Good News for Retailers: Drake Morton

Facebook Commerce Holds Promise for Retailers

January 20, 2012

Social networks don’t account for much

eCommerce yet, but heavy Facebook users see it as a one-stop shop

Retailers are still in the early stages of using social media as a sales vehicle, but the channel is poised for growth. Booz & Company estimated that $1 billion in goods would be sold through social media in the US in 2011. That figure is expected to triple in 2012 and reach $14 billion by 2015.

Social media and ecommerce have evolved since 1-800-FLOWERS launched the first Facebook storefront in July 2009. Internet users have become more comfortable with online buying on Facebook as they spend more time on the site.

“It is not surprising that shopping and socializing—activities that complement each other in the real world—are beginning to converge online as well,” said Krista Garcia, eMarketer analyst and author of the new report, “Facebook Commerce: Reaching Shoppers Where They Socialize.” “As social media, and Facebook in particular, plays a larger role in consumers’ lives, people are becoming accustomed to performing routine tasks like reading news, watching videos and listening to music, as well as discovering products and shopping, all while staying logged in to a single site. Instead of compartmentalizing daily routines, social media users are treating Facebook as a one-stop platform.”

(more…)

Interesting Stats: Drake Morton

New Research: The Social Media Data Stacks

If you don’t think social media marketing can influence your marketing efforts, consider these facts:

• Social media site users spend an average of 5.4 hours a month engaged in networking sites.
• Facebook attracts 734.2 million unique visitors a month.
• Half of Twitter users discuss TV shows.

(more…)

Good Read: Drake Morton

It’s 2012. Should My Brand Build a Social App?

Every Brand Is Not Spotify and Most Social Apps Do Not Work

By: Michael Lazerow Published: January 06, 2012

I was sitting on a panel with my friend, Clickable CEO David Kidder, at the Business Insider Social Media Analytics conference this past November, and a conversation came up about custom social apps.

Do we recommend brands use them?

I would never recommend brands do something that I don’t think will work. Custom social applications generally don’t work. In fact, only a rare few do succeed.

It’s always important to remember that apps are not the silver bullet to cure all social media issues you may have. Apps must be incorporated within a larger social media strategy, instead of being the sole focus. (more…)

You should read: Drake Morton

by Adam T. Sutton, Senior Reporter

Social Media Marketing: Cleveland Indian Cater to

Influencers to Increase Sales 174%

SUMMARY: Finding your online influencers and nurturing them into brand ambassadors is more than a “wouldn’t that be nice” kind of theory. This marketing team stepped up to the plate and worked with influencers to increase its social media audience and revenue more than 170%.

See how the Cleveland Indians knocked it out of the park by catering to bloggers, Tweeters, and other influential fans. This case study describes how the team created and monetized the program, and it’s a great example of how to cater to heavy users of social media.

CHALLENGE

In Fall 2009, the Cleveland Indians Major League Baseball team was finishing the second of two consecutive losing seasons, and the economy was in a slump, as well. The Indians’ marketing team needed to rally fans and thought social media marketing could help.
(more…)

Good Read: Drake Morton

Activating Social Extensions For Google AdWords

by Janet Driscoll Miller , Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011

Not long after Google enabled Google+ Pages for Business earlier this month, it also enabled a new Google AdWords ad extension type: social extensions. Like other types of ad extensions, social extensions provide a way for marketers to add additional information to their ads, making them larger and more visible, helping an individual one to stand out in a sea of ads on the page. Social extensions add Google+ social information to an ad, including information such as:

How many +1s you have, tallied together.
Specific friends/connections who have +1’ed your website, ad, or search result.
Social extensions are free and fairly simple to add to your advertisements.
(more…)

Good Read: Drake Morton

Be Smart, Be Social

by Jeremiah McMillan , Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2011

As “content everywhere” business models continue to expand at a rapid pace, it becomes abundantly clear what the devices and platforms defining and driving TV and digital entertainment contents convergence are.

With convergence, content providers and producers need to know and have survival skills to compete in “content everywhere” markets — including what the revenue, brand and digital extensions mean to the bottom line.

A few market shifts are painting a much clearer picture. Understanding “smart” platforms and devices, and what defines “social TV” content engagement, especially for the younger generations, is crucial to content business models in a “content everywhere” world.

Basically, multi-screen content strategy for 2012 and beyond is all about being “smart” and being “social.”

This is clear from the attention on a few new research studies that show global online TV and video revenues hitting $22 billion by 2016, up from $3.4 billion in 2010.

U.S. executives can look at with anticipation, or concern at the prediction that the U.S.’s share of that market will drop from 54% to 36% as the “globalization of content” and how people receive it takes off, with connected devices and platforms in Europe and Asia driving the growth in on-line video and TV revenues more than any other.

Smart And Social Digital Extensions:
(more…)

Interesting Read: Drake Morton

Why Google+ Matters

by David Berkowitz , Thursday, July 7, 2011

I’m done writing about Google+, at least for today. Fortunately, I have enough material for a column thanks to the powers of crowdsourcing — the act of tapping the community to achieve a common objective. In this case, I posted a message on Google+, publicly asking, “Why does Google+ matter?”
(more…)

Excellent Read: Drake Morton

Does Advertising And Digital Behavior Lack

A Unified Theory And Method For Measurement And Analysis?

by Judah Phillips , Friday, April 15, 2011

Major brainpower and capital is spent measuring digital behavior in the context of the performance of customer acquisition sources.  I mean referrers, like search (seo/sem), crm, emails, and other forms of paid, owned, and/or earned media;and, then spending mental energy and money optimizing digital customer experience for conversion and/or retention.  Digital analytical evolution over the last several years should no longer support a focus only on the linear flow of acquisition to conversion to loyalty.  The devolution of the “funnel” metaphor (are we not measurers?) makes sense because of the complexity of the digital and non-digital ecosystem, which has a multitude of customer touchpoints that lead to value-generating customer performance.  Do you believe the linear “funnel” is insufficient?   Is it really a “tumbler”?
(more…)

Good Read: Drake Morton

Less than 1% of Web Site Visits Come

from Social Media

By: Erik Sass:

One of social media’s big selling points is the high degree of user engagement it generally produces — but paradoxically this “stickiness” may also be a liability, as heavily-engaged users are also less likely to follow links leading to sites outside the social media universe. At least, that’s the conclusion I draw from some interesting research findings just released by ForeSee Results. (more…)

Good Read: Drake Morton

Five Social Trends To Get Excited About Today

by David Berkowitz , Tuesday, April 5, 2011

The digitally social world is moving so fast that as spring shows itself, it’s time to smell the roses. Here are five trends to get excited about right now, with five more coming soon.

1) Group Buying

Why does it matter? When these deals are truly social, there are countless opportunities to reach audiences and grow sales far beyond the initial audiences.

Who it impacts: Anyone with something to sell online can take part, such as retail, consumer packaged goods (CPG), travel, automotive, and many others.

How big is it? Needham & Co. pegs the local daily deals sector at $1.9 billion in the U.S., $3.7 billion globally this year, and forecasts it will grow to $4.5 billion here and $10.3 billion globally in 2015.

Watch out: Sometimes merchants must break the bank to woo customers. Certain sites like Scoutmob allow deal size-caps.

Best in class: LivingSocial is one daily deal site that is still social in name as well as deed, given that deals are free if three of your friends buy them.
(more…)