Moving Forward With Email Marketing
February 24, 2010
As reliable and useful a marketing tool as email's proven to be in the past, it'll be better than ever in the future, according to one expert. The Director of eMarketing Education at ExactTarget explained during a session at OMS how things are changing and how marketers can continue to use email to their advantage.
(Coverage of the Online Marketing Summit 2010 continues at WebProNews Videos. Keep an eye on WebProNews for more notes and videos from the event this week.)
Joel Book stated that 40 percent of the cell phones in use will be smart phones by 2014. All marketers need to test their emails for compatibility with mobile formats, then, and retail marketers should think about issuing mobile coupons.
Next, he discussed the concept of creating and cultivating brand advocates using email. Brand awareness is vital, after all, and Book indicated that 50 percent of all shared content is shared via email. This means that the social sharing can be a great way of attracting new subscribers.
Indeed, Book said email has far surpassed direct mail as the highest-producing tactic for reaching customers and converting buyers. And here's an interesting tidbit: sending emails from a person, as opposed to generic email address, can increase open rates by as much as 18 percent.
Finally, marketers must look at meshing email with other tactics. Use email and CRM for lead nurturing, reseller education, trade show follow-ups, and sales support for dealers, for example. Email and analytics can be used to make personalized recommendations and live offers. Email and SMS, meanwhile, can help with mobile immediacy, lead generation, and subscriber acquisition.
Good News for Google Buzz – Social and Email Top Mobile Priorities
February 10, 2010
An interesting study has been released by PR firm Ruder Finn, which finds that 91% of mobile phone users go online to socialize, compared to only 79% of traditional desktop users. Meanwhile, Americans are spending an average of 2.7 hours on the mobile Internet.
"Mobile phones have become the way people organize their lives—managing finances, connecting with friends, purchasing products—and this trend will only accelerate," said Kathy Bloomgarden, Ruder Finn co-CEO. "The mobile phone is becoming the most powerful online device, and the faster businesses can adapt their services to harness consumer mobile intent, the more rapidly they can capitalize on understanding their customers to drive growth."
The Mobile Intent Index asked respondents how frequently they use their mobile phones to go online for 295 reasons, and the results show that immediacy is the primary factor driving behavior.
"Mobile phone use goes beyond instant gratification," said Marty McGough, director, Ruder Finn Insights. "Our survey data shows that people use their mobile phones out of necessity for instant access to the Web whether it's to conduct business with the most recent information or advocate on the spot on issues of pressing concern and breaking news."
According to Ruder Finn's research, about three in five users download mobile apps at least once a month, while 36% of users download apps from social networking sites at least once a month.
"Mobile technology means that people no longer have to wait until they're in front of their computers to do their work," says the firm's Chief Innovation Officer Michael Schubert. "And people are taking advantage of that; using mobile devices to do their core work while using desktops to navigate longer format and higher bandwidth content and tools. This is resulting in huge changes – and opportunities – across industries, making mobile an essential channel in keeping businesses competitive."
The top social intents named by participants of Ruder Finn's survey were instant messaging (62%), forwarding e-mails (58%), content (40%), and photos (38%), posting comments on social networking sites (45%), and connecting to people on social networking sites (43%).
There is of course a new social player in the game with Google Buzz, which was announced yesterday. One of the primary focuses of the product appears to be on mobile, with three separate mobile Google Buzz-related announcements made by the company: the ability to use Buzz from Google.com on iPhone/Android, a brand new app, and a Maps update.
"The RF Mobile Intent Index shows that 91% of mobile users are more likely than traditional online users (70%) to go online to be part of a community and supports the theory that location based social connections are only growing," Scott Schneider, EVP and director of Ruder Finn Interactive tells WebProNews. "With the launch of Google Buzz and it's mobile focus, we will see an increase in the already high socialization activities of smart phone users. Combined with the fact that the penetration of smart phone users is only growing, this points to a communication future dominated by mobile focused social networks."
The jury is still out on just how successful Google Buzz will end up being, but Ruder Finn's findings appear to suggest that the product will meet several of the top objectives of mobile users. Buzz being present on the mobile version of Google.com, which Google says is the worlds' most popular mobile home page, could be a huge factor.
Have You Read This?
> Will Google Buzz Change the Social Media Game?
> Whose Got The Buzz: Yahoo or Google?
> Is Gmail Google's Real Social Network?
Americans’ Social Media Habits Highlight Business Potential
November 21, 2009
Euro RSCG released some interesting findings from a study exploring the different ways Americans are using social media to "redefine their lives." The study looked at 1,228 social media users in the United States.
"Word of mouth has always been the most powerful marketing tool; what social media has done is dramatically increase the scale, velocity and immediacy with which people can influence each other and create the biggest revolution to hit our industry since television," said David Jones, global CEO of Euro RSCG. "One of the interesting findings of the study is that it's the combination of online and offline experiences that creates the biggest impact."
Other findings include:
- Even though 53.5% of respondents have met new people through electronic media, face-to-face interaction is still the "gold standard"
- Consumers are engaging more in multi-way exchanges of ideas and opinions among consumers and brands
- Consumers are not only move involved with family and friends, but they have increased involvement in political and humanitarian issues.
- 40% agree that social groupings online can be truly social, while only 14% disagree. According to Euro RSCG, figures varied little across age, gender, ethnic, or income groups.
"Online social networking has become part of our culture so quickly, it's easy to forget just how new it is and how much it's a work in progress. People are still experimenting with the different options and finding ways to make it part of their life," said Marian Salzman, president of Euro RSCG Worldwide PR, North America. "Forget the images of sad antisocial types. Smart consumers are mixing and matching the tools that come available to meet their social needs. Electronic tools are making them even more socially active, just as the telephone did back in the day."
Perhaps more interesting than the statistics provided by the firm, are the key takeaways it cites. This includes things like the fact that social media is an important consideration for any communications strategy, and the fact that it's impossible to predict how bits of communication will spread across social media.
The firm also says that even though the web is world-wide, its emerging power is hyperlocal. This is because this is the space where online and offline most often meet. That is a key reason why businesses, particularly local businesses should not ignore social media.
Have You Read This?
> If You Care About Search, You Must Care About Social Media
