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| | | Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:36:32 -0400 | | | The evolution of widgets into powerful online marketing tools. Stefanie Berliant
Media Coordinator A recent study by eMarketer predicts that US companies will more than double their spend on widget creation, promotion and distribution from 2007 to 2008. Marketers are expected to spend about $40 million on web widgets in 2008, up from $15 million in 2007. A widget is a miniature, portable software application that can be placed on a section of a website, a desktop, or on a mobile device. Widgets have transformed from meaningless applications on social networks into a legitimate marketing tool. Its viral nature allows companies to increase brand awareness by extending their web presence, acquiring new customers at a minimal cost, driving qualified traffic to targeted websites and leveraging a website’s existing content. We have not yet seen the full potential of widgets as an online marketing tool until they are able to improve a website’s natural search rankings (Search Engine Optimization). If widget developers are able to place text links within the code of a widget, the website that the widget promotes should benefit from an increased link count and move up in natural search rankings. When widget creators are able to close this marketing loop, the widget will truly be a powerful online marketing tool. 
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| | Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:19:41 -0400 | | | Relevant ads targeted towards Internet users’ needs lend to high click-through rates, yet debate over its infringement upon individual privacy persists… Christine Pepin
Media Coordinator With the potential audience for Internet ads exceeding two-thirds of the US population by the end of 2009, both online advertisers and web publishers are highly optimistic about greater revenues from ad inventory. Unfortunately, these prospective 200 million users are actually becoming unresponsive to the most common forms of online advertising, finding ads to be irrelevant to their current interests. With the use of behavioral targeting, advertisers have a chance of reversing user's indifferent attitudes about the banners, rich media, and video ads disseminated online. By targeting ads based on a consumer’s specific interests or needs online advertisers may begin to see the revenues they seek. However, with behavioral targeted advertising comes a greater risk of violating the individual privacy of consumers, which is closely monitored and protected by privacy groups, state governments, and the FTC. The good news for advertisers is that 66% of US Internet users indicated they would click on additional Internet ads if they were more relevantly targeted. The bad news is that a nearly identical number (65%), represents users who call Internet advertising more intrusive than print ads.
Below is a study by eMarketer that shows the different attitudes of Internet users towards online advertising:
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| | Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:29:00 -0400 | | | New Google Ad Planner tool to assist advertisers and media buyers with where to place ads. Stefanie Berliant
Media Coordinator This week Google announced a new feature: Google Ad Planner. This tool is designed to help online advertisers and media buyers determine where to place ads by identifying websites that target audiences are likely to visit. Ad Planner will provide a list of relevant websites by defining age, gender, income, geography, language, education level, and other websites. Additionally, it provides site demographics for each of those websites. With the introduction of Ad Planner, Google has entered the web measurement services industry, the territory of industry leaders such as Hitwise, comScore and Neilsen Online. These industry leaders mainly collect their data by tracking large panels of people. Ad Planner’s data is generated from a variety of sources, including tracking large panels and third party market research, but it will be based mostly on data from web servers which should provide a more extensive view of internet use. Not all websites are included in the list of relevant websites due to low traffic volume, exclusion files placed on websites, or websites not adhering to quality guidelines. One major advantage of Ad Planner is that it is free and this will inevitably affect the web measurement industry. In its infancy, there are several obstacles that do not make Ad Planner a one stop shop. You cannot buy ad placements on sites through Google Ad Planner, nor can you contact publishers directly through the tool. It is not yet synched with AdWords or Analytics to complete the relationship between the tools, however, the export feature will suffice for now. Overall, this tool is useful, I would use it to supplement my research and add it to my arsenal of tools. I appreciate the innovation of Google trying to make my job more efficient and effective. But only time will tell whether Google Ad Planner will become the new web measurement industry leader. See Also | |
| | Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:16:40 -0400 | | Almost mirroring its traditional search presence, Google was able to capture 61% of the total mobile search market in the first quarter of 2008...Keith Vera
Account Manager
Almost mirroring its traditional search presence, Google was able to capture 61% of the total mobile search market in the first quarter of 2008. According to a recently released report by Nielsen Mobile, Google ranked highest in mobile searches, with Yahoo and MSN following with 18% and 5% respectively.
According to Hitwise, Google captured 68.29% of all searches in May, 2008. Yahoo and MSN followed as usual with 19.95% and 5.89% respectively. Below is the Hitwise chart showing month-over-month and May 07 to 08 market shares for the big three:
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| | Tue, 10 Jun 2008 13:31:58 -0400 | | | University students across 47 countries around the world had the opportunity to experience first-hand SEM tactics that help increase visibility on search engine result pages (SERPs) in the Google Online Marketing Challenge. Christine Pepin
Media Coordinator According to Compete.com, over 135 million people frequent Google’s website each month. Despite the widespread familiarity of the search giant's site, many visitors are unaware of the strategy behind the paid search system that business-owners rely on for exposure. This year, university students across 47 countries around the world had the opportunity to experience first-hand SEM tactics that help increase visibility on search engine result pages (SERPs) in the Google Online Marketing Challenge. To compete, student teams worked with a local business not already advertising with Google AdWords to develop strategic online marketing campaigns. Using only $200 of free advertising provided by Google, the teams launched a pay-per-click (PPC) campaign for three consecutive weeks. Judging was based on a post-campaign summary of each team's results and experience during the competition. In mid July winners will be announced, with the global winners receiving a trip to Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, CA, and regional winners a trip to their local Google office. Individual and university recognition will be awarded to other top finalists. As a participator in this competition, and as someone working in the interactive marketing industry, it is easy to see the value of the Google Online Marketing Challenge. The process of identifying the most effective keywords to produce high click-through and conversion rates, understanding the role of bidding and which ad content users are more receptive to, are all important elements of paid search that students learn first hand throughout the competition. Come October, 2008 when registration for the 2009 Challenge opens, EyeTraffic Media will be assisting both The University of Maryland and Georgetown University in developing their AdWords campaigns.
See Also- GOMCHA blog
Link to the unofficial social network for international teams competing in the Google Online Marketing Challenge - Google Blog
Link to the official Google blog with summary description of the Challenge by Google AdWords Communication team member, Daniel Rubin - Challenge Home Page
Link to the Google Online Marketing Challenge Home Page where the specifics of the competition are explained in detail for participating students and professors
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| | Mon, 09 Jun 2008 10:21:09 -0400 | | The ten winning campaigns shared several common themes including the use of social media...Ryan Moss
Media Coordinator
MarketingSherpa recently released the list of the top ten viral marketing campaigns for this year and inducted them into its' hall of fame. For the fourth year in a row, the Sherpa staff evaluated the top viral campaigns and decided which ones were the best. All of the winners utilized peer-to-peer pass-along in order to reach consumers who fit into a variety of demographic groups.
As the staff analyzed the winning campaigns, it noticed several common themes. The three most prominent were an increase in the use of social media (YouTube, Facebook, MySpace, etc.), an emphasis on peer-to-peer sharing and the use of great content in a campaign.
Companies who were inducted into the hall of fame include VIBE Media, General Mills, Columbia Sportswear and VeriSign. For a complete list of inductees and to see each campaign in more detail click on the link below from MarketingSherpa. See Also | |
| | Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:26:32 -0400 | | Studies show that the majority of companies who use e-mail marketing don't send welcome messages to new subscribers...Ryan Moss
Media Coordinator
As e-mail marketing continues to grow, it is critical that companies operate their campaigns in accordance with e-mail marketing best practices. If they don't follow the best practices, they put themselves in danger of losing customers or tarnishing their reputation.
According to a recent study by Return Path, 70% of the companies surveyed asked for more than just an e-mail address when a new user registers. However, after the user subscribes, 60% of those same companies didn't send a "welcome message" and 33% of the companies didn't send any type of e-mail during the next 30 days.
Of those companies that did send out welcome messages to new subscribers, 85% percent of them did not personalize their messages at all.
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| | Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:58:48 -0400 | | | A recent study shows that more vacationers are using the Internet to make their travel plans Ryan Moss
Media Coordinator With summer comes family vacations, and according to a recent study conducted by OTX, families are using the Internet to make travel plans more often then not. Over 70% of those surveyed planned on taking a family trip this summer, and about 75% of those same people will be using the Internet to make their plans. With the economy struggling, consumers are likely to focus on price, which is exactly what advertisers in the travel industry should emphasize. When deciding where to take their vacation, families in the U.S. rely on a few sources for information. About 50% of respondents referred to friends and family for recommedations and information, while only 21% used travel books. For those that use the Internet when looking for a destination, 72% use search engines, 58% use online booking sites, 26% use consumer testimonial sites, and 19% use travel information sites. As seen in the chart below the number of consumers who use the Internet to make travel plans has been increasing since 2000. 
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