Latest Articles
Tuesday, June 05, 2012
In 2011, for a third consecutive year, online ad spending growth in Mexico exceeded 30%. The automotive industry doubled their investments last year to nearly $20 million, according to the IAB México, as advertisers across the board in Mexico sought to strengthen their online strategies.
Monday, June 04, 2012
A new eMarketer report examines the online commerce landscape in the UK where, despite a gloomy economic outlook, online sales are growing at a robust rate. Mobile shopping is becoming key for forward-looking retailers as consumers increasingly expect a seamless cross-channel experience.
Marketers used to steer clear of providing editorial content, but those days are now over. Recent research indicates that almost all marketers are engaged in content curation of some form, and see value in its ability to demonstrate thought leadership. But the time it takes, and the labor-intensive process of curation, can be an obstacle to doing it well.
Those planning to purchase or lease vehicles have long looked online to do their research and seek out expert advice. Research indicates that the trend is carrying over to mobile devices as well. And mobile users seem willing to use mobile ads to get to the information they seek.
Friday, June 01, 2012
Earlier this week, we looked at the effect of the EU Data Protection Directive as the UK enacts regulations to control the terms by which websites can collect data on their users via cookies. France, the third-largest online ad market in the EU, updated its online regulations in August 2011, putting in place similar disclosures on how data can be obtained. The updated law has not caused a blip in online ad spending.
John Leeman, chief marketing officer, spoke to eMarketer about the challenges presented by the online grocery business and how FreshDirect is evolving to meet them.
Facebook advertising has never been more in the spotlight, and particular interest is being paid to its revenue-generating Sponsored Stories. Yet consumers are more often interacting with brand pages and sharing branded content, according to a recent survey.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Image-sharing sites like Pinterest and Polyvore are facilitating high clickthrough rates to retail product pages. Although not all consumers are in the mindset to shop while on the sites, the social networks offer solid ground for product inspiration and consideration.
Smartphones are irreversibly changing the way people access the internet, not just in developed markets like the UK and US, but also in emerging ones. New data shows that smartphone users in Brazil, India and Russia are avid app and mobile internet users, potentially overtaking PC-based usage.
With so many ways to engage with TV shows and connect with fellow viewers, consumers are pulling together systems that work for them, using a variety of tools and sites. They are mostly using social media to interact with others and find supplemental content.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Commerce on Facebook has yet to take off. And one of the reasons may be that users of the social network have significant concerns about the security around making purchases through Facebook. Research shows that more than half of Facebook users did not feel safe making purchases on the social media service.
Mobile phones, especially smartphones, are like a direct-response marketing channel in nearly every consumer’s pocket, and can be used as a tool to engage with other types of advertising, including TV, outdoor and in-store marketing. So far, consumers are most often responding with their smartphone to offline ads viewed on TV or in-store.
South Korea has a vibrant online community, but can often seem like a tough nut to crack for international web companies and marketers due to a unique language and strong local culture of technology development. However, the landscape is changing: As social media users see the benefits of connecting with the rest of the world online, they will migrate to multinational services.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
A new eMarketer report explores the fast uptake of mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets, by business professionals and B2B purchase decision-makers, and how B2B marketers can both target those customers via mobile and keep them interested and moving through the purchase funnel.
Online advertising in the UK could be in store for some dramatic changes in the next few months. On May 26, 2012, a new cookie law went into effect, spurred by the EU Data Protection Directive. Marketers are still figuring out exactly how the regulation will affect their online campaigns, while consumers' reactions, so far, have been mixed.
With campaigns well underway, politicians looking to court votes in specific geographic areas are turning to mobile, where location-based targeting is a natural fit, and are finding lead costs vary depending on geography. What can other marketers learn from political efforts in local mobile advertising?
Friday, May 25, 2012
With 45% of mobile connections in Mexico concentrated in just four states and the Federal District, which includes Mexico City, geographic diversity is not an obstacle for advertisers deploying mobile campaigns. Penetration and the split between prepaid and postpaid mobile plans, however, are key factors that will determine the future of mobile broadband uptake and the strategic choices available to marketers.
A new eMarketer report examines brand advocates—regular consumers who not only follow or “like” brands on social networks, but also actively recommend products and services to their online networks on a regular basis. Being helpful is a major motivation, and brands can harness that desire to spread the word by identifying these individuals and living up to their expectations.
Geoff Robertson, vice president of ecommerce, strategy and planning, spoke to eMarketer about how Grainger is embracing mobile devices to deliver time and cost savings to its clients.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
The internet is increasingly intertwined with the lives of consumers in Canada, and most expect its influence to grow in the next five years. Smartphones, with their inherent connectivity and always-on status, are only bolstering this effect, but still remain a secondary touchpoint in the highly connected country.