Archive for August, 2008

Internet Explorer 8 Will Empower Users to Take Control of their Privacy

29
August
2008

Expanded privacy features for Internet Explorer 8 will allow users to surf the web anonymously, making it harder for online advertisers to track user history.

Christine Pepin
Media Coordinator

Microsoft has confirmed that its new browser upgrade Internet Explorer 8, currently in beta testing, will have four new privacy features for its users.  Collectively, these tools will allow web surfers to significantly protect themselves from others tracking their trail of visited sites.   InPrivate Browsing, one of IE8’s four new features, offers users the choice of clearing the browser’s cache at the end of each session, while Delete Browsing History will allow users to control the browsing history after visiting each site.  The other two corresponding features are a significant threat to online advertisers.  The cookies, tracking pixels and code that enable sites to trace user actions can be blocked by IE8’s InPrivate Blocking tool.  The final feature, InPrivate Subscription, informs users when their browser history is being tracked by third-parties and then allows them to subscribe to block lists.

Although these features are new and expanded for Internet Explorer 8, they are certainly not new to the current browsers of today.  The difference, however, is that users are typically not aware of the features that are in place to prevent third-parties from tracking their browsing history or how to utilize them to their benefit.  Through IE8, Microsoft will facilitate a user-friendly medium in which users will feel more knowledgeable, confident and proactive in taking control of their tracking privacy online. 

Joe Zeigler, IE8 program manager, said the following about the new features, "privacy has two aspects: disclosure and choice. Disclosure means informing users in plain language about the data collected about them and how it’s used. Choice means putting users in control of their data and giving them tools to protect it."

US Retailers Introduce Mobile Shopping

28
August
2008

A new way for American consumers to shop using their mobile phones.

Stefanie Berliant
Media Coordinator

Retailers in the US are embracing new online technologies. Stores, such as Ralph Lauren, are now introducing a new method of shopping to consumers: mobile shopping through your cell phone. This new technology will enable consumers to shop on mobile sites (websites formatted to fit on mobile devices) with a click of the ‘capture’ button on a camera phone. 

How does mobile shopping actually work? In order to partake in this new shopping process, your cell phone must have a camera, internet access and the software to read Quick Response (QR) codes.  QR codes are similar to traditional barcodes you would find in a grocery store but contain more information.  People scan QR codes placed in store windows, catalogs, advertisements, and business cards with their mobile phone, and will be directed to mobile sites to receive additional information about products, events and even other people.

What makes mobile shopping so easy is that the QR software allows consumers to access a mobile site without typing or searching for the correct link. Currently US phones do not come with the software preinstalled, but it is free and easily downloaded (charges from your cell phone carrier may apply). When downloading the QR software, the phone’s model will be detected and automatically identify the correct software to install. To scan a QR code, open the QR reader software on your phone and take a picture of the code. A link to the mobile site will appear on your phone. Simply click to access the site and begin your shopping spree.  Mobile shopping is as secure and safe as shopping from your home computer.

Also participating in this phenomenon are Facebook, Google and Apple.  Semacode is collaborating with Facebook to allow users to scan a Semacoded “social card” with mobile phones, which sends the link to their online profile.  Google is developing an open-source code reader called ZXing (which still in testing), and third-party developer NeoMedia has already released a NeoReader for Apple’s iPhone 3G.

 There are currently 800 million people shopping online in 2008, with the majority of the mobile shopping consumers in Asian countries. Experts predict that cell phone shopping will increase by 500% over the next five years, and they also predict that sales will reach $300 billion by 2013.  Clothes, books and accessories are the top three items purchased online; experts predict this trend will be the same with mobile shopping.  Mobile shopping is a great, simple and easy way for shopaholics to engage in their favorite past-time.  With time and the help of new mobile technologies US consumers will embrace mobile shopping like their counterparts in Asia already have.

Google AdWords Quality Score Update

25
August
2008

Google announced Thursday through their blog a major update to how AdWords Quality Score is calculated.

Keith Vera
Account Manager

Google announced Thursday through their blog a major update to how AdWords Quality Score is calculated.  According to Google, here are the updates that advertisers can expect:

– Quality Score will now be more accurate because it will be calculated at the time of each search query

- Keywords will no longer be marked ‘inactive for search’

- ‘First page bid’ will replace ‘minimum bid’ in your account

What does this update mean for advertisers?   For starters, all keywords in campaigns that are currently inactive for search will suddenly be active.  If bids on those terms are low enough then there should not be too much of an issue, however if bids are high enough for those terms to show ads, a large unexpected spike in spend for those campaigns could occur.  AdWords users will also most likely see cost-per-clicks across their campaigns rise in the coming months, as more advertisers take advantage of the new fist page bid option. 

These changes will roll out slowly over the next few days before they are fully implemented. Advertisers can also expect to see future updates to AdWords Editor and the AdWords API to reflect the new "first page bid" option.

“Business Social Networks” Bring Change

22
August
2008

Social networks are thriving, leading to a new development of “business social networks” which are changing the way business is conducted.

Ryan Moss
Media Coordinator

In each of the past couple of years social networks have become increasingly popular. Businesses have noticed this trend and are spending more money on social network advertising. eMarketer predicts that U.S. advertisers will spend $40 million on social network advertising in 2008. That amount is expected to steadily increase during subsequent years to the point where in 2012 it will reach $210 million.

The increase in advertising on social networks is a direct result of the dramatic increase in the overall number of users and networks. These networks are no longer being used strictly for social purposes and are now used for business purposes. In fact, in the next few years many businesses are expected to create their own networks which can be used to improve communication by tying together clients, partners, suppliers and vendors.

The shift to "business social networks" can be seen with LinkedIn, who has had its number of members more than double in the past year. There has also been an increase in the amount of "vertical industry business social networks." Networks such as ITtoolbox, Legal OnRamp and LawLink bring together professionals in the same industry. Even Facebook is following the trend by partnering with Visa in June 2008 to offer an application that helps small businesses network and interact with each other.

These new "business social networks" will greatly effect how people develop professional relationships, search for jobs and communicate B2B.

 

EyeTraffic Media Confirmed To Speak at INTERACT ‘08 in Washington, DC on September 30th

18
August
2008

On September 29th and 30th in Washington, DC, INTERACT ‘08 will gather together the top creative, strategic, and tactical marketing minds to speak about proven methods in which interactive media and a well-marketed web presence can achieve  increased market share, brand awareness and sales. Several subject-matter experts will discuss how interactive media will shape the [...]

On September 29th and 30th in Washington, DC, INTERACT ‘08 will gather together the top creative, strategic, and tactical marketing minds to speak about proven methods in which interactive media and a well-marketed web presence can achieve  increased market share, brand awareness and sales. Several subject-matter experts will discuss how interactive media will shape the future growth of national, international, and global companies in the future.

This year, we are proud to be invited to attend and speak at INTERACT ‘08.  Our Principal Manager – George Assimakopoulos – will participate as a panelist to discuss New Business Developments in Digital Media.  To view a full agenda on this exclusive event – please visit www.interact2008.com.

Beijing Olympic Sites Show Record Breaking Traffic

13
August
2008

Americans are going online to cheer on this year’s Olympic athletes.

Christine Pepin
Media Coordinator

Since the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, fans around the world have tuned in to cheer on the world’s finest athletes.  Just four years ago at the Olympics in Athens, NBC recorded only seven million page views on its Olympic site.  Although the Internet was surely a go-to medium for real-time information back then, its global impact has continued to increase.  This year, web traffic for the Beijing games has been record setting, with NBC’s and Yahoo’s Olympic-related content sites leading among the top 10 most visited.  These sites have been providing users with real-time news, athlete profiles, polls and exclusive interviews. NBC’s Olympic site even has had over 2,200 hours of live competition coverage so far.  In addition, nearly 45% of US and 31% of UK mobile users have been following the games via their cell phones, according to Nielsen Mobile.  During the opening ceremony alone, NBC’s Olympic Site recorded a staggering 70 million page visits, up 10 fold from the 2004 games. What is even more impressive is the number of unique audience members who are visiting the top Beijing Olympic content sites, as seen in the chart below.

Unique Audience to Olympics-related sites

In addition to site traffic records, Nielsen Online has also been tracking the buzz among message boards and blogs in the last week.  The active web community has perhaps aided the increase in page views, where the most talked about content relates to the record setting athletes and medal winning teams.  As the momentum picks up for other sports, that haven’t received a lot of coverage, there may be a shift in buzzed content from the following:

Buzz Volume of Olympic Sports

Mobile Gaming Flourishing In North America

8
August
2008

Revenue generated by mobile gaming is steadily increasing especially in North America.

Ryan Moss  
Media Coordinator

The mobile gaming industry is on the rise and technology experts have taken notice. According to a recent study by Gartner Dataquest, mobile games will generate about $4.5 billion worldwide in 2008. This amount is expected to steadily increase during the next few years to the point where in 2011, mobile gaming revenue will be approximately $6.3 billion.

Mobile gaming revenue is increasing worldwide, especially in North America. Screen Digest predicts that in 2009 North America will become the biggest mobile gaming marketing, surpassing the Asia-Pacific region. The chart below shows Screen Digest’s predictions for the Mobile Gaming Industry from 2007-2012.

According to Screen Digest, a large part of the rise in mobile gaming can be attributed to the iPhone. The usability of the iPhone makes it easier to play these games. At the same time, other mobile phone carriers are imitating the iPhone and the phones they are producing make it easier for the user to play these mobile games, as well.

Mobile Gaming Revenues In North America 2007-2012

 

Tips for Using Viral & Social Networks for Online Marketing

5
August
2008

Strategies to ensure success for social networking campaigns.

Stefanie Berliant
Media Coordinator

In today’s day and age, most companies engage in some form of online marketing. Search engine optimization (SEO),Pay Per Click (PPC) campaigns  and media buys are the more established solutions of interactive marketing. However, newer mediums such as viral and social marketing are becoming more prevalent online marketing tactics among companies of all sizes.

Some viral and social marketing practices include blogging and creating profiles on social networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.  There are 90 million active users on Facebook, 25 million users on LinkedIn and over 1 million users on Twitter, and over 112.8 million blogs (according to the blog search engine Technorati).  Of these millions of users, individual companies have blogs and a presence on social networking sites as well.

The goal is for companies to use these mediums to increase brand awareness, network, find new business and get better qualified leads. Though these tools companies can spread information about their organization through “word of mouth” and allow a company to interact with its audience on a more personal level. However, while using these tools may be less expensive than other interactive strategies, maintaining these outlets usually requires more time and effort. Below are a few key takeaways from MarketingSherpa to help utilize these new marketing tools. To see more tips, click on the link below.

1. Be selective with online networks. Pick networks that are relevant to you and your company, where you will be able to contribute to the online space.

2. Link to all of your social platforms. If you do choose to have multiple networking sites, make sure you link them to each other. This helps find new clients and contacts, teach them about the business and keep in touch with them over time.

3. Create a backlog to plan ahead. You need to continually maintain the dialogue between your company and your audience to keep them engaged and attract new business. This takes time and if in a rush, the quality of your conversations and blog posts will show.

Using Eyetracking Research to Avoid “Banner Blindness”?

1
August
2008

Research reveals a decreasing impact of successive email messages and online ads over time.

Christine Pepin
Media Coordinator

A follow-up eyetracking study was released by MarketingSherpa in concurrence with last year’s Email Benchmark Research, capturing how users view successive email newsletters. (See Image Below)  This information is very valuable for advertisers as they face the ongoing challenge of maintaining the effectiveness of their online ads every time a user views one of their messages.  According to the study, the audience’s attention to the content remains steady; however, there is great dissimilarity in the manner in which the ad space is viewed. 

Among users viewing the first newsletter, almost 80% scan some of the ad in the left-hand column.  Then, by the second issue, this percentage is cut in half, and then halved again in the third viewing.  This trend clearly demonstrates “banner blindness,” where users either consciously or unconsciously fail to identify information located in banners.  With the help of this eyetracking research, advertisers can combat banner blindness by implementing several tactics, a few of which are listed below.

1.      Vary the page’s template to encourage the user to make a full-page scan

2.      Change ad size or design so the audience’s eye is drawn to the modification

3.      Rotate ads frequently to eliminate the same position for long periods of time

Eyetracking Images Show Impact of Banner Blindness