Google to launch RCS messaging, brands failing at acting on social purpose, influencer marketing under fire, TikTok explodes in China, Facebook Top Fan targeting

We've taken a look at some of the news stories you should know about this week, including: Google made an interesting decision when it announced that it was no longer waiting for phone makers and networks to roll out RCS messaging. The tech giant is set to make the improved messaging service available for select Android features by the end of the month after a lot of delays. A survey has revealed that while social purpose is important to brands, they are failing to walk the walk when it comes to actually putting initiatives in place. This could ultimately leave to issues when attracting both customers and talent. Influencer marketing has come under fire after it was revealed that a 'surprise' life event was actually part of a marketing opportunity,…

Tactics and opportunities to bring your idea to life

We’ve all been there. We come up with an idea, share it with colleagues but before you know it, the idea is dead. Stopped in its tracks. More often than not, an idea might be killed not because of malice, envy or other nefarious reasons, but as a result of perfectly good intentions. When we block an idea or find ways in which it may not work, it’s likely we’re trying to think rationally: cost, time, resources are all good reasons to stop and think again. [si_guide_block id="39230" title="Download our Individual Member Resource – Marketing campaign planning guide" description="This guide and the companion Campaign planning template (Word) are designed to enable Smart Insights members to review and refresh their existing approach to campaign planning in order to develop a more structured process which integrates the latest digital marketing techniques better."/] But the road to hell is paved…

Incorporating the latest Messenger updates will help you drive business success

As a professional in the digital marketing space, you are probably aware of the restrictions on Messenger responses because of Facebook's 24 + 1 policy. However, you can still take advantage of this narrow time frame, boost marketing efforts on the platform, and connect strategically with consumers. In fact, 1-800-Flowers has experienced success using Messenger for outreach. The flower and gift delivery service reports that 70% of its chatbot orders are made by new customers, many of whom fall into a younger demographic than its usual audience. As a result, the use of Messenger has helped 1-800-Flowers stretch its consumer reach further than before. Other high-profile uses of Messenger included the Wall Street Journal, which allowed users to get stock quotes or headlines delivered to them; HP, which enabled users to print files from Facebook…

A survey has found that 84% of marketers are positive about GDPR

The introduction of GDPR in May 2018 was naturally a cause for concern among marketers, and indeed any company handling customer data. In broad terms, the introduction of GDPR means that marketers now have to ask for more explicit consent and be clearer about how people's email addresses and other personal information are used. As a result, some marketers were concerned that fewer site visitors would give their consent to be marketed to and that this would make email marketing less effective. The reality is, a year on, that GDPR hasn’t been the catastrophe some marketers feared. Instead, opinion on GDPR is now broadly positive.

Why marketers are optimistic after GDPR

SaleCycle surveyed marketers about the measures they’ve taken since the introduction of GDPR to ensure that they comply with the new rules and how this has impacted their email…

Three lessons we can learn from TV advertising in the UK

One of the many advantages we have as marketers is the access to so much diverse, interesting insight. At Smart Insights, we regularly blog about the latest trends in email, display, search and social, all of which give us the opportunity to improve our knowledge and understanding of the marketing landscape. The latest research from Thinkbox, the marketing body for the main UK commercial TV broadcasters (Channel 4, ITV, Sky Media, and Turner Media Innovations), provides some interesting data points on how media is being consumed in the UK. Although many of us may never use television advertising as part of our media mix, the research provides some useful insight into how people are consuming media in the UK and how this impacts other forms of marketing. [si_guide_block id="81859" title="Download our Free Resource –…

Chart of the Week: 87% of business video views take place on desktop but what types of videos are people engaging with?

Video marketing is highly engaging and increasing in popularity, especially with the ability to share and view them via social media platforms. In fact, people are more likely to choose video over other forms of content, with 72% of people saying they’d rather use video to learn about a product or service if it is on a page alongside text. As well as being engaging, video can also help influence decisions in both B2B and B2C industries. Research from Wyzowl reveals that 79% of people have been convinced to buy a piece of software or an app by watching a video. [si_guide_block id="23343" title="Download our Individual Member Resource – Video and YouTube marketing guide" description="Our guide shows you how to review the full opportunities from video marketing…

As more advertisers zoom in on Amazon, the competition for consumer attention will only get stiffer but there is a strategy that can help

Amazon's 2018 Q4 report should pique brand marketers' interest: The e-retail giant reported $10 billion in ad sales in 2018. Even more interesting? The ad sales in Q4 reached a lofty $3.4 billion. Clearly, this is only the beginning of the Amazon advertising gold rush. As more advertisers zoom in on Amazon, the competition for consumer attention will only get stiffer, resulting in a higher cost per click (CPC), fewer opportunities to get in front of consumers, and more expensive campaigns. So how do brand marketers stand out in the oncoming wave? Search term isolation is the little-known strategy that's changing the way brands advertise on Amazon. By using search term isolation, brands can lower their advertising cost of scale (ACoS) while still growing sales. Focusing on…

It’s important to note that there needs to be a degree of flexibility when applying business objectives, which AI can help with

If you’ve used Google’s conversion optimized ad settings, you’ll know just how powerful artificial intelligence (AI) using machine learning and predictive analytics can be. But can retailers squeeze more out of AI on their own sites?

Conversion optimization – Smoothing the way to sales

Conversion optimization is used by retailers to smooth the bumps in the road on the way to a sale or stated goal such as signing up to a store card. This can involve the merchandising of bestsellers both in-store and online, training of staff to better identify customer needs and uncover opportunities to upsell and cross-sell along with tinkering with the UX on websites to see if a blue button leads to greater sales than a green button. …

Survey shows 72% of LGBTQ+ community believe their representation is tokenistic, Facebook announces new cryptocurrency, Instagram looks to other companies to collectively tackle cyber-bullying, Global Alliance for Responsible Media, Voice Coalition announced

Welcome to our weekly rundown of the week's biggest news stories in what has been another busy week in the world of digital. First up, we’ll be looking at research carried out last month that has shed new light on the way LGBTQ+ advertising is perceived, principally among members of the community themselves. Facebook has also announced plans to develop its own cryptocurrency in what could cause some serious tremors throughout the global banking system. Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, has also declared that bullying is not an issue that the Facebook-owned platform will be able to tackle alone. If you’ve been keeping up with all of the events at Cannes Lions this week, you'll know that some of the world’s biggest brands…

In-app messaging lets you communicate with your users and keep them engaged, so they don’t uninstall your app shortly after downloading

If you want to build user retention, there’s more need now for user engagement than ever before. Users are spending more time on their smart devices, downloading apps they feel are of value and that will make their lives easier. There’s also no shortage of apps available, which means yours needs to stand out from the rest. This is where in-app messaging comes in. It lets you communicate with your users and keep them engaged, so they don’t uninstall your app shortly after downloading. But what exactly is in-app messaging and how can you make the most of this marketing strategy? In-app messages are exactly that – messages that are displayed within the app and triggered according to user interaction. First-time users will have a different message and experience than those users who…