How Retailers Can Reach Moms

Moms are empowered consumers who head to the Web to meet their many product needs. With mothers controlling an estimated 80% of household spending, or $1.7 trillion a year, retailers must understand how women’s shopping behavior changes when they have children.

“Moms want to do business with retailers that are respectful and responsive to their needs and concerns,” said Jeffrey Grau, eMarketer senior analyst and author of the new report, “How Moms and Retailers Interact Online.”

About 85% of online moms said having a baby changed their purchasing habits, according to “21st Century Mom,” a 2009 study published by BabyCenter, an online community for expectant and new moms. The report also found widespread changes in media usage among moms—many of whom used both mom-centric and mainstream social media sites more than before.

Change in media usage

“Moms band together on social networks to share coupon codes and information about special product deals,” said Mr. Grau. “And a disgruntled mom can exploit the viral effects of the Internet to pressure a business to fix a problem.”

Retailers that want to reach moms can take many steps to appeal to this time-crunched demographic concerned with the health and well-being of their families. Moms appreciate brands that use Twitter to put on a human face to respond to their complaints. They also like easy-to-use Websites with helpful features such as live chat, visualization tools, product reviews, easy returns and curbside pickup.

Consumers Demand Engagement

Image via Wikipedia

Marketers will continue to shift dollars from traditional to digital media in 2010, but simply including online ad campaigns and social media efforts is not enough for an effective marketing mix. According to the Alterian “Annual Survey 2009” report, the maturity of digital and social media requires integration of marketing strategies. Marketers must move from a focus on siloed campaigns to an emphasis on listening to and communicating with consumers across channels.

More than one-half of marketers worldwide reported directing at least “a fair amount” of effort toward integrating their communication strategies to emphasize multichannel consumer engagement.

“The age of sending out silo campaigns is long gone,” according to the report. “The only communications tolerated by consumers are those that are appropriate, timely and relevant—regardless of channel.”

The majority of marketers surveyed recognized social media as increasingly important to the marketing mix, while 14% went as far as to call it critical for success. It is yet another channel to be incorporated into an integrated communication strategy, rather than addressed on its own. And it can provide unique insights into the consumers who can now use earned media to build brands alongside marketers.

Most marketers say they are at least “prepared enough” to take advantage of new techniques in digital and social media, but more than one-third felt minimally prepared. Staff education and training was a substantial concern.

The largest group of respondents said some of their marketing staff had the skills to implement new customer engagement strategies, but that knowledge was generally restricted to personnel in digital roles. Only 17% said most or all of their staff was prepared, although 37% planned further investments in the area.

“Engaging with customers is becoming paramount and the yardstick by which we measure those brands that survive and those that don’t,” said David Eldridge, CEO of Alterian, in a statement. “Marketers now need to appeal to the individual and engage with customers on a one-to-one basis.”

Less Than Half Of Americans Read A Daily Newspaper

Newspapers and Readership Decline

New research from Adweek media and Harris Interactive has revealed some interesting information on newspaper readership in the US, with the majority of consumers surveyed stating they would not pay to read newspapers online, which could be a bit of a problem for Rupert Murdoch plans to block Googles access to free content and charge consumers to read his newspapers online.

Less than half (43%) of Americans say they read a daily newspaper, either online or in print almost everyday, according to a new report from Adweek Media and Harris Interactive.

Nearly three-quarters (72%) of Americans say they read one at least once a week while 81 percent read a daily newspaper at least once a month. Ten percent say they never read a daily newspaper.

One reason for the decline of the daily newspaper is the aging of its audience. Among those aged 55 and older, 64 percent say they still read a daily newspaper almost everyday. Of those aged 45-54, 44 percent read a paper almost every day as do 36 percent of those aged 35-44. Just 23 percent of those aged 18-34 say they read a newspaper almost every day while 17 percent in this age group say they never read a daily newspaper.

One potential business model newspapers have considered is charging a monthly fee to read a daily newspaper’s content online. More than three-quarters (77%) of Americans say they would not be willing to pay anything to read a newspaper’s content online. While some are willing to pay, 19 percent would only pay between $1 and $10 a month for online content and only 5 percent would pay more than $10 a month.

Social Media Advertising Budgets Get a Boost

The majority of companies in a recent survey are planning to invest more in social media next year but are struggling to find the time and resources to manage their activity, according to a report produced by Econsultancy and bigmouthmedia.

The “Social Media and Online PR Report” provides detailed information about how companies are using online PR tactics and social media sites – including Facebook and Twitter -  for marketing and customer service.

The research found that an overwhelming majority of companies (86%) surveyed plan to spend more money on social media in 2010, and a further 13% are planning to keep the same level of budget.

Barriers to Better Engagement

The biggest barrier to better social media engagement for companies surveyed is a lack of resources, with more than half of companies (54%) saying this is a significant problem, the report said.  Nine out of 10 businesses (90%) say social media is taking up more time internally than a year ago.

The research also found that many companies are experimenting with social media without yet reaping any measurable benefits. Only one-fourth of companies say that they have gained “real, tangible value” from social media, whereas 60% say that they have gained “some benefit but nothing concrete.”

These results echo findings about social media use in other industries.  For example, a recent study by Weber Shandwick and KRC Research found that 88% of execs at US non-profit organizations are currently experimenting with social media, but only  51% report using it actively and 79% are uncertain about how to demonstrate its value for their organization.

However, the Econsultancy study found that companies who have made an effort in the social media area have typically reaped some reward. More than half (52%) of companies who are heavily involved in social media marketing say that they have gained real value, compared with only 13% of companies who have “experimented but not done much.”

“The reality is that most businesses understand how to listen, what to measure and where to engage but are struggling to define the value of engagement and reputation in social spaces,” said Michelle Goodall, Econsultancy’s social media and online PR consultant.

Twitter Stats

Twitter is now the most widely adopted social media tactic, used by 78% of company respondents and 74% of agency respondents. This is closely followed by social network profile creation and management (65%), according to the report.

When companies were asked in detail about their use of Twitter, the majority  (62%) say they are using the micro-blogging site for publicizing new content. Approximately half (54%) are using the channel for marketing or brand monitoring (47%).

On the other hand, only 27% of companies are using Twitter as a customer service tool for reacting to issues and inquiries, Econsultancy said. A similar percentage (25%) say they use Twitter as a customer feedback tool.

In terms of the benefits of Twitter cited by respondents, results vary, with nearly one-third (31%) saying that there are “tremendous opportunities” available, but  half reporting that their companies are “open-minded but not fully convinced about the value to the business.” Some 7% say their organization feels that Twitter is over-hyped and a fad.

Additional study findings:

• Very few companies (just 10%) are not engaging in any social media activity whatsoever.

• Social media use varies by vertical industry.  Respondents in the publishing industry are most likely to say they are heavily users of social media tactics, while those in the financial services industry are most likely to say they are not invovled at all.

• Smaller organizations in the study are significantly more likely to be heavily involved in social media, most likely because they are inherently
  more flexible, have fewer barriers to experimenting with new channels and technologies and generally have more senior-level buy-in.
• Increased brand awareness is seen as major benefit of social media by 73% of company respondents. The next most important benefits are increased customer engagement (71%), better brand reputation (66%) and increased communication with key influencers (62%).
• Online traditional media relations are the most frequently used PR tactic, used by more than two-thirds (67%) of company respondents. The next most widely used tactics are the use of press release posting sites and wire services (60%) and online press offices and investor centers (44%).
• Video has been a hot topic in 2009, with companies increasingly creating and distributing video content. Some 60% of companies are using this channel (either creating video content or using video-sharing sites), and 54% of supply-side respondents say that their clients are using this social media tactic.
• Nearly three-quarters of agencies (72%) say their clients are using corporate or brand blogs, but fewer than half of companies (47%) say they have blogs.

SocNet Users Enhance Relationships, Lose Inhibitions

Social Media

Online social networking is becoming entrenched in everyday life and is profoundly affecting how US consumers connect with family and friends, shop and interact with retailers and brands, and participate in political and humanitarian issues, according to a recent study from Euro RSCG Worldwide.

The study and resulting white paper, “Social Life and Social Media” (pdf) explore the extent to which Americans have integrated social networking tools into their lives, and also reveal that this integration is causing a simultaneous expansion and narrowing of consumers’ perspectives. One one hand, social networks put the world at an consumers’ fingertips.  On the other, social media’s hyperlocal nature enables them to focus, if they so choose,  on issues, news and people around them.

Another finding from the study reveals that social networking is also causing a rise in what Euro RSCG calls “cyberdisinhibition” – the increased willingness to behave online in ways that wouldn’t be attempted in person. This phenomenon is making users bolder and driving them to inappropriate behavior.

An examination of internet searches for “social media” over the past several years shows the dramatic increase in interest:

Relationships Enhanced

Despite buzz to the contrary, Euro RSCG said the study found that online social networking is enhancing rather than deteriorating, relationships among Americans. Though online has not replaced face-to-face – which remains the gold standard, it is working with it to keep people even more connected than ever.

• More than half of respondents (54%) have met new people through electronic media.
• Consumers are engaging in more of what Euro RSCG calls trialogues – multi-way exchanges of ideas and opinions among consumers and brands.
• Consumers are not only more involved with family and friends, but they also have increased their involvement in political and humanitarian issues.
• 40%  agree that social groupings online can be truly social, while only 14% disagree. These figures differ very little across age, gender, ethnic or income groups.
• 28% believe that online social networking enhances their social life offline.
• 58% disagree with the statement that online social networking is for “sad, antisocial types.”

Inhibitions Lost

On a darker side, however, the study also found that online interaction through social media leads some people to drop inhibitions, creating antisocial behavior:

• 42.6% of respondents say they feel less inhibited interacting online than face-to-face.
• 20% say they lashed out at companies or products thanks to the anonymity of online interaction.
• 31.5% say that online interaction let them do something they’d been wanting to do.

As a result of the study, Euro RSCG Worldwide suggests five key takeaways:

1. Social media are now a vital consideration in any communications strategy in any country where digital media are accessible to citizens and consumers.
2. It’s impossible to predict how bits of communication will spread across social media. As most traditional media converge online, communication flows among them, and consumers become messengers.
3. The web is worldwide, but its emerging power is hyperlocal. This is the space where what’s virtual (online) meets what’s tangible (offline), with each reinforcing the other.
4. Social media enable consumers to be more socially collaborative and to share easily across media types. But users now expect quick responses and clear payoffs. The underlying question is always: What’s in it for me?
5. The more interactions happen online with no direct offline contact, the more likely people are to tilt toward extreme behavior. It’s important to blend both online and offline elements.

“Word of mouth has always been the most powerful marketing tool; what social media has done is dramatically increase the scale, velocity and immediacy with which people can influence each other and create the biggest revolution to hit our industry since television,” said David Jones, global CEO of Euro RSCG Worldwide. “One of the interesting findings of the study is that it’s the combination of online and offline experiences that creates the biggest impact.”

Facebook Brand Pages Advertising- Which Day Gives you the Best ROI?

I guess some of you may think I sit around all day researching social media trends, well if you do, you’re right.  To really stay on top of all the changes that happen in social media, it really is important that we stay up to date on the ever moving landscape. So here is another little juicy gem for those marketing folks out there looking at using the social media networks as advertising mediums.

It’s important to understand the searching and viewing habits of the audience you’re trying to impact, and social media sites are changing the way we search on line, and as marketers, relying on this information and understanding where and how your audience views or searches for information on social media sites is vital.

So with that in mind, which are the best days to run your adds or banners, and which days generate the best click thru rates for advertisers? Some new research out today sheds some light on this and here are the results for you. Content posted on Facebook based brand pages has a higher than average click thru rate on a Tuesday, the average click thru rate on Tuesday is 9.89%, the highest of any day. Wednesday follows closely behind with click rates of 9.87%.

Friday and Saturday had the lowest click rates with a very measly 2.67% on Friday and 2.7% on Saturdays. If you  take all the days into account, click thrus for Facebook brand pages average 6.76%. This average is lower than Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, but still much higher than average CTRs for display advertising across social networks in general, including Facebook itself.

So really what this research means, is that certain days of the week are better for launching a product promotion, and by really understanding how consumers use social media sites, you and your company can start to target where you’ll get the best return on your investment.

In a nut shell, what this all means, is that you really need to have a well thought out communication strategy for updating your Facebook brand page and understand when to create promotions to get optimum response.

Response to your marketing on social media sites is better early in the week then dwindles and picks up again on Sundays.

In my next post, I’ll cover the results of the latest eye tracking study for you, that is a very interesting result. 

About the data:The sample data reported is compiled from nearly 200 million fans impressions on Facebook pages over a five-month period (March – August 2009).