Businesses are leveraging Twitter in increasing numbers. We are well past the point of social media managers tweeting random thoughts to attract followers. Tweeting has become a sophisticated marketing art form with offers and promotions sent in 140 character bursts in the hopes of driving conversions. But there is a risk in over-promising and under-delivering. And that can lead to the wrong kind of brand awareness.
For instance, several weeks ago a company that shall remain nameless reached out to the MediaWhiz twitter feed offering free snacks in exchange for a simple reply to their hashtag. Who doesn’t love free swag? The reply was sent and the waiting game began. We’re still waiting. Not good.
Now if you’d like to play devil’s advocate you could make the point that the entire office was not promised free iPads. Fair enough. But the end result is no less damaging to the company tweeting the promotion. Whenever I think of this brand, I am left feeling let down. The likelihood that I’ll purchase a product from this company is extremely low. And that’s all because of a tweet that literally failed to deliver the goods. That’s something all brands should keep top of mind the next time they take to Twitter.
In the affiliate space, publishers who are a part of a network agree to place a page of their offers in their registration paths. For publishers, there are two major benefits to participating in a network – 1. Offer money-savings deals to consumers. 2. Develop an additional revenue stream for the publisher’s web site. The approach has its supporters. But is running a program exclusively through a network really the best, most value driven method for generating leads and conversions for advertisers? Is there a better way?
Advertisers and publishers who utilize a marketing agent/broker to navigate the ad placement waters benefit from a unique value proposition. Marketing agents/brokers provide a strong level of format control. They provide strong format control. Additionally, marketing agents/brokers encourage complete market optimization. Network run campaigns often lack the experience and expertise required to continually optimize and test offers, transfer data and implement creative. And there is no guarantee that a publisher will opt to become part of a specific network, potentially making the additional time and effort put in by the client advertiser an exercise in futility.
Another unique benefit to utilizing a marketing agent is the agents’ ability to broker media buys on single sites and network sites. Marketing agents/brokers understand the market in-depth. They are not hamstrung by any specific commitment to a publisher revenue number. Rather, they are committed to finding the right site for the advertiser. It bears repeating that marketing agents/brokers identify trends before they become trends. They are able to expertly analyze, evaluate and optimize ads, across the entire market leading to new revenue streams and maximum profitability.
As you weigh the pros and cons of network and broker service, it is important to consider that in online performance marketing, being able to continuously improve a campaign and proactively adapt to trends are crucial to short-term and long-term success. Marketing agents/brokers have a keen grasp of the strengths and weaknesses among affiliate networks. They understand best practices, compliance issues and effective targeting initiatives. Most importantly, marketing agents/brokers utilize these high level proficiencies to drive consistent, profitable results that go beyond the limits of a specific network positively impacting the total online marketplace.
Powered by technological innovation, Apple ended Google’s four year reign as most valued global brand last week, according to Millward Brown’s Brandz 2011 report. Apple’s brand value skyrocketed 84% in 2010 while Google’s lost 2%. Google’s slight drop-off should stave off warnings of its imminent demise. But Apple’s surge to the top speaks to something vital to not only remaining competitive in the digital space but dominating the field – continuous improvement.
With the iPod, iPhone and iPad, Apple has mastered the art of never settling. By leading the charge on emerging platforms, they have captured the collective imagination and fascination of the public. Team Steve Jobs has done a great job, cheesy pun intended, of building a relationship with his customers based on trust and mutual respect. He knows what people want and people believe he will always deliver. To that end, Apple is ahead of challenger brands and has had the foresight to appreciate the significance of performance-based media solutions.
Jobs’ commitment to audience engagement, product and campaign testing and continuous overall improvement is the strategic approach driving social success. Apple’s ascent should be a lesson for brands looking to improve their brand value and brand equity.
Social media and display advertising are strengthening an already robust revenue driving relationship. Facebook’s ad network eclipsed the billion dollar mark in 2010 and according to some industry experts it is poised to generate over six billion in profits. Facebook’s profile and user-based targeting practices are primarily responsible for its high level of performance. If a user “likes” Kim Kardashian, that user is likely to have ads for her E! Televisions Shows or clothing line displayed on the Facebook page. This is one example of effective targeting. Online advertising networks adhere to similar guidelines to drive positive results for their campaigns. It seems to be a successful model, right? Senator Alan Lowenthal of the California State Senate seems to think otherwise.
Lowenthal is leading the charge for a Do Not Track bill in the state, legislation that would require CA online companies to provide an opt-out privacy option for potential customers. Haven’t we been here before? The quick answer is yes. In 2010, many politicians carried the torch for more stringent privacy regulation. Ultimately nearly every proposed bill flopped or lost steam. Why? Here are two big reasons touched on earlier – social media and massive revenues. People on social networks are all about sharing information. They “like” musicians, retail stores, moves and even commercials. They tweet about fashion, entertainment and anything they deem important. They are willingly giving up their privacy to drive the conversation. And in driving the conversation, they are supplying digital advertisers with data to use not for vague, underhanded purposes but to deliver highly relevant, cost-efficient ads to them.
And then there are the billion dollar revenues generated through display advertising and social media. These are not potential profits. These are real deal figures. California is teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. Wouldn’t it behoove Lowenthal to start backing the money maker and cease and desist with the politicking?
Financial professionals talk endlessly about the need to diversify your asset portfolio. Having all your eggs in one basket may fill up that basket but it will leave a lot of wicker sad and lonely. The same analogy is true in describing the state of paid search advertising.
According to an article in eMarketer, PPC search marketers are increasing their advertising presence on social media. 52% of global companies stated that social channels had either a moderate or huge impact on their search initiatives in 2010. And with more social networks tapping into paid search advertising, it makes sense that PPC campaigns on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube would be on rise. After all, clicks still matter and finding your target audience where they live – on social networks – will likely produce more clicks and conversions. But adding PPC to Social Media Optimization (SMO) shouldn’t be the only way you diversify your search portfolio. Make some room in your PPC wicker basket for SEO.
Coordinated PPC and SEO programs combine the results-driving immediacy of paid search with the long-term brand and traffic growth of organic search. For instance, PPC search experts can drive organic keywords and improve landing page conversions while simultaneously boosting paid and SEO click-throughs . And with social search gaining traction, PPC, SMO and SEO can work together to drive brand awareness and customer acquisition.
Diversification of any assets, whether financial or search-related, is a sound, strategic approach. Search marketing, in particular, is continuously changing and evolving. PPC, SEO and even SMO are not what they were even a few years ago. By leaving all of your eggs in one search basket instead of sharing them with the other two, your plans to maximize ROI growth may get scrambled.
