Research shows the continued importance of direct marketing in the marketing mix
With our focus on digital media, it’s easy to forget that traditional marketing communications are still widely used and important drivers of leads and sales. This new research has shown that
“Almost a quarter (23%) of overall turnover (sales) can be attributed to direct marketing”
This is based on research from DMA who are are naturally keen to make the point about the ongoing importance of direct marketing in its latest forms. In their recent research completed by the Future Foundation on direct marketing effectiveness in the UK ,600 companies were surveyed including 453 detailed interviews with companies involved in direct marketing.
It’s interesting to look at the range of options available from what can be considered direct marketing and we can learn from the most popular since this suggests what is most effective today. If we look at the four most popular…
New research shows potential for Facebook commerce?
Value/Importance: [rating=3]
Recommended link: Ecwid/TNS Research
You will have noticed that in 2011 there was a lot of hype about Facebook commerce with many companies announcing the launch of F-commerce stores.
By 2012 we had moved from the peak of inflated expectations to the trough of disillusionment in the technology hype cycle.
This disillusionment or “F*****d commerce” as Marketing Pilgrim put it, was shown with major US retailers like Gamestop, JC Penney, Nordstrom and The Gap all shutting their Facebook stores.
Does this mean the end for F-commerce? Not necessarily. This new research suggests that F-commerce maybe moving along the slope of enlightenment. The research from TNS, predicts that:
"6.1% of online purchases over the next 3 years will be made via Facebook. Although only 4% of GB consumers have purchased goods from Facebook, the research showed that 40% would be happy to buy goods from Facebook if it…
Google Shopping US shows new strategic plays from Google
You may have read my post introducing Google Shopping last week on the changes coming to what is currently called Google Product. It has been interesting to watch the noise unfold on the subject.
Google is already rolling out their user experience updates in the US on http://google.com/shopping, no doubt ahead of the coming Google Shopping UK updates on http://www.google.co.uk/shopping. See the screenshots below to see the differences to the UK platform and what this suggests about Google's strategy.
Google Shopping UK - August 2012
[caption id="attachment_16246" align="aligncenter" width="550" caption="Google Shopping in the UK. Currently just flat products displayed on a page..."][/caption]
Google Shopping US - August 2012
[caption id="attachment_16247" align="aligncenter" width="550" caption="Google Shopping integrated with the 3 services it is now bringing together... See below for…
5 practical actions and an example you can follow
Google+ is continuing to gather momentum, with more than 170 million users or more depending on who you listen to. At the same time though, there's a lot of discussion around the number of active users and unconfirmed data that user engagement is weak. There's no question that Google+ hasn't arrived 'main-stream' yet, but we think the growth of it now warrants some attention when planning your content marketing, even if you keep the investment modest.
What's so special about Google+?
Guy Kawasaki said that Google+ is for "passions," that's what differentiates it, and though that's maybe a little vague and consumer orientated, the notion of it makes good sense.
"Businesses should jump on Google+ because it’s the Wild West, so you can stake your claim, as opposed to breaking through the noise on Twitter and Facebook." Guy Kawasaki
Google+ is very different to Twitter…
Social Media from Laurel and Hardy Shhh….
Last week my wife mentioned to me, and I’m not sure how this came about, that Laurel and Hardy, or Stanlio e Ollio to give them their true Italian identity, actually spoke with an English accent, which is why when the English attempt to speak Italian, they tend to find us so funny. Now this might just be my wife’s way of protecting my rather brittle confidence when it comes to talking Italian in her native tongue, but it was a perfect (she wouldn’t have known this at the time) example of delivering content that was both relevant and interesting to the audience, in this case me.
Since 19% of all activity online is spent using social media compared to 6% in March 2007 (comScore, Dec 2011), it goes without saying that…
Demystifying the affiliate marketing jungle
It can be hard to understand affiliate marketing if you're new to it. When I mention I work in affiliate marketing people often looked scared and confused! Quite often you might be unaware of the amount of times you come into contact with an affiliate site in your day-to-day life. This is why they are such a great opportunity to expand the reach of a retail or ecommerce site - you can reach audiences that you wouldn't otherwise and only pay when sales are delivered.
Like walking through the jungle it’s a lot less scary if you know what to look out for. Understanding the different types of affiliates and some of their characteristics can help to improve your chances of surviving and prospering. With that in mind I have looked at some of the animals that make up the affiliate marketing kingdom.
Content sites for SEO
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E-retail own goals that gift victory to your rivals
There are lots of common mistakes that I still often see made on a frequent basis when I review e-commerce sites. Sure, you're unlikely to see these on John Lewis and M&S, but some are made irrespective of the size of the project.
Having seen many of these mistakes being made so often and particularly when so little work is required to rectify or prevent them, I have created this list of some of the common e-commerce mistakes to avoid:
Getting the basics of product marketing wrong
Surprisingly, one of the most common mistakes that companies of all sizes have made and will continue to make comes down to viewing the build of a website as a technical exercise only. In fact nothing could be farther from the truth. An e-commerce website has to position your…
