67% Pick Stores Based on Mobile Coupons http://bit.ly/2Mg49Bu Despite all the new technology that continually hits the market, consumers are still looking for a deal when they shop. What the technology has done is make the deals much more portable. Thanks to mobile, the shopping experience has been transformed from a serial process, as in a consumer leaves home to go to the store to shop, to an iterative process, as in a smartphone-equipped consumer is shopping all the time. About a third (34%) of shoppers use their phone to compare prices while in a store and nearly as many (28%) use their phones to look for offers, according to a recent BRP shopping study. The pattern is not likely to change, with 41% of consumers planning to increase their shopping frequency on their phone or tablet within the next two years. Despite all the new technology changing the shopping experience to an anytime-anywhere event, consumers want value. For example, the majority (67%) of consumers say they are likely to shop with a retailer that offers mobile coupons instead of one that does not. Everybody wants a deal, and now those deals need to be portable. advertisement advertisement Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile http://bit.ly/2oB2PsH May 29, 2019 at 11:09AM
0 Comments
LinkedIn Buys Drawbridge To Build On 46% Growth And Expand Analytics Capabilities http://bit.ly/2HJtXS4 LinkedIn’s pending purchase of Drawbridge for an undisclosed fee is intended to help marketers better measure the return on investments of advertising and marketing campaigns running across mobile and desktop. Tomer Cohen, vice president of product at LinkedIn, announced the deal in a Marketing Solutions blog post. He wrote that the goal is to help “customers better reach and understand their professional audiences.” LinkedIn Marketing Solutions revenue grew about 46% in the past year, according to Cohen. “We believe Drawbridge’s team and technology will allow us to accelerate the capabilities of our Marketing Solutions platform,” he wrote. Cohen expects that following the closing of the transaction, LinkedIn will continue to give marketers the controls they need to manage the data they choose to use on the platform. advertisement advertisement Ad spend on LinkedIn is expected to increase by 26% in 2019, according to analysis from InfiniGrow, an AI-driven marketing planning optimization platform. The uptick, per the data, is driven by the introduction of video and live video, the redesigned LinkedIn Campaign Manager and the addition of interest targeting. Microsoft acquired LinkedIn in 2016 for an estimated $26.2 billion. LinkedIn has made four known acquisitions since then. In October 2018, the company reportedly paid $400 million for Glint, which helps organizations increase employee engagement. Apparently, Drawbridge began dumping some of its assets early last year. In May 2018, Drawbridge sold the company’s managed services business to Gimbal, a first party data powered marketing and advertising platform. Kamakshi Sivaramakrishnan, a former AdMob scientist, launched Drawbridge in 2011. Over the years, the company received the majority of its $70 million in capital funding from Sequoia Capital and Kleiner Perkins. Adobe, Excelate, LiveRamp, Oracle, Salesforce, and The Trade Desk are some of the integration partners that Drawbridge lists on its website. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile http://bit.ly/2oB2PsH May 29, 2019 at 10:03AM NBC News Launches 'NBC News Now' Streaming Service http://bit.ly/2Wu0a7X NBC News has officially launched NBC News Now, its streaming video news service. At launch Wednesday, NBC News Now will have eight hours of programming, from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET, with the goal of eventually going 24/7. The service will feature content that is distinct from NBC News TV broadcasts and the company’s cable channels, MSNBC and CNBC. NBC News correspondents and reporters will host the programming and contribute segments, with support from Sky News -- which NBCU parent company Comcast owns -- and Euronews, which the company has a stake in. “It will be a mix of live reports from the field, taped in-depth feature stories, explainers and regularly updated headlines,” Rashida Jones, senior vice president, specials for NBC News and MSNBC, and the executive-in-charge of NBC News Now, tells Digital News Daily. advertisement advertisement “Though the formats are similar to content on traditional TV platforms, they are adapted to feel truly native to the OTT experience, with footage and graphics that are of the same quality of feature documentary films. Every hour will begin with a quick rundown of the latest news, with reporters diving in to topics throughout the programming to explain the why and not just the what behind the headlines,” she added. NBC News Now will be free and ad-supported, sold by the same NBCUniversal sales teams that handle other parts of the news business. At launch, it will be available on NBCNews.com and within the NBC News apps on mobile devices and connected TV platforms, like Roku and Fire TV. The company says Citi is a launch sponsor of the service. Much like competitive services, such as CBSN and Cheddar, NBC News Now targets a younger demographic that may not watch traditional linear TV news programming. CBSN, for example, is fond of noting that its viewers tend to be more than 20 years younger, on average, than the audience of linear CBS News programs. Jones says NBC News Now is designed for “[a] new generation of news consumers who need more than a push alert on their phone or an overload of news stories on Twitter to keep up with the news and stay informed throughout the day.” “They are likely already ‘updated,’ but are not yet informed,” she adds. With any streaming service, evolution is the name of the game. With the 2020 election cycle kicking off in the next few months, NBC News Now’s evolution will include expanded politics coverage. “We will be a place for audiences to go when they want to learn why things are happening in addition to what is happening,” Jones says.
Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile http://bit.ly/2oB2PsH May 29, 2019 at 07:40AM
http://bit.ly/2WuTS8a
Op-Ed: Why Retailers Can’t Afford Not To Invest In Voice http://bit.ly/2K8phXD Author Ashish Sidhra explains the major roadbloacks to widespread adoption of voice tech by companies beyond Google and Amazon, why investing in voice to diversify the omnichannel experience is crucial for brand building and how retailers can integrate it into their strategyGet More Ideas With The PSFK Daily Newsletter Mobile Marketing via PSFK http://www.psfk.com/ May 29, 2019 at 06:33AM
http://bit.ly/2Xe6MV9
B2B Content Not Making an Impact? Try These 7 Underutilized Promotion Channels http://bit.ly/2JJvXMv Creating great content requires considerable investment, in terms of time, effort, and money. Knowing this, it’s crazy how often I see marketers and brands fail to follow through by promoting their content to the fullest and maximizing its targeted exposure. It literally makes me sad. I’m tearing up as I write this. One moment… Talk amongst yourselves. via GIPHY Ahem. So the scourge of unseen quality content is one we must conquer. The path to doing so, I’m afraid, isn’t as simple as scheduling a bunch of links across the same old social feeds. This isn't to say social media isn't important, but this formulaic, reflexive approach is fast losing its luster. The latest Content Trends Report from BuzzSumo found that social shares have dropped by 50% since 2015, owing to several different factors: increased competition for eyeballs, changes to Facebook’s algorithm, shifts in discovery habits for users. All of this means fewer referrals, less engagement, and less impact for content promoted solely through these channels. How can we counteract this troubling decline? The first step in treating Invisible Content Syndrome is acknowledging it’s a problem, and developing a concrete plan to address it. To this end, our CEO Lee Odden created a list of 50 content promotion tactics that can be implemented during the planning stages of your next initiative. His suggestions will provide plenty of guidance for a broader and more robust promotion mix. Once you’ve committed to giving your content the continuing attention it deserves post-publication, it’s time to start differentiating. [bctt tweet="Once you’ve committed to giving your content the continuing attention it deserves post-publication, it’s time to start differentiating. @NickNelsonMN #B2BContentMarketing #ContentPromotion" username="toprank"] This will be our focus for today: zeroing in on some of the underutilized channels capable of providing a competitive advantage. Instead of exclusively trying to compete with ephemeral Twitter feeds or mercurial Facebook algos, diversify with these seven B2B content promotion techniques that can help your best stuff stand out and get noticed by the people who truly matter to your brand. 7 Underutilized B2B Content Promotion ChannelsVolume is about vanity. It really is that simple, I’m afraid. Unless your company profits directly from pageviews (via ads), there is no practical value in piling up impressions. It might feel nice to see a higher number of visitors, but if you aren’t driving action with the right people, you’re bound to end up feeling verklempt. With an eye on quality and resonance, here are seven channels worth considering for your B2B content promotion mix. Because they are generally underutilized, there’s a good chance your competitors aren’t tapping them (yet) or using them to their full potential.#1 - InfluencersOf course we’re going to start here. While influencer marketing in the B2B realm is on the rise, research shows that an incredibly small percentage (11%) of B2B brands are engaging in ongoing influencer programs. Strategic influencers are vital conduits for connecting your content with key audiences. If you’ve done your due dilligence to identify individuals who align with your brand from a topical and cultural perspective, then their networks are likely highly qualified, and most importantly, your association with them can infuse near-instant credibility in the eyes of their followers. [bctt tweet="#Influencers connect with a much more targeted audience than banner ads have in quite some time. @martinjonesaz #B2BInfluencerMarketing" username="toprank"] Influencers themselves aren’t a channel, but rather a powerful entry point to several different channels. Once you’ve developed strong relationships with influential partners, you can work with them to co-create and share content that your mutual audiences will find value in. Depending on the type of relationship you cultivate, you could also encourage them to share prioritized content from their social accounts, on their blogs, in their newsletters, etc. Cross-mentions on platforms such as LinkedIn can also help your articles gain more visibility in feeds. Remember: when you incorporate these influencers into co-creation campaigns, they’ll be more motivated to share, and their audiences will be more likely to take notice.#2 - EmployeesAs Michael Brenner wrote recently at Marketing Insiders Group, engaged employees can be some of your brand’s most authentic and influential advocates. “Who better to sing the praises of your organization than an employee who truly believes in the value of what you’re trying to achieve?” he asks. [bctt tweet="Who better to sing the praises of your organization than an employee who truly believes in the value of what you’re trying to achieve? @BrennerMichael #ContentPromotion" username="toprank"] The operative word here is “engaged.” When employees are dutifully copy-pasting article links into their social accounts, the results will reflect the effort and enthusiasm. However, when they feel truly invested in the content and its success, this also tends to manifest. Find ways to make internal content sharing more aspiration than obligation. We can do this by involving employees in the creation of content itself, gamifying the promotion process (“Free pizza if we hit XX% referrals from this platform!”), or conveying the benefits of personal brand-building on social. Employee advocacy programs can provide structure and ease for implementing such initiatives. The Marketing Advisory Network’s 2017 Employee Advocacy Impact Study can shed some light here, highlighting barriers that keep employees from sharing company-related posts on social and so much more.#3 - CustomersMuch like employees and industry influencers, your customers provide an extra element of credibility when amplifying your brand’s content — both offline and online. Their networks likely include professionals within the same niche, so the audiences are inherently more qualified. Obviously it’s great when a satisfied buyer is willing to participate in and promote persuasive lower-funnel pieces like success stories and testimonials, but that’s a relatively heavy ask. Conversely, providing them with practical content that’s useful to their followers will carry more appeal, especially if you tailor your message (i.e., “I think your customers will really like this article because…”).#4 - Topical ForumsMessage boards, subreddits, social media groups, and other focused online communities can be highly valuable for brands. Forums contain tribes of engaged, knowledgeable, connected people with an intrinsic desire to learn and grow. However, these established communities tend to be skeptical of unfamiliar outsiders — especially those who enter with a blatantly self-promotional motive. In order to leverage these channels properly, you should build a long-term strategy around them. Create a functional presence in groups and forums long before you start sharing your own content there. Encourage your employees to participate in boards that interest them specifically. Ensure there is a clear match between the respective audiences and what you’re trying to accomplish. One reason forums make our list of underutilized tactics is because they can often be used in the wrong way. As a general rule, it’s best to repurpose your content within these forums, rather than just linking out in the traditional sense. The primary goals should be establishing thought leadership, and generating meaningful conversations, rather than simply driving people to your website.#5 - Industry Associations/PublicationsMuch like online forums, industry outlets have the advantage of pre-existing audiences organized around specific subjects or verticals. Whether it’s an online resource or still in print, people still trust the information from their favorite niche publications. Magazine readership remains high. Trade associations are filled with pros who are adamant about their crafts. Once again, the key here is relationship-building. It can be really tough to pitch stories or earn coverage out of the blue. Consider connecting with publication editors or association leaders long before you start working the content promotion angle.#6 - Email SegmentsI’m not talking about blasting out content digests to your entire email list, or indiscriminately sending automated RSS links devoid of context. These methods are already widely in use, and the results are only worsening as people grow tired of inbox irrelevance. But email remains an effective channel for direct engagement, when used as such. Rather than falling back on the spray-and-pray approach, try divvying your email list into segments based on interest, specialty, or function. The more granular you can get, the better. Then, share content via email with the segments for which it is most acutely suited. Customize your messaging accordingly. You could even consider composing individual emails and sending them along with a personal note to people you really feel would benefit from (and maybe share) a particular piece. Remember: one pertinent reader/viewer who can take action is far more valuable than 10 who can’t. [bctt tweet="Rather than falling back on the spray-and-pray approach, try divvying your email list into segments based on interest, specialty, or function. The more granular you can get, the better. @NickNelsonMN #ContentPromotion" username="toprank"]#7 - Direct MailIt’s one of those classic mainstays that has largely gone out of style. How often do you receive a piece of mail at work that is actually tailored to you personally, and worth your time? Would such an item stand out to you? Physical mail doesn’t have a place in most digitally-based strategies, which is exactly why it may offer a unique opportunity to reach important contacts. Tracking down someone’s office mailing address is often easier than tracking down their email address. This method isn’t necessarily cheap or scalable, but in cases where you really want to get your content in front of a particular account, sending a printed version (or just a note encouraging them to check it out online) can be a sneaky winner. One B2B-centric example is *LinkedIn’s Sophisticated Marketer Quarterly, which stands out as a glossy, colorful product you can hold in your hands. It’s a great place for B2B practitioners to be featured.Find New Audiences for Your Best B2B ContentOne of the most valuable objectives for B2B brands is also one of the most challenging: generating awareness and influence with new audiences and prospects. Continuing to push the same cookie-cutter social promotion tactics won’t do the trick. In the era of content saturation, we must remain vigilant in finding new ways to reach and engage the right people. [bctt tweet="Content promotion can’t be effective if it’s an afterthought. @leeodden #B2BContentMarketing #ContentPromotion" username="toprank"] Whether embracing the channels above or identifying others that make sense for your brand, I encourage you to think outside the box when it comes to promotion. And whatever you do, don’t make this essential marketing an afterthought. Because that leads to lonely content and general sadness. Ahhh here I go again, I’d better log off... via GIPHY Want more guidance to B2B content marketing success that’ll turn your frown upside-down? Check out Annie Leuman’s recent write-up on powering through the summer slump. *Disclosure: LinkedIn is a TopRank Marketing client.The post B2B Content Not Making an Impact? Try These 7 Underutilized Promotion Channels appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®. Mobile Marketing via Hubspot http://bit.ly/2V5eKQ7 May 29, 2019 at 05:30AM iTunes Users Sue Apple Over Privacy http://bit.ly/2KaWKk6 Three iTunes users have sued Apple for allegedly disclosing information about the music they purchased on iTunes. In a class-action complaint filed Friday, Rhode Island resident Leigh Wheaton and Michigan residents Jill Paul, and Trevor Paul accuse Apple of violating state privacy laws that prohibit companies from disclosing information about the music that people purchase. “The data Apple discloses includes the full names and home addresses of its customers, together with the genres and, in some cases, the specific titles of the digitally-recorded music that its customers have purchased via the iTunes Store,” Wheaton and the others allege in a class-action complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. They add that data brokers then append that data to other information about iTunes customers, and re-sell highly detailed lists of consumers. advertisement advertisement “For example, any person or entity could rent a list with the names and addresses of all unmarried, college-educated women over the age of 70 with a household income of over $80,000 who purchased country music from Apple via its iTunes Store mobile application,” the complaint alleges. “Such a list is available for sale for approximately $136 per thousand customers listed.” Apple's privacy policy says the company does not sell or transmit personally identifiable information. The company did not respond to MediaPost's request for comment on the lawsuit. Apple says in its privacy policy that the company enables ad targeting by assigning people to audience segments; those segments include at least 5,000 people, in an attempt to protect users' privacy. The company also says it allows advertisers to send targeted ads to people based on identifiers like their phone numbers and email addresses. But those identifiers are “obscured” during the ad-matching process, in order to limit disclosure of personally identifiable information, according to Apple. The complaint alleges that Apple violated the Michigan Preservation of Personal Privacy Act, and the Rhode Island Video, Audio and Publication Rentals Privacy Act. The Rhode Island law makes it illegal to disclose “any records which would identify the names and addresses of individuals, with the titles or nature of video films, records, cassettes, or the like, which they purchased, leased, rented, or borrowed, from libraries, book stores, video stores, or record and cassette shops or any retailer or distributor of those products.” The Michigan law contains a similar prohibition, but was amended in 2016 to specifically information that “has been aggregated or has been processed in a manner designed to prevent its association with an identifiable customer.” Some of the activity alleged in the complaint occurred before July 31, 2016 -- the date that amendment took effect. Rhode Island's Wheaton alleges in the complaint that she “now receives junk mail” that wastes her “time, money, and resources” as a result of as a result of the alleged disclosures by Apple. News of the lawsuit comes as Silicon Valley is under increasing scrutiny over privacy practices. Apple CEO Tim Cook is among the voices calling for new laws. Earlier this year, he argued in a Timeop-ed that companies should minimize the personal data they collect, and allow customers to access data about themselves. He added that consumers should be able to learn how their data is “bundled and sold” and that they should be able to “delete their data on demand, freely, easily and online, once and for all.” Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile http://bit.ly/2oB2PsH May 28, 2019 at 03:11PM NHL Introduces Chatbot To Engage Fans http://bit.ly/2KaD147 The National Hockey League is introducing the NHL Chatbot, just in time for the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals. Developed by GameOn, the bot is available for Facebook Messenger and will deliver fan experiences through regular news updates, game previews and notifications, scoring alerts, schedules, standings -- and, most notably, GIF and video in-game highlights. The NHL Chatbot joins a slew of others already on Messenger, including those for the NBA, MLB and NFL. Some, like Kia's and Honda's, are geared toward consumers looking for information about buying a vehicle. Spotify, the streaming music service, also has an app, as does HP for those who own the printers. In the sports realm, there is Toni, the football chatbot, and theScore and 247Sports, which delivers information on all sports. Many individual teams in all the major league sports leagues have chatbots. advertisement advertisement The NHL bot shows the league is embracing new technology and helps extend its reach to a growing fan base by bringing meaningful content to where they already are, all customizable and with the latest in-game updates, says Kalin Stanojev, co-founder and chief product officer of GameOn. “Chatbots are becoming an increasingly valuable tool for sports leagues around the world to engage authentically with their fans in richer, more dynamic ways,” states Stanojev. “We’re always looking for new ways to engage with our passionate fans and give them the customized, mobile-first content they want, when they want it,” states Chris Foster, NHL director of digital business development. The NHL bot is powered by ChatOS, GameOn’s proprietary end-to-end development and integration platform. ChatOS connects directly to brands’ content management systems, data sources and API feeds, allowing them to deploy content across a wide array of platforms and applications through chat experiences. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile http://bit.ly/2oB2PsH May 28, 2019 at 02:59PM 'New York Times' Summer Newsletter Condenses Info, Expands Free Activities http://bit.ly/2Wvu8Zw
The New York Times
has turned its digital products into valuable areas of revenue growth. In its 2019 first-quarter revenue report, The Timesreported revenue from its digital-only products grew 15.1% to $109.9 million. Last year’s summer newsletter was another digital success for the publisher. Following its inaugural newsletter in 2018, the publisher is bringing it back for another year. The Times polled its users to find out how it could improve the product, implementing those changes in the first issue published last week, reports Nieman Lab. advertisement advertisement The newsletter is helmed by Jessica Anderson, a senior staff editor of newsletters for The Times. Last year, the newsletter was edited by The Times’ deputy travel editor Elisabeth Goodridge. Margot Boyer-Dry writes its content, while Max Falkowitz provides food and drink coverage. This year, in an effort to serve the newsletter’s 80,000 subscribers, The Times will shorten its length by nearly half, from 2,400 words to 1,200, making it easier to read on mobile devices. It will offer one trip, rather than two, and expands free and cheap activities. There is a dedicated section to receive reader feedback and more evergreen content for summer weekends. For example, in the season’s first edition, the editors suggested readers visit Wave Hill, public gardens and a cultural center in the Bronx. It tipped them off to free admission times and free shuttles. Places to eat and drink accompany the entry. The newsletter runs through Labor Day. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile http://bit.ly/2oB2PsH May 28, 2019 at 02:14PM Google: Mobile-First Indexing Becomes Default For New Domains http://bit.ly/2MeeOwq All new websites that were previously unknown to Google Search will be indexed using the company’s mobile-first indexing method starting on July 1, the company announced Tuesday. For new websites, this indexing feature will become enabled by default, so there are no plans for Google to notify webmasters. Google suggests that website owners check for this indexing through the URL Inspection Tool in Search Console. This will provide information on how the content was crawled and indexed. Google will continue to support dynamic serving and separate mobile URLs for mobile websites, but the company says it recommends responsive web design for new websites, wrote John Mueller, developer advocate at Google Zurich. “Because of issues and confusion we've seen from separate mobile URLs over the years, both from search engines and users, we recommend using a single URL for both desktop and mobile websites,” he wrote. Google’s analysis shows new websites are generally ready for this method of crawling. Rather than analyze the desktop version of the web page, Google now looks at the mobile version of the page before rendering it -- on a mobile phone and sometimes on desktop. advertisement advertisement Older web sites that are not indexed using the mobile-first indexing method will be moved when those web sites are ready. In December, Google announced that two years after it began working on its mobile-first indexing strategy, more than half of the pages served globally in search results are done using its mobile-first indexing. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile http://bit.ly/2oB2PsH May 28, 2019 at 01:51PM Facebook, Google Lose Share Of Time Spent On-Site As Bing Sees Increase http://bit.ly/2YYNyUd It’s difficult to say whether spending more time on a search engine is good or bad. On one hand, the more time and the more searches someone conducts on a search engine, the more advertisements they are likely to see. On the other hand, users spending more time may indicate inferior search algorithms because it takes that much longer for someone to get an answer to their query. Data released this morning from eMarketer got me thinking. U.S. adult Facebook users this year will spend two minutes less per day -- an average of 38 minutes per day -- logging in to the site from all devices, estimates eMarketer. By 2020, the average daily time will drop to 37 minutes. And while the minutes that people spend on Facebook keep dropping, they dropped less in the past year than they did in the prior year. Average daily time spent on Facebook by U.S. adult users fell by three minutes in 2018, per the latest eMarketer forecast on U.S. time spent with media. In a research note published Tuesday, eMarketer principal analyst Debra Aho Williamson attributed Facebook’s decline to the “loss of younger adult users, along with its focus on down-ranking clickbait posts and videos in favor of those that create ‘time well spent.’” advertisement advertisement Those searching for information on google.com spent 10:56 minutes on an average session,and spent about 8:23 minutes on bing.com per average session during the past 12 months in the U.S. on desktop and mobile web, according to SimilarWeb data. Google, however, lost time with searchers. It’s not clear whether that time was lost as a result of people finding the information they need more quickly or whether they gave up and moved on. And while the average duration on google.com from May 2017 to April 2018 was 11:16, that number fell to 8:23 during the past 12 months. Bing, on the other hand, experienced an increase in time spent per session. The average duration on bing.com from May 2017 to April 2018 was 7:46, but that rose to 10:56 during the past 12 months. This gives us something to think about on a Tuesday morning after a long Memorial Day weekend. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile http://bit.ly/2oB2PsH May 28, 2019 at 11:55AM |
CategoriesArchives
April 2023
|