Category Archives: Marketing

How Luxury Brands Use Social Media to Reach Consumers

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Owning luxury items is like being part of an elite club where only a select number of people may gain access. While today’s luxury brands want to maintain this status, more brands are attempting to strike a balance between exclusivity versus inclusivity.

image by ...love Maegan on flickr cc

The The Digital Age & Luxury Brands

While some luxury brands have embraced the Digital Age, the vast majority have yet to do so, despite an ever increasing focus on digital marketing and advertising. According to L2, a company based in New York that tracks the digital impact of brands:

Online sales still represent just 6 percent of luxury companies’ total revenues. And roughly 10 companies, including Ralph Lauren and Michael Kors, dominate this digital world, generating a combined 65 percent of all traffic to websites associated with the luxury industry. [source]

Online consumers are wired in a different way. José de Cabo, co-founder and COO of Olapic, cites that today’s consumers are “used to seeing authenticity online.” Luxury brands would be wise to take note and back efforts that help build stronger connections with these consumers.

Better Digital Presence = Better Sales

By widening the net and tapping into the rich (no pun intended) possibilities that the Digital Age has to offer, luxury brands can revamp their digital marketing efforts to build deeper relationships and brand loyalty with existing customers, and find creative, innovative ways to engage new consumers.

Using Social Media for Sales:

Social media, while popular, is still a largely untapped area for most brands and businesses. In order to better navigate this space, brands must know where their customers spend the most time online, and what social media outlets they use with the greatest frequency. To accomplish this, some luxury brands hire agencies whose responsibility it is to research and identify where their product(s) show up online.

Example:

José de Cabo and his team work on behalf of several luxury brands. Part of their responsibility is to search the most popular social media sites to look for any and all photos taken by individuals where the brand is featured. So, Person ‘A’ may have a luxury handbag that they just got. Person ‘A’ posts a picture of the handbag to their Instagram account. The brand sees this and, in turn, features Person ‘A’ on their social media.

Alternatively, luxury brands may also use social media (like the above example) to feature it as part of a larger marketing initiative – either digital or traditional.

image by 八木 Ricardo 清介 on flickr cc

Wider Audience Reach

Many luxury brands recognize that when it comes to exclusivity and inclusivity, the two are not mutually exclusive – especially when talking about using social media to leverage a brand.

Example:

Calvin Klein (CK) is a popular luxury brand. CK turned to celebrity, Justin Bieber, to help with their marketing efforts. How? Bieber has a significantly larger following on Instagram (49.8 million followers) compared to CK (3.1 million). By making Justin Bieber a spokesmodel for the Calvin Klein brand, Calvin Klein also widens its consumer base, potentially opening it up to a new demographic.

Even though luxury brands want to maintain some exclusivity, by broadening the scope of their digital marketing campaigns and casting a wider net, they can still maintain their exclusive status while increasing brand awareness and product sales.

photo by Matti Mattila on flickr cc

Mobile Online Shopping During the Holidays

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The face of holiday shopping has changed, evolved. While there are still those who love the rush of the holiday season and will jam the roads to hit all of the brick and mortar locations – there is an ever increasing number of us who are opting to shop from our mobile devices instead.

In fact, the most recent statistics [source: https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/articles/holiday-shopping-trends-2015.html] point to the fact that more than 50% of holiday shoppers admit that they are planning to do their holiday shopping online, from their smartphones. According to Google, at least “30% of all online shopping purchases are now happening on mobile phones.” Combine this with the fact that the number of people who are actually using their smartphones to make purchases has gone up more than 63% compared to 2014!

photo by Meno Istorija on flickr cc

Statistics About Mobile Shopping

We thought we’d kick off this final stretch into the holidays with some interesting/fun statistics:

  • In 2014, Cyber Monday became the biggest U.S. online shopping day ever with more than 2 billion U.S. dollars in online spending. [statista]
  • In 2013, in the United States, 50% of respondents completed more than half of their Christmas shopping online. [https://econsultancy.com/reports/christmas-2013-online-shopping-survey-report]
  • Online e-commerce sales on Black Friday and Thanksgiving Day in 2015 reached record spending levels, thanks to more shoppers forgoing crowds in stores to shop at home. Together, shoppers spent $4.45 billion online on Black Friday and Thanksgiving Day, according to data released by Adobe. [Fortune]
  • Shopping-related searches on mobile have grown more than 120% year-over-year. [Google]
  • In 2015, after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, smartphones remained the shopper’s device of choice. Smartphones accounted for 44 percent of all online traffic, more than three times that of tablets at 14.1 percent. Smartphones surpassed tablets in sales, driving 18.6 percent of online sales (up 65.7 percent over 2014) versus tablets at 17.7 percent. [IBM]

As cited by Gregory Karp of the Chicago Tribune,

Mobile options are helping make Christmas shopping a digital experience. Nearly 90 percent of shoppers are planning to go online at some point during the upcoming holiday weekend, according to a Deloitte survey.

“The digital influence is likely to touch nearly every moment in the shopper’s journey this holiday season,” said Rod Sides, retail and distribution practice leader at Deloitte.

photo by mom2sofia on flickr cc

Popular Items People Bought During the Holidays At…

Popular retailers now have mobile apps in which they entice online shoppers with special deals and incentives (as if online shopping wasn’t convenient enough!).

We’ve put together a brief list of some of the most popular items online shoppers purchased from leading brands in the past. Some of the following data was taken directly from information provided by the retailer. Take a look. What do you think will be the hottest items purchased in 2015?

Walmart.com

The following data was taken directly from Walmart’s 2015 Top Black Friday Deals list [http://news.walmart.com/news-archive/2015/11/12/walmarts-black-friday-2015-in-three-words-deals-availability-simplicity]:

  • Televisions ex: 40” Class HDTV for $149 (special buy)
  • Fitness Wearables ex: Fitbit Flex Wristband for $59 ($40 savings)
  • Video games many starting at $8 as well as NBA2K16, Madden ’16 andFIFA ’16 for Xbox One for $27 each ($32.88 savings)
  • Video Game Console bundles including a PlayStation 4 Uncharted Bundle for $299 ($50 savings)
  • DVDs and Blu-ray movies many starting at $1.96
  • Home appliances for $9.72 each including an Oster 8-Speed Blender, Crock-Pot Stainless 5-Qt. Slow Cooker and 12-cup Programmable Black & Decker Coffee Maker
  • Toys ex: a Star Wars Lightsaber for $5 ($3.94 savings)
  • Hotel Style Cotton-Rich 850-Thread Count Sheet Set for $25 (special buy)
  • Children’s licensed sleepwear starting at $4.75 (special buy)

photo by ProFlowers.com on flickr cceBay

The following list of items was borrowed from BGR:

  • 65-inch Samsung Smart 4K TV (save $1,200)
  • 55-inch Samsung Smart 4K 3D TV (save $1,800)
  • Canon EOS 6D DSLR (save $700)
  • 128GB iPhone 6s (save $30)
  • G Nexus 5X 16GB (Factory GSM Unlocked) Android Smartphone (save $10)
  • 11.6-inch MacBook Air (save $170)
  • 64GB iPhone 6s (save $30)
  • 16GB iPhone 6s (save $20)
  • 64GB iPad mini 4 (save $40)
  • iPad Air 2 (save $140)
  • GoPro Hero4 camera (save $100)
  • Fitbit Charge HR Wireless Activity Wristband (save $30)

Amazon.com

The following are some of the top Black Friday deals for 2015 from Amazon.com, according to Kiplinger:

A ‘Mobile’ State of Mind

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By 2019, it is estimated that there will be 5.2 billion global mobile users, up from 4.3 billion in 2014 [source]. As a business, if you’re website isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re doing a disservice to your consumers; but most of all – you are doing a great disservice to yourself. If you’re a marketer and you don’t have some sort of well thought-out mobile marketing strategy, you’re doing a disservice to your clients.

So, why mobile friendly? Why mobile marketing? Why does it matter?

image by lukew on flickr cc

Why Mobile Friendly Websites Matter for Consumers

With the average adult attention span competing with that of a goldfish, businesses need to take a hard look at the mobile friendliness of their website(s). While roughly 68% of companies have integrated mobile marketing into their overall marketing strategy, consider the following statistics, which were recently outlined by Greg Miles of SocialMediaToday:

  • 80% of internet users own a smartphone.
  • 57% of users say they won’t recommend a business with a poorly designed mobile site.
  • 83% of mobile users say that a seamless experience across all devices is very important.

Experience matters just as much as the information, services, and/or products that your business provides. When you consider the very real possibility that someone is viewing your website from a mobile device, it becomes extremely important (if not imperative) that your website measures up.

Making your website mobile-friendly is no small feat, however. Things to keep in mind include:

  • Responsive web design
  • Click-to-Call phone numbers
  • Accessibility across multiple mobile devices
  • Layout/Graphic design elements
  • Content layout (because it will display differently on mobile devices vs. desktop)
  • Other features
  • And more

In the interest of saving time and error(s), this is why it may be best to hire a professional Internet marketing company to handle the transition to mobile-friendly. After you’re set up, you can take it and run from there, adjusting things as you go.

image by miss karen on flickr cc

Reasons Why Mobile is Better for Marketers

#1 – Mobile marketing allows you to more accurately reach your target audience.

Many cell phone carriers have some sort of geographic awareness, allowing you to know the who, what, where and when’s as it pertains to consumer behavior. Of course, the one thing to keep in mind here is that the mobile device user has to grant location access permission, which would then allow you access to most of this information.

#2 – Mobile devices are prevalent and used frequently.

The majority of mobile users are on their mobile devices ALL OF THE TIME. According to Frank Powell of Mobile Marketer,

Most mobile phone users are within an arm’s reach of their devices over 90 percent of waking hours, including times when other media are not available. With mobile phone penetration near 90 percent for U.S. adults, conversations are possible all the time with everyone.

In other words, there is no reason why you shouldn’t take advantage of being able to reach your target consumers any time, any day.

#3 – Mobile marketing is easily integrated into other marketing efforts.

The information gleaned from mobile marketing campaigns is useful in all other marketing efforts – whether you’re involved in print advertising, television, radio, or organic content marketing. Because you are able to access specific information as it relates to your audience, this proves useful when putting together other marketing efforts.

#4 – Mobile marketing allows for more time sensitive interactions.

Because of the omnipresence of mobile, you can (quite literally) reach out to your target audience at the times when it matters most. Time sensitive interactions like these can also allow you to have more meaningful conversations, making it more likely that a prospect will convert.

#5 – Mobile marketing is more personal.

Because mobile devices are considered personal to the consumer, it is imperative that the marketer establishes/builds trust with prospects before embarking in a full fledged mobile marketing campaign.

Nielsen Data: How Mobile & Tablet Devices Compare While Watching TV

Interested in seeing just how important a role mobile devices play in our lives today? Take a look at the following information, gathered by Nielsen:

Nielsen: How Second Screens are Helping TV Make Fans

Every Marketer Should Know These Content Marketing Stats in 2016

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With 2016 just around the corner, one can’t help but reflect on just how much online marketing has evolved- especially as it relates to content marketing. Marketers alike would be wise to think about just what their online content marketing strategies will look like in the coming year.

Helping out with this thought, Forbes contributor, Jayson DeMers, put together an excellent list of the most recent content marketing stats. Some of these stats are re-posted here. However, we encourage you to view the original article.

B2B Content Marketing Stats

1. 88% of B2B marketers currently use content marketing as part of their marketing strategy, yet only 32% have a documented content marketing strategy. (source)

2. 61% of the most effective B2B content marketers meet with their content team daily or weekly. (source)

3. The most effective B2B content marketers allocate a larger portion of their budget to content marketing: 42% of their total budget, compared to 28% for less-effective marketers. (source)

image by frankieleon on flickr cc

B2C Content Marketing Stats

4. 76% of B2C marketers report using content marketing, yet only 37% say their strategy is effective. (source)

5. 37% of B2C marketers say they have a documented content marketing strategy. This is up from just 27% last year. (source)

6. B2C marketers use infographics more than any other content strategy. 62% report using infographics, and 63% from this group said they were effective. (source)

General Content Marketing Statistics

7. Self-employed individuals are more likely to use blogging than large businesses (those with 1,000+ employees). (source)

8. B2B businesses are more likely to use blogging than B2C businesses. (source)

9. 45% of marketers say blogging is their #1 most important content strategy. (source)

[*Information in this article was originally posted by Jayson DeMers via Forbes]

Creating Content That ‘Clicks’

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Brands and businesses alike need to create messaging that resonates with their consumers. If you fail to tune into the needs of your target audience, then you run the risk of them ‘tuning out’ to whatever it is you are trying to say.

by Highways England on flickr cc

Knowing the Micro-Moments

The introduction of mobile technology over the years has resulted in an increasing number of micro-moments, or snippets of time in which mobile users engage in behaviors such as: checking the clock, texting a friend, posting an update to social media, researching products, and more. As Google describes it [source: https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/articles/how-micromoments-are-changing-rules.html]:

Micro-moments occur when people reflexively turn to a device — increasingly a smartphone — to act on a need to learn something, do something, discover something, watch something, or buy something. They are intent-rich moments when decisions are made and preferences shaped. In these moments, consumers’ expectations are higher than ever.

Marketers need to create relevant, useful content for target audiences.

Marketers should be tapping into these micro-moments to create relevant, rich content that caters to the specific needs of that particular person at that point in time. Weighing into this is the fact that we live in an age of distraction where attention spans are the shortest they’ve ever been. Therefore, there is an even greater need to deliver useful, easily digestible content.

51% of smartphone users have purchased from a company/brand other than the one they intended to because the information provided was useful.1

Offering content that is useful is a key factor in engaging potential consumers as well as ensuring that they continue down the purchase path. Below, we examine the four key types of micro moments as well as how these types of moments may be used to help marketers create content and mobile strategies that are more effective.

4 Types of Micro-Moments

In their recent article, “How to Beat Consumer Tune-Out with Useful Content,” Google outlines four key types of micro-moments along with ways to be useful to each so that you can create content (and mobile strategies) that work. Below, we’ve outlined these four micro-moments.

Micro-Moment #1 – I Want to Know.

Examples:

  • What’s the best laptop for college students?
  • How can I lose 10lbs in the healthiest way?
  • What’s the most fuel-efficient car?

Nowadays, the first step to a successful sales journey begins with mobile. People on mobile tend to gravitate towards smaller, snackable, educational content (versus more traditional, hard sales).

Offer helpful, short, how-to videos for your customers. Provide quick tips on social media for followers. Whatever you do, make it quick, relevant, and useful. By providing answers to your audience’s common questions, you earn trust, build credibility, and provide value.

Micro-Moment #2 – I Want to Go.

Examples:

  • Where is the best Honda dealership near me?
  • Where can I get custom window tinting done?

With more than half of Google searches now taking place on mobile2, being where your audience is proves vital – especially if you have a brick-and-mortar location. More consumers are apt to buy from companies whose mobile sites are tailored to their specific location – especially if it provides useful information about a product they are looking for.

In fact, nearly 70 percent of mobile users expect a business to be within 5 miles of their location. And 71 percent of consumers commonly look for a store’s location via a mobile device3.

How is your content tailoring to these consumers?

Micro-Moment #3 – I Want to Do.

Examples:

  • How do I fix a leaky kitchen sink?
  • How do I create a simple, elegant hairstyle?
  • How do I an oil change myself?

Think of step-by-step instructions. Think of YouTube How-To videos. According to Google [source: https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/articles/how-to-beat-consumer-tune-out-with-useful-content.html], nearly 50 percent of smartphone users are more likely to buy from companies whose mobile sites/apps provide instructional video content.

Micro-Moment #4 – I Want to Buy.

Google points out that this type of micro-moment can happen anytime, anywhere. Whether you’re standing in line at the grocery store, sitting in traffic on the way home from work, or taking a quick lunch break – consumers are more likely to buy from companies who make it easy and seamless to purchase items/services quickly.

Speed matters.

Empower consumers to buy from your brand. Do this by providing a mobile experience that is easy, accessible, and FAST, regardless of where that consumer is located.

How is your company taking advantage these key micro-moments that Google mentioned?

image by by AFS-USA Intercultural Programs on flickr cc

Sources:

1. [Consumers in the Micro-Moment, Wave 3, Google/Ipsos, U.S., August 2015, n=1291 online smartphone users 18+]↩
2. [Tan, Alicia Marie. More than half of Google searches now come from mobile. Mashable. October 2015]↩
3. [Google/Nielsen Mobile Path to Purchase, Nov 2013]↩

Yahoo Turns to Search Engine Giant, Google, for Help

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Yahoo

After reporting financial losses for the third quarter, Yahoo recently announced that it would begin to use Google to help boost some of its search results and advertising. According to Yahoo’s chief executive, Marissa Mayer, the tech company is still in search (no pun intended) of a viable turnaround plan. According to Mayer [https://investor.yahoo.net/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=937519]:

Our Q3 results were largely within our forecasted expectations — our GAAP revenue grew 7% year-over-year and our Mavens revenue grew 43%.  As we move into 2016, we will work to narrow our strategy, focusing on fewer products with higher quality to achieve improved growth and profitability. In addition to sharpening focus within core business growth, our top priority is the planned spinoff of Aabaco Holdings. This is an important moment for the Company, and we continue to strive to complete the spin as quickly as we can.

Narrowing Their Focus

Part of Yahoo’s said turnaround plan involves narrowing their strategy, and the first area to feel the effects was Yahoo’s video programming, which is taking a $42 million write-off. You can also likely expect some lay-offs, and scaling back in other areas of the company’s operations.

Making a Deal with Google

Earlier this week, Yahoo signed a mobile search and web deal with Google. The 3-year deal allows Google to supply advertising and search results for some of the search queries made by Yahoo users. And according to Yahoo, this partnership will only serve to bolster their search capabilities as well as complement the search services already provided by Microsoft.

There will also, likely, be a shift towards mobile search initiatives. According to the Yahoo Q3 investor report [https://investor.yahoo.net/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=937519], mobile revenue represented 24 percent of traffic-driven revenue, a 4% increase from 2014. As more companies and brands shift the focus to mobile search from desktop search, Mayer reiterated the point that 90 percent of time on phones are spent in mobile apps, not in the browser. Therefore, audiences may see more online experiences driven by mobile apps.

Turning towards Google for help with search results and advertising is a bandaid that may make investors happy for the moment. However, Mayer’s plan to streamline and focus the company remains to be seen.