Why Your Web Site Is Important

Think of how many digital entities your business may have. Besides your web site, you probably have a Facebook page, maybe a twitter feed or a Pinterest board. You may have a presence on a local review site or electronic listing page. That doesn’t even count the amount of user generated content that could be floating around. Consumers can probably find you in many different places – some you control and some you don’t. Recently released information shows the sources that online shoppers trust when researching products to buy. This information is extremely important in making sure potential customers get the right information about your business and the products you sell.

• Nearly half of online shoppers said that a manufacturer or brand’s website was their most trusted source of information

• More than one-third said that they put trust in articles they found from a search engine

• 31% said that they trusted experts on certain topics

• Over 20% said that mainstream news sites were trustworthy for brand information

• Roughly 10% put their trust in links friends posted on social networks or information from blogs

What Does This Mean To You?

Overall, nearly 95% of consumers said they trusted some kind of online information when making online shopping product decisions. The question is how do you make sure they are getting the right information about your organization.

• Employ a robust search strategy – Your website is the most trusted source for online shoppers. If you don’t have a strong search strategy, who knows what potential shoppers may see when they enter your name into a search engine

• Monitor your social reputation – Social media can be a great referral tactic and engagement tool. But if consumers are seeing negative information about your business, there is a good chance they will not do business with you

• Utilize testimonials – Testimonials can be very powerful. While you may not be able to get experts to extol the virtues of your business or product, people trust the opinions of others. If you have a loyal customer, it would be beneficial to incorporate kind words from them in your web site. Also, treat social media “likes” as virtual testimonials. Because their social friends and followers will see it as well, a “like” or positive post can influence your perception among a large group of potential shoppers

• Dot your Is and cross your Ts – When was the last time you took a critical look at your web site?
Is it outdated?
Is all the product information current?
Can people easily find your contact information?
Are there typos?
Is it easily navigated?

Your web site, in many ways, is your front door to many consumers. You need to make sure it’s easy to find, easy to navigate and potential shoppers can easily see the value of all the things you have to offer. For more information on strategies to help you create a stronger ecommerce revenue stream, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: nRelate; eMarketer

Going Online Instead Of Going To The Doctor

For many people going to the Doctor ranks just above taking your car to the mechanic or having to visit the IRS as activities that sound like a good time.  More and more, consumers are turning to the anonymity of the internet as a place to find answers to medical questions.

• Nearly two-thirds of adults said they would rather go online for health information instead of visiting a Doctor’s office

• Nearly one in four adults who would rather get medical information online did so because they lacked health insurance

• Over 20% cited embarrassment – this was the top reason cited from 18 to 24 year olds

• 19% said expensive co-pays were the reasons they would rather use digital resources

• 41% of adults said they would rather get information about sex from online health sources vs. a live Doctor

• Information about STDs (29%), drugs & alcohol (16%) and weight were other top topics adults would rather get information about online

What Does This Mean To You?

Over the past 30 days 2.4 million adults have searched for medical information online.

These online health searchers were much more likely to be:

• Women

• Affluent

• College graduates

• White-Collar workers

According to several sources between 75% and 90% have some kind of health insurance.  They are also more likely to have a smart phone and were more likely to have visited a specialist in the past year.
Digital resources have not only changed the ways consumers look at health care, it’s changed the way they health professionals recruit patients and market their services.  For more information on how can use digital and mobile tactics to build awareness & patient count, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: Pearl.com; The 2012 Multi-Market Scarborough Report, Release 1

Actions Taken After Viewing A Video Ad

Video is one of digital’s top tools for building engagement and consumers seek out product video content. But what actions do consumers take after watching a video ad?  A new research study looks at what happens after consumers watch video advertisements.

• Over 30% of consumers visited the brand’s Facebook page

• 28% clicked to the site

• Just over one in five watched the video a
second time

• 17% visited the brand’s YouTube page

• 1% visited the company’s twitter feed and another 1% emailed the brand

What Does This Mean To You?

With video leading so many consumers to social media, you social reputation is extremely valuable.
The consumer has just finished watching your video and goes to your Facebook page.  The last thing you want is for them to be confronted by negative product information or posts about bad customer service.  A majority of shoppers say they will not shop at a store that has negative comments or questions in their social presences.  You need to make sure you are promoting positive comments – turn these into virtual testimonials. At the same time, you need to do whatever you can to mitigate bad information and answer any questions that arise.
When was the last time you looked at comments left about your business?
Social media can be a powerful ally in building your business, but negative comments will keep customers from visiting your location or buying your products.  For more information on how to build up your social reputation, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group
representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: eMarketer; Jun Group

Holiday Shopping – In-Store Vs. Online

Many people believe that the holidays bring out the best in others.  There are gifts, lights, presents & family all around.  Then there’s holiday shopping, which often does not bring out the best in many people.  A new study is out that looks at why people shop for the holidays in stores vs. online.

• 30% of shoppers prefer
to shop online to avoid
the crowds

• 22% say they would rather shop in a store to look and feel products before purchasing

• 17% like to buy online because they feel they can get the best deal there

• 11% prefer to shop in stores because they like to browse while holiday shopping

• 10% like to shop in a store because they enjoy the experience of holiday shopping

• 6% would rather shop online because there is a bigger range of products online

What Does This Mean To You?

Whether you are trying to attract shoppers to your physical location or your virtual storefront, you need to develop a sound strategy to create awareness and drive traffic.  There are many options available across a variety of platforms.  You can create your message through digital, print, direct & broadcast -  these are just a few of the media options available to you.
The best way to start any campaign is by asking yourself two questions:
Who is my target consumer?
What are my goals and objectives?
Two answers that are really unacceptable -
Everyone as a target consumer & make more money as a goal.
These answers have to be actionable.
Why?
Because these two things allow you target your message and be much more effective and efficient.
It also lets you compare your campaigns and determine if they were successful.
For more information on creating a strategy to maximize your message and get results, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: Mobile Commerce Daily; Accenture

Consumers Clicking For Cyber Monday Deals

Cyber Monday originated before high speed digital access was something that was available in most homes.  It was a way to secure online shopping from people who had just gotten back to work after the long Thanksgiving weekend.  Even though high speed connections are the norm, consumers still see Cyber Monday as a great time to shop online retailers and get deals.

• 45% of consumers plan to shop on Cyber Monday

• Over 40% shop on Cyber Monday because stores usually offer free shipping

• Four in 10 purchase online on Cyber Monday because they feel they will get the best online deals that day

• 37% say it lets them avoid shopping with Thanksgiving crowds

• One in five shop then in order not to waste their Thanksgiving weekend shopping

What Does This Mean To You?

Ecommerce is going to play a huge part of holiday spending this year.  Over $95 billion of holiday spending will come through online channels.  Consumers value the convenience that online shopping provides.
When was the last time you looked at your ecommerce solution?
Have you checked out the competitions online checkout functions?
Consumers are comparison shopping – not just for the best deals, but also who is the easiest to do business with.  If your solution is clunky or not intuitive, count on a high rate of shopping cart abandonment.  Shopping cart abandonment is something else you should have tactics in place for.  For more information on how to maximize online shopping dollars this holiday season, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: Mobile Commerce Daily; Accenture

Online Sales To Drive Retail Holiday Growth

This week, many stores will be going into full holiday mode.  But recently, we’ve posted information showing that upwards of 40% of consumers have already started making holiday purchases.  It’s important to connect with these shoppers as early as possible because consumer sentiment is not as strong as in prior years.  One of the latest pieces of research to come out is how strong online shopping looks to be this holiday season.

• Holiday retail sales are projected to increase by 4% according to the National Retail Federation.  That’s a total of over $585 billion

• Actual holiday sales grew last year by 5.6%

• Online holiday sales are expected to reach $96 billion – 16% of total holiday sales will come from ecommerce

• Year over year, online shopping is projected to increase by 15% over last year

What Does This Mean To You?

More and more consumers will be shopping online.  Even more will be researching products and comparing prices. Online shopping offers consumers a convenient way to get through the holidays.  It puts them in control of the buying experience and they don’t have to deal with crowded stores. To get the most out of your e-holiday efforts, make sure your checkout process is quick and easy. Also compare your shipping costs against your competitors – because that’s what consumers are doing. Even if you don’t offer online shopping, you can benefit from digital solutions.  Product descriptions are seen as a big benefit and a tool for shoppers.  You can offer online coupons to bring shoppers into your location. For more information on how you can leverage digital to increase your holiday results, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: National Retail Federation; Shop.org

Who Are Affluent Shoppers?

In yesterday’s post, we looked at what media affluent shoppers tend to use.  Today, we’ll look at what just who these shoppers are.  This information may help you to put together holiday strategies if you are targeting  upper-end consumers ($100,000+).

Who are affluent shoppers?

• Nearly 40% are boomers between the ages of 48
and 66. One-third are Gen Xers between the ages
of 31 and 47.

• One in five affluent adults are under 30 and less than 10% of affluent shoppers are age 67 or older

• One-third of high-end consumers live in the South and one in four live in the Western U.S.

• 22% live in the Northeast and one in five reside in the Midwest

• The vast majority, 85%, of adults with incomes of $100,000+ are Caucasian.  8% are of Hispanic origin, 7% are Asian and 6% are African-American

• Nearly 60% work full time

• Over 60% work in managerial or professional roles, 13% are C-level executives and 17% are business owners

 What Does This Mean To You?

Creating connections with this group can yield big results for your organization.  Yesterday’s post gave some insights in to the media they tend to use.  Today, we’ll take a deeper look to help you target these consumers and create relationships with them.

• 77% of affluent adults nationwide have read a newspaper or visited a newspaper website in the past week

• Affluent adults are over 80% more likely to access newspaper content through a mobile device than the general public

•They are nearly 20% more likely than the average adult to have visited a social network in the past month and almost 30% more likely to have visited using a mobile device

• Seven in 10 affluent adults used a search engine over the past 30 days

• Nearly three-quarters are texters and they are 60% more likely to have checked their email via mobile device

• 37% went online in the past month to view online videos

Print, Mobile, Social, Search and Video – these are the things that affluent shoppers are relying on heavily and are the tools that can help you garner their attention.  For more information on targeting tools to help you engage and monetize the affluent audience, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: IPSOS Media; Mendelsohn; The 2012 Scarborough Multimarket Study, Release 1; Totally Uncorked on Marketing

The Countdown Has Started

The last thing I ever want to do is scare people, but this  at the very least may shock you.

Christmas is now 90 days away

It may seem like it’s still summer but Black Friday is less than 2 months from now.  The kids just went back to school and in many parts of the country, it’s still relatively warm.
But take a look at the calendar – we are 90 days from the big day.
The first of many holiday spending reports has been released and they show
that ecommerce will still be a major factor in the ways consumers spend during the holidays.

• Retail ecommerce spending during the holiday season is expected to reach nearly $54.5 billion dollars

• Year over year, holiday ecommerce is projected to increase nearly 17%

• In 2012, holiday season spending is expected to make up nearly 25% of the total ecommerce spending

• While holiday season ecommerce is expected to jump almost 17%, total ecommerce for the entire year is expected to increase by 15%

What Does This Mean To You?

Whether we like it or not, it’s never to early to plan how your organization is going to handle the holidays.  From staffing to marketing, the holidays can be challenging but there are many digital opportunities that can ease holiday frustrations.
Last year, mobile had a huge effect on consumer activity and there is no doubt that this year it’s impact will be even bigger. Social media has also changed the way consumers find what to buy and where to find it – that will probably not change as well.  This year, geo-location activities and SMS/text could increase in importance with shoppers.  Many businesses are looking at how “showrooming” will affect them and how loyalty programs may be a solution.
We will be regularly posting on the latest research to come out regarding holiday shopping trends and consumer activity.
You should take this opportunity to prepare your staff for the holidays.
Have you planned for employee vacations and any staffing issues?
Have you updated your staff contact list to include cell phone, email, Facebook and Twitter contact information?
Are you planning to have any staff training sessions on your mobile and web capabilities?
Have you thought about developing a company holiday blog or Facebook page to keep your employees up to date your back-end holiday plans?

Lots of companies, especially small and medium sized ones, put all their effort into the marketing aspect of the holidays, but don’t plan for their organizational needs.  The best way to make sure you have a successful holiday season is to plan ahead for all aspects of your business.  For more information on how to make this holiday season your most profitable, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: eMarketer

Tech-Centric Moms

Moms have a tough job and deserve all the help they can get.  Recently, we’ve done posts on the social tools that moms use and actions taken after employing them.  Long gone are the days when moms didn’t understand the latest technologies.  In fact, nearly 85% of women with children in their household have gone online in the past month.  There is a new research study that looks at the devices moms use.  The wide range of digital devices moms employ gives you more ways to connect with them and promote your products.

• 99% of moms regularly use a laptop or desktop computer, 98% own a digital camera

• 85% own an MP3 player

• Over 80% of moms own a smart phone

• Over three-quarters have video game console in the home and almost 60% have a hand-held video game

• 56% of moms own a tablet

• Nearly half own a function based mobile phone

• 49% have an Ereader

What Does This Mean To You?

The multitude of devices gives you lots of device based targeting options.
Nearly every mom has access to a desktop or laptop computer, targeting them through content ensures that you are effectively creating engagement.  Through the use of networks, you can efficiently get your message across to moms who are in your market.
Moms are much more likely than the market to own smart phones.  There are many mobile tools you can put into play to create awareness with moms. There are mobile sites, SMS/Text and QR codes to name just a few.  But also remember because so many people access their email on a mobile device before their regular computer – email is another touch point. A large percentage of consumers conduct searches on mobile devices to find local businesses, this makes SEO another important mobile tactic.  Video is also becoming a mobile favorite and consumers tend to watch product-based mobile videos.  Tablet technology is rapidly expanding and it is mobile shoppers preferred device to make mobile purchases.  Utilizing apps that appeal to moms keeps you front
and center with them.  For more information on strategies to leverage dollars from online moms, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: emarketer; BlogHer

Attitudes Of Hispanic Social Networkers

Yesterday’s post looked at attitudes and purchase behaviors of Hispanic consumers.  There is also research on how Hispanic consumers use social media. Hispanics are one of the fastest growing groups for digital adoption and mobile use.  Because of the growth and purchase power of Hispanic consumers, knowing their social media use can help you create new shoppers.

• Over one in five Hispanic consumers nationwide said that social sites are a way for them to tell people about companies and products they like

• One in six Hispanic consumers post ratings or reviews for others to read

• Hispanic consumers were 38% more likely than non-Hispanics to say they follow their favorite brands on social media

• Hispanics were also more likely than non-Hispanic to purchase products they saw advertised on social media

• 27% of Hispanic social networkerss click on links or items posted by others

• One in four Hispanic consumers access social networks from different devices

• 16% of Hispanics said they are more likely to purchase a product recommended by others on social media

What Does This Mean To You?

Hispanic consumers are definitely engaged in social media.  Not only do they follow brands, they are influenced by social media advertising and comments.

Among Hispanic adults in Metro Orlando:

• Two-thirds have accessed a social media site in the past month

• 33% have accessed a social network from a mobile device

• Nearly one in six have spent more than an hour on a social media site in the past week

• 63% have made an online purchase in the past 12 months

Social media can help your business engage Hispanic consumers and create awareness.  Because Hispanic consumers tend to read others comments, make comments themselves and make purchase decisions because of social commentary, reputation management is important.  Not paying attention to
your social reputation can turn away shoppers and cost you sales.  For more information on reputation management and forging relationships with
Hispanic consumers, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: Advertising Age; Experian Simmons; The 2012 Scarborough Report, Release 1