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

Mobile Making New Brands Relevant

It’s never easy to establish yourself with consumers. Competition is tight and consumer loyalty can be difficult to attain. Mobile devices are a double edged sword when it comes to this. Smart phones and tablets have made it easy for people to find to find your business, but it’s also made it easy for them to compare prices and find deals. New research has become available that shows how mobile device owners find out about new products and businesses.

• Two-thirds of smart phone owners have geo-location applications on their device, this makes it easy for shoppers to see the places they want to shop and how close your store may be to them

• Nearly 80% use search engines to find new products

• Over 30% use online ads and digital product reviews to discover new brands or products

• Just under a quarter have found new products through either Facebook posts or ads on Facebook

• 7% used twitter posts or ads and 6% saw a new product on Pinterest

What Does This Mean To You?

Technically, mobile should be thought of as a platform and not a solution. There are many solutions that can be classified as mobile. Geo-location apps, shopping apps, QR scanning apps are all native mobile solutions but there are other solutions that are becoming mobile-centric. Because email, search and social networking are all becoming more mobile in nature, marketing via these channels could also be classified as mobile. It’s more important to look at them in the way consumers are using them and develop campaigns that way. For more information on making more money through mobile, 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; Forrester

Searching For Better Health

Search engines have become the starting point for most internet users.  In fact, 56% of adults and nearly three-quarters of internet users nationwide have used a search engine in the past 30 days.  Several studies have been released that looks at the role search engines play in online health information.

• Eight in 10 internet users look online for health information

• Two-thirds of health information searchers look for diseases, over half look up treatment options and over 40% search for Doctors

• Health related searches on Google are up 47% from last year

• One-third of consumers search for specific brands of medications

• Over 90% of physicians use search engines to find health information

• Nearly one-third of moms search online for health information at least once every few days

What Does This Mean To You?

Search Engine Optimization is important for most businesses, not just health related ones.
When it comes to search habits, consumers don’t go too far. 90% of searchers click on the first listing and the vast majority don’t go past the first page.  Also, search is important to reaching the mobile consumer. 73% of mobile device users have utilized a search engine on their device in the past month.
Incorporating robust search tactics into your marketing strategy will help ensure that interested consumers know where you are and what you offer.  For more information on how to get great results through an effective search campaign, 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: GeoNeTric; CBI; The 2012 Multi-Market Scarborough Report, Release 1; DigitaHealthPulse

Following The Mobile Money

Businesses worldwide are continuing to invest in mobile technologies to reach consumers and sell more goods & services.  There are many different types of  marketing tools that your business can deploy to improve results.  A new report has been released that shows what types of mobile marketing companies are currently using and will be spending money on in the future.

• US companies will spend over $2.6 billion on mobile advertising this year, that’s an increase of over 80% from last year

• In 2016, mobile spending will approach nearly$12 billion

• Nearly half of all mobile spending, almost $1.3 billion, will be done on search.  By 2016, spending on search will eclipse $5.5 billion

• Over 40% of mobile ad spending this year will be done on display.  Rich media ads are the top type of display ads purchased.  Nearly $500 million will be spent on mobile rich media display advertising

• Banner ads are the second most popular mobile display ads with over
$450 million being spent on them this year.  In 2016, spending on them will top $2 billion

• Mobile video ads are poised to see the biggest jump.  Last year, $68 million was spent on mobile video ads.  This year, that number is forecast to jump 122% to over $150 million.  Next year, spending on mobile video advertising is expected to nearly double to over $300 million and hit over $1.18 billion by 2016

• This year, mobile video made up 14% of mobile display spending and 6% of total mobile spending.  In 2016, mobile video will increase its importance and make up 20% of mobile display spending and 10% of total mobile spending

What Does This Mean To You?

Creating a sound mobile strategy is pivotal in your success.  Part of that is knowing where your competitors will be putting their dollars.  It’s a good bet they will be doing some kind of mobile marketing.  Since so much money is going to be spent on search, you need to develop sound SEO tactics.  Search is one of the top ways that consumers find local businesses.  Video is also very important,  consumers are extremely engaged with mobile video.  For more information on how to develop a mobile strategy that helps you gain a competitive advantage, 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

Consumers Rely On Search

The web is a vast resource.  It’s the place most consumers start when looking
for data.  As a business, you need to make it a priority that consumers can easily find information about your company. With so many records available, making sure your business natively rises to the top of the heap can be a challenge.

• Over 60% of consumers use search
engines on a daily basis, another 21% use them fairly often

• Less than 5% of adults nationally rarely
or never use search engines

• Over 60% of consumers said they can easily find the information they need on search engines about half the time.

• Over 25% say they always easily find what they need

• Nearly 90% of consumers say that non-relevant sites show up when they
are searching

• Females are more likely than males to use search engines on a daily basis

• Men are slightly more likely than women to always easily find what they need on search engines

What Does This Mean To You

It’s very important that your organization be easily found on the web. Very few searchers look beyond the first page.  In fact, most contact the first listing.
When was the last time you reviewed at your search results?
Are you the first listing?
If consumers have a hard time finding your company, what is the likelihood they will visit your site?
How many different listings from competitive companies have they seen?
With so many searches being performed via mobile device, are you losing physical floor traffic because of your search strategy?

Among Metro Orlando adults:

• Roughly one million adults have visited a search engine in the past month

• Nearly 500,000 have visited a search engine via mobile device in the past
30 days

Search should be part of overall marketing strategy, robust search tactics will help ensure that your message is being seen.   For more information on how to effectively utilize search to grow your business, 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; AYTM; The 2011 Scarborough Report, Release 1

Mobile, Not Just Social But Local As Well

Mobile technology represents true media and content convergence.  Smart phones and tablets can be considered an extremely effective, high tech direct response tool for local businesses.  It is also becoming the preferred avenue for social media interaction.  New research points to how local information seekers use their smart phones and how socially engaged they are.

• Over half of smart phone owners check social networks via mobile device on a daily basis

• 77% of those who looked for local information contacted a local business; nearly 60% visited a location

• Nearly 90% of mobile consumers
who seek local information take action that same day, 36% act immediately and almost 40% take action within a few hours

• Over 40% of those who sought information made a purchase, more than a third made an in-store purchase

What Does This Mean To You?

Smart phones give you access to consumers on devices that they are rarely without and mobile ads drive action.

• Nearly half of consumers who saw a mobile ad took some kind of action

• Over a quarter contacted the advertiser

• A third visited the company’s location

• Half made a purchase

Consumers use their mobile devices for many reasons and these reasons can effect your business and drive sales for your business.
Search – An effective SEO program will create awareness for your company and make sure that consumers on both mobile and desktop devices contact you and not your competitors
Social – Reputation management is extremely important when it comes to social media.  A poor social reputation will drive customers to your competitors
Mobile Advertising – Don’t just slap your ads on to any mobile sight. Make sure that sight is targeted to your best prospects and the content is relevant to the people you want to reach.
For more information on fully realizing all mobile can offer to help you be successful, 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: RocketFuel

Consumers Stay Connected Via Smart Phones

In yesterday’s post, we had an interesting fact that eight in 10 smart phone owners would not leave the house without their device.  That is just how important mobile has become to consumers.  The same study also touched on how consumers use their mobile devices.  The functionality that smart phones owners rely on also means great ways to deliver your message.

• Two-thirds of smart phone owners access the Internet on their device at least once a day

• Nearly 75% check their email on a smart phone everyday  

• 62% visit search engines via mobile device at least once a day

• Six in 10 go to social network sites and over one-third go to video sharing sites

• 35% of smart phone owners expect to access the internet more with their mobile device in the future

What Does This Mean To You

Mobile is a consumer driven need for your business.  It is their conduit for information and it will only grow in importance to your business.  Over one-third of customers said they plan on using mobile devices more to access the internet in the future.  Is your business prepared to possibly lose access to 35% of your customer base?  Consumers have found that mobile makes it easier for them to do many tasks, including researching, shopping and buying goods & services.  Look at the tasks that consumers are using smart phones for on a daily basis – Email, search, social networking and video sharing. These are all things you can use to influence consumer behavior if your business is mobile-ly optimized.  Currently, 48% of Metro Orlando adults access the internet via mobile device. In the past year, that number has more than doubled.  By not embracing mobile you are at risk of losing this large, growing group of customers.  For more information on how mobile can help you get the results you need, 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: Google – Our Mobile Planet/US; The 2012 Scarborough Report, Release 1

African-American Consumers And Search Engines

Search engines are one of the top ways consumers of all ethnicities find and
get information on businesses.  African-American consumers are also frequent visitors to search engines and a majority have taken action because the searches they perform.

• 84% of African-American consumers visit search engines

• Over 60% have made an in-store purchase because of a search

• 58% have visited a retailer

• Nearly 60% have had a discussion because of a performed search

• Over 40% have recommended a brand, company or service because of a search

• Nearly 30% looked for more information offline after performing a search

What Does This Mean To You?

Search engines give your company or service great visibility, if you know how to leverage them.  The majority of consumers do not look past the first page of a search engine.  In fact, most click on the first entry.  By optimizing your web presence, you can make sure your listing is elevated and getting the visibility you need to be successful. Not being optimized  means your competitors are much more likely to be seen by consumers.  For more information on  how to get real results from search engines, please contact your Orlando  Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: Google, Global, Hue, OTX; The 2011 Scarborough Multi-Market Study, Release 1

Mobile Search Activities

There is no doubt how important search can be to the success of a businessa.
In fact, search is the top way younger consumers find local businesses.  With the rapid growth of the mobile web and increasing smart phone penetration, it should be no surprise that mobile search activities are high.

• 95% of smart phone owners have used a search engine via their handset

• Over 80% of smart
phone owners access
search engines once or
more a week

• Two-thirds of smart phone owners have made a search after seeing an ad

• Retail store or businesses ads and ads on TV created the most search – nearly 60% of smart phone owners searched after seeing them

• Nearly half of smart phone owners searched after seeing an ad in a magazine

• Over one-third of smart phone owners conducted a search after seeing a poster or outdoor ad

What Does This Mean To You?

Mobile and SEO both are things that need to be part of your over-arching marketing strategy.  Mobile is important because if you don’t have a mobile site or solution, you are probably going to frustrate potential shoppers.  Search is important because it’s the way people find your business. not having a robust SEO strategy is equal to sending leads to your competition.  Most consumers do not go beyond the first page when searching for a business, many just rely on the first listing.  If you are not the first listing in your category or geography, who is and shouldn’t you be getting that traffic?   For more information on effective and efficient search & mobile solutions, 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

Restaurants And Mobile Technology

Recently, we’ve done a series of posts on the restaurant business, focusing on what drives diner’s activities and how they choose where to dine.  Considering that mobile is such a big opportunity for so many businesses, we decided to look into the likelihood of customers accessing restaurant information via mobile device.  Equation research unearthed some very interesting information on the subject.

•  Patrons looking for fine dining information were most likely to access information on their phones – 64% very likely or very likely to get information on those establishments via
mobile device

•  Over 60% of consumers looking for local restaurants would likely get information from a smart phone or tablet

•  Over half of those interested in finding out about a casual dining chain restaurant would likely access information from a mobile device

•  Less than half of people looking for information on a bar or pub would research mobile-ly

•  The dining establishment with the lowest likelihood of people looking for information through mobile means were fast food establishments.  36% of consumers would look for fast food restaurant information on a mobile device. – this might be because we are flooded with information about them and they are usually on every corner

 

What Does This Mean To You?

This is just another piece of information proving how much consumers depend on mobile.  It also speaks to the fact of how important having a mobile presence is. If a local restaurant does not have a mobile site – they are most likely going to frustrate more than 6 in 10 of their customers.  There is increasing information that consumers are frustrated trying to navigate standard site on mobile devices.  You need to make it simple and easy for consumers to learn about you. Since more and more of that activity is happening on a mobile device you need to utilize all the functionality mobile can offer.  For more information on creating awareness mobile-ly, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: Equation Research