Brafton: Social marketing: Customer loyalty, no price cuts needed [study]

Brafton News Content Marketing

Social marketing: Customer loyalty, no price cuts needed [study] Apr 24th 2013, 14:52 ​B2C marketers may fear sites like Amazon and Walmart.com because these online hubs organize products by price. This, in effect, suggests that online shoppers prioritize low cost in an "impersonal" online purchasing experience. However, a survey by analytics firm Analytic Partners, in conjunction with Opinion Research Corporation, asked 1,000 Americans between the ages of 18 and 44 about brand loyalty. The data showed that nearly half of those surveyed base brand loyalty on positive experiences, highlighting the value of social media marketing and third-​party ​word-of-mouth marketing expert guidance through blog content. The source noted that 63 percent of buyers act on positive experiences, and 75 percent say online reviews fuel their decisions online. When it comes to gender and brand loyalty, 68 percent of female consumers say they feel loyalty to certain brands compared to 55 percent of males. Brafton reported on a study from 2012 that found 72 percent of surveyed shoppers associate brand loyalty with positive customer service. More, 47 percent of internet users want customer service through social networks. With people eager to form loyalties with their favorite brands and looking toward customer care as reasons to do so, marketers must use social as their means of connecting with prospects on personable levels. Media files: shutterstock_99676199.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB)

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Brafton: Brands should love social marketing as much as Americans do [data]

Brafton News Content Marketing

Brands should love social marketing as much as Americans do [data] Apr 24th 2013, 13:30 ​Americans and marketers are accustomed to social media innovations. Every year a new platform enters the U.S. market, promising to change how consumers communicate forever. While few networks live up to the hype and become integrated in daily life, several companies like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and Pinterest compel entrepreneurs and startups to push the bar higher. With recent updates to each platform, social media content has become a top priority for these networks in making their sites stickier and more engaging, which can be good news for businesses publishing branded media on the social web. Social media dominates the average hour online. Consumers drive social media's dominance, spending significant time accessing personal accounts each day. An Experian Marketing Services report found that, if internet use on personal computers was distilled into an hour, approximately 27 percent of that time would be spend social networking in the United States, U.K. and Australia. Whether at work or at home, consumers visit their profiles regularly for updates, more so than any other type of web entertainment. Smart brands know content - from clickable graphics to value-add promotions - is the way to get users to spend their social time with a company.  Social is the means to mobile marketing Interestingly, time spent on social media networks dropped 3 percent over the last three years from 30 percent to 27 percent in the U.S. Experian noted that internet users increased their consumption of news content and dedicated more time toward online shopping over that same time period. It's also important to report that personal computer internet usage may have fallen because of the rise in mobile connectivity across the globe. "With smartphones and tablets becoming more powerful, our data clearly indicates the difference between mobile and traditional desktop usage further enabling the 'always on' consumer mentality," said Bill Tancer, general manager of global research for Experian Marketing Services. Social networking accounted for 15 percent of total time spend on mobile devices in Q1 2013. Consumer access via social will grow through 2017 Research and Markets also noted in its recent social media marketing analysis and forecast that the channel will experience continued growth through 2017. The source projects the total number of social users worldwide will grow from 1.8 billion at the end of 2013 to 2.5 billion by 2017 - an increase of 38 percent over five years. The source also expects social revenues to increase from USD 16.2 billion this year to USD 30.1 billion in 2017, an uptick of 86 percent across five years. It's clear that brands must continue to explore social media marketing and the impact it has on lead generation and revenue, as users and marketers alike spend more time and money on popular networks. Media files: shutterstock_127801448.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.2 MB)

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Brafton: Twitter marketing drives sales for gaming companies [study]

Brafton News Content Marketing

Twitter marketing drives sales for gaming companies [study] Apr 23rd 2013, 18:08 ​Many social media skeptics say that networks like Twitter can stir up a lot of noise, but rarely lead to actual revenue. Social media marketing continues to evolve and come of age, but it may drive ROI more effectively than many may think. Twitter U.K. commissioned Deloitte LLP to quantify the impact of Tweets on sales performance. Recently, the social network published an infographic on the effects of Tweets in the gaming vertical, discovering that an increase in social media content posts often leads to more online conversions. The "Tweets for Sales: Gaming" study found that Tweets spark word-of-mouth marketing and impact consumer demand. Posts with positive sentiment drive sales, even more than other promotional tactics. For example, gaming brands that increase positive Tweets by 30 percent are four times more effective for driving actual sales than companies that increase​ ​advertising by 30 percent. Deloitte found that a 30 percent rise in the number of positive Tweets about a game will also significantly impact direct sales. Webmarketing123 reported in Q4 2012 that Twitter leads to sales for both B2Bs and B2Cs. The source noted that 19 percent of B2Cs and 14 percent of B2Bs saw sales from their Twitter marketing campaigns. Marketers wary of the power of social media content might want to rethink their strategies as more organizations see returns from their online investments. Media files: shutterstock_133119542.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.7 MB)

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Brafton: Website content builds email marketing lists

Brafton News Content Marketing

Website content builds email marketing lists Apr 23rd 2013, 19:00 ​Brafton reported on a recent Econsultancy and Adestra report that found 66 percent of marketers say email marketing delivers excellent or good content ROI. More, 80 percent of surveyed business professionals say they generate half of their sales from email content, but that their strategies aren't as defined as they could be. To experience even greater growth from email, brands must increase the volume of leads they include in regular mailings, which proves to be harder than many may think. Marketers must find ways to compel site visitors to opt-in for emails, and web content may be the solution. A new MarketingSherpa report found that 77 percent of marketers use website registration pages to grow their lead lists. In order for these forms to successfully gather contact information, they must support the content positioned around them. SEO content drives organic traffic to branded websites, but qualified traffic only sticks around when content writers align copy and keyword strategies with audience targeting insights. When body copy fulfills the promises made by article headlines and metadescriptions in SEPRs, content builds trust with readers, and increases the likelihood of visitors opting-in for email content in the future. Want to increase email leads? Support forms with quality and credible custom content. Media files: shutterstock_120992377.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.7 MB)

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Brafton: B2Bs say email, content marketing best for lead gen [study]

Brafton News Content Marketing

B2Bs say email, content marketing best for lead gen [study] Apr 23rd 2013, 15:57 ​Online marketing comes with its share of challenges, and B2B organizations with clear strategic objectives must embrace tactics proven effective by their peers. U.S. internet users turn to the web for a variety of purposes, from shopping to product research to entertainment, and brands with active online presences can cater to each individual customer demand. However, Brafton reported that 60 percent of B2B brands say their greatest marketing challenge is generating new leads online. Fifty-five percent say they fail to reach their audiences in the right ways, despite engaging in multiple marketing techniques. Businesses may see the value of high-quality internet marketing efforts, especially with custom content, but they may not have a defined strategy behind their campaigns. The flashiest website content in the world may draw readers in, but if marketing collateral doesn't communicate anything of substance, then lead-gen opportunities miss the mark. With many business-facing organizations focused on acquiring new customers via web marketing practices, Ascend2 and Research Underwriters conducted a survey to understand what practices help organizations achieve their goals. The study looked at most effective channels and most difficult to implement tactics. 51 percent of B2Bs say email marketing is the most effective practice for lead generation, followed closely by ​content marketing (38 percent) and ​SEO (38 percent). According to the source, 51 percent of B2Bs say email marketing is the most effective practice for lead generation, followed closely by ​content marketing (38 percent) and ​SEO (38 percent). These marketing solutions put branded copy in front of prospective customers, allowing recipients or web searchers to make decisions on their own terms. Each type of content can also be accessed again in the future, further supporting campaign goals down the line. As for the avenues most difficult to implement, 49 percent say B2B social media marketing is the hardest to use and see ROI. This is likely because many B2Bs struggle to identify which networks reach the right audiences, and it's tasking to measure returns from social initiatives. It's not impossible though, as Brafton has reported on B2B social successes.​ Thirty-nine percent of businesses say content writing and 26 percent say SEO are hard practices to perfect. Only 18 percent of B2Bs admit to struggling with email. No one ever said online marketing is easy, but with the right resources in place and skills sets on hand, brands can see the results they want from content, email, social and beyond. In some instances, it may take a little trial and error for B2B organizations to understand how to compel their customers to engage online. Media files: shutterstock_97243172.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.9 MB)

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Brafton: Web users say branded content adds value to the internet [data]

Brafton News Content Marketing

Web users say branded content adds value to the internet [data] Apr 23rd 2013, 14:35 ​Content marketing is already a widely used practice in the United States. Brands see the value of storytelling online, with 86 percent of B2Cs and 91 percent of B2Bs engaging in content writing as a way to engage new and existing customers. But what do their audiences really think? Americans have been resistant on online advertisements and promotional material in the past, citing ads in social media streams as distracting and disruptive. However, a new poll commissioned by the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) shows that U.S. internet users may value custom content, even when its advertising material. Ninety-two percent of 1,000 surveyed Americans agree that free news content, blog content and video content are either "somewhat" or "extremely" important to the overall value of the internet. In fact, fewer than 10 percent of the people polled would prefer the internet to minimize the volume of ads and promotional content found in search results. Seventy-five percent surveyed said they prefer the 'net to continue to host highly accessible information. Overall, the DAA poll found that, while internet users don't mind free content and online ads, they prefer brands to tailor subject matter to their interests. Nearly 70 percent of polled consumers said they prefer marketers customize ads to reflect buyers' interests. Content analytics and other social listening techniques can help marketers gain clear insight into their customers' personas, improving the value of internet ads published in search results and elsewhere. Interestingly, the DAA's poll classified branded content as web ads despite materials often using SEO to attract the attention of organic traffic. The poll discovered that 42 percent of respondents claim they have purchased products or services after viewing or clicking on an online ad. More, 50 percent of respondents said online advertising helped them save money on various purchases, and 58 percent indicated that internet ads helped them to discover new deals. Content marketers might consider their blog content and news posts very different from traditional search ads, but consumers may see them as straightforward promotional collateral, and that's not a bad thing according to the DAA poll. It's clear that web users have grown comfortable with the web as we know it, and people embrace free content, in all of its forms, today. More companies should consider how they can add competitive value; Brafton has reported that brand journalism continues to grow in the business world, and 98 percent of U.S. organizations use online newsrooms to tell brand stories and engage clients online. Media files: shutterstock_92914411.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.8 MB)

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Brafton: How does your content load time compare for SEO? New data

Brafton News Content Marketing

How does your content load time compare for SEO? New data Apr 22nd 2013, 15:30 ​About a year ago Google's Matt Cutts published a Webmaster Central video affirming that site speed affects search results. In fact, Cutts noted that one in every 100 searches are influenced by lagging sites. Websites with a high volumes of custom content should see how their sites stack up to the U.S. average. "As long as your browser isn't timing out or being flaky, you should be in good shape," Cutts said. "Typically, as long as just a few pages are slow or the site overall is fast, you should be OK." Since Cutts' video, site speed has become a more important ranking signal, as a faster web is a strong web. To gauge search efficiency, Google recently conducted a study to obtain measurement data around the median and mean of desktop and mobile page load time, and insights will set parameters for brands optimizing their sites for search and user experience. According to Google's latest data, pages accessed on desktop computers take slightly less time to load than on mobile technology. The source found that the mean load time for desktops is 7 seconds and the median around 3 seconds. As for mobile phones and tablet computers, the mean is 10 seconds and median is 5 seconds. Google notes that various components can affect load speed - user network, device type and speed, geographic location and cache size. Website owners can review the speed of their sites in Google Analytics through the new Web Timing standard tab. This section allows brands to generate detailed reports on load time for various page samples, from dozens of dimensions. It's important for SEO content writers to understand how different types of media influence load time. A website owner can gain a better understanding of her site's load time by looking at the content hosted on her pages. For example, infographic marketing content can often take up a lot of space if not saved in the right file format. While quality is paramount to a better user experience, site owners should look at file size as a flexible component, because images can be saved at certain sizes without losing quality. More, site owners shouldn't publish a several video files or big files on a single page if they want to provide visitors with fast load times. In addition to offering SEO benefits, it's clear that web users prefer sites that load quicker, and brands must continue to optimize their pages for the most efficient and effective experience. Brafton has reported some marketers find every second of load time drops conversions by 7 percent. Media files: shutterstock_63280792.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.3 MB)

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