branch out from head keywords into related semantic long-tails that explore sub-topics in further depth. Our agency uses this method to help clients build topical authority and earn rankings for their most valuable keyword clusters. Search intent analysisIt’s helpful to gather as much intel as possible around keyword search intent so you can plan and craft content accordingly. Topical mapping plays a key role by illustrating how different keywords are connected and grouped by intent, but there are other valuable audience-centered insights to inform your keyword strategy. For example, what is the user trying to accomplish by running a search for this keyword? From a marketing standpoint, search intent can fall into four different categories, aligning roughly to the funnel:
Reporting and optimizationA lack of ongoing attention and proactivity is a major pitfall in many keyword strategies. Keeping a vigilant eye on your rankings and performance will help you stay on top of opportunities and minimize lapses as the landscape evolves. Note that negative keyword trends don’t always (or even usually) mean you’re doing something wrong. All SEO strategies are at the whim of outside forces. In many cases, declines are driven by reduced search demand for specific keywords, algorithm changes, or dated content. You can spot these instances quickly with keyword reporting, and optimization can help you regain lost ground. Modernize your SEO keyword strategyThe qualities of an effective keyword strategy have transformed over the past 10-15 years, from keyword stuffing to honoring user intent. As search engines become more sophisticated, we’re also moving from short, generic keywords to specific and semantic long-tails. Other trends like AI, local SEO and voice search are also impacting the way businesses approach their keyword strategies. Expert oversight and continual maintenance will help ensure you’re targeting the right terms and taking the right steps to capture them. Learn more about the best practices of modern B2B search engine optimization.
The post Why You Need a Keyword Strategy and How to Create One appeared first on B2B Marketing Blog - TopRank®. Mobile Marketing,SEO via Hubspot https://ift.tt/gj83xnc March 18, 2024 at 09:09AM Effective Marketing Techniques Used by Sweepstake Casinos https://ift.tt/Hu3gmrn Sweepstake casinos are taking the world by storm. And one of the reasons they are becoming so popular is due to how they reach out to their audiences. Sweepstake casinos have several effective marketing techniques that they use to attract new players, here are some of the effective and interesting ways they have been marketing to their audience. What is a Sweepstake Casino?Let’s start with the basics. What is a new sweeps casino? Essentially this is where players can play various games and be in the chance of winning prizes. They are different from traditional casinos as they don’t require players to wager real money. Instead, players enter a sweepstake or competition and are in with the chance to win a cash prize. This is a whole new world when it comes to gambling and a lot of the time bettors can feel like it’s too good to be true. This is why marketing is essential as not only is it opening bettors’ eyes to this new form of casino games, but educating them too. Strategies Used by Sweepstake CasinosSweepstake casinos often utilize various marketing techniques to attract and retain customers. These effective strategies include: Social Media Marketing: This is one of the best ways any business can market themselves. Social media is a powerful tool that allows businesses to directly target their audiences. Through social media, sweep casinos can create engaging content that shows their audience what they’re all about. It also gives them the chance to directly communicate with their audiences, run competitions directly through social media and offer a platform for them to showcase themselves. Through social media, sweep casinos can also run targeted ads too. Influencer Partnerships/ Celebrity Endorsement: This is a very common marketing strategy in the gambling industry. Some sweepstake casinos will collaborate with a celebrity or influencer to grow their audience. Working with someone who has a large following can help to reach a larger audience. Partnering up with someone who is seen as trustworthy and reliable, can help build credibility for that casino. Email Marketing: Email marketing is another direct line of communication with existing customers. It allows sweepstake casinos to keep their customers informed and let them know about any sweepstakes and competitions coming up. With the use of technology such as AI, sweep casinos can send out personalized emails with exclusive offers. This is a great way to reward loyal customers and keep them coming back for more. After all loyal customers are extremely valuable to any business. Affiliate Marketing: This is another common strategy in the casino industry. Affiliate marketing is basically the process of partnering with other websites to promote their services. This can sometimes include working with influencers too. The affiliate marketer will receive an incentive or even a referral for every customer they bring to the casino. This is a great way to widen a casino’s audience and can be seen as a more cost-effective strategy than paid ads. Content Marketing: Content marketing gives casinos the opportunity to share what they are about. Creating and sharing high-quality content is a great way for a casino to establish themselves and even stand out in the industry. Content can be anything from blog posts to videos. A casino can utilize content marketing to show their customers what’s new, tips and tricks, as well as promotions and bonuses too. Content marketing also offers another line for communicating with customers, where they can engage with posts, like, comment and even share with their friends. Loyalty Programs: This isn’t necessarily a marketing strategy, but plays a huge role in keeping loyal customers. Most sweepstake casinos will reward their loyal customers with exclusive offers, bonuses and rewards. This will increase player retention and help to build long-term relationships with customers, which as mentioned before, loyal customers are extremely valuable to any business. In summary, it’s clear that marketing is essential to any sweepstake casino. Not only does it help to attract new customers, but also can help to keep existing ones too. From social media marketing to affiliate marketing, there is a wide range of different strategies that sweep casinos benefit from. Each strategy offers its own benefits, they work hand in hand together to bring the right customers to sweepstake casinos. The post Effective Marketing Techniques Used by Sweepstake Casinos appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch. Mobile Marketing via Mobile Marketing Watch https://ift.tt/2b8c6Zi March 17, 2024 at 03:06PM The Ultimate Guide to SEO Strategies for Online Casinos https://ift.tt/VYilIEF Online casinos are experiencing monumental growth as an increasing number of individuals opt for them as a source of gaming and entertainment. To attract players and improve their visibility, it is essential to implement effective search engine optimization (SEO). SEO is a vital aspect of digital marketing that improves a website’s position on search engine results pages (SERPs). The success of casinos relies on three key aspects of search engine optimization (SEO): on-page SEO, off-page SEO, and technical SEO. Each aspect uses various strategies to enhance visibility, gain a competitive edge, target specific demographics and geographical areas, and establish brand recognition. This article explores the challenges casinos encounter and SEO strategies that can boost your visibility, build brand awareness, and lead to conversions. What Are the Unique Challenges Casinos Face?SEO for casinos presents unique challenges when compared to other industries. In a highly competitive market, casinos face numerous competitors vying for the same keywords and target audience. This intense competition makes achieving top rankings on search engine results pages difficult. Casinos differ from other industries because they cater to a specific audience interested in gambling and gaming-related content. Therefore, it is important to tailor SEO strategies to this demographic by focusing on casino games, sports betting, gambling strategies, and industry news content. Additionally, the popularity of keywords about casinos may fluctuate depending on seasonal trends, holidays, and significant events like major sports tournaments or award shows. To remain relevant, casinos must adapt their SEO techniques to take advantage of these fluctuations. Another unique challenge is that the online gambling industry is subject to strict regulations that oversee advertising, marketing, and responsible gaming protocols. Casinos must comply with these regulations when developing their SEO strategies, which may vary depending on the jurisdiction. Offshore casinos may face challenges in reaching out to specific geographic areas and should, therefore, create marketing strategies tailored to particular regions or target markets. For example, this may entail using keywords specific to certain regions and offering promotionsfor players from Malaysia, the Philippines, Tunisia, or regions where gambling regulations are less strict to minimize legal risks and attract a larger customer base. Search engines carefully evaluate gambling websites because of worries about legality, safety, and responsible gambling. To maintain their reputation and avoid penalties, casinos must uphold transparency, adhere to search engine rules, and avoid unethical SEO strategies. On-Page SEO StrategiesOn-page SEO refers to improving elements directly on the website to improve search engine rankings and user experience. This would include optimizing content, meta tags, headings, URL structure, and internal linking. On-page SEO also involves improving website usability, ensuring mobile responsiveness, and enhancing overall user experience. Strategies to include are: Content OptimizationHigh-quality content is important for SEO because it impacts search engine rankings and user experience. Search engines consider keywords, relevance, and user experience to determine a website’s ranking on the search results page. From a search engine’s perspective, high-quality content indicates the website’s relevance and authority, increasing its chances of ranking higher. From a user’s perspective, quality content makes the website engaging and valuable, leading to a better user experience. Optimize content with relevant keywords related to casino games, promotions, and services. Use descriptive meta tags, including title tags and meta descriptions, to improve click-through rates in search results. Additionally, quality content helps generate backlinks, improves click-through rates, and strengthens a brand’s reputation, ultimately contributing to improved SEO performance. Keyword OptimizationCasinos recognize the importance of keyword optimization to attract the right target audience. They achieve this by optimizing their content with specific terms and phrases that potential players are actively searching for. Furthermore, this strategy helps search engines understand the content of the web pages. Casinos can improve their content to match users’ search intent to increase their chances of attracting interested visitors and getting them to participate. This can be done by emphasizing key terms related to casino games, promotions, and services. For example, to effectively optimize a casino website for the keyword “online slots,” it is important to incorporate the keywords naturally and strategically:
The main goal of this optimization strategy is to attract visitors interested in playing slot games online. Ultimately, this will lead to increased interaction and income for the casino. There are several excellent tools for keyword research, such as KWFinder, Moz Keyword Explorer, Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, and SemRush. These tools help find relevant keywords, analyse their search volume and competition, and provide valuable insights for effective keyword optimization. Website Usability and NavigationThe usability and navigation of a website are important for SEO as they directly impact the user’s experience, indexing and crawling, site speed, and search rankings. These factors such as site speed, mobile responsiveness, and site navigation, directly influence the improvement of search rankings. Consider these points:
. Mobile-Friendly DesignA design suitable for mobile devices is extremely important for on-page SEO since it impacts several factors, including user experience, search rankings, audience reach, and page speed. Ensuring that the website offers a positive experience for mobile users leads to decreased bounce rates and increased engagement. Furthermore, Google’s mobile-first indexing prioritizes websites optimized for mobile devices, highlighting the considerable influence of mobile-friendly design on SEO rankings. Since most players and gamers now access casino websites through smartphones, it is crucial to have a design suitable for mobile devices. This enables the site to reach a larger audience and attract more visitors. Additionally, a design compatible with mobile devices also aids in enhancing loading speeds, which is essential for both user satisfaction and search engine optimization. . Off-Page SEO StrategiesOff-page SEO refers to the actions conducted outside of a website to boost its credibility and visibility. These actions include acquiring trustworthy backlinks from reputable websites, engaging in social media platforms, and building brand awareness. Link BuildingLink building is crucial for search engine rankings. Search engines, including Google, assess the quantity and quality of inbound links to determine a website’s relevance and authority, greatly affecting its search rankings. High-quality backlinks are seen as positive endorsements for a website, showing that its content is valuable and credible. This improves the website’s visibility, credibility, and reputation, resulting in higher search rankings and more organic traffic. To build links effectively in the casino industry, use different tactics like guest posting on trusted gambling websites. Also, create quality articles and guides to get backlinks from authoritative sources. Use social media platforms to engage with the audience and build influencer relationships. Casinos can create strong backlinks to improve their website’s visibility and reputation by using niche edits, broken link building, and other strategies. This comprehensive approach helps increase search rankings and organic traffic. Social Media EngagementMaintain active profiles on popular social media platforms and share valuable content, promotions, and updates to engage with the casino’s audience and encourage social sharing. Participate in discussions and interact with your followers to build a loyal community around your casino brand. Online Reputation Management:Monitor online reviews, feedback, and mentions of the casino across various platforms. Respond promptly and professionally to customer inquiries, complaints, and feedback to maintain a positive reputation. Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews and testimonials to bolster the casino’s online credibility. Technical SEO StrategiesTechnical SEO refers to optimizing the technical aspects of a website to improve its search engine visibility and user experience. Technical SEO ensures that search engines can crawl, index, and understand the content of a website effectively. While technical SEO focuses on the backend of the website, it directly impacts search engine rankings and user experience. Website Speed OptimizationWebsite speed refers to how quickly a website loads its content. Search engines like Google prioritize fast-loading websites because they provide a better user experience. Online casinos should optimize website speed by minimizing server response times, reducing page size, and leveraging browser caching techniques. Tools like Google PageSpeed Insights can help identify areas for improvement. Mobile-FriendlinessWith most online users accessing websites from mobile devices, ensuring mobile-friendliness is critical for online casinos. Mobile-friendly websites adapt their layout and content to fit smaller screens, providing a flawless user experience across devices. Casinos can achieve mobile-friendliness through responsive web design, which adjusts the website’s layout based on the user’s device. Schema Markup ImplementationSchema markup provides search engines with additional context about the content of a website. Online casinos can use schema markup to mark up important information such as casino events, promotions, reviews, and ratings. This helps search engines understand the content better and can improve search results, such as rich snippets and knowledge panels. Site StructureA well-organized site structure makes it easier for users to navigate a website and helps search engines crawl and index its pages more effectively. Online casinos should create a logical site structure with clear categories, subcategories, and internal linking. This ensures that every page on the website is easily discoverable and accessible to users and search engines. URL StructureOptimizing URL structure is another important aspect of technical SEO. Online casinos should use descriptive, keyword-rich URLs that provide both users and search engines with information about the page’s content. URLs should be concise, readable, and follow a logical hierarchy. Avoid using long, complex URLs with unnecessary parameters or session IDs. The Bottom LineSEO plays a crucial role in the casino industry, allowing operators to increase their visibility, gain a competitive advantage, and target the right audience. By implementing effective SEO strategies, casinos can enhance their online presence, attract new players, and achieve their marketing goals. The post The Ultimate Guide to SEO Strategies for Online Casinos appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch. Mobile Marketing via Mobile Marketing Watch https://ift.tt/2b8c6Zi March 17, 2024 at 03:06PM
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Floating The Balloon: AI Moves Search From Mobile 'Near Me' To 'For Me' Mindset https://ift.tt/i1ln4s0 The biggest challenge in search will come from the need to summarize the world's information -- not just organize it -- according to Jason Hartley, head of Search & Shopping as well as the privacy lead at independent agency PMG. Dan Salmon, lead analyst at New Street Research, hosted the call this week. Artificial intelligence (AI) is moving search from the mobile “near me” mindset to a “for me” mindset, and brands are having to think about discovery in new ways, according to Hartley. The “intent” signal still exists, but reaching them creates a new challenge. “This ingrained behavior we’ve seen has slowly siphoned off as the Gen Z population has grown in importance,” he said. “The latest data on them is about 73% [74% per eMarketer] of Gen Z prefers to start on TikTok than Google.” advertisement advertisement The near-term and long-term challenges to Google from the growth of chatbots include “holes in the dike. GPT broke through and people liked it,” Hartley said, adding that it creates expectations. ChatGPT created a new behavior. Google originally organized information and added advertisements to monetize the content, but the industry continued to evolve. “Google as a verb may not mean anything to anyone in 20 years,” Hartley said, suggesting that ChatGPT could become the new verb. He said people are just breaking free of the meaning that to search is to google. Gartner estimates traditional search-engine volume will decline 25% by 2026, as search marketing loses market share to AI chatbots and other virtual agents. “An ad-free search environment you can interact with in real-time is extremely powerful and worth the money,” Hartley said. “I think they are floating a balloon up there to see if they can get enough people to do it.” Hartley, who pays a subscription fee for Gemini Pro to avoid ads, also spoke about ads in Microsoft Copilot. “In Bing, they essentially said we’re going to opt you into this and you’re going to show ads based on the content,” Hartley said. “[Microsoft] launched and then said let’s see. Google took a more methodical approach but, clearly, they launched things that were not ready when launched, but got immensely better.” When considering Performance Max models for an ad-delivery system on Google and Microsoft networks, advertisers will have the ability to use the content to make additional ads. This will come in a conversational style. New challenges will emerge, including brand-safety issues. The industry will need to work it out. The new form of search will have ads. OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Amazon Rufus and many others, including smaller startups, are working to integrate ads. Adzedek, a startup, has built a business around ad insertions for chatbots, and calls itself an AI advertising marketplace. The platform enables brands to run sponsored ads, using responses from custom chatbots available in the OpenAI store and on apps. It uses OpenAI software. OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft are experimenting with ads. Adzedek has published a video demonstrating its service, which shows a Nike sponsored ad integrated at the end of a query about a basketball expert. Adzedek uses a pay-per-click model that allows chatbot creators to keep 75% of ad revenue, according to one report. It has displayed ads more than one million times through its system. Hartley also is a member of Google’s “Privacy Power Players” and the ANA Ethics Policy Committee. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/G1MkISL March 15, 2024 at 03:40PM
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Report: Kiosks, Loyalty, Digital Sales Main 2024 QSR Focus https://ift.tt/MLD73vU
Expect to see many more self-serve kiosks at your favorite fast-food restaurants, at least according to a recent study by POS provider Qu, which rated kiosks as the number one priority for both QSRs and fast-casual restaurants for 2024. Forty-four percent of brands surveyed are planning to implement or expand kiosks in 2024. The recently released 5th Annual State of Digital Report digs into 179 different restaurant brands and 62,000 locations for following year predictions such as challenges, investment priorities, innovations and sales trends, among others. Following up kiosks in priority at 25% is increased focus on mobile apps, with the same number (25%) also concerned with expanded delivery platforms. Last on the cited priority list was phone-enabled AI ordering (20%) and voice ordering through drive-thru (16%). advertisement advertisement Seventy-seven percent reported that digital sales grew in 2023, with 87% expecting to see further digital growth in 2024. Restaurants reported that digital sales make up 26%-50%of overall sales -- which where they are expected to remain for the next few years, per the report. “Brands have found the sweet spot mix of digital and in-person ordering after a roller coaster few years of getting their online house in order,” said Qu CEO Amir Hudda in a release. “Guests are more comfortable ordering on screens and from their mobile devices. Combine that with a tight labor market and we’re seeing a shift to self-serve ordering even in the store.” Loyalty programs, unsurprisingly, also took a prominent role in the study, with nearly 80% saying loyalty is not working for their brand and with plans to improve in 2024. The report “predicts a new data-centric loyalty framework will emerge with guest experience at the core.” Additionally 65% of respondents said they plan to focus on transitioning (if they have not already) to a cloud-based, API-forward unified ordering and commerce platform. Forty-nine percent will emphasize AI-driven analytics, with 46% specifically focused on AI-driven voice analytics. “Brands have learned what is working for guests and are investing in modernizing and elevating the guest experience,” added Hudda in the release. “As the economy and market settle into predictability we’ll start to see more innovation and a focus on technology for guest acquisition, loyalty, and ordering advancements.” Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/G1MkISL March 15, 2024 at 03:40PM
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Mythbusters: LinkedIn Edition https://ift.tt/UdyxMkC One of the greatest myths ever told is that people like advertising. Sure, they like Super Bowl commercials, but ads in general? I don’t think so. Nowadays, everywhere you look, people are trying to get away from ads through subscription services, even paying higher premiums to avoid them. The follow-up myth is that an ever-growing subsection of digital natives -- gamers -- like advertising even more. There is a narrative that they are very engaged with advertiser content that is authentic, immersive, and meaningful. And what’s more, you can do this in-game. There is some truth to this -- with traditional advertising sitting at such a cyclical status quo and the long-held stereotypes around gamers dissipating, many of them (like myself) are excited to see brands get involved with games in their creative and strategy. However, this does not mean that traditional advertising tactics are well-received or meaningful just because they are in-game. advertisement advertisement According to my LinkedIn feed, however, I am wrong. A number of emerging companies and games now provide in-game billboards. They show the user promises of blended in-game advertising that does not interrupt players' experience and also fits within the game’s ecosystem across multiple platforms (mobile, PC and console!). Does this sound too good to be true? Spoiler: it is. Let’s take a look at some of the in-game advertising solutions I see lauded on LinkedIn through the eyes of someone who identifies as a gamer and has been in the industry for over half a decade. One in-game advertising dedicated company released a case study from its work with P&G, placing ads into “popular” mobile and PC games like "SimCity," "Cooking Fever" and "Dragon City." They positioned these “non-intrusive” ads to “complement the gaming experience while making a meaningful connection with players.” So what does it look like in reality? A small TV in what appears to be the bottom of the user interface displays a Charmin paper towel ad. The ad might be “non-intrusive” in that it doesn’t interrupt gameplay, but it certainly does not blend with what else is on screen, and I don’t see how this ad could be meaningful to players of the game. It adds nothing to the gameplay except, well, an ad. But this might only be the case with small developers and mobile games. What are larger publishers and developers doing in the space? Let’s move to Roblox, which just released a formal in-game advertising solution. On this new portal, you can find many case studies built for different brands for different goals. Shipt, for example, a grocery delivery company, collaborated with a Roblox map creator to integrate timed deliveries into the game through a Shipt representative who rewarded players with in-game currency for their work. The experience essentially gamified gig work like Shipt, Uber/Uber Eats, etc. -- jobs that many people do to make ends meet. Even still, Roblox touts 27M minutes of gameplay and 18M visits to the Shipt experience. But truthfully, that does not seem like any fun. The experience is a collaboration with Voldex, who developed the original game called “Driving Empire,” which then integrated Shipt into it. To me, it seems like a way to mask the true stats of the content, as the kids (60% of Roblox players are under 16 years old) joining the game were likely there for "Driving Empire," not for Shipt. You could argue that this is part of the whole point of collaborating with Shipt -- but is it actually meaningful then? Other brands like Walmart, Chipotle, and Home Depot have created similar experiences, truly connecting with the hearts of gamers and not just children with no purchasing power (unless they steal their parents' credit cards and rush straight to these stores, because kids normally shop at Home Depot, right?) Coincidentally, Roblox has just come under fire from a new lawsuit that claims the game encourages addictive behavior through its microtransaction currency Robux. Robux can be converted into real dollars, but the cost of purchasing Robux vs. cashing Robux out are not equal – i.e. $4.99 can buy you 400 Robux, but 1,000 Robux can only be converted for $3.50. Shipt should not be focusing on children as its target audience, and parents should not be open to such predatory tactics inside of a children's game. They should, alternatively, find games to reward gamers in a unique way for using their services. Other brands have gone the "Fortnite" route (also connected to Roblox through Epic Games) and built maps or small skin lines. These experiential maps, similar to what Roblox did with Shipt, are separate from the main game. While the "Fortnite" creative mode is immensely popular (around 40% of in-game time was spent in creative mode as of May 2023), it's not because of the brand experiences. It's because of the creativity involved in making the map experiences. They put twists on classic "Fortnite" or build entirely new games inside of the "Fortnite" engine. While these experiences are well-built, they do not offer anything additional to players -- just a place to go and get hit with brand logos from within the game. The bottom line is that these “experiences” and “non-intrusive ads” lack creativity and a desire to build something truly additive for gamers. They don't lead to true affinity or advocacy within gaming communities, and, honestly, are not interesting. So what's my idea? Who's doing it better, if anyone? Two examples have always stuck out in my mind as to where the bar should be -- Louis Vuitton x League of Legends, and more recently, McDonald's WcDonald's ad and "Fortnite" extension. To be brief -- Louis Vuitton created in-game skins for characters (champions) in "League of Legends" using classic LV motifs and then released real-life clothing connected to "League of Legends" as well. The in-game skins are permanent unlockables for champions, costing anywhere between $5 to $25. By comparison, the real LV clothing line for "League of Legends" sold out, most of which cost over $1,000. McDonald's turned their company into WcDonald's and released a bespoke anime in which the main character is transported to another world (a genre called isekai) to hype up the release of their new Savory Chili sauce. In addition to the anime, they released a "Fortnite" creative map that is completely immersed in the WcDonald's branding. Plus, the map has a secret room for which players are given a code through the McDonald's dining app -- a way to encourage purchase behavior but also reward players with in-game experiences. Although I am not sure that the experience itself is a ton of fun, it's clear that the creative was incredibly well-thought-out and thorough in integrating with "Fortnite." The Key Takeaways First, both strategies are accessible to consumers. Real-life Louis Vuitton prices don't work for everyone, but $10 in-game does. Getting the McDonald's app and accessing the "Fortnite" creative map is also free, and nothing is paywalled. Second, the partnerships add value to player experiences. They don't attempt to bring gamers out of their native environments but rather meet them where they are. What I'd like to see are things like smart product integrations. Games like "Grand Theft Auto" and "Cyberpunk" (massive title hits) show us present-day and future societies. Wouldn't it be great to see a limited-edition flavor both in-game and in real life connected to the game a la WcDonald's and "Fortnite?" While I recognize that not all brands can afford to make the investment that McDonalds or Louis Vuitton might make into these types of experiences, we can at least admit when something is truly immersive and authentic vs. just another logo or ad slap. If it looks like a regular ad, smells like a regular ad, and feels like a regular ad, it probably is a regular ad. Gamers are a particularly elusive group with so many console and PC experiences completely ad-free, but most of us would like to stay that way–unless what you're bringing to the table is actually unique and additive. I want to see more brands work with gaming experts to develop truly meaningful experiences -- and less of the “my ads reach gamers and they love it!” kool-aid drinking that I see on LinkedIn today. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/G1MkISL March 15, 2024 at 09:40AM
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BT Has Business' 'Back' In First Work By Adam&EveDDB https://ift.tt/vralzpk BT is sending a message of dependability to telecom users. The UK’s leading provider of fixed and mobile telecommunications has kicked off a new brand platform that showcases the range of businesses it supports in a digital world. The integrated campaign and brand platform, "We’ve Got Your Back," is from adam&eveDDB. This is the agency's first work since winning the B2B account in February 2023. Miranda Hipwell, Chief Executive Officer at adam&eveDDB, said the shop's first work "shines a light on the diversity and vitality of the businesses BT keeps moving through its connectivity." The campaign celebrates BT as a partner rather than a supplier, providing a critical digital foundation for businesses — whether new, entrepreneurial efforts or corporate giants. (BT is now the British Telecommunications Group flagship B2B brand.) Running across TV, Meta, TikTok, digital out-of-home, print and digital display, the work is available through mid-April. The TV ad is directed by Raine Allen Miller, whose directorial debut, "Rye Lane," earned a nomination for Outstanding British Film at the 2024 BAFTAs. Commenting on the work, Helen Whetton, brand and marketing director at BT, said: “We’re a heritage brand that’s got to think like a challenger.” advertisement advertisement Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/G1MkISL March 15, 2024 at 09:40AM |
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