Fuor

Marketing Mistake #15: Not Bidding on Your Branded Terms in Paid Search

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 20:31 GMT

THE MISTAKE: NOT BIDDING ON YOUR BRANDED TERMS IN PAID SEARCH

THE SITUATION

Marketers are always keeping tabs on their budget to see where they can help eliminate costs. Typically, if a brand is ranking high in organic search, it may seem natural to stop bidding on branded terms given that the brand is already garnering what looks to be a top position for free – but this is the biggest mistake a marketer can make in paid search.

THE SOLUTION

By staying strategic in paid search, you can guarantee that consumers will be able to find you frequently and easily. While you may rank high in organic search, ensure that your brand is always top-of-mind by bidding on your terms and your competitor's terms. This helps prevent competitors from taking advantage of your brand name when consumers are searching for you. Don't forget to stay proactive in making sure that your brand's paid content is relevant and intriguing. Are you running a special promotion? Include this in your copy to create an incentive around your content.

THE RESULT

Be present and accounted for when a consumer is looking for information about your brand, your competitors, or your products/services.

Marketing Mistake #14: Losing Customers with “Please Hold”

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 16:47 GMT

THE SITUATION
You spend 20 minutes responding to the voice prompts while contacting your local cable company, only to sit on hold for 10 minutes until a human gets on the phone and asks you the same series of questions again. Or, even more often, you want to order a product online and you search, but can't find what you're looking for, so you give up.

THE SOLUTION
Help customers find you online! Use digital tactics to make it easy for your customers and potential customers to do business with you. Streamline your online and offline data collection efforts and build effective landing pages that directly answer the questions being asked. We have seen conversion rates jump by 1,400% by simply adjusting landing pages and making it easier for the customer to engage.

THE RESULT
Conversion rates are up - angst-ridden customer base is down!

Need proof that this stuff works? Let us share a case study on landing page optimization with you. Email us or visit our website.

Marketing Mistake #6: Using social media solely to promote your products/services

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 20:49 GMT

The Mistake: Using social media solely to promote your products/services

The Situation: Of course you want to participate in Social Media, who doesn't? We have been analyzing Facebook pages for our favorite brands and have noticed a troubling trend: many companies build a Facebook page and fail to engage their audience. Instead they treat their Facebook presence solely like paid media and send one-way communications. This is like walking into a networking event, throwing your business cards on the table and walking out.

The Solution: With social media, we need to start or join the dialogue. Facebook is a communications platform that allows you to engage in a dialgue with your fans. If you are not prepared to engage in a dialogue, wait until you have the resources to be strategically social.

What is strategically social? Don't just post your videos on YouTube: follow other relevant video posts on YouTube, comment on their videos, and engage with the community. Lose the temptation to update your Facebook page with a promotional message until you have answered all of the questions that sit on your wall. Follow people on Twitter and Youtube, Re-tweet good tweets, promote other relevant YouTube videos, add value and engage with the community.

The Results: You can actually get valuable insights from social media to help you understand what your customers want. Let your fans help you do your job better! Need to learn how to be strategically social? As a start, check out our Social Media in the Digital Media Mix presentation on Slideshare and for more tips and tricks in the social space, e-mail me, I'd be happy to help. Katy Katz kkatz@fuor.net

The Creative Effect

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 22:22 GMT

Advancements in digital technology have directly aided in the enhancement of the consumer brand experience. Consumers are now able to engage with a brand in their preferred online environments which, if done right, creates a more personally relevant experience. All of this is made possible through the use of rich media, video, and ad units with dynamic creative. The combination of rich media, video and dynamic creative has proven to turn ad viewers into buyers. In other words, with all of these enhanced capabilities, it has never been more important to focus on how consumers can engage with your brand. This newsletter provides information about the powerful impact of creative execution. Also included are case studies and research showing how these techniques directly improve ROI. For more information on how Fuor Digital is using creative messaging to improve our clients' businesses, contact Katy Katz today.

Examples of Engaging Creative
A Dynamic Creative Case Study
The Importance of Good Creative
Can Your Mom Understand Your Creative?
Video In Rich Media Ads More Likely To Lead Customers To Purchase
Consistent Investment in Rich Media Improves Campaign Effectiveness
Interactivity Over Clicks: Rich Media Benchmarks in Social Media

Join The Conversation

Does your company utilize Twitter? Weigh in on this month's survey from Kelly, Scott & Madison.

Related Clips From BitBriefs

To stay on top of the latest trends, research, news and statistics in marketing, be sure to add BitBriefs.com to your daily read. The following clips are the latest required reads in the Creative Formatting category:

Bad Campaigns Actually Have a Negative Effect
Ad Landing Page Integration Boosts Performance
Rich Media's Effect on Brand Metrics
Senior Marketers' Top Priorities in 2010

Social Media’s Impact

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 14:57 GMT

We know what's on your mind these days: Social Media. Social media is here to stay and is an increasingly important practice for all businesses. A new standard is evolving for how companies present themselves to the public and interact with their consumers. Consumers are becoming more demanding by expecting businesses to accommodate their preferred method of communication and interaction. Social media serves as an effective way to share product information, address issues as they arise, and engage consumers to build and maintain quality relationships. Aside from building positive brand recognition and consumer loyalty, the inclusion of social media, if used appropriately, enhances the entire digital media mix. This newsletter provides information on how social media is changing the business landscape, how to appropriately implement social media into your business, and ways to measure its success. To get started with social media, contact Katy Katz about our social media auditing process.

How Social Media is Changing Business
Fuor Digital's Social Media 101
The Top 5 Must-Reads in Social Media
100 Ways to Measure Social Media
The Social Media Etiquiette Handbook
Tips for Responding to Negative Comments Online
How to Run a Successful Social Media Campaign in CRM

Quality Advice

Do social networks offer better advice than friends? Share your opinion in this month's survey from Kelly, Scott & Madison.

Related Clips From BitBriefs

40% of Internet Users Have Friended a Brand
84% of Social Media Programs Do Not Measure ROI
Success with Printable Coupons in Social Media
The Best Way to Monetize Social Media

Powerful Communication

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 15:37 GMT

In recent months, video sharing sites have seen an explosion of video content from consumers and marketers alike due to the implementation of user-friendly technologies and video enabled smart phones. Video viewing is growing exponentially and is now integrated into people's daily lives, occupying time that was once spent watching television. Marketers are benefiting because video is the most powerful way to convey a business message. Aside from enhancing brand recognition and engaging the consumer, video is also aiding in website optimization. Whether you are interested in refining your current video campaign strategies or considering incorporating video into your media mix, this newsletter offers valuable resources to gain a solid perspective on video marketing. To hear how Fuor Digital is integrating online video into the digital media mix, contact Katy Katz today.

Audience for Online Video Sharing Sites Increases
Google Delivers Ad Supported TV Through YouTube
Forrester Report: Best Practices in Online Video
The Agency Perspective on Viral Video Marketing
The Secret Strategies Behind Many "Viral" Videos
The Five Most Common Types of Online Video Ads
The Online Video Optimization Guide
Five Keys to Success with Internet TV

IS YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME?
Do sports team sponsorships carry real value? Offer your opinion in this month's survey from Kelly, Scott & Madison.

RELATED CLIPS FROM BITBRIEFS
To stay on top of the latest trends, research, news and statistics in marketing, be sure to add BitBriefs.com to your daily read. The following clips are the latest required reads in the Online Video Marketing category:

PC is the New TV
Mobile and Online Video Expanding Reach
21.4 Billion Online Videos Watched in the US in July
eCommerce to Integrate Online Video in Digital Media Mix

Engaging the Consumer

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 15:45 GMT

What originated as a form of communication and relationship maintenance between friends and family, has now become an effective marketing and relationship management channel for companies of all sizes. Having the ability to truly engage and interact with consumers can give companies heightened customer loyalty and brand recognition, as well as a primary resource for consumer feedback and collaboration. All the excitement and attention surrounding social media has inspired an influx of social media research and conversion tracking so companies may now invest in social media with the ability to measure its ROI. With the popularity and buzz surrounding social media these days, we want to share some great articles and other resources with you about social media and how it can be used effectively. To find out what Fuor Digital specifically is doing with social media, please view our Social Media 101 Presentation and contact Katy Katz today.

Fuor Digital's Social Media 101 Presentation
How Companies Should Organize for Social Media
Does Social Media Pay Off?
Twitter Do's and Don'ts for Brands
Mashable: An Excellent Social Media News Resource
The Top 50 Social Media Websites for 2009
MediaPost's Social Media Insider Daily Newsletter

UNIVERSAL STANDARDS?
Will measurement standards lead to a universal TRP? Weigh in on this month's survey from Kelly, Scott & Madison.

The Top 10 Blog and Personal Websites
Twitter Usage Habits and Trends
What Women Want From Social Networking
Word of Mouth Spending Data

Reaching People on the Go

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:04 GMT

With the flooding of Blackberries, iPhones, G1s and other smartphones into the hands of consumers around the world over the past few years, the need for and effectiveness of mobile marketing has increased exponentially. 13.7 million iPhones were sold last year alone. Many people now use their mobile devices to reach your website or be exposed to online ads anywhere in the world, including in your store, or down the block. At Fuor Digital, we work hard to make sure any digital media plan that we develop includes an appropriate mobile component, and to make sure that our customers understand the need for and strategies behind mobile marketing. This month, we wanted to share some great articles and other resources with you about mobile marketing and how it can be used effectively. To find out what Fuor Digital specifically is doing with mobile, please download our research brief and contact Katy Katz today.

Fuor Digital's Mobile Marketing 101
The Mobile Marketing Association's U.S. Consumer Best Practices Guidelines
Consumers are Truly Engaged with Mobile Content: Smart Phones are Taking Over
The Latest News in Mobile Phone Marketing From Mobile Marketing Magazine Online
Privacy in Mobile and Emerging Media
MapQuest's Mobile Phone Strategy to Target Consumers' Unique Preferences and Behaviors
Is a Mobile App Right for Every Brand?
The Diary and Musings of a Mobile Marketer

WILL MOBILE MAKE THE CUT?
Are you considering mobile marketing in your Media Mix ? Weigh in on this month's survey from Kelly, Scott & Madison

RELATED CLIPS FROM BITBRIEFS.COM
To stay on top of the latest trends, research, news and statistics in marketing, be sure to add BitBriefs.com to your daily read. The following clips are the latest required reads in the Mobile Phone Marketing category:

Mobile Has Most Impact on Young Women's Lives
Mobile Ad Revenue to Hit $1.5B by 2013
71% of Online Businesses Not Measuring Mobile Traffic
Study Finds an Increase in TV Advertising Recall When Online & Mobile is Added to the Mix

Optimizing Online Creative

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:06 GMT

Being responsible for the measurement and performance of our digital media marketing campaigns, we are often asked about how we can achieve further gains. Outside of our own media optimization techniques and understanding the path-to-conversion, creative messaging is often a key area for finding improvements. Be it a banner ad, search engine marketing copy, email marketing subject lines, or landing pages, our team works diligently with our partners to ensure that best practices are being considered and implemented. In a recent example, our Interaction Design team modified a campaign landing page which resulted in an increase of 1,400% in request for information conversions. For our second edition of the Mastering the Digital Media Mix email newsletter, we offer a few resources to help you improve your return on digital media investment. If you'd like to find out more, contact Katy Katz today.

Best Practices in Landing Page Development
Eyeblaster: 10 Things to Improve Direct Response
Eyeblaster: 10 Things to Improve Branding Impact
Pointroll: List of Banner & Rich Media Best Practices
Mobile Advertising Guidelines from the Mobile Marketing Association
Get Inspired by Following Banner Blog and Creative Showcase
Developing a Mobile Website, Landing Page or Ad-Unit? Check out Mobile Awesomeness for some excellent site samples, the Mobile Marketing Association's Mobile Web Banner Advertising Specifications, and the Best Practices for Mobile Site Design from the W3C
Improve your search marketing performance with some tips from the 95-Character Poet

IS BRANDING STILL APPROPRIATE?
Given the state of the economy, is there still a place for branding? Weigh in and view the results of this month's survey from Kelly, Scott & Madison

Best Practices for Banner Ad Development from the OPA
Creative Best Practices for Seniors and Boomers
Under 60 Character Email Subject Lines Increases Open Rate
Ecommerce Survey: Website Tactics that Boost Conversion

WINNING THE ONLINE ANALYTICS GAME

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:22 GMT

According to a recent survey, almost 50% of marketers struggle to measure online effectively. New York Times advertising columnist, Stuart Elliot writes, "If the 20th century was known in marketing circles as the advertising century, the 21st may be the advertising measurement century." In this month's newsletter, you will find insights into the forefront of digital media measurement and analytics…Conversion Attribution and Path-to-Conversion. After working with Conversion Attribution technology for the past 14 months, some of the insights we have delivered to our clients include: "39% of website conversions came from 10 display ad views without a single click"; "47% of paid search conversions are influenced by an online display ad"; and "over 50% of website conversions had 5 or more events in the path to conversion". Contact us today for a free whitepaper introducing Conversion Attribution and Path-to-Conversion methodologies.

Conversion Attribution Research Brief
Google Exec: Clicks Don't Equal Success
70% of Conversion Events Influenced by Multiple Channels Prior to Converting
Cost Per Click Based Advertising Models Fail to Monetize the Full Impact of Online Ad Exposures for Publishers

IS THE 30-SECOND SPOT DEAD?
Are we witnessing the death of the 30-second television spot? Weigh in and view the results of this month's survey from Kelly, Scott & Madison

TOP NEWS FROM BITBRIEFS.COM
To stay on top of the latest trends, research, news and statistics in marketing, be sure to add BitBriefs.com to your daily read. The following clips are the latest required reads in the Measurement and Analytics category:

45% of Search Engine Marketers Do Not Integrate SEM Efforts with Offline Channels
Top Priority for CMOs in 2009 is Achieving Measurable ROI of Marketing Efforts
m-Wise Launches Mobile Analytics Solution
ROI-Driven Strategy and Metrics Critical to Funding for Marketing Programs