Mobile push notifications: an effective but underused marketing channel

Posted on December 22, 2014 by Thirdscreen Marketing

New research from Econsultancy shows that a fifth (20%) of companies now use mobile push notifications.

The findings, which are included in the Cross-Channel Marketing Report 2014, struck me as quite surprising given that it has the potential to be a very effective marketing channel.

I’ve previously written of my love for push notifications as I think they’re a very effective way for brands to engage with consumers.

For example, if I get a message from my Rolling Stones app then I’ll almost definitely open it up and see what Mick wants to tell me.

Similarly if I get a notification that H&M has a sale on then I’ll probably see what’s up for grabs.

Data from Urban Airship shows that push messages increase both engagement and retention by as much as 40% and 116% respectively (though it’s worth noting that the company makes money by selling its mobile marketing services).

Similarly, data gathered by Localytics from 28,000 apps found that users who enable push notifications have a nearly 3x higher retention rate compared to those who disable them.

But as our research shows, relatively few brands are making use of the technology.

This may change with the emergence of iBeacons, which rely on the use of apps and push notifications, but at the moment it’s still an under-utilised technology.

With this in mind, here\’s a few examples of brands that are using push messages.

Brands using push notifications

ASOS

In an example lovingly pinched from Mobile Donky, ASOS sent this push notification to iPhone users to notify them of a 50% sale.

The copy certainly grabs your attention and it’s a compelling offer. I’d definitely click through to the app.

Debenhams

I’ve previously blogged about Debenhams’ clever use of push messages, which are timed to coincide with seasonal sales or events such as Valentine’s Day or payday.

These messages were enough to make me click through to the Debenhams app, even though it’s not really the sort of retailer I tend to buy from.

Walmart

I no longer have Walmart’s app, but when I did messages came in at the rate of about one a month.

They generally advertised seasonal sales, which is a useful and relevant way of engaging with app users.

Ladbrokes

Another example taken from Mobile Donky. Betting apps stand to make a lot of money from push notifications, as gamblers probably don’t need a lot of persuading to make an impulsive bet.

It would be quite easy to tailor these messages based on the user’s preferences (i.e. their betting history).

The Rolling Stones

I haven’t received a push message from the Stones in several months, and quite frankly I miss them.

The app would send me regular messages about tour updates, news, or just encouraging me to watch one of the band’s old YouTube videos.

For example, last year I received a message to tell me it was Keith Richards\’ birthday, while another one let me know that the app now contained a new video of the band performing ‘Miss You’.

Things to avoid

The personal, direct nature of push notifications increases the likelihood that they will be misused.

By that I mean marketers need to resist the temptation to spam the hell out of everyone who has opted into push messages, as it will erode consumer trust and reduce the efficacy of the channel.

A recent survey of 1,000 consumers by the DMA found that while seven in 10 (69%) have enabled push notifications, 78% of those people said ‘they would immediately delete the app or disable the notification’ if they were unhappy with the push notifications they receive.

So what can brands do to avoid annoying their app users? Econsultancy editor-in-chief Graham Charlton has previously looked at this issue, but the basic advice is:

  • Tailor the messages by asking for people’s preferences.
  • Don’t spam everyone.
  • Don’t send messages in the middle of the night.
  • Use push notifications for something useful, rather than just adverts.

Original article found here

Posted in App Development, Loyalty, Mobile Marketing | Leave a comment

The Top Three Mobile Marketing Trends to Watch in 2015

Posted on December 18, 2014 by Thirdscreen Marketing

As we are now living in a mobile-first world- we need to think about how this will effect the marketing world. Marketing Profs runs down the top 3 trends that we should look out for in 2015.

In the past year, mobile developments have led to the adoption of the Twitter and Facebook “buy” button in limited areas, the rollout of Apple Pay, lackluster Samsung earnings, and the recent announcement of Xiaomi\’s growing dominance in China.

1. Increase in localized content and network.

Consumers in developing nations have trouble accessing localized content, as shown in Upstream\’s “2014 The Next Mobile Frontier Report“(email required) with 20% of consumers in emerging market nations, such as Nigeria, Brazil, China, India, and Vietnam indicating content not presented in the local language as a barrier to entry.

For purposes of purchasing mobile apps, and accessing content such as news and health services, localization is of great importance. As consumers are increasingly looking to access different types of content, taking a localized approach will be crucial to refocusing efforts to grow on mobile in non-Western markets. This will include addressing specific language obstacles, network speeds, and the varying content desires that exist.

2. Brands reaching consumers via the mobile ads.

Facebook\’s advertising revenue in the third quarter jumped 64% to $2.96 billion—two-thirds of that from mobile alone. There is no greater indication that the power of mobile for brands is bigger than ever.


As more consumers enter the mobile space, reaching and targeting them is increasingly vital, and Facebook has risen to the challenge to provide an outlet to do so. Facebook\’s approach to emerging market advertising is also a win for brands. Facebook\’s new mobile advertising strategy bypasses current technological infrastructure issues in emerging markets—namely network speeds—and instead formats ads as missed calls, so consumers\’ interest with the ad is relayed back to the advertiser. The advertiser then can call the user back and deliver the information audibly.

Facebook is paying heed to the intricacies of advertising methodology in the mobile sphere, and the company is the first step in completely transforming the mobile-ad experience.

3. Localized payment methods, such as Apple Pay, with service provider partnerships.

Payment structures should not pose an obstacle to consumers. As revealed in Upstream\’s “2014 The Next Mobile Frontier Report,” 44% of Nigerian consumers indicate that the preferred way to purchase content is through their mobile operator. In accordance with the need for localized content, localizing payment methods is vital.


Moreover, more than one in five (21%) consumers in developing nations do not have access to credit or banking facilities, making a typical credit card payment service like Apple Pay ineffective. In those nations, Apple Pay cannot be unveiled universally but on a case-by-case basis. Across Nigeria, Brazil, India, China, and Vietnam, 19% of consumers say they would like to purchase mobile content using a credit card and 10% via a debit card. There will need to be more collaboration with local operators with whom consumers have clearly indicated their intent to purchase.

By 2018, nearly half the world is expected to have Internet access, with the largest increases anticipated to take place in emerging markets. That increase is caused in large part to initiatives such as Facebook\’s Internet.org and significant investments being made in infrastructure to establish connectivity in global markets Africa and India, with a majority of connections taking place on mobile.

Moreover, GSMA predicts that by year\’s end, global connections will reach 7.2 billion (equal to that of the global population total projected by the United Nations).

We are living in a mobile-first world, continuing to drive brands not only to evolve with the rapidly expanding mobile landscape but compelling brands to capitalize on new opportunities and capture the attention of the next five billion consumers in developing nations.

Following are three global mobile marketing trends that we can expect to see in 2015.

More than three quarters of the world\’s mobile phones are located in emerging markets, and that figure is only growing, meaning developing nations are home to the largest mobile growth worldwide.

Original article found here

Posted in Mobile Marketing, Smartphones, Strategic Marketing | Leave a comment

Mobile Is Shaking Up Traditional Loyalty Marketing Programs

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Thirdscreen Marketing

Three Steps for Brands to Succeed at Mobile Loyalty in the Future

Loyalty programs have been incredibly enduring — from that very first American Airlines frequent flyer program in 1981 to the Starbucks Card Rewards program nearly 30 years later. The average U.S. household now takes part in 21.9 loyalty programs every year, according to Colloquy research.

Yet mobile is shaking up the traditional loyalty model, just as it\’s shaken up so many other things. The mobile phone has become the remote control for life, and we\’re using it to change channels on our loyalty programs as well. More and more digitally-savvy consumers are giving up on traditional one-size-fits-all loyalty programs and choosing mobile-driven offerings that fit their specific needs.

And that\’s very good news for brands. Because the mobile phone is where brands can reach consumers anytime and anywhere — where they\’ll find engaged users who are ready to receive valuable and relevant messages.

American Express\’ new partnership with Uber, for instance, represents a huge milestone for mobile commerce. It\’s powerful and yet so simple. Under the program, participants pay with AmEx when they ride Uber, earn two times the rewards points and can use those points to pay for future Uber rides.

That\’s it. If you\’re the customer, all you need to do is what you\’re already doing — riding Uber across town and loving it. You get “paid” with loyalty points when you do.

Other brands are thinking the same way.

WalMart and Walgreens are using apps to make personalized offers to shoppers right as they\’re in the store. The apps also keep track of past purchases, brand preferences and where people like to shop.

Starbucks has a wildly successful mobile payments app that saves coffee drinkers money while giving them great offers they really want on — surprise! — coffee.

You probably have other brands and programs on your own phone. And you\’ll notice that besides being direct and easy to use, they all rely on — and even revel in — data.

This one-two punch of ease plus data is driving the loyalty programs of the future. Mobile phones help brands make it easy, if only because nobody has to forget their coffee card ever again. And they also give brands unprecedented first-party data and targeting. They\’re called “smart” phones for a reason: They offer copious insights not just on demographic details but on actual specific consumer preferences, spending and shopping habits, location and contextual relevance.

Mobile is the glue that unites traditional offline with new online programs in a way that is far more meaningful and relevant to each consumer. Marketers who want to get ahead of the pack should consider these three core tenets:

1. Personal choice is critical. Know what your users really want to receive and experience. A coupon for a purple sports drink is not a reward if the recipient likes coconut water to stay hydrated. Offer your users engaging rewards that suit their changing moods and needs from day-to-day and location-to-location.

2. Outline the rules of engagement. It\’s clear that many people like some “surprise and delight” in their loyalty program — like a free upgrade when they check in to their favorite hotel. However, we\’ve found that the majority of consumers don\’t want their rewards program to be a 24/7 surprise. Communication is key. While you\’re making your program easy, also make the rewards clear.

3. Understand the numbers. Besides those happy customers, the biggest win you\’ll receive from your loyalty program is the rich data it provides. Respect it. And use what you learn to drive better business decisions.

As the advertising industry continues to become more automated, more systematic and more data-driven, tapping into the insights and connection points that help marketers build authentic relationships with their customers will be more important than ever before. Mobile-driven loyalty offerings are a clear solution to build these relationships.

Original article found here

Posted in Loyalty, Mobile Marketing, Smartphones | Leave a comment

Here is what 250 marketing leaders think of the mobile marketing strategy

Posted on December 9, 2014 by Thirdscreen Marketing

Want to know if your mobile strategy is in line with other businesses in your industry? Look below as Marketing Profs breaks down a survey from 250 marketing leaders who weigh in on the mobile debate.

The State of Mobile Marketing Strategy

Some 61% of senior marketers say they have some form of mobile strategy implemented or in development, but few believe they have managed to fully integrated mobile into their overarching marketing plan, according to a recent report from the CMO Council and SAS.

The survey of 250 marketing leaders found only 17% believe their mobile strategy is already fully integrated into their overall marketing plan, with an additional 44% indicating that integration is in progress.

Moreover, 39% of respondents say they have either not tried to integrate their mobile strategy or do not have a mobile strategy to begin with.

Below, additional key findings from the report.

Mobile Strategy

Nearly two-thirds (64%) of respondents believe mobile is a critical channel for engaging customers.

Of those who do not believe mobile is critical:

  • 48% say mobile is not central to their marketing and engagement strategies.
  • 28% think mobile is simply a campaign and not a strategy.
  • 24% admit mobile is an area of confusion in their organization and has no clear owner.

Mobile Tactics

  • 75% of respondents who are currently using mobile tactics have mobile-optimized sites.
  • 66% have launched at least one mobile app.
  • 56% are targeting mobile search.
  • 53% have tried outbound SMS/MMS campaigns.

Mobile Metrics

  • 49% of respondents measure mobile performance via click and response rates.
  • 41% measure mobile content consumption.
  • 40% use app downloads as a success metric.

About the research: The report was based on data from survey of 250 marketing leaders conducted by the CMO Council.

Original article found here

Posted in Mobile Marketing, Mobile Search, Multi-Screen, Smartphones | Leave a comment

Media you would miss most

Posted on December 4, 2014 by Thirdscreen Marketing

It is not surprising to see the breakdown of demographics who value smartphones over other traditional types of media.

Here BI Intelligence has given us an overview which shows that the younger generation are more likely to miss smartphones then TV and vice versa for adults.

Young People Don\’t Care About Newspapers, Old People Don\’t Care About Smartphones

Kicking off Business Insider’s Ignition event on Tuesday, Business Insider CEO Henry Blodget detailed where digital business is headed. And of all the interesting visuals from that presentation, this chart, based on Ofcom data charted by BI Intelligence, stood out. It shows a major shift in the types of media most important to various generations.

People between the ages of 16 and 24, for example, would not blink an eye if newspapers and magazines went extinct; smartphones are the “must-have” device of the younger generation. The breakdown among all adults shows a much stronger craving for TV over smartphones and computers, and the older generations (those over 75) don\’t care much about computers and have absolutely no problem living without smartphones.

bii sai cotd media demosBI Intelligence

Original article found here

Posted in Mobile Advertising, Mobile Marketing, Multi-Screen, Smartphones | Leave a comment

Can Mobile Rule the Ad World?

Posted on December 2, 2014 by Thirdscreen Marketing

This article from AdWeek is putting mobile, the small screen, front and center where it belongs. See below why mobile should be highly considered over other alternatives.

After early struggles, the small screen may ultimately emerge as the winner

Photo: Getty Images

For years, mobile was seen as a slick sideshow—the possibilities of engaging people on a platform that commands, even consumes their attention has always held great promise but also appeared doomed to disappoint. Neither the marketing nor the metrics were ready for prime time—remarkable considering how much most of us live on our devices. But as native, programmatic and location-based ads continue to roll out, could mobile advertising be poised to overtake other media?

While some industry insiders scoff at the suggestion that TV will ever take a backseat to smartphones and tablets, there are others who are quite bullish.

“Mobile will eventually become the predominant screen,” predicted Bob Dorfman, creative director at Baker Street Advertising in San Francisco. “I’d say within 10 years.”

The turnaround appears to be well underway, in fact.

Mobile sales figures at both Facebook and Twitter are soaring, with each enjoying double-digit gains per quarter. Meanwhile, the process of advertising on mobile devices may have just gotten easier. Facebook today will introduce Atlas, which is designed to help marketers track campaigns across smartphones, tablets and desktops. Also this week, Nielsen is expected to pitch the TV networks a measurement tool that will pair mobile views with TV ratings. Google is also set to debut rich media ads for mobile.

But even as change is in the air, not everyone believes marketers are moving fast enough to keep up.

“If all everybody is doing is iterating on last year’s plan, you’re only making five-degree changes here and there,” said Sarah Hofstetter, CEO of digital shop 360i. “It goes back to budgeting.”

Hofstetter was able to convince client Red Roof Inn to invest in mobile video ads in recent months. Those ads did so well for the hotel chain that it boosted its fourth-quarter mobile spend by 25 percent.

“In 2012, the thinking was, ‘Maybe I need to start paying attention to mobile,’” said Red Roof Inn digital director Kevin Scholl. “Last year, it was, ‘Maybe I need to have a stronger focus on this.’ And then in 2014, it is, ‘This absolutely has to be a larger part of our strategy.’”

All the while, the ratings of the Big Four broadcast networks continue to erode. And for the first time ever, cable and satellite subscriptions last year declined versus the year prior, per research firm IHS. To say that the TV business is troubled is to deal in hard truths, of course, and yesterday’s news.

“There’s a big acceleration of millennials expecting content on demand and optimized for any device,” pointed out research guru Jason Dorsey, who specializes in Gen Y. “It would be naïve to say that TV doesn’t reach them, but when looking at how they take in entertainment and information via mobile devices, TV is not where it is at.”

ESPN, which dominates so much of DVR-proof live sports programming, appears on the winning side, however. This past April, the cable net revealed that the majority of consumers of its digital video content tuned in via smartphones and tablets, reaching a peak of 57 percent in August. As a result, ESPN is working to enhance high-def mobile viewing to service consumers and advertisers.

“We are going to ask ad agencies to ensure that creative has the ability to be delivered at maximum scope on all screens,” said Zach Chapman, ESPN vp, global digital sales. “Nine times out of 10, consumers don’t have the luxury of being in front of a 72-inch screen.”

Those smaller screens seem to suit consumers just fine—something more agencies and brands are finally waking up to. As YP (formerly Yellow Pages) SVP of national markets Luke Edson put it, “Publishers, agencies and brands will shift to mobile. They have to.”

Meanwhile, David Hewitt, vp, mobile at Boston digital agency SapientNitro, anticipates a time when the business will be as focused on connected cars and appliances as on the mobile screen as we know it. “In essence,” he said, “it is mobility that is the future of advertising.”

Original article found here

Posted in App Development, Mobile Advertising, Mobile Search, Multi-Screen | Leave a comment

Retailers Brace for Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Posted on November 26, 2014 by Thirdscreen Marketing

The most important thing to take away from this post by Neilsen is the fact that both men and women will plan to search and shop on America\’s biggest shopping day of the year across various platforms. Read below to find out the exact breakdowns.

Pass the Turkey and the Car Keys: Retailers Brace for Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Once the last piece of pumpkin pie is eaten, Thanksgiving thoughts that used to turn to naptimes now switch to navigating mall traffic. After all, this year some retailers are planning to open so early, they\’ll never really shut down on Turkey Day in the first place. And many shoppers are looking forward to two of the biggest shopping days of the year—Black Friday and Cyber Monday—eager for deals in-store and online.

So just how do these two shopping “holidays” stack up in the battle of the sexes? A recent English-language Nielsen survey asked both men and women shoppers and found some interesting differences.

Men Will Lead the Charge to the Stores This Black Friday

While 52% of all survey respondents said they plan to shop on Black Friday this year, men are more apt to brave the in-store crowds. In fact, 53% of men said they plan to shop in-store, compared with 50% of women. However, Black Friday—a traditional brick-and-mortar shopping experience—is getting a tech boost. Forty percent of those polled said they actually shop online on Black Friday. Despite pundit predictions about the waning salience of Black Friday, a quarter of consumers polled plan to undertake their first Black Friday store visits this year. These first timers comprise 29% of men and 22% of women.

So where are these eager shoppers headed? The top five Black Friday destinations are department stores (56%), discount stores/mass merchandisers (55%), electronic stores (49%), online (40%) and toy stores (26%). When split by gender, men prefer to visit electronic stores, followed by department stores, mass merchandisers, online and then club stores. Women, meanwhile, prefer to do their holiday shopping at department stores, followed by mass merchandisers, online, electronic and then toy stores.

Not surprisingly, many of the top gifts wrapped up this season will be found at the top shopping spots. The top five items consumers plan to purchase this Black Friday are apparel (58%), consumer electronics (52%), video games/consoles (45%), gift cards (36%) and toys (34%). When split by gender, men say they\’ll be looking to buy consumer electronics, video games/consoles and then apparel while women will be putting apparel, video games/consoles and then toys in their baskets.

Women Plan to Click Their Way to Sales this Cyber Monday

Slightly more shoppers (55%) plan to shop on Cyber Monday this year than Black Friday. But women will be more active on this online shopping day: 60% of women plan on shopping Cyber Monday versus 50% of men.

Not surprisingly, the top sources for information on Cyber Monday sales are retailers\’ websites (59%), Cyber Monday deal websites (57%) and emails (49%). In addition, 39% of shoppers this year will turn to social media websites, such as Facebook and Twitter for deal details while 33% of shoppers will still use “old school” newspapers or circulars. When viewed through a gender lens, men tend to skew toward Cyber Monday deal websites, and women gravitate toward retailer websites.

One reason more shoppers plan to shop Cyber Monday may be the greater number of virtual “doors” to stores. In the U.S., 75% of mobile subscribers (75% of men and 76% of women) currently own smartphones, and 51% of mobile subscribers (52% of women and 51% of men) in the U.S. currently own tablets. And according to Nielsen’s third-quarter 2014 Connected Device Report, two top reasons for consumers planning to purchase a new tablet in the next three months are still wanting the latest technology (43%) and wanting a faster device (30%). For those that have already made the upgrade, it was because they wanted a newer/trendier device (37%).

With a growing number of devices at shoppers\’ fingertips, the most popular device used for Cyber Monday shopping is still a laptop (89%), followed by a smartphone/cellphone and tablet (33% for each). By gender, 90% of men say they plan shop via a computer/laptop versus 88% women. But men also say they plan let their thumbs do the shopping (41%), preferring smartphones for Cyber Monday spending over women (28%). And 35% of men are planning to shop on a tablet, compared with 31% of women.

The Deal Days in Dollars

No matter which day shoppers choose, retailers should see a big boost in sales. On both days, more than half (56%) of shoppers are planning to spend between $100 and $500 dollars. And on Black Friday, 30% of consumers plan to spend $250-$500 on holiday purchases.

Methodology

The insights from the post were culled from a number of Nielsen sources:

  • The Black Friday and Cyber Monday insights were from an online English-language survey of 1,150 respondents from a general population sample of those aged 18+.
  • The insights from Nielsen’s Mobile Connected Device Report for third-quarter 2014 was an English-language survey, gathered from a general population sample of those aged 13+ and with 7,588 respondents who own a tablet, smartphone or streaming-capable device.
  • The Nielsen Mobile Insights survey covers multiple research topics measuring the attitudes and behaviors of wireless subscribers and nonsubscribers. It is a self-administered online English-language survey of teens (age 13–17) and adults (age 18+) and a Spanish-language version (SLV) phone survey of Hispanic adults (age 18+).
  • Tablet data is based on scaled installed counts via Nielsen/NPOWER/National People Meter panel (persons within households that have at least one tablet).

Original article found here

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The 3 New Realities of Local Retail

Posted on November 24, 2014 by Thirdscreen Marketing

For most industries to stay competitive it is all about keeping up with the times and integrating technology into the systems already in place. Here shows 3 ways digital will be integrated into the retail sector for local businesses.

The relationship between digital and local stores is changing—something we learned from our new Digital Impact on In-Store Shopping study, commissioned from Ipsos MediaCT and Sterling Brands. From it, we identified three new realities of retail: digital drives in-store traffic; smartphones are in-store shopping assistants and varied shopping habits call for a holistic approach to measuring retail success. Savvy retailers are learning how to reach customers by better connecting the online to the offline and by caring less about where a sale happens and more about how to help shoppers convert. Some brands, such as Macy\’s, REI and Sephora, are already doing so. Find out how.

Foot traffic has always mattered most to local retailers, but the way it\’s achieved is changing fast. On-the-go consumers now spend more than 15 hours per week researching on their smartphones. They gather information and “snack shop” at the pace and place that suits them best—not just on their smartphone, but at the office desktop and at home on the couch with a tablet.

This change in consumer behavior is creating dramatic new realities in the world of local retail. It\’s not only changing the mind-set of consumers as they walk into the store, but it\’s also changing actual foot traffic patterns. Holiday store visits dropped 55% from 38 billion in 2010 to 17 billion in 2013, according to Shoppertrak. Yet during that same period, same store sales rose, according to MasterCard\’s SpendPulse report, which means that the value of each store visit actually doubled. How? Consumers visited less, but they were better informed about what they wanted when entering the store. Each trip was more purposeful and they bought more.

Our new Digital Impact On In-Store Shopping study, commissioned from Ipsos MediaCT and Sterling Brands, shows just how digital now creates foot traffic by leading shoppers to stores, then helps convert them once they\’re in-store.

The research illustrates why it\’s so important for retailers to think of blending their digital presence with their physical stores. Brands such as Macy\’s, REIand Sephora are leading the way on this front. They\’re offering in-store pickup for items bought online, supporting home delivery of products purchased in-store and showing product availability at nearby stores in search results. These strategies not only create a better experience for shoppers, but they also boost the bottom line.

In short, both research and retail trends show that the way to reach today\’s shoppers is to care less about where a sale happens and more about how to make it happen in the way the consumer wants at that moment.

So let\’s take a look at the three new realities of local retail driven by these changes in consumer behavior. We\’ll review the research and see how some fearless retail leaders have already bridged the online-offline divide to create a profitable omnichannel connection.

New reality #1: Digital drives in-store traffic

As it turns out, digital doesn\’t just drive e-commerce. It actually gets consumers into local stores. A 2014 study on local search behavior found that 50% of consumers will visit a store within one day of a local search on their smartphone. Scott Zalaznik, Sprint\’s vice president of digital, has seen digital\’s influence on offline shopping firsthand: “Ninety percent of our customers start their journey online but buy in-store.”

For some shoppers, the local store is still a place to browse and talk to experts, but for others, it\’s becoming more like a local distribution center where they can pop in quickly to pick up a product they\’ve researched in advance. When asked what information would be helpful to have in local search results, respondents in our Digital Impact on In-Store Shopping studylisted “product availability at a nearby store” (74%) and “pricing at that store” (75%). That\’s why it\’s important to promote and share inventory seamlessly across all channels.

Bridget Dolan, vice president of interactive marketing at Sephora, agrees that online activity affects offline behavior, especially with regard to smartphones. As she puts it, “In retail, you can\’t think about the mobile phone as a threat. You have to think about it as a magnet that draws people into your stores.”

Macy\’s vice president of marketing strategy, Serena Potter, says the retail giant makes sure that its local store inventory is visible to anyone browsing its website or Google Search. The brand uses Google Local Inventory Ads to connect shoppers with information about the products they seek. “We can tell her that there are eight of what she wants in her size and desired color available right now in the store that\’s five blocks away.”

New reality #2: Smartphones are in-store shopping assistants

Thanks to our constantly connected world, we\’ve become accustomed to instantaneous answers and a wealth of information at our fingertips, but not all retailers have translated this well into in-store experiences. Shoppers are increasingly frustrated by the lack of in-store information. Two-thirds of those surveyed said they couldn\’t find the details they needed while visiting a store. Many, as a result, are turning to their smartphone to fill in the information gap. Of the 42% who research online while in stores, almost half use the retailer\’s own site or app. And one in three shoppers actually prefer to use their smartphone to find additional information rather than ask a store employee for help, according to our Mobile In-Store Research study.

Annie Zipfel, senior vice president of marketing for outdoor retailer REI, says, “The consumer has never been more informed, and that information comes from their phone. We love when someone enters the store holding their phone saying, \’I want this tent. I want this bike. Help me find this.\'” It\’s a perfect example of how digital and local retail can come together to make the sale.

Even if shoppers want to showroom, or browse in-store with the intent to buy online later, they\’re likely turning to their phone in those moments. So make sure your mobile presence is working on your behalf. Contrary to popular sentiment, Best Buy CEO Hubert Joly actually says, “We love being used as the internet\’s showroom.” He thinks that once customers are in your store, they\’re yours to lose. The key is to give them all the online information they need at their fingertips via your site, app and search campaigns to enable them to make a decision and buy in your store.

New reality #3: Omnichannel shopping calls for omnichannel measurement

Though shopping habits have changed drastically, retailers haven\’t necessarily caught up in the ways they measure their marketing efforts and allocate their media spend. Most retailers don\’t yet understand the extent to which digital drives in-store transactions and how in-store visits affect online purchases. The result is that they\’re often viewing sales in silos and undervaluing the real impact of their digital spend on total sales. Consequently, they\’re making suboptimal decisions about their media mix.

Macys.com\’s Serena Potter says the brand has placed a special focus on understanding just how much of local business sales come from digital searches. “We\’ve been able to show that for every dollar we invest in search, we drive $6 of sales in-store,” she says.

Smart marketers such as Jennifer Kasper, group vice president of digital media and multi-cultural marketing for Macy\’s, are doing their best to break down traditional measurement silos and look at what drives sales in a more holistic way. They\’re no longer treating digital and in-store sales as separate teams with different objectives; rather, they’re combining them and aligning on company-wide goals, such as overall sales, to pursue collectively. “The bottom line is we\’re indifferent to whether a shopper converts in the store or online; we just want her to shop with Macy\’s,” Kasper explains.

The future of shopping

The bridge between digital traffic and foot traffic has become a competitive necessity in retail. The retailers who embrace these new realities—who connect with their customers seamlessly, no matter where those shoppers happen to be or how they want to buy—will be the retailers who win. It\’s those on-the-go connections that are the future of shopping.

Original article found here

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How Smartphones Have Transformed Retail

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Thirdscreen Marketing

Search Engine Journal

Smartphones continue to increase their importance in our daily lives, as this infographic from ifbyphone clearly states. This infographic illustrates the importance of mobile e-commerce.

Here are some key insights from the infographic below:

  • 60% of the time Americans spend with online retail occurs on mobile devices
  • 88% of shoppers research online and purchase in store
  • 32% of shoppers have changed their mind about a purchase after researching via mobile in a store
  • Email marketing generated 26.7% of retail purchases made on phones in Q1 2014
  • 67% of online shoppers will call a business directly for any purchase greater than $100

Mobile Impact4 760x1075 How Smartphones Have Transformed Retail
Mobile Impact2 760x1075 How Smartphones Have Transformed Retail
Mobile Impact JPG 760x1075 How Smartphones Have Transformed Retail

Original article found here

Posted in Mobile Marketing | Leave a comment

Consumers are sweet on mobile apps

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Thirdscreen Marketing

Neilsen gave us a great break down late last month to show us why we as users love apps so much. Check it out below!

Tech-Or-Treat: Consumers Are Sweet on Mobile Apps

With Halloween around the corner, our thoughts turn to candy corn, gummy spiders and mini chocolate bars. But U.S. consumers today also crave another treat. Sure, candy apples are great, but mobile apps are also satisfying.

According to the second-quarter 2014 Cross-Platform report, U.S. adults (18+) spent an average of 43 hours and 31 minutes per month connecting with content through an app or mobile web browser—up from 33 hours and 48 minutes per month in the same quarter in 2013. Among African-American and Hispanic adults (18+), that average monthly time spent was even higher, at nearly 53 hours and 49 hours respectively!

Trick-or-treaters tend to stock up on more candy than they actually need, and English-speaking U.S. mobile app consumers seem to be no different. While the average smartphone downloader has around 42 apps on their device, the majority (87%) claim they use less than 10 apps on a daily basis while 55% say they use between one and four apps and 32% report using between five and nine, according to Nielsen’s Mobile Apps Playbook. Meanwhile, the average tablet downloader has around 35 apps on their device, with 89% claiming they use less than 10 apps on a daily basis.

But phones and tablets aren’t the only way to access apps these days. On average, those who have downloaded an app on their smart TV have 12 apps on their device. Wearable downloaders have an average of four apps on their devices.

So why are consumers downloading apps?

Apps are fun! Consumers cite leisure or entertainment (53% of smartphone owners/59% tablet owners) and a recommendation from a friend (48% smartphone owners/44% tablet owners) as their top reasons for downloading an application. Among tablet owners, 48% also say they download an app because they have the same or similar app on another device.

Consumers are maximizing their downtime by using apps, presenting marketers and app developers with a potential opportunity to reach these consumers while they are unoccupied. In third-quarter 2014, 70% of app downloaders who own a smartphone said they used apps while alone or by themselves, 68% used apps while they were “bored” or “killing time” and 61% while waiting for something or someone. Sixty-five percent of tablet users use apps while they are alone.

While apps provide marketers a unique opportunity to engage consumers, downloaders who prefer free treats, keep a tight hold on wallets when personally investing in apps and lean more towards useful apps. App downloaders say they will pay for games, reading (books/magazines), music and video/movie apps. On the other hand, 40% say they won\’t pay for social networking, discount/coupon or payment apps. Of course, some apps come with phones, and when consumers don\’t want these pre-loaded applications, users cite not being interested in the app (75% smartphone/70% tablet), finding the app not useful (69% smartphone /70% tablet) or the app taking up too much memory (43% smartphone/43% tablet) as top reasons for uninstalling.

Nielsen App Playbook Methodology

The insights from Nielsen’s Mobile Applications Playbook were gathered from 3,743 respondents’ age 13+ years who have downloaded an application to their device in the past 30 days.  The distribution by device is 2,707 smartphone owners and 1,027 tablet owners. The respondents completed an online, self-administered, English-language survey in August 2014. Past 30-day downloaders were identified through Nielsen’s Mobile Insights syndicated tracking study.

Mobile Methodology

Nielsen’s Electronic Mobile Measurement (EMM) is an observational, user-centric approach that uses passive metering technology on smartphones to track device and application usage on an opt-in convenience panel. Results are then reported out through Nielsen Mobile NetView 3.0. There are approximately 5,000 panelists in the U.S. across both iOS and Android smartphone devices, and this method provides a holistic view of all activity on a smartphone, as the behavior is being tracked without interruption. A number of steps are taken after the data collection process to ensure the reported data is representative of the mobile population. Weighting controls are applied across five characteristics (gender, age, income, race, and ethnicity).

Original article found here

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