Appealing to the Generation

Link it all together!

Being in the mobile, technology savvy generation I can back up that while watching a show, I have my laptop open and my phone beside me. During boring parts of the show, I search my Twitter feed online or read threw the latest gossip on Miley Cyrus. In between explicit pictures of Miley and updating my status I am replying to a text or pinning something to my Pinterest account on my mobile. Having multiple screens at home is becoming more popular. People use each device for different things but they all can be used for one single purpose, to advertise.

"From smartphones and tablets to laptops and television, 90% of all media interactions today are screen-based"

Using multi-screen advertising links all devices together by having the same idea throughout different tech formats. A website would have a different layout then a mobile site, just like an ad on TV would be different then one on a website.

Some companies are now having the same interaction between all three components. Businesses such as Impact Engine, who claim to be the leading rich media platform, announced the completion of its HTML"Multi-Screen" ad conversion initiative. This allows companies to unify all the mediums at a valuable price. For example shows are now asking people to tweet to cast members or for their opinion on the show and what they want to see next. They may have a contest with a key word asking to go to the website and tweet it out for the chance for a prize.

This generation people are likely to have multiple devices at the ready, which creates opportunity for interaction. They also have been purchasing on different devices. The mobile phone is one of those devices that people are now using to shop directly while in store  “65 percent of online searches began on a smartphone”.

Because people using these devices may be on the go its important to have good content and easy navigation to where you want them to go. "You should check this out" or "Have you seen" are ways to lead consumers in the direction you want. Realizing whom your target is on each device then relating and designing your site to accommodate them will prove to higher results. Keeping your sites up to date and relevant will benefit you when your customer can quickly get to where they want to go. Using Search Optimization will keep you at the top of consumers list within search engines making you the first option to go too. Not only do you want to strive to be first but to take up the whole page.

   Click here to see five distinct profiles ofmulti-channel shoppers.

Social Media Journal Entry One

        What does 2014 bring for Social Media Marketing?

The addition of online marketing has changed the way companies spend their marketing budget. Digital marketing has increased in importance and is therefore gaining more budget. Not only is there Facebook or Twitter to advertise on but Google, Websites, Blogs, YouTube, Tumblr and more. The social media world is forever evolving. Can companies keep up? What does the upcoming new year, 2014, bring for social media marketing?

According to Forbes, there are 7 things we all should prepare and look out for. They are as follows:
1. Content Marketing will increase
2. Social Media will need to be more diverse
3. Emphasis on images
4. Simplistic is the way to go
5. Must be Mobile
6. Higher use of Ad Retargeting
7. Social and SEO intertwine more

Social Media has become this complicated thing that can be simplified to those 7 things to look for. If your content is relative to your consumer, if it is constantly updated to maintain interest, if there are pictures to grab attention, if it is accessible in the right formats for your target, then your social media marketing will show you results. Companies should already be doing all these things. Think of social as an on going campaign. It needs to be accessible, creative, captivating and constantly updated to ensure repeat browsers.

The predictions that Forbes had all make sense when you look at the results of social media this year. There has been an increase in content marketing. Content marketing has become more important. This is a way for a company to really relate and understand its consumers. Trust and rapport can be built using content marketing. It gives the opportunity to address issues and answer questions while showing that they are worthwhile and honest. Having proper, engaging content can lead to browsers becoming buyers or activists for your company.

Spreading your content on multiple platforms increases awareness and gives diversity to your content approach. Not everyone uses the same channels. The more mediums your content shows up on the more the consumer sees it and responds too. A negative side to this is that if businesses try to be on all platforms they can, the content can loos its creativity and effectiveness. I suggest you pick the top three that your target use most and have the best content for those channels.

Images are a great eye catchers. The first thing I notice on a new website or blog is the picture related with it. Having image based content is an interesting, alternative way to grab the consumers attention. Images can be quick and easy which is going to gain attention faster.

People are being exposed to more media, ads and content then before. Having simple marketing can be just as effective as in-depth marketing. As Forbes article looks at, take a look at a top company like Apple. The marketing strategy is very simple.

Majority of people have either a phone, tablet, computer or multiple of each. Making sure that advertisements and content is mobile friendly will be very important coming into 2014. People are constantly on their phones. Those who do not adapt will loose out on the opportunity to reach consumers that their competitors may be able too.

Retargeting lets your consumers see your content once they have already seen it. It narrows down the people who may not want to access it. The more they see it, the more they will remember!

Social signals help consumers to see that a company is trustworthy. Sharing content, liking pages, and so on will be able to increase the organic ranking. Google will notice that more people are visiting one site over others. Having SEO and social intertwine is going to help target customers more efficiently.

Although these things are in effect right now, some are in the trial process and as time goes on and results increase they will be modified in the hopes to be perfect. Those were some tips to look out for if your not already heavy into social media marketing!