Reaching American-American Consumers Via Mobile

Yesterday’s post detailed U.S. smart phone penetration by ethnicity.  It showed that African-American smart phone ownership is going to increase by nearly 60% by 2016.  African-American consumers are an important population segment that can bring your business big results.  Knowing how African-American smart phone owners feel about their device points to how important mobile will be in reaching them.

• African American smart phone owners were 15% more likely to state that they use mobile devices in many ways to get the information they need

• They were 13% more likely to say that their device connects them to the social world

• African-American smart phone owners were also 42% more likely to think their device is an expression of who they were

• 55% of African-American smart phone owners between the age of 18-34 viewed their mobile device as the way they get information

• Nearly 40% of African-American consumers between  35-49 thought their device connected them socially

• Just 13% of African American smart phone owners stated their device was an expression of themselves

What Does This Mean To You?

In Metro Orlando, African-American adults make up 14% of the population.  Nearly one in four have household incomes of $75,000+.  Over half have attended college and 49% have children living in their household.  Mobile devices allow you the opportunity to deliver your message to this lucrative group and create meaningful engagement.  For more information on getting results through targeted mobile campaigns, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: emarketer

Smart Phone Ownership by Ethnicity

Delivering targeted messages doesn’t just make your marketing campaigns more efficient, it also makes them much more effective. Recent studies point to the fact that targeted ads deliver bigger returns.  Mobile solutions are a great way to connect with target audiences and targeting by ethnicity is one way to engage the consumers you want to reach.

• Total smart phone owners:
2012: 37%, 2016 – 59%

• Asian smart phone owners:
2012 – 44%, 2016 – 62%

• Caucasian smart phone owners: 2012 – 35%, 2016 – 59%

• African-American smart phone owners: 2012 – 34%, 2016 – 54%

• Hispanic smart phone owners: 2012 – 37%, 2016 – 63%

What Does This Mean To You?

Currently in Metro Orlando, 29% of Caucasian adults, 45% of Asian adults, 24% of African-American adults and 35% of Hispanic adults own smart phones.  By utilizing content that these ethnicities prefer, you can create product awareness and use smart phones as a platform that develops loyalty.  For more information on mobile content and solutions that engages audiences, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: emarketer

Where The Smart Phone Population Is Set To Grow

Consumer’s reliance on mobile devices grows stronger everyday, as does mobile’s value to you  in connecting and influencing shoppers.  Knowing what segments are primed for growth will help your business target mobile consumers and refine your mobile message.

• By the end of this year, half of all consumers will own a smart phone

The groups expected to see the biggest growth are:

• 35 – 44 year olds, 23 million owners in 2012 to 36 million in 2016 (60% growth)

• 44 – 64 year olds, 31 million owners in 2012 to 59 million in 2016 (93% growth)

• 65+, 5 million users in 2012 to 11 million in 2016 (140% growth)

What Does This Mean To You?

Many businesses are still operating under the assumption that only young adults are addicted to smart phones.  While a larger percent of 18-24 year olds may own a smart phone, there are still more owners in the middle and upper age groups.  And over the next few years, the percentage of smart phone owners in those middle and upper age brackets are going to rise dramatically.  If your business is targeting those consumers, you need to have a strong mobile presence.  It’s  important now, but it will be vital in the future.  For more information on how to create connections and develop customers using mobile solutions, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: emarketer

Smart Phone Owners Are Locally Engaged

Forging relationships and creating engagement with local consumers is a key success factor with most businesses.  Shoppers are creatures of habit – if you can make shopping at your business part of their routine, you’re likely to see great results.  A new survey is out and it details how smart phone users use their devices to find local businesses.

•   Over 90% of U.S. smart phone users seek local information on their device

•   89% have taken action after looking for local content

•   Over half called the business and nearly half visited the location

•   49% looked up the business on a map

•   One in four made a purchase from the business they looked for

•   More than one in five made an online purchase from them

What Does This Mean To You?

Smart phone users are actively seeking out local businesses with most taking some form of action – and you might not even know it.  Mobile devices are user’s constant companions, so it only makes sense that it’s the device they would turn to when they need information.  One thing that will ensure you get results from smart phone users is moving up their information funnel.  A majority of mobile users utilize search engines on their devices. Your business needs to be listed first or near the top in relevant categories.  This will create more awareness with mobile and wired users.  Mobile Email – earlier this week, we had a post about how effective mobile email can be.  70% of consumers see email on their mobile device before their desktop.  Campaigns involving text messaging and geo-location can also increase engagement and brand awareness. Every day, more consumers are using smart phones and that means more possible customers for your local business.  For more information engaging mobile consumers, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: Google Study, February 2012

Social Media And Online Shopping

A recent post pointed to the fact that ecommerce was set to have a big jump.  A recently released study showed how online shopping and social media activities are connected.  Leveraging your social media offerings will not only elevate your company’s awareness, it could also drive your online revenue stream.

•   One in four frequent online shoppers who also log into their Facebook account on a monthly basis have made purchases based on social recommendations

•   Over 60% of consumers have read a friend’s Facebook comments about
a brand

•   Over half say they have learned about a company or a brand because of a friend’s social comments

•   Three out of five online shoppers are more likely to stay and shop on a site if they are shown that their friends have used the site as well

•   Almost 60% are more likely to make purchases if they know their friends have purchased as well

What Does This Mean To You?

Social media’s affect on ecommerce is huge.  Consumers not only pay
attention to other users recommendations through social media, many
consumers learn about brands because of what other users have written.
Your social reputation is a virtual testimonial.  Positive comments equal
more engagement and consumer activity and negative comments mean
that shoppers are more likely to move on.  What is your company’s social marketing strategy?  How do you deal with negative comments? Not paying attention to what is said about you or not responding to social comments
can drastically affect your ecommerce dollars.  For more information on
creating winning ecommerce strategies and reputation management,
please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: Marketing Charts;ROI Research; Performics; Sociable Labs

How Moms Engage With Social Media

In yesterday’s post, we talked about the benefits of targeting moms with social media.  Today, we’ll look at how moms engage with social media and why it could be a positive thing for your organization.

•   Over half of moms have “liked” a post

•   45% have read a company’s post in
their newsfeed

•   Roughly 40% have either visited a company’s Facebook page or  a company’s website through links on a Facebook page

•   41% have read comments others have made on company Facebook pages

•   Three in 10 have made comments on a company’s Facebook page

•   More than one in five have uploaded a picture or video to a company’s Facebook page

What Does This Mean To You?

In the past month, Over 70% of women with children in their household have visited a social media site. Moms are highly engaged with these sites, primarily Facebook.  They are open to receiving messages from advertisers and are influenced by messages left by others.   Nearly two-thirds of moms said they learned about a product or service through a social networking site and over half said they followed up because of recommendations. This is just more evidence that your social reputation is very valuable.  For more information on how to increase your engagement levels through all media, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: MarketingCharts.com; ROI Research, The 2011 Scarborough  Multi-Market Study, Release 1

Moms on Social Media

Mom’s are a great target audience, but one of the challenges in connecting with them is time.  Capturing and holding their attention can be tough, so you need to make the most out of every opportunity you have to forge a relationship.  A new study shows that social networks give you an excellent opportunity to form bonds with this valuable consumer segment

•   Over 60% of moms talk about the brands they follow on Facebook

•   Nearly six in 10 recommend companies through social networks

•   Over half link to companies ads on
social media

•   49% discuss brands or companies through social media after seeing their
ads elsewhere

•   More than 40% post to a brand’s ad

•   Over one in four moms post content about brands or companies

What Does This Mean To You?

M may stand for the many things she gave us, but it also stands for money.  While moms may not be spending it all on themselves, they are often the spending decision makers for the family.  Targeting, embracing and cultivating moms as social media followers can mean big dollars.  44% of moms surveyed said they are more likely to purchase from companies or brands they “Like” over ones they don’t. Moms also are actively engaged with brands through social networks and will post about their experiences.  In tomorrow’s post, we’ll give more information on moms and social media engagement.  For more information on targeting moms and how to keep your reputation positive through social networks, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: MarketingCharts.com; ROI Research

Mobile Email Makes A Difference

One of the most popular functions of smart phones is the ability to send
and receive mail.  Mobile email extends the viability of your message
because consumers don’t have to be tied to their desktops to receive it.
A new study has been released with some interesting information regarding email on mobile devices.

•   46%  of mobile device owners utilize their mobile phones to
check email

•   45% of consumers would be somewhat likely to purchase an product or service once they read an email from them on a mobile device

•   6% would be extremely likely to purchase after reading

•   28% said they would likely not purchase and 20% were unsure

•   Roughly 70% of consumers viewed emails on their mobile device before they looked at them on a desktop

•   Seven in 10 said that they automatically deleted emails that didn’t display properly and 75% of respondents said that it left them with an unfavorable opinion of the brand

What Does This Mean To You?

The big take aways from this are that email is defiantly becoming a mobile function.  Not only are consumers checking their mobile devices first, they also get frustrated when the emails don’t display correctly on their device.  There aren’t too many businesses that can afford to tick off 75% of the audience they are trying to connect with..  Making sure your message displays correctly on mobile devices is paramount. Also – check any links in your email to make sure they display correctly as well.  Another key is targeting.  Most email is successful because it is not shotgunned out.  Consumers are going to be more likely to purchase your product if it is targeted to them and if you show the benefit of the product to them.  You can do the same with all your marketing messages.  Talk to right audience using the right product mix.  But just because a customer makes a purchase from you because of an email offer doesn’t give you carte blanche to fill their inbox.  The study also pointed out that over 75% of consumers did not think it was ok to send promotional email after a purchase. The last thing you want is a customer to feel like you are spamming them.  For more information on how to successfully generate revenue via email,  please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: Emarketer; BlueHornet; The 2011 Scarborough Multi-Market Report, Release 1

Where Smart Shoppers Use Their Devices

Yesterday’s post featured information on the growing consumer segment known as “smart shoppers”.  These are consumers who use their smart phones to aid them in the purchase process.  These “smart shoppers” are certainly a group you cannot ignore.  By the end of this year, it is estimated that there will be over 115 million smart phone users nationwide and over 176 million by 2015. Knowing where smart shoppers are using their device is as important as what activities they are participating in.

• Over 80% of smart shoppers use their device before arriving at the store – that equals nearly half of all smart phone owners

• Over half of “smart shoppers” and nearly 40% of smart phone owners utilize their device once they arrive at the store or aisle they are shopping in

• Among “smart shoppers” 44% use their mobile device in the aisle where the product they are researching is located

• Nearly one in four “smart shoppers” use their device after leaving the store

What Does This Mean To You?

It’s evident that “smart shoppers” are doing their homework and researching before they hit the stores.  This pre-shopping activity indicates that “smart shoppers” are using their mobile devices to decide whether going to the retail store is worth their time.  There are several things you can do to make sure that these “smart shoppers” find value in your products and that the travel to your location is worth it.  First is having a mobile site.  If a consumer gets frustrated trying to navigate your site on their mobile device, how likely is it that they will come to your location?  Also make sure you are promoting your specials and anything that sets you apart from the competition.  This helps instill a value in your location vs. a competitor’s store.  Put a focus on why you are the best choice for their shopping.  Using email and text campaigns will also help keep your products and services top of mind.  With 44% of “smart shoppers” going to their mobile device on the aisle where the products are, QR codes can be positive solution. These codes can help you direct them to a message you want them to see and it saves ”smart shoppers” the hassle of typing in a web address or accessing an application.  For more information on attracting mobile consumers, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: Emarter; Leo J Shapiro & Associates

Our New Business To Business Portal

In our continued effort to help businesses connect with the audiences they want and get the results they need, we have developed a Business to Business portal.
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

What Will You Find In The Portal

•   A portfolio of all of the products, programs and services we have to offer

•   Information on the Central Florida market, one of the fastest growing and diverse markets in the country

•   Data on how we reach the market to help your business make the most effective and efficient media choices

•   A downloadable media kit

•   A listing of upcoming special opportunities

•   A link to a self-service ad building and scheduling tool

We’ve developed this site as a resource to help you target your best prospects and increase your bottom line  For more information, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com