Brought to you by Nicole Rawski
Web analytics has always been an important aspect of digital marketing, but only recently has it been considered critical to success. The data mined through savvy analytics tracking can maximize any marketing budget by driving conversions and results; however, this only comes to pass if you understand what the data are telling you.
Web analytics is critical to measuring the success of your website as you identify opportunities to improve your business and marketing initiatives. Most marketers are confused with business implications of analytics reports, so it ends up being simpler to track what you know.
Web analytics has made great strides in the past decade, from when hit counters were the most sophisticated metric trackers in use. But there is still a long way to go before analytics is used to its full marketing potential. In this article, I hope to articulate ways that marketers can maximize their analytics solutions. To do so, I will discuss the top 10 signs that the power of analytics is still eluding your company.
Sign 1: You bought the tool a year ago, and you're still not measuring your business objectives.
You were sold on the lure of data. You bought a web analytics tool, have dashboards sent to you every week, and have no idea what they're supposed to be telling you about your business. You know there is great information contained in these reports and dashboards -- but you cannot decipher how it helps achieve your goals. Don't worry, you're not alone. The overabundance of data makes it difficult to sync graphs with meeting agendas.
There are several avenues marketers can explore to align analytics with business objectives -- not the least of which is your analytics teams. Keep everyone in the loop as changes occur and reevaluate reporting on a regular basis to ensure marketers have the ammo they need to create educated strategies.
For example, one business objective for a B2B website is to increase the number of qualified leads that come through the site. Measuring the total number of leads is one relevant measurement of this goal, but it's more revealing if compared with comprehensive traffic numbers. Additionally, if campaigns are driving traffic, monitoring conversion rates will track whether website visitors reflect target audiences.
Sign 2: You still have to remind the executive team what your company's KPIs are (hint: key performance indicators).
It is understandable that analytics jargon is not mainstream yet. As more CMOs ask for reports and sound reasoning behind digital marketing decisions, terminology will become more commonplace, and this point will be inconsequential. Until that day, keep framing campaigns, objectives, and goals within key performance indicators. This will keep everyone on the same page. It will continue to drive home the importance and value of grounding decisions in quantitative data. You can start one person at a time -- and the sooner you begin, the sooner you can make a difference. Prove that web analytics and KPIs mean something by suggesting sound improvement opportunities based on data. Your executives will be impressed and memorize any acronym you throw at them.
Sign 3: You create these beautiful dashboards, and no one knows what they mean.
Ah, the infamous dashboards that have been defined to include only the most important key metrics, yet you manage to cram in every possible minute detail, making it impossible to read. Pause a campaign, write more blogs, or increase an SEM budget? You still feel like you are flying blind.
The answer: Throw it away and start over.
Refine and redefine your business objectives, and assign a KPI to each. Understand what influences your KPIs, and how fluctuations affect the success of your business objectives. Once this is established, dashboards start to look different and useable.
Sign 4: Your boss is always asking about the number of "hits" your company's website is getting.
This has not been a valuable success metric since the '90s, and it is like nails on a chalkboard to any analytics professional. Potential consumers are not "hits" -- they are people who expect valuable content and a quality user experience when they visit a website. This goes back to point No. 2. Education is needed if we are to evolve beyond basic metrics and start unearthing valuable user insights.
The next time your boss asks how many "hits" the website is getting, simply respond with a smile and say, "I don't know, but since we began optimizing the checkout process, our conversion rate has increased X percent, resulting in an increase in $X dollars last month. Do you want me to look into those 'hits' for you?"
That will likely be the last time you are asked about a hit count.
Sign 5: You're still scratching your head wondering what you should segment and how it will help.
A great place to begin is to differentiate between new and return visitors. How do they behave differently, and how do they convert differently? What are some insights that you could glean to help increase conversion rates? Analytics can also help segment out users who are not looking for your website. To do so, create a segment that does not include your target audience and learn what your true conversion rate is -- and optimize from there.
Continuing with the example from point No. 1, segmentation also provides value in measuring your business objectives. I mentioned that the conversion rate can help assess if the target audience is who is arriving on a website. Segmentation can help provide insight into identifying new and returning visitors. New visitors may not fill out a lead form; however, they may download a couple of white papers, and returning visitors may fill out the lead form on their second or third site visits. All of this information can help marketers target their audiences appropriately.
Sign 6: Even though your homepage has an 80 percent bounce rate, your boss doesn't want a change because he/she likes the way it looks.
This is a classic push-pull battle. The difference is that one group is comprised of potential consumers who are the key to a company's success. To convince decision makers to trust their data, run tests to prove that the reports reflect consumer preference. Remain persistent on the implications of what not changing it could do to your business goals. If bounce rates improve, there will be little left to debate.
When evaluating a homepage for performance and deciding what needs to change, there are a few things to keep in mind: What is the value proposition? Why should a visitor engage further with the site? What is the call-to-action? Where are you trying to drive visitors within the website? Does the homepage have a clear navigation path for various user types? If the answer is "I am not sure" to any of these questions, you've found a great place to begin testing.
Sign 7: You're running multiple online marketing campaigns, and you have no idea which performs better.
For the first time, marketing campaigns can be measured to show their direct correlation and impact. Start from the beginning and tag online media campaigns so that you can measure how well each drives traffic to your site and how it converts. Knowing where to move your marketing dollars will become obvious once campaigns are tracked individually.
Google Analytics provides a URL builder for those who are not familiar with tagging campaigns. However, analytics solutions vary, so it would be best to check your implementation guide to clearly understand the requirements. The following is a hypothetical example of a campaign parameter using Google Analytics:
www.mysite.com/landingpage1?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=may
The "?utm" portion of the URL lets Google Analytics know that a variable is being passed from a campaign. The source ID will let Google Analytics know where the visitor is coming from, the campaign medium, and other useful statistics. These variables can be established to reflect whatever data make sense for a particular campaign.
Sign 8: The one time you ran an A/B test, a winner was chosen -- but no improvements ensued.
Testing is only one part of optimization, the next -- and most difficult part -- is implementation. Optimization is a continual process to make sure you are putting your best foot, ad creative, and messaging forward. What improves conversion rates today may not be as effective three months from now. With analytics, marketers are equipped to do more than just keep up with their consumers, and doing so will help attain goals and drive business.
A/B and multivariate testing are widely used in search engine marketing to determine the most effective ad creative. If most of your sales are completed offline, run testing with ad copy including phone numbers/store locations versus creative without it. Track conversion rates to see if prominently displaying this information on search engine ads makes a difference.
Sign 9: You still can't figure out why total site visits don't add up in all the reports.
It's important to understand that web analytics is not perfect, and sometimes 1 plus 1 equals 3. This does not mean that the information is inaccurate, but with an infinite number of variables and moving parts, numbers do not always match up. Web analytics data are still extremely valuable and important in gauging how a website performs. Remember to look at trends and major changes in key metrics. Continue to investigate what may have caused drastic changes until you have an answer.
A metric that is often used to measure audience mix is a comparison of new versus returning visitors. This metric is calculated as the total amount of new visitors divided by the total amount of returning visitors. A small number (0.3) indicates that the website has a healthy retention of visitors, while a higher number (5.2) indicates that the website has an abundance of new visitors. Marketing strategies that are in place determine the optimal rate for this metric. If an acquisition campaign launches and the goal is to drive qualified traffic, you should expect to see the ratio increase -- hopefully not too much, as you want to see the new traffic return.
Sign 10: You still design with HiPPO (highest paid person's opinion) standards in mind.
Great design drives conversions, so it needs to be strategically crafted to contribute to marketing goals. What worked on a previous project or competitor's site does not necessarily translate to your company. I am not advocating that you discount people's opinions or blindly follow analytics -- it is important to take both into account. Data are a great unifier and can help keep people on the same page in board meetings. By combining objective and subjective points of discussion, it is easier to come to sound marketing decisions. Even if the topic on the table is outlandish, cutting edge, or uncharted territory, at least data can be a place to initiate the conversation.
In conclusion, combining marketing insight with data is an extremely powerful and successful strategy.
Nicole Rawski is a web analytics analyst at Geary Interactive.
Monday, December 28, 2009
7 Tips for the Perfect Twitter Profile
Brought to you by Jason Baer
People are drinking the Twitter Kool-Aid like it's the last day before Prohibition. It's fantastic that so many are finding value in something so simple that can be so powerful.
But many experienced marketers who've joined the latest wave of Twitterers seem to be overlooking a fundamental premise of the Twitter follower/following paradigm -- people only know as much about you as you tell them.
Stay informed. To hear more about the latest in social media marketing, attend the iMedia Breakthrough Summit, March 21-24. Request your invite today.
Having a succinct, compelling profile is more critical on Twitter than anywhere else.
Your Twitter landing page
Just as the landing page is the most important component of a PPC, email, or banner ad campaign, your Twitter profile is the most important landing page for your personal brand or the brand of your company/agency on Twitter.
Every time you follow someone, they will be asked to make a decision on whether to follow you back. At scale, these decisions are made in increasingly large batches, and are made quickly.
I'm not Twitter royalty, but routinely get 50+ follow emails per day. For each of these, I visit the person's profile page and decide whether to follow back. And just like on a landing page, I scan and make this follow/no follow decision in about eight seconds or fewer.
Here are important considerations for your Twitter profile.
1. Use your real name (and don't use underscore)
I realize your real name (or even business name) may not be available, but try to get as close as possible. This isn't an AOL chat room circa 1997; this is business -- especially if you're a professional marketer.
Using made-up names makes it very difficult to tie your Twitter profile to your Facebook, LinkedIn, blog comment and other profiles (unless Twitter adopts Facebook Connect). Further, five weeks from now when I see "@batgirl63? in the tweet stream, it's difficult to remember who you are.
I'm also not a big fan of using @"youragencyname" as a Twitter handle, if you're really serious about interaction. Increasingly, the "official" agency or brand account is more of an announcement megaphone, and less of a conversation platform. If you want to truly interact in Twitter, use your real name (or your name combined with agency name like @jason"agencyname".
The underscore issue is more of a personal peeve. It's not inherently terrible, but it's much easier to remember for direct messages, etc., if you do not have an underscore in your name.
2. Use a real picture (especially if it's a real name)
Twitter is about human connections. Don't use a cartoon, a dog, a tree or any other animate or inanimate object for your profile picture. A simple headshot is great -- preferably with some interest.
Ideally, use the same photo on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, et al. It's easier to remember that way. And don't change your photo routinely, as many Twitterers have commented that they look at and remember profile photos more than usernames. There are definitely marketing rock stars that violate the rule of keeping your photo consistent, including @chrisbrogan and @armano, both of whom change their Twitter photos plenty, but that's the exception that proves the rule.
3. Think SEO when writing your bio
Each Twitterer has multiple spheres in which they operate, sometimes intersecting and overlapping. You want to belong to as many spheres as are practical and relevant to your interests and expertise. It's helpful if you define your spheres before jumping in, as it will make your following decisions and bio creation much easier. If you're using your Twitter account for both business and personal reasons, you'll have multiple spheres that intersect and overlap. This can be confusing, but two rules should be observed:
Don't post anything on Twitter (or elsewhere on the social web) that you are not comfortable with the entire web reading.
Trying to keep your social profile "all business" or "all personal" is not going to work long-term. Social media insists that you are part work, part play.
Just as you would when optimizing a webpage for search engines, when you write your Twitter bio think about your desired spheres and include words and phrases about them. A touch of personality is helpful, too.
4. Include a URL
Make sure to include a prominent link to your website or blog. @briansolis links to his Wikipedia page, which is useful.
5. Consider a custom background
Custom Twitter backgrounds are inexpensive (or free), and can convey important details and contact information. Include information about you and your company, URLs for your other social outposts, and some sort of semi-interesting graphic.
6. Don't protect your updates
Seriously, what's the point of being on Twitter if people have to jump through hoops to follow you? It completely runs counter to the spirit of community. If you don't want people to see your tweets, maybe you should stick to LinkedIn and Facebook where your connections are typically your friends/associates in the real world.
7. Take it slow
Certain Twitterers' following/followers ratio makes it seem like they are using Twitter inappropriately. When you are following 1,997 people, and have 57 following you back, it looks like you are randomly following as many as you can, hoping for follow backs. That's essentially "follower spam" and it calls your motives into question. You'll get fewer followers, not more, with that approach.
If you want to expand your personal network via Twitter, you'll never find a more fertile opportunity. But, try to follow these guidelines to make it easier for potential followers to decide they want to read your 140-character advice.
Jason Baer is a social media consultant with Convince and Convert.
People are drinking the Twitter Kool-Aid like it's the last day before Prohibition. It's fantastic that so many are finding value in something so simple that can be so powerful.
But many experienced marketers who've joined the latest wave of Twitterers seem to be overlooking a fundamental premise of the Twitter follower/following paradigm -- people only know as much about you as you tell them.
Stay informed. To hear more about the latest in social media marketing, attend the iMedia Breakthrough Summit, March 21-24. Request your invite today.
Having a succinct, compelling profile is more critical on Twitter than anywhere else.
Your Twitter landing page
Just as the landing page is the most important component of a PPC, email, or banner ad campaign, your Twitter profile is the most important landing page for your personal brand or the brand of your company/agency on Twitter.
Every time you follow someone, they will be asked to make a decision on whether to follow you back. At scale, these decisions are made in increasingly large batches, and are made quickly.
I'm not Twitter royalty, but routinely get 50+ follow emails per day. For each of these, I visit the person's profile page and decide whether to follow back. And just like on a landing page, I scan and make this follow/no follow decision in about eight seconds or fewer.
Here are important considerations for your Twitter profile.
1. Use your real name (and don't use underscore)
I realize your real name (or even business name) may not be available, but try to get as close as possible. This isn't an AOL chat room circa 1997; this is business -- especially if you're a professional marketer.
Using made-up names makes it very difficult to tie your Twitter profile to your Facebook, LinkedIn, blog comment and other profiles (unless Twitter adopts Facebook Connect). Further, five weeks from now when I see "@batgirl63? in the tweet stream, it's difficult to remember who you are.
I'm also not a big fan of using @"youragencyname" as a Twitter handle, if you're really serious about interaction. Increasingly, the "official" agency or brand account is more of an announcement megaphone, and less of a conversation platform. If you want to truly interact in Twitter, use your real name (or your name combined with agency name like @jason"agencyname".
The underscore issue is more of a personal peeve. It's not inherently terrible, but it's much easier to remember for direct messages, etc., if you do not have an underscore in your name.
2. Use a real picture (especially if it's a real name)
Twitter is about human connections. Don't use a cartoon, a dog, a tree or any other animate or inanimate object for your profile picture. A simple headshot is great -- preferably with some interest.
Ideally, use the same photo on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, et al. It's easier to remember that way. And don't change your photo routinely, as many Twitterers have commented that they look at and remember profile photos more than usernames. There are definitely marketing rock stars that violate the rule of keeping your photo consistent, including @chrisbrogan and @armano, both of whom change their Twitter photos plenty, but that's the exception that proves the rule.
3. Think SEO when writing your bio
Each Twitterer has multiple spheres in which they operate, sometimes intersecting and overlapping. You want to belong to as many spheres as are practical and relevant to your interests and expertise. It's helpful if you define your spheres before jumping in, as it will make your following decisions and bio creation much easier. If you're using your Twitter account for both business and personal reasons, you'll have multiple spheres that intersect and overlap. This can be confusing, but two rules should be observed:
Don't post anything on Twitter (or elsewhere on the social web) that you are not comfortable with the entire web reading.
Trying to keep your social profile "all business" or "all personal" is not going to work long-term. Social media insists that you are part work, part play.
Just as you would when optimizing a webpage for search engines, when you write your Twitter bio think about your desired spheres and include words and phrases about them. A touch of personality is helpful, too.
4. Include a URL
Make sure to include a prominent link to your website or blog. @briansolis links to his Wikipedia page, which is useful.
5. Consider a custom background
Custom Twitter backgrounds are inexpensive (or free), and can convey important details and contact information. Include information about you and your company, URLs for your other social outposts, and some sort of semi-interesting graphic.
6. Don't protect your updates
Seriously, what's the point of being on Twitter if people have to jump through hoops to follow you? It completely runs counter to the spirit of community. If you don't want people to see your tweets, maybe you should stick to LinkedIn and Facebook where your connections are typically your friends/associates in the real world.
7. Take it slow
Certain Twitterers' following/followers ratio makes it seem like they are using Twitter inappropriately. When you are following 1,997 people, and have 57 following you back, it looks like you are randomly following as many as you can, hoping for follow backs. That's essentially "follower spam" and it calls your motives into question. You'll get fewer followers, not more, with that approach.
If you want to expand your personal network via Twitter, you'll never find a more fertile opportunity. But, try to follow these guidelines to make it easier for potential followers to decide they want to read your 140-character advice.
Jason Baer is a social media consultant with Convince and Convert.
The Shortcomings of Mobile Apps
Brought to you by Nicole Amodeo
Now that the novelty of iPhone applications has worn off a bit, I've been evaluating which apps are useful and which are just sapping resources from my device. It reminds me of the early days of the web, where users would download intrusive executables like the animated purple gorilla that would be your "buddy" and help explore the internet. Today, I wouldn't dare litter my computer's desktop with apps -- I can efficiently bookmark sites and interact with server-side widgets and games in my browser. On my iPhone, though, I am constantly deciding which icons need to be purged to minimize the clutter on the screen, and which can stay because they are actually fantastic utilities.
Real estate on the handset is valuable property
Of course, there are many stakeholders in the mobile application experience beyond me and the mini koi pond on my iPhone. Publishers, app developers, and marketers are competing over this user-owned and initiated space. The icon-led mobile interface and required installation strengthens the publisher's offering, since it impedes switching between competitors. This is great for top-of-mind publishers whose app falls on a list of the top 25 most-downloaded apps, but as more are developed, it becomes harder for No. 26 to break through and be organically adopted by users.
Since Apple's AppStore introduced the populace to this method of mobile media consumption, a growing number of applications (more than 15,000, with 500 million downloaded to date) are at the forefront of a user's consideration. This, along with the opportunity for publishers to own a controlled, branded environment on the device, has led to an increasing number of sites selling app sponsorships, with networks monetizing and aggregating inventory within.
With this said, the current paradigm -- media consumption via installed applications -- seems to favor publishers. Advertisers are now exploring applications as a media channel, but they must be mindful of the medium's limitations as it becomes part of a well-developed mobile strategy. In the short-term, focusing mobile campaigns on a well-optimized experience through a mobile browser can mitigate many of these limitations. Besides tidying up the iPhone screen, smarter browsers would also best serve users in the long-term. I have been assessing both delivery mechanisms, particularly from a mobile media perspective, to enhance user experience and advertisers' efficacy.
Media consumption via installed applications can be inconvenient for users
With all stakeholders in mind, there are drawbacks to conditioning users to engage with content via installed applications and an icon-led experience. The launch of the Apple AppStore undisputedly enhanced the mobile experience. Applications are currently the best way to utilize advanced handset features such as the GPS and access to contact info. However, the disadvantages include installation time, routine updates, icon space on the screen, required storage space on the hard drive, and sometimes a Wi-Fi or computer connection to download.
All of this assumes that the user is tech-savvy enough to participate. According to a recent consumer study by Azuki Systems, 80 percent of respondents wished it were easier to access rich media on their mobile phones, and 69 percent listed the long time to download and/or play media among their top three barriers for accessing rich media. Beyond the iPhone, applications can be incompatible with devices and operating systems, and downloads can be blocked by carriers. Carriers and manufacturers also have control of the available titles (through a portal such as the AppStore), which confines users to limited publisher options. In these ways, media consumption via installed apps is inconvenient for the consumer.
Media consumption via installed applications creates obstacles for advertisers
Installed apps also present drawbacks for advertisers. The required download and installation creates a natural barrier that can inhibit participation and limit reach. An app must be supported by a good idea, routine updates, and a solid reason for a user to keep it downloaded onto a handset where icons are competing for valuable screen real estate. A virtual koi pond may be cute, but how useful is it compared to the utility of a voice-dialer? Negative customer reviews for Bank of America's mobile banking application further support this point. Customers are clearly disappointed that the app is only a shell for the bank's mobile site, and it provides no significant benefit (i.e., enhanced banking features or a special interface) over accessing through a browser.
Many developers, publishers, and brands are competing for placement within the AppStore's Top 25 and are utilizing iPhone-targeted mobile media to promote their applications and gain mindshare. As downloads ramp up and accountable numbers are accessed, many publishers are still selling media placements within apps on a sponsorship basis, with impression levels that aren't guaranteed. Pandora and Weatherbug have grown large enough and have strong enough grasps on their application inventory avails to sell banners on a CPM basis. Networks such as JumpTap and Admob are both offering aggregated in-app inventory on a scalable level. I look forward to seeing more of this in the future to utilize as a viable mobile media channel.
However, until advertising within applications becomes more prevalent, users will expect an ad-free environment when they download and install. Advertisers are thus put in a precarious position, as it is important not to irritate users with unwelcome or intrusive ads. Minimizing drop-off and ensuring a good user experience are paramount as mobile gains momentum as a media channel, so we must continue to consider these limitations and explore all delivery options for our brands.
Media delivery via mobile browsers can mitigate these issues
A well-optimized mobile web experience can circumvent many obstacles of deployment via installed applications for users and advertisers. First and foremost, there is no need for downloading and installation, which lower the barriers of entry and minimize drop-offs. It is also safe to say that the average consumer knows how to use a mobile browser, and because ads within a browser environment are expected, there is less of a chance that ads will disrupt a visitor's experience.
Organized bookmarking minimizes icon clutter on the screen. A browser environment facilitates switching between publishers, and there is also a greater freedom of choice without as many manufacturer or carrier limitations. Delivery via a mobile browser through a centralized server facilitates optimization and ensures compatibility with all handsets, carriers, and operating systems, which moves mobile beyond the iPhone experience. For advertisers, this enables advanced targeting, standardized ad-serving, tracking, and scalable reach through mobile media placements. Delivery through a browser lessens the limitations imposed by application installation and the icon-led experience. However, we must not ignore the current advantages of the app experience and the emergence of the iPhone as a mobile media channel.
The current mobile browser has its shortcomings as well, but what does the future hold?
Like Safari on the iPhone, mobile browsers available to consumers today cannot tap into the more sophisticated features of the device, such as the accelerometer or GPS. This is a major weakness of the browser when compared to applications. The current user experience through the mobile internet isn't nearly as customizable, rich or fluid as the traditional web. However, mobile may be in a "purple gorilla" period, where applications are novel and take advantage of device features that our browsers can't... yet.
Emerging technologies such as Flash-lite and Android/Chrome promise an experience more like a traditional online environment, without the drawbacks of installation. If mobile usage mirrors online, are we looking at a future where the user can take advantage of efficient bookmarking, seamless updates, and instant access to advanced handset functionalities within the browser? Will advertisers be able to amass enough reach through mobile ads to efficiently target an audience through standardized (and third-party tracked) ad units, while still being able to utilize the GPS feature on an iPhone through the Safari browser?
Despite what the future holds for browsers and applications, a well-optimized site is still the cornerstone of a mobile program, functioning as the central -- and fully-trackable -- hub for branded content such as videos, ringtones, retail locators, and even application downloads.
An application component can certainly complement a mobile program, but all mobile touchpoints and technologies must be carefully evaluated to ensure fully-developed strategies that meet the key objectives of a brand. We should judiciously test applications and media placements within, but conditioning users to engage with the mobile web to enhance both their experience and advertisers' efficacy will continue moving the medium forward.
In the meantime, I think I need to be more selective about what I really "need" on my iPhone. Perhaps the mini koi pond can go, but the virtual cowbell stays.
Nicole Amodeo is vice president of media, the Hyperfactory.
Now that the novelty of iPhone applications has worn off a bit, I've been evaluating which apps are useful and which are just sapping resources from my device. It reminds me of the early days of the web, where users would download intrusive executables like the animated purple gorilla that would be your "buddy" and help explore the internet. Today, I wouldn't dare litter my computer's desktop with apps -- I can efficiently bookmark sites and interact with server-side widgets and games in my browser. On my iPhone, though, I am constantly deciding which icons need to be purged to minimize the clutter on the screen, and which can stay because they are actually fantastic utilities.
Real estate on the handset is valuable property
Of course, there are many stakeholders in the mobile application experience beyond me and the mini koi pond on my iPhone. Publishers, app developers, and marketers are competing over this user-owned and initiated space. The icon-led mobile interface and required installation strengthens the publisher's offering, since it impedes switching between competitors. This is great for top-of-mind publishers whose app falls on a list of the top 25 most-downloaded apps, but as more are developed, it becomes harder for No. 26 to break through and be organically adopted by users.
Since Apple's AppStore introduced the populace to this method of mobile media consumption, a growing number of applications (more than 15,000, with 500 million downloaded to date) are at the forefront of a user's consideration. This, along with the opportunity for publishers to own a controlled, branded environment on the device, has led to an increasing number of sites selling app sponsorships, with networks monetizing and aggregating inventory within.
With this said, the current paradigm -- media consumption via installed applications -- seems to favor publishers. Advertisers are now exploring applications as a media channel, but they must be mindful of the medium's limitations as it becomes part of a well-developed mobile strategy. In the short-term, focusing mobile campaigns on a well-optimized experience through a mobile browser can mitigate many of these limitations. Besides tidying up the iPhone screen, smarter browsers would also best serve users in the long-term. I have been assessing both delivery mechanisms, particularly from a mobile media perspective, to enhance user experience and advertisers' efficacy.
Media consumption via installed applications can be inconvenient for users
With all stakeholders in mind, there are drawbacks to conditioning users to engage with content via installed applications and an icon-led experience. The launch of the Apple AppStore undisputedly enhanced the mobile experience. Applications are currently the best way to utilize advanced handset features such as the GPS and access to contact info. However, the disadvantages include installation time, routine updates, icon space on the screen, required storage space on the hard drive, and sometimes a Wi-Fi or computer connection to download.
All of this assumes that the user is tech-savvy enough to participate. According to a recent consumer study by Azuki Systems, 80 percent of respondents wished it were easier to access rich media on their mobile phones, and 69 percent listed the long time to download and/or play media among their top three barriers for accessing rich media. Beyond the iPhone, applications can be incompatible with devices and operating systems, and downloads can be blocked by carriers. Carriers and manufacturers also have control of the available titles (through a portal such as the AppStore), which confines users to limited publisher options. In these ways, media consumption via installed apps is inconvenient for the consumer.
Media consumption via installed applications creates obstacles for advertisers
Installed apps also present drawbacks for advertisers. The required download and installation creates a natural barrier that can inhibit participation and limit reach. An app must be supported by a good idea, routine updates, and a solid reason for a user to keep it downloaded onto a handset where icons are competing for valuable screen real estate. A virtual koi pond may be cute, but how useful is it compared to the utility of a voice-dialer? Negative customer reviews for Bank of America's mobile banking application further support this point. Customers are clearly disappointed that the app is only a shell for the bank's mobile site, and it provides no significant benefit (i.e., enhanced banking features or a special interface) over accessing through a browser.
Many developers, publishers, and brands are competing for placement within the AppStore's Top 25 and are utilizing iPhone-targeted mobile media to promote their applications and gain mindshare. As downloads ramp up and accountable numbers are accessed, many publishers are still selling media placements within apps on a sponsorship basis, with impression levels that aren't guaranteed. Pandora and Weatherbug have grown large enough and have strong enough grasps on their application inventory avails to sell banners on a CPM basis. Networks such as JumpTap and Admob are both offering aggregated in-app inventory on a scalable level. I look forward to seeing more of this in the future to utilize as a viable mobile media channel.
However, until advertising within applications becomes more prevalent, users will expect an ad-free environment when they download and install. Advertisers are thus put in a precarious position, as it is important not to irritate users with unwelcome or intrusive ads. Minimizing drop-off and ensuring a good user experience are paramount as mobile gains momentum as a media channel, so we must continue to consider these limitations and explore all delivery options for our brands.
Media delivery via mobile browsers can mitigate these issues
A well-optimized mobile web experience can circumvent many obstacles of deployment via installed applications for users and advertisers. First and foremost, there is no need for downloading and installation, which lower the barriers of entry and minimize drop-offs. It is also safe to say that the average consumer knows how to use a mobile browser, and because ads within a browser environment are expected, there is less of a chance that ads will disrupt a visitor's experience.
Organized bookmarking minimizes icon clutter on the screen. A browser environment facilitates switching between publishers, and there is also a greater freedom of choice without as many manufacturer or carrier limitations. Delivery via a mobile browser through a centralized server facilitates optimization and ensures compatibility with all handsets, carriers, and operating systems, which moves mobile beyond the iPhone experience. For advertisers, this enables advanced targeting, standardized ad-serving, tracking, and scalable reach through mobile media placements. Delivery through a browser lessens the limitations imposed by application installation and the icon-led experience. However, we must not ignore the current advantages of the app experience and the emergence of the iPhone as a mobile media channel.
The current mobile browser has its shortcomings as well, but what does the future hold?
Like Safari on the iPhone, mobile browsers available to consumers today cannot tap into the more sophisticated features of the device, such as the accelerometer or GPS. This is a major weakness of the browser when compared to applications. The current user experience through the mobile internet isn't nearly as customizable, rich or fluid as the traditional web. However, mobile may be in a "purple gorilla" period, where applications are novel and take advantage of device features that our browsers can't... yet.
Emerging technologies such as Flash-lite and Android/Chrome promise an experience more like a traditional online environment, without the drawbacks of installation. If mobile usage mirrors online, are we looking at a future where the user can take advantage of efficient bookmarking, seamless updates, and instant access to advanced handset functionalities within the browser? Will advertisers be able to amass enough reach through mobile ads to efficiently target an audience through standardized (and third-party tracked) ad units, while still being able to utilize the GPS feature on an iPhone through the Safari browser?
Despite what the future holds for browsers and applications, a well-optimized site is still the cornerstone of a mobile program, functioning as the central -- and fully-trackable -- hub for branded content such as videos, ringtones, retail locators, and even application downloads.
An application component can certainly complement a mobile program, but all mobile touchpoints and technologies must be carefully evaluated to ensure fully-developed strategies that meet the key objectives of a brand. We should judiciously test applications and media placements within, but conditioning users to engage with the mobile web to enhance both their experience and advertisers' efficacy will continue moving the medium forward.
In the meantime, I think I need to be more selective about what I really "need" on my iPhone. Perhaps the mini koi pond can go, but the virtual cowbell stays.
Nicole Amodeo is vice president of media, the Hyperfactory.
Friday, December 18, 2009
10 Tactics That Will Dominate Digital in 2010
Brought to you by Drew Neisser
When Chicago failed in its bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, President Barack Obama elected to use a sports metaphor to soften the blow. "You can play a great game and still not win," noted the First Chicagoan upon his return from Copenhagen.
As we move into 2010 -- and toward the Vancouver Winter Olympics in February -- marketers will be facing Olympic hurdles themselves that will require steadfast agility just to stay in the game, much less to hit the finish line ahead of the competition. Here are 10 ideas that should deliver the gold.
1. Social media: A marathon, not a sprint
Hoping to become fast friends with their targets, a lot of brands rushed into Facebook and Twitter in the last 24 months without investing sufficient time or resources. In 2010, savvy marketers will increase their commitment to social media by first listening and then offering up a steady stream of engaging content that their fans actually want. This will be particularly true for B2B brands, only 38 percent of which included social media in their 2008 marketing plans (compared to 71 percent of B2C brands).
One comScore study indicated that branded social media activities can have a multiplier effect on search results, providing a quantifiable rationale for brands to up the social media ante in 2010.
2. Mashups: Taking inspiration from biathlons
A few innovative marketers took a shot at mashups in 2009. E.P. Carrillo, a new cigar manufacturer, created a mesmerizing Twitter and Google Maps mashup for its "coming soon" site that tracks cigar tweets from around the world. In 2010, these kinds of mashups will become smoking hot as marketers look to extend the value of their social media activities. Recognizing that tech-savvy consumers glide seamlessly between personal and business, online and offline, mobile and desktop, farsighted marketers will bring together formerly disparate elements into a cohesive and self-perpetuating social media experience.
3. App happy: On your mark, get set, go crazy
Given the success a handful of marketers enjoyed with their "apps" in 2009, expect a blaze of new entries in 2010. iPhone apps that provide demonstrable utility like Kraft's iFood Assistant recipe finder, Benjamin Moore's color matcher, and Zipcar's GPS-based car finder will continue to gain traction. Expect more apps that integrate with other social media like the Gap StyleMixer that allows you to mix and match clothes and share them with friends on Facebook.
And don't forget the non-iPhone universe. The steakhouse Maloney & Porcelli cooked up a humorous and somewhat deviant web-based app Expense-A-Steak that extrudes faux expense reports that look stunningly authentic.
4. Measure up: Track every second
With more dollars earmarked for social media, marketers will undoubtedly use new tools to monitor the conversations that are happening with or without them. Radian6 and Scout Labs emerged in 2009 as two of the leading social media monitoring tools. Molson Coors uses Radian6 to stay on top of all the banter about its major brands, allowing it to respond with remarkable speed to one of my blog posts about a Coors Light Twitter account that turned out to be unofficial.
And while these tools are great, each requires a sizeable commitment by the marketer in time of staff, a commitment that can and does pay off. Just ask JetBlue, which manages to enhance customer loyalty daily by responding to any and every customer tweet within minutes. JetBlue follows 117,000 people on Twitter, generating more than 1.3 million followers for itself.
5. POV power: Don't just talk the talk
While lots of brands raced into social media in 2009, few established true connections with their targets. The reality is that consumers engage with brands they like on a visceral level and that provide a distinct perspective on the world. Aflac's Duck quacks up a gaggle of quirky content, including charitable requests that appeal to more than 161,000 fans on Facebook and more than 3,000 followers on Twitter.
Meanwhile, Geico's Gecko has been left in the social media dust due to its surprisingly dry and unresponsive online voice. Ironically, a brand by definition is a point-of-view that, once clearly defined, should guide all communications, social or otherwise.
6. Expose yourself: Win the crowd with honesty
The emergence of several "tell all" consumer-created sites signals the arrival of a new era of honesty and transparency, especially for brands targeting those under 35. Sites like fmylife.com, textsfromlastnight.com, and MyParentsJoinedFacebook.com reflect a generation willing to bare and share all without the least trepidation.
Even the emergence of "Untag Mondays" speaks to the socially acceptable norm of posting embarrassing content that one might not want a parent or employer to see. Marketers that share this sense of honesty, that admit mistakes and address shortcomings in real-time, will find a youthful army of comrades willing to do their bidding. As Comcast discovered, this kind of honesty can even transform a PR nightmare like ComcastMustDie.com into an industry-leading customer service, like its Comcast Cares Twitter pages.
7. Hold the presses: Major comebacks are possible
Though a 50-percent decline in ad pages certifies 2009 as the worst year in print's history, don't write it off as a viable media channel just yet. More than 80 percent of U.S. consumers still subscribe to at least one magazine and 83 percent believe newspapers are still relevant, according to MediaPost.
Experimenting with video in print publications like Entertainment Weekly is but one of the ways certain magazine segments will hold onto their targets and satisfy advertisers. Fashion magazines and enthusiast publications continue to offer a visual showcase that is far superior to what most online magazines can serve up. Models, both human and auto, simply look prettier in print.
And while Procter & Gamble shut down its 72-year-old TV soap opera Guiding Light in 2009, it is cranking up the presses with a custom-published glossy, Rouge, that it expects to reach a whopping 11 million North American households in 2010.
8. Go to the video: Separate from the pack
The emergence of viral video rankings in 2009 reflected the mainstreaming of this approach to audience engagement.
While everyone and their branded brother aspired to cut through with a viral hit, surprisingly few found an audience. In 2010, marketers will undoubtedly crank out more of the same, while a savvy few will worry less about mass reach and focus more on grassroots appeal, providing content that their core targets really want. B2B marketers in particular will find that using informative videos that transform the complicated into the comprehensible, like Commoncraft's Plain English videos, will generate quality leads from grateful prospects.
9. Mobile media: Catching up at last
Despite all the hype by this author and others, less than a third of marketers had a budget for mobile in 2009. In 2010, smartphone penetration should rise to at least 25 percent (from 17 percent in Q2 '09), making it a lot easier to deliver a rich mobile experience worthy of consumer attention. The blending of mobile and social apps like Facebook, Loop'd, and Twitter has also created a new openness toward this medium.
Given the desirable demographics (18- to 34-year-olds with household incomes of more than $75,000) of smartphone owners, marketers should, at the very least, give strong consideration to creating a mobile friendly website, thus allowing prospects to engage whenever and wherever they happen to be.
10. Be positive: Attitude is everything
While honesty is a worthy friend to marketers, don't forget that almost no one wants to date a Debbie Downer. A recent Adweek/Harris poll found "relatively little enthusiasm and lots of indifference for ads that refer to the downturn." Even if the economy is slow to recover in 2010, find the silver lining for your customers and prospects with both words and actions. Like the athletes whose positive outlooks and superior skills propel them to victory, so too can marketers find success with an upbeat message and an unimpeachable value proposition.
Go for the gold in 2010
While 2009 hasn't been much fun for most marketers, there are many reasons to be optimistic about the approaching year. There are more ways than ever to engage with consumers and a new willingness from consumers to engage with brands. Marketers are showing a renewed desire to listen to their customers and offer "marketing as service" that favors the dissemination of meaningful value over disruptive messaging.
To borrow the words of the President after Chicago's disappointing Olympic bid this year, "Although I wish that we had come back with better news, I could not be prouder."
Drew Neisser is CEO and founder of Renegade.
When Chicago failed in its bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, President Barack Obama elected to use a sports metaphor to soften the blow. "You can play a great game and still not win," noted the First Chicagoan upon his return from Copenhagen.
As we move into 2010 -- and toward the Vancouver Winter Olympics in February -- marketers will be facing Olympic hurdles themselves that will require steadfast agility just to stay in the game, much less to hit the finish line ahead of the competition. Here are 10 ideas that should deliver the gold.
1. Social media: A marathon, not a sprint
Hoping to become fast friends with their targets, a lot of brands rushed into Facebook and Twitter in the last 24 months without investing sufficient time or resources. In 2010, savvy marketers will increase their commitment to social media by first listening and then offering up a steady stream of engaging content that their fans actually want. This will be particularly true for B2B brands, only 38 percent of which included social media in their 2008 marketing plans (compared to 71 percent of B2C brands).
One comScore study indicated that branded social media activities can have a multiplier effect on search results, providing a quantifiable rationale for brands to up the social media ante in 2010.
2. Mashups: Taking inspiration from biathlons
A few innovative marketers took a shot at mashups in 2009. E.P. Carrillo, a new cigar manufacturer, created a mesmerizing Twitter and Google Maps mashup for its "coming soon" site that tracks cigar tweets from around the world. In 2010, these kinds of mashups will become smoking hot as marketers look to extend the value of their social media activities. Recognizing that tech-savvy consumers glide seamlessly between personal and business, online and offline, mobile and desktop, farsighted marketers will bring together formerly disparate elements into a cohesive and self-perpetuating social media experience.
3. App happy: On your mark, get set, go crazy
Given the success a handful of marketers enjoyed with their "apps" in 2009, expect a blaze of new entries in 2010. iPhone apps that provide demonstrable utility like Kraft's iFood Assistant recipe finder, Benjamin Moore's color matcher, and Zipcar's GPS-based car finder will continue to gain traction. Expect more apps that integrate with other social media like the Gap StyleMixer that allows you to mix and match clothes and share them with friends on Facebook.
And don't forget the non-iPhone universe. The steakhouse Maloney & Porcelli cooked up a humorous and somewhat deviant web-based app Expense-A-Steak that extrudes faux expense reports that look stunningly authentic.
4. Measure up: Track every second
With more dollars earmarked for social media, marketers will undoubtedly use new tools to monitor the conversations that are happening with or without them. Radian6 and Scout Labs emerged in 2009 as two of the leading social media monitoring tools. Molson Coors uses Radian6 to stay on top of all the banter about its major brands, allowing it to respond with remarkable speed to one of my blog posts about a Coors Light Twitter account that turned out to be unofficial.
And while these tools are great, each requires a sizeable commitment by the marketer in time of staff, a commitment that can and does pay off. Just ask JetBlue, which manages to enhance customer loyalty daily by responding to any and every customer tweet within minutes. JetBlue follows 117,000 people on Twitter, generating more than 1.3 million followers for itself.
5. POV power: Don't just talk the talk
While lots of brands raced into social media in 2009, few established true connections with their targets. The reality is that consumers engage with brands they like on a visceral level and that provide a distinct perspective on the world. Aflac's Duck quacks up a gaggle of quirky content, including charitable requests that appeal to more than 161,000 fans on Facebook and more than 3,000 followers on Twitter.
Meanwhile, Geico's Gecko has been left in the social media dust due to its surprisingly dry and unresponsive online voice. Ironically, a brand by definition is a point-of-view that, once clearly defined, should guide all communications, social or otherwise.
6. Expose yourself: Win the crowd with honesty
The emergence of several "tell all" consumer-created sites signals the arrival of a new era of honesty and transparency, especially for brands targeting those under 35. Sites like fmylife.com, textsfromlastnight.com, and MyParentsJoinedFacebook.com reflect a generation willing to bare and share all without the least trepidation.
Even the emergence of "Untag Mondays" speaks to the socially acceptable norm of posting embarrassing content that one might not want a parent or employer to see. Marketers that share this sense of honesty, that admit mistakes and address shortcomings in real-time, will find a youthful army of comrades willing to do their bidding. As Comcast discovered, this kind of honesty can even transform a PR nightmare like ComcastMustDie.com into an industry-leading customer service, like its Comcast Cares Twitter pages.
7. Hold the presses: Major comebacks are possible
Though a 50-percent decline in ad pages certifies 2009 as the worst year in print's history, don't write it off as a viable media channel just yet. More than 80 percent of U.S. consumers still subscribe to at least one magazine and 83 percent believe newspapers are still relevant, according to MediaPost.
Experimenting with video in print publications like Entertainment Weekly is but one of the ways certain magazine segments will hold onto their targets and satisfy advertisers. Fashion magazines and enthusiast publications continue to offer a visual showcase that is far superior to what most online magazines can serve up. Models, both human and auto, simply look prettier in print.
And while Procter & Gamble shut down its 72-year-old TV soap opera Guiding Light in 2009, it is cranking up the presses with a custom-published glossy, Rouge, that it expects to reach a whopping 11 million North American households in 2010.
8. Go to the video: Separate from the pack
The emergence of viral video rankings in 2009 reflected the mainstreaming of this approach to audience engagement.
While everyone and their branded brother aspired to cut through with a viral hit, surprisingly few found an audience. In 2010, marketers will undoubtedly crank out more of the same, while a savvy few will worry less about mass reach and focus more on grassroots appeal, providing content that their core targets really want. B2B marketers in particular will find that using informative videos that transform the complicated into the comprehensible, like Commoncraft's Plain English videos, will generate quality leads from grateful prospects.
9. Mobile media: Catching up at last
Despite all the hype by this author and others, less than a third of marketers had a budget for mobile in 2009. In 2010, smartphone penetration should rise to at least 25 percent (from 17 percent in Q2 '09), making it a lot easier to deliver a rich mobile experience worthy of consumer attention. The blending of mobile and social apps like Facebook, Loop'd, and Twitter has also created a new openness toward this medium.
Given the desirable demographics (18- to 34-year-olds with household incomes of more than $75,000) of smartphone owners, marketers should, at the very least, give strong consideration to creating a mobile friendly website, thus allowing prospects to engage whenever and wherever they happen to be.
10. Be positive: Attitude is everything
While honesty is a worthy friend to marketers, don't forget that almost no one wants to date a Debbie Downer. A recent Adweek/Harris poll found "relatively little enthusiasm and lots of indifference for ads that refer to the downturn." Even if the economy is slow to recover in 2010, find the silver lining for your customers and prospects with both words and actions. Like the athletes whose positive outlooks and superior skills propel them to victory, so too can marketers find success with an upbeat message and an unimpeachable value proposition.
Go for the gold in 2010
While 2009 hasn't been much fun for most marketers, there are many reasons to be optimistic about the approaching year. There are more ways than ever to engage with consumers and a new willingness from consumers to engage with brands. Marketers are showing a renewed desire to listen to their customers and offer "marketing as service" that favors the dissemination of meaningful value over disruptive messaging.
To borrow the words of the President after Chicago's disappointing Olympic bid this year, "Although I wish that we had come back with better news, I could not be prouder."
Drew Neisser is CEO and founder of Renegade.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
How To Protect Your Email Reputation
Brought to you by David Fowler
Spam traps and spam complaints are two of the most glaring indicators that an email marketer may be illegitimate, and they can quickly convince ISPs to evict you from the inbox. Here's how to sidestep these email-deliverability trouble spots and protect your sender reputation.
Spam traps: The biggest red flag
Nothing says "please block me from the inbox" like sending email to spam traps.
Spam traps are email addresses that receivers and ISPs use for the specific purpose of identifying spammers.
They fall into two categories:
New email addresses that have never been used by a real person. Because these accounts do not belong to anyone, there is no way that anyone could have opted in to any marketing program.
Email addresses that were once active and have been inactive for a significant period of time. ISPs recycle these addresses and designate them as spam traps. Their reason being that if the original users no longer check these email accounts, you must be a bad guy if you're still sending to them.
When you send to spam traps, the penalties are immediate. ISPs will often put a block on your IP address and refuse to deliver your messages until the offending addresses are removed from your list.
How to avoid and recover from spam traps
It goes without saying that ISPs do not publicly divulge which email addresses they use as spam traps, so it's nearly impossible to identify and remove individual spam traps from your lists.
But it's not difficult to identify whether or not your email lists contain one too many spam traps. Most receivers have a zero-tolerance policy for email marketers who send to these forbidden addresses. You will know when your deliverability stats inexplicably plummet and your IP address starts showing up on multiple blacklists.
Maintaining an accurate subscriber database is key to avoid accumulating spam traps in the first place. You should:
Implement a double opt-in confirmation process. Sometimes a simple typo, such as typing the number 0 instead of the letter O, can turn a legitimate email address into a spam trap. If the user must click a confirmation link from the email address in question before it's added to your list, you won't inadvertently activate a spam trap.
Focus on growing your house list organically instead of buying data from list brokers. I'm not suggesting that all list brokers engage in questionable business practices. However, buying a bad list with less-than-healthy data is the No. 1 way that email marketers unwittingly damage their sender reputations.
If you find yourself in spam-trap trouble, you'll need to proactively re-engage your house file and specifically re-opt-in the people who haven't responded to your campaigns in a while. Segmenting your database based on recent activity will help remove spam traps and get back in tune with your customers' communication expectations and preferences. You may also need to reach out to specific ISPs and blacklist services to reestablish your legitimacy.
Spam complaints: Deliverability misdemeanors that can turn into serious offenses
In the eyes of ISPs, spam complaints are less damning than spam traps, but they still can count against you. Spam complaints occur when email recipients click the "Report as Spam" button, signaling to their ISPs that your message is unwanted and unsolicited.
ISPs understand that a certain number of spam complaints are inevitable. Often, hitting the spam button is a simple matter of convenience. Most free email clients, such as AOL and Gmail, make it easy for users to scan their inboxes, select all the messages they don't want to read and report them all as spam with a single click. That's much easier than individually opening each message and manually clicking the unsubscribe link. So ISPs only penalize senders who accumulate too many spam complaints.
But how many is too many? It varies by ISP, but the generally accepted rule of thumb is one spam complaint per every thousand emails sent. In other words, each ISP tracks the total email volume you send through their networks against the number of spam complaints you generate.
When you stray beyond the ISPs' spam-complaint thresholds, they often respond by placing temporary blocks on your IP address that may ban you from the inbox for up to 72 hours. If complaints continue to be an issue, you may experience a permanent block on your IP address.
How to monitor and minimize spam complaints
If a user reports your message as spam, you'll never know it unless you participate in that ISP's feedback loop. Feedback loops are a communication mechanism where ISPs tell email marketers which email recipients reported their messages as spam. For obvious reasons, ISPs don't share this information with anyone and everyone. You have to apply to each ISP to receive this data.
Fortunately, a quality email-service provider will handle this on your behalf. As part of the account-setup process, email deliverability teams apply for feedback loops. When users report your messages as spam, the email-marketing software automatically removes these addresses from your lists.
It's important to proactively monitor your spam-complaint rate to make sure it remains low and to identify the root cause if it suddenly goes up. Connect with your ESP to make sure you're on top of things.
David Fowler is the director of email strategy, deliverability, and privacy compliance for Lyris.
Spam traps and spam complaints are two of the most glaring indicators that an email marketer may be illegitimate, and they can quickly convince ISPs to evict you from the inbox. Here's how to sidestep these email-deliverability trouble spots and protect your sender reputation.
Spam traps: The biggest red flag
Nothing says "please block me from the inbox" like sending email to spam traps.
Spam traps are email addresses that receivers and ISPs use for the specific purpose of identifying spammers.
They fall into two categories:
New email addresses that have never been used by a real person. Because these accounts do not belong to anyone, there is no way that anyone could have opted in to any marketing program.
Email addresses that were once active and have been inactive for a significant period of time. ISPs recycle these addresses and designate them as spam traps. Their reason being that if the original users no longer check these email accounts, you must be a bad guy if you're still sending to them.
When you send to spam traps, the penalties are immediate. ISPs will often put a block on your IP address and refuse to deliver your messages until the offending addresses are removed from your list.
How to avoid and recover from spam traps
It goes without saying that ISPs do not publicly divulge which email addresses they use as spam traps, so it's nearly impossible to identify and remove individual spam traps from your lists.
But it's not difficult to identify whether or not your email lists contain one too many spam traps. Most receivers have a zero-tolerance policy for email marketers who send to these forbidden addresses. You will know when your deliverability stats inexplicably plummet and your IP address starts showing up on multiple blacklists.
Maintaining an accurate subscriber database is key to avoid accumulating spam traps in the first place. You should:
Implement a double opt-in confirmation process. Sometimes a simple typo, such as typing the number 0 instead of the letter O, can turn a legitimate email address into a spam trap. If the user must click a confirmation link from the email address in question before it's added to your list, you won't inadvertently activate a spam trap.
Focus on growing your house list organically instead of buying data from list brokers. I'm not suggesting that all list brokers engage in questionable business practices. However, buying a bad list with less-than-healthy data is the No. 1 way that email marketers unwittingly damage their sender reputations.
If you find yourself in spam-trap trouble, you'll need to proactively re-engage your house file and specifically re-opt-in the people who haven't responded to your campaigns in a while. Segmenting your database based on recent activity will help remove spam traps and get back in tune with your customers' communication expectations and preferences. You may also need to reach out to specific ISPs and blacklist services to reestablish your legitimacy.
Spam complaints: Deliverability misdemeanors that can turn into serious offenses
In the eyes of ISPs, spam complaints are less damning than spam traps, but they still can count against you. Spam complaints occur when email recipients click the "Report as Spam" button, signaling to their ISPs that your message is unwanted and unsolicited.
ISPs understand that a certain number of spam complaints are inevitable. Often, hitting the spam button is a simple matter of convenience. Most free email clients, such as AOL and Gmail, make it easy for users to scan their inboxes, select all the messages they don't want to read and report them all as spam with a single click. That's much easier than individually opening each message and manually clicking the unsubscribe link. So ISPs only penalize senders who accumulate too many spam complaints.
But how many is too many? It varies by ISP, but the generally accepted rule of thumb is one spam complaint per every thousand emails sent. In other words, each ISP tracks the total email volume you send through their networks against the number of spam complaints you generate.
When you stray beyond the ISPs' spam-complaint thresholds, they often respond by placing temporary blocks on your IP address that may ban you from the inbox for up to 72 hours. If complaints continue to be an issue, you may experience a permanent block on your IP address.
How to monitor and minimize spam complaints
If a user reports your message as spam, you'll never know it unless you participate in that ISP's feedback loop. Feedback loops are a communication mechanism where ISPs tell email marketers which email recipients reported their messages as spam. For obvious reasons, ISPs don't share this information with anyone and everyone. You have to apply to each ISP to receive this data.
Fortunately, a quality email-service provider will handle this on your behalf. As part of the account-setup process, email deliverability teams apply for feedback loops. When users report your messages as spam, the email-marketing software automatically removes these addresses from your lists.
It's important to proactively monitor your spam-complaint rate to make sure it remains low and to identify the root cause if it suddenly goes up. Connect with your ESP to make sure you're on top of things.
David Fowler is the director of email strategy, deliverability, and privacy compliance for Lyris.
7 Rules For Aggregating Brand Content
Brought to you by Carnet Williams
As the CEO of a start-up company creating social media campaigns for some of the world's largest brands, I know that the future of my company is at stake every time a new campaign is launched. While I do my best to educate brands about the power of social media and the benefits of providing consumers an open platform to speak their mind, I know that there are legal and ethical considerations that must be weighed before any campaign is launched.
Following are some best practices that we follow at Sprout to ensure success.
Enter at your own risk
It is no surprise that there are several large companies that do nothing but manage the rules, regulations, and management of contests and sweepstakes. They are big, hairy messes. Rules change all the time and vary from state to state, not to mention country to country.
Even Facebook has realized the risks involved with sweepstakes and contests running on its platform. On Nov. 4, Facebook published a new set of rules that cover what brands can and can't do. You can find it here: http://www.facebook.com/promotions_guidelines.php
Facebook is clearly trying to dissuade brands from using the site as a platform for sweepstakes. In addition to stating that brands must comply with all laws and regulations, contests must be approved in advance by Facebook and must contain language that makes it clear that Facebook isn't involved in any way. Further, contests can no longer be based on actions taken on Facebook, such as updating status, becoming a fan, or uploading a photo.
Unless you're willing to pay a lot of money to a third party or have a large legal team, my recommendation is to find another emotional hook. You would be surprised what people are willing to do for brands they like, or to score higher than friends, or just to take a minute away from work for a bit of fun.
Moderation... in moderation
There is a divide among marketing folks about the need for moderation. Some brands, such as Skittles, have gone whole hog into social media and allowed people to see all tweets about Skittles on the Skittles homepage, regardless of the content. Other brands, such as Juicy Juice, have taken a more conservative approach and have reviewed tweets before they are approved to publish in an ad. My recommendation to our clients is that they moderate content to ensure compliance with the terms of service of the sites where the content will be found, but that they allow differences of opinions. On social networks, authenticity is very important, and brands that embrace the idea of natural conversations with consumers will be rewarded.
Must share well with others
Everyone is looking for the next viral hit. The truth is that all campaigns will not be viral hits, but all campaigns should be viral-ready. When consumers are allowed to share user-generated content, they usually will. Therefore, it's important that campaigns have built-in hooks to the leading social networks to make sharing as easy as possible. At a minimum, your campaign should be Facebook- and MySpace-ready. To really get people talking about what they've experienced or shared, a "Tweet this" button helps drive awareness and virality. Depending on the type of campaign or content you're promoting, Digg, Delicious, and LinkedIn are other possibilities to consider.
If you want to catch a fish, go fishing
While Facebook has 300 million subscribers, brands need to consider their target audience and decide whether a Facebook-only campaign makes sense. For example, entertainment companies find great success on MySpace, since it's a common destination for movie and music news. To get authentic user-generated content for your campaign, make sure your reach is broad. Some of the best fans are found in the most unlikely places. At Sprout, we try to ensure that our campaigns can run anywhere -- on Facebook, MySpace, and our clients' websites as well.
... but fish in the right pond
Having said that, it is important to think carefully about which types of user-generated content to integrate into a campaign, and this goes for choosing your media and social networking channels too. Depending on your particular goals around quality and volume, it's important to get the right mix of quirkiness and unique marketable content with some sort of mass appeal.
The holy grail: The activity stream
It's true that if you want to catch a fish, you need to go fishing. But Facebook's activity stream is still the holy grail for brands attempting to get their campaign to go viral. It's important to make sure that if you're allowing users to create their own content via your campaign, they should be able to share that content with their friends on Facebook by publishing to their activity stream. Once published in their own activity stream, all of those users' friends will see it published in their activity streams too. Those friends should then be able to access your campaign right from the message in their activity streams. For an example of how this works, try Sprout's Holiday Matchmaker game.
The FTC and transparency
When dealing with user-generated content, it's important to ensure that your content contributors follow the rules. The FTC's new rules for bloggers state that any user or blogger who makes an endorsement for a product must disclose the connection he or she has with the seller of that product. The FTC can slap said users or bloggers with big fines if they don't. Note that the definitions are broad here -- the FTC rules basically state that any situation where anything of value is exchanged between company and advocate (blogger or user who's not part of the company) requires total transparency.
There's a lot to think about when you launch a social media campaign. But if you plan well and ensure a healthy balance between authenticity and moderation, UGC and branded content, and creation and sharing, you are off to a great start. I hope these seven best practices help to plan your next great campaign.
Carnet Williams is CEO at Sprout.
As the CEO of a start-up company creating social media campaigns for some of the world's largest brands, I know that the future of my company is at stake every time a new campaign is launched. While I do my best to educate brands about the power of social media and the benefits of providing consumers an open platform to speak their mind, I know that there are legal and ethical considerations that must be weighed before any campaign is launched.
Following are some best practices that we follow at Sprout to ensure success.
Enter at your own risk
It is no surprise that there are several large companies that do nothing but manage the rules, regulations, and management of contests and sweepstakes. They are big, hairy messes. Rules change all the time and vary from state to state, not to mention country to country.
Even Facebook has realized the risks involved with sweepstakes and contests running on its platform. On Nov. 4, Facebook published a new set of rules that cover what brands can and can't do. You can find it here: http://www.facebook.com/promotions_guidelines.php
Facebook is clearly trying to dissuade brands from using the site as a platform for sweepstakes. In addition to stating that brands must comply with all laws and regulations, contests must be approved in advance by Facebook and must contain language that makes it clear that Facebook isn't involved in any way. Further, contests can no longer be based on actions taken on Facebook, such as updating status, becoming a fan, or uploading a photo.
Unless you're willing to pay a lot of money to a third party or have a large legal team, my recommendation is to find another emotional hook. You would be surprised what people are willing to do for brands they like, or to score higher than friends, or just to take a minute away from work for a bit of fun.
Moderation... in moderation
There is a divide among marketing folks about the need for moderation. Some brands, such as Skittles, have gone whole hog into social media and allowed people to see all tweets about Skittles on the Skittles homepage, regardless of the content. Other brands, such as Juicy Juice, have taken a more conservative approach and have reviewed tweets before they are approved to publish in an ad. My recommendation to our clients is that they moderate content to ensure compliance with the terms of service of the sites where the content will be found, but that they allow differences of opinions. On social networks, authenticity is very important, and brands that embrace the idea of natural conversations with consumers will be rewarded.
Must share well with others
Everyone is looking for the next viral hit. The truth is that all campaigns will not be viral hits, but all campaigns should be viral-ready. When consumers are allowed to share user-generated content, they usually will. Therefore, it's important that campaigns have built-in hooks to the leading social networks to make sharing as easy as possible. At a minimum, your campaign should be Facebook- and MySpace-ready. To really get people talking about what they've experienced or shared, a "Tweet this" button helps drive awareness and virality. Depending on the type of campaign or content you're promoting, Digg, Delicious, and LinkedIn are other possibilities to consider.
If you want to catch a fish, go fishing
While Facebook has 300 million subscribers, brands need to consider their target audience and decide whether a Facebook-only campaign makes sense. For example, entertainment companies find great success on MySpace, since it's a common destination for movie and music news. To get authentic user-generated content for your campaign, make sure your reach is broad. Some of the best fans are found in the most unlikely places. At Sprout, we try to ensure that our campaigns can run anywhere -- on Facebook, MySpace, and our clients' websites as well.
... but fish in the right pond
Having said that, it is important to think carefully about which types of user-generated content to integrate into a campaign, and this goes for choosing your media and social networking channels too. Depending on your particular goals around quality and volume, it's important to get the right mix of quirkiness and unique marketable content with some sort of mass appeal.
The holy grail: The activity stream
It's true that if you want to catch a fish, you need to go fishing. But Facebook's activity stream is still the holy grail for brands attempting to get their campaign to go viral. It's important to make sure that if you're allowing users to create their own content via your campaign, they should be able to share that content with their friends on Facebook by publishing to their activity stream. Once published in their own activity stream, all of those users' friends will see it published in their activity streams too. Those friends should then be able to access your campaign right from the message in their activity streams. For an example of how this works, try Sprout's Holiday Matchmaker game.
The FTC and transparency
When dealing with user-generated content, it's important to ensure that your content contributors follow the rules. The FTC's new rules for bloggers state that any user or blogger who makes an endorsement for a product must disclose the connection he or she has with the seller of that product. The FTC can slap said users or bloggers with big fines if they don't. Note that the definitions are broad here -- the FTC rules basically state that any situation where anything of value is exchanged between company and advocate (blogger or user who's not part of the company) requires total transparency.
There's a lot to think about when you launch a social media campaign. But if you plan well and ensure a healthy balance between authenticity and moderation, UGC and branded content, and creation and sharing, you are off to a great start. I hope these seven best practices help to plan your next great campaign.
Carnet Williams is CEO at Sprout.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
5 Tips To Maximize Online ROI
Brought to you by Scott Severson
There are times we all feel like field generals, deciding where to deploy our limited resources along the many fronts of the marketing wars. But the best leaders are one step ahead with strategy -- looking for results by reading the signs that others don't see.
Yet, the signs are right there in front of us: Clicks aren't translating into purchases; consumers aren't returning; online advertising spending is wasted on tactics with little or no ROI. We're seeing story after story in the marketing trades about the reshuffling of ad dollars, with more and more budget being plowed into online ad spending and social media. Despite the economy, online marketers aren't shy about investing in clicks, paid search, back-links, and tweets. But are their online efforts resulting in action? Marketers need to put the brakes on less-than-strategic online spending and instead determine which tactics deliver the most actionable outcomes.
The good news: We are also seeing signs that point us in the direction of engaging with customers through action-causing tactics, while discounting the siren's song of sheer click numbers.
But how do we pinpoint these high-ROI tactics? There are countless analytics available, but I decided to go beyond click data and ask consumers how they're making decisions about their online advertising choices. My company recently commissioned a study by public opinion measurement leader Opinion Research Corporation to help us understand what's happening inside the minds of consumers as they're making choices about what online advertising they're engaging with -- and what actions they take over time after seeing the advertising.
The results represent a big, full-color, blinking sign for marketing leaders.
ORC asked 1,000 consumers the type of online advertising they're most likely to read and act upon, among banner ads, pop-up ads, email offers, articles that include brand information, or sponsored links. Article-based advertising was the most preferred -- 51 percent of respondents said they are "very likely" or "somewhat likely" to read and act upon the material.
Coveted demographic groups are even more likely to express a preference for articles. According to the survey, 67 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 24 and 56 percent of those making at least $75,000 per year say they are "very likely" or "somewhat likely" to read and act upon article-based advertising. Pop-up ads were least likely to be read or acted upon.
And here's another critical sign from the study about how consumers take action based on what they see online: When asked how frequently they conduct internet searches for products or services they read about in online articles, half the respondents said "very frequently" or "somewhat frequently."
Those are some pretty strong signs directly from consumers. It tells me that they are willing to interact with a product or brand in an in-depth manner if the information is presented to them in ways where they can read the information, evaluate it, and then decide to click through for more details.
As marketers, we owe it to ourselves and our clients to use consumer feedback to earmark online marketing dollars for tactics that deliver the highest ROI, deliver the most action, and bring value to the brand.
Here are five tips for maximizing ROI and measuring the impact of online advertising:
Mix brand storytelling into your tactical approach. If you can build a program that breeds consumer feedback and fosters measurement, consumers will be willing to engage with content-rich information, and take the next step in contacting the advertiser.
Set benchmarks for every step in the conversion funnel and measure against them. Not everything is measurable, but it's important to capture data on every step possible.
Take on the tougher measurement tasks. Determine how online advertising and social media activities are impacting consumer attitudes toward your brand. You can try unconventional methods such as using social media to get qualitative feedback from your other marketing methods.
Integrate by measuring the flow of consumer interaction among social media, websites, blogs, and product landing sites. As marketing disciplines have converged (PR, advertising, and digital are using sometimes indistinguishable tactical approaches), it challenges us to update our measurement tactics as well. Count the clicks, but measure brand impact, too.
Remarket to consumers who show an interest in an article or ad about your product or company. Study the downstream value of the first interaction. If a consumer has expressed interest in your category, it's an indicator for further dialogue (and ads).
The signs are clear. Consumers are telling us to give them information in context, and if it's good enough, they'll take action on it. Then, it's up to us to measure it.
Scott Severson is the president of ARAnet Inc.
There are times we all feel like field generals, deciding where to deploy our limited resources along the many fronts of the marketing wars. But the best leaders are one step ahead with strategy -- looking for results by reading the signs that others don't see.
Yet, the signs are right there in front of us: Clicks aren't translating into purchases; consumers aren't returning; online advertising spending is wasted on tactics with little or no ROI. We're seeing story after story in the marketing trades about the reshuffling of ad dollars, with more and more budget being plowed into online ad spending and social media. Despite the economy, online marketers aren't shy about investing in clicks, paid search, back-links, and tweets. But are their online efforts resulting in action? Marketers need to put the brakes on less-than-strategic online spending and instead determine which tactics deliver the most actionable outcomes.
The good news: We are also seeing signs that point us in the direction of engaging with customers through action-causing tactics, while discounting the siren's song of sheer click numbers.
But how do we pinpoint these high-ROI tactics? There are countless analytics available, but I decided to go beyond click data and ask consumers how they're making decisions about their online advertising choices. My company recently commissioned a study by public opinion measurement leader Opinion Research Corporation to help us understand what's happening inside the minds of consumers as they're making choices about what online advertising they're engaging with -- and what actions they take over time after seeing the advertising.
The results represent a big, full-color, blinking sign for marketing leaders.
ORC asked 1,000 consumers the type of online advertising they're most likely to read and act upon, among banner ads, pop-up ads, email offers, articles that include brand information, or sponsored links. Article-based advertising was the most preferred -- 51 percent of respondents said they are "very likely" or "somewhat likely" to read and act upon the material.
Coveted demographic groups are even more likely to express a preference for articles. According to the survey, 67 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 24 and 56 percent of those making at least $75,000 per year say they are "very likely" or "somewhat likely" to read and act upon article-based advertising. Pop-up ads were least likely to be read or acted upon.
And here's another critical sign from the study about how consumers take action based on what they see online: When asked how frequently they conduct internet searches for products or services they read about in online articles, half the respondents said "very frequently" or "somewhat frequently."
Those are some pretty strong signs directly from consumers. It tells me that they are willing to interact with a product or brand in an in-depth manner if the information is presented to them in ways where they can read the information, evaluate it, and then decide to click through for more details.
As marketers, we owe it to ourselves and our clients to use consumer feedback to earmark online marketing dollars for tactics that deliver the highest ROI, deliver the most action, and bring value to the brand.
Here are five tips for maximizing ROI and measuring the impact of online advertising:
Mix brand storytelling into your tactical approach. If you can build a program that breeds consumer feedback and fosters measurement, consumers will be willing to engage with content-rich information, and take the next step in contacting the advertiser.
Set benchmarks for every step in the conversion funnel and measure against them. Not everything is measurable, but it's important to capture data on every step possible.
Take on the tougher measurement tasks. Determine how online advertising and social media activities are impacting consumer attitudes toward your brand. You can try unconventional methods such as using social media to get qualitative feedback from your other marketing methods.
Integrate by measuring the flow of consumer interaction among social media, websites, blogs, and product landing sites. As marketing disciplines have converged (PR, advertising, and digital are using sometimes indistinguishable tactical approaches), it challenges us to update our measurement tactics as well. Count the clicks, but measure brand impact, too.
Remarket to consumers who show an interest in an article or ad about your product or company. Study the downstream value of the first interaction. If a consumer has expressed interest in your category, it's an indicator for further dialogue (and ads).
The signs are clear. Consumers are telling us to give them information in context, and if it's good enough, they'll take action on it. Then, it's up to us to measure it.
Scott Severson is the president of ARAnet Inc.
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