Marketing News March 2010

In the news this Month...

The news items below are gathered from many popular and expert magazines, e-newsletters, and websites, all in one place for easy reading by busy entrepreneurs and business owners. These are quick summaries of some of the hottest marketing news around that affects small business to ensure you stay on top of the fast changing environment we all face. For previous Marketing News archives, see links at page bottom.

March 30, 2010 Mobile apps spread to consumer products & continue to grow exponentially. According to a recent survey conducted by DM2PRO and Quattro Wireless, almost 65% of marketers and publishers are planning to invest in mobile apps this year. This growth in apps is being driven largely by the ongoing interest and purchase of mobile phones and devices. A report by eMarketer called "Mobile Apps and Consumer Products Brands" includes this survey data and a range of other information on which consumer brands are using mobile apps now as well as best brand practices. Emarketer author, Ms Tobi Elkin, warns however that "brands need to develop apps that are useful and valuable." She also commented that apps linked to social networks have potential for greater success. A previous report from the Yankee Group, quoted by eMarketer, forecast that app store revenues in 2010 would increase several fold and by 2014 would be six times larger at $11 billion. The iPhone remains the heaviest source of app purchase, with three times as many apps purchased on these versus other smartphones. Source: eMarketer.com

March 24, 2010 P.R. releases lack multi-media approach. A study conducted by RealWire, found only 13% of press releases contained true multi-media elements, defined as any press release containing content other than a company logo. Of the 2,487 press relases analysed, 71% simply offered a company logo, and 81% of those that offered "multi-media" provided a photo or graphic only. A combination of lack of access to the skills needed to create the content, a lack of collaboration between different marketing disciplines, and the costs of distributing press release additional content through third parties; were responsible for these surpising numbers, accoording to a RealWires spokesperson. Source: Biz Report.com

March 22, 2010 Social Media now attracts users 24 hrs a day. According to a March 2010 report from consumer electronics site "Retrevo", nearly 50% of social media users log into sites as soon as they wake up or during the night. Younger users (<25 years old) were more likely to check their social site in the late or wee hours of the morning. However, a significant slice of 17% or respondents of all ages, tuned into facebook and Twitter before TV in the morning. Source: eMarketer.com

March 17, 2010 Australian SMEs willing but unsure of how to do online. Research from the The Internet Show Melbourne reported by Marketing Magazine, shoed that out of 4,000 businesses surveyed, 50% had allocated internet spend budgets of >$50k but were unsure how to spend the money to achieve the best result. They identified getting the best ROI as the main challenge linked to having a digital marketing strategy but also listed search marketing strategy, building web traffic, email marketing as major issues of concern. Source: MarketingMag.com

March 16, 2010 Having a Facebook Fan pays off for marketers. Market research from Chadwick Martin Bailey and iModerate shows that Facebook fans of brands are more likely to recommend or purchase from these brands. More than half of  Facebook fans and 67% of Twitter followers said they are more likely to makea  purchase from the brands they support. Almost 80% of Twitter followers and 60% of facebook fans said being a fan increased the chance that they would recommend the brand to their friends. The research also investigated the reasons for becoming a fan or follower. The main reasons included (for Facebook): being able to receive discounts, being a customer of the company, and a desire to show others they support the brand; and (for Twitter followers): getting discounts, up-to-the-minute updates and exclusive content. Source: eMarketer.com

March 11, 2010 Social networks not replacing email. While some have forecast that email will be replaced by social media as a communications channel, according to research generated by eConsultancy in their Email Marketing Industry Census, social marketing is being used to enhance the effectiveness of email amongst marketers. Many marketers apparently see email as an opportunity to encourage sharing of content via social networks through links etc. Certainly, this research showed that social media is growing as people use it to communicate with family and friends.It is however far from overtaking or replacing email as people use email as a primary storehouse and medium for business communication. The eConsultancy research showed that 71% of respondents (in a survey of U.S. adults + 18 years) were spending 20 minutes or more on email weekly, and that time spent with email had not changed in the last 12 months compared to the previous survey. In repudiation of other forecasts about email being doomed as a communication tactic, this research showed that social networkers are more active email users than others, with 42 % of social networkers reported as checking their email account four times a day or more. As social networks flourish further, this research suggests that the positive synergy between the two tools will continue. Source: Biz Report.com

March 01, 2010 Oz internet usage breaks record. According to the Nielsen report '2010 Internet and Technology Report', Australians are spending 9% more time on the internet versus last year, with the average internet user being online for 17.6 hours. The research reported that the heaviest users of the internet  were 16-19 year- olds (22 hours per week) compared to 30-49- year-olds who used 18.2 hours on average. The older users (50 year-olds) however still reported significant use at 15.5. hours per week on average, with internet usage in this group almost equivalent now to time spent watching TV. Internet communication is now the preferred method of communication between friends, overtaking mobile phones. Multitasking with media consumption is also growing with 49% of internet users being online while watching TV and 39% listening to the radio while online. Source: Marketingmag.com.au

2010 February Marketing News Archives >> 2009 Year Marketing News Archives >>