Corporate Eye

...compare, compete, excel

Susan Gunelius

Susan Gunelius

Brand Digital and Social Campaigns Are Not Aligned with Consumer Online and Mobile Purchasing

holiday sale shoppingRetail brands are ramping up their marketing efforts as the 2012 holiday shopping season approaches, but new research from Yesmail Interactive reveals that brand digital and social marketing campaigns do not align with consumer online and mobile purchasing preferences and patterns. That could mean brands are missing significant opportunities to connect holiday campaigns to consumers and to meet end-of-year sales goals.

Yesmail Interactive surveyed more than 500 consumers and analyzed their shopping preferences against marketing campaigns from the following companies: Amazon, Apple, Best Buy, Crate & Barrel, Dell, Game Stp, HH Gregg, JC Penney, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Pottery Barn, Rue LaLa, Sears, Sprint, T-Mobile, Toys ‘r Us, Verizon, Walmart, and Williams Sonoma.

While 7 out of 10 survey respondents indicated that they’ll spend the same amount or more during the 2012 holiday shopping season as they did during the same time in 2011, the marketing campaigns of leading brands are missing opportunities to capitalize on how and why consumers use email and social channels for shopping activities.

The following findings show that marketers are not meeting consumer shopping trends in mobile and online environments, and are missing opportunities as a result of this misalignment:

Mobile, Social, and Email Promotions

  • 80% of online shoppers and 71% of in-store (offline) shoppers claim that email promotions (discounts, free shipping, etc.) influence their purchase decisions.
  • 62% of survey respondents have used a mobile device to compare web prices to in-store prices while shopping in a brick-and-mortar store.
  • More than 41% of mobile device owners have made an online or offline purchase as a direct result of a promotional email message that they viewed on their device. However, only two-thirds of those email messages linked to brand web pages that were mobile-optimized.
  • Social media promotions drove 34% of shoppers to make a purchase, but only 8% of Facebook and 4% of Twitter campaigns focused on discounts, free shipping, and other money-saving promotions.

Timing

  • Nearly 80% of in-store shoppers prefer to make purchases on the weekend. Only 31% of online shoppers prefer to make purchases on the weekends, but nearly 50% of online shoppers prefer to make purchases on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday.
  • Nearly 40% of survey respondents preferred to make purchases between 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., but only 5% of email campaigns sent by brands were sent during that time period.
  • Nearly 60% of survey respondents preferred to interact with brands on social media sites between 6:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m., but more than 60% of social media campaigns on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ are launched between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Central Time.

The survey also found that 20% of consumers plan to begin holiday shopping at least three months before the holidays begin. That means retailers should already be running 2012 holiday marketing campaigns. Is your brand leveraging the opportunities identified in this survey? Simple modifications to your campaigns could have a significant effect on their success based on the findings from this survey.

Image: Jay Lopez

Nearly 1 in 5 U.K. Mobile Shoppers Have Made Mobile Purchases

iphone branded appsIt is predicted that by the end of 2015, more than half of the population in the United Kingdom will access the mobile internet. That’s according to a study by eMarketer, which also reports that 18% of the U.K. smartphone user population have purchased goods or services using their mobile devices. In other words, brands need to have a plan in place to connect with mobile shoppers in the U.K., and brands need to make it easy for them to make purchases from their smartphones and tablets.

According to comScore, purchasing goods and services using a smartphone ranked as the second most mentioned activity performed by U.K. smartphone users in a July 2012 study (18%). Coming in first was finding store locations (24%). 16% of survey respondents had compared product prices, researched product features, and made shopping lists using their smartphones. Finding coupons or deals was mentioned by 15% of U.K. smartphone users, and 14% had checked product availability using their smartphones. Interestingly, eMarketer reports that in August 2011, making purchases using smartphones didn’t make it into the top 10 mobile activities for U.K. smartphone owners.

As you develop your brand’s mobile presence, keep the following in mind:

  • The U.K. mobile shopper audience still skews male (55%).
  • The  U.K. mobile shopper audience skews middle income (more than half of mobile shoppers reported incomes between $24,193 and $72,850).
  • Over half of mobile shoppers in the U.K. are between the ages of 25-44 (29% between 25-34 and 23% between 35-44) with another 19% falling in the 18-24 age bracket.
  • Nearly 50% of mobile purchases cost between $33 and $161.

Now is the time to start researching your brand’s mobile audience to gain a better understanding of how you can offer mobile brand experiences that turn into mobile brand purchases. The move toward m-commerce from e-commerce isn’t going to slow down, and your brand needs to be mobile sooner rather than later.

Image: Sean MacEntee

Should Your Brand Have a Mobile App?

iphone and ipadIf your brand hasn’t jumped onto the mobile app bandwagon yet, should it? There is no doubt that the future is mobile, and it could be argued that all brands should be investigating ways to deliver value to consumers in a mobile environment. But is a mobile app right for your brand today? Should you bump mobile app development up to the top of your brand priorities?

The answer isn’t simple. You really need to evaluate your goals for joining the mobile market to identify if now is the time to devote money and resources to app development. Following are five things to consider as you make a decision for your brand:

1. Your target audience must be mobile and comfortable using apps.

If your target audience isn’t currently using mobile apps on smartphone or tablet devices, then developing a mobile app shouldn’t be at the top of your list of brand building priorities. Do some research before you invest in mobile app development and make sure your target audience has the ability to use your app if and when it rolls out.

2. You need to have money and manpower to build the app now and manage it throughout its lifecycle.

Unfortunately, mobile app development doesn’t come with a one-size-fits-all solution. Different devices require different coding. It’s easier to only create an iOS version of a branded app for iPhones and iPads, but doing so leaves a large audience unable to use your app. Furthermore, the work isn’t over when the app is launched. Updates, enhancements, and more must be done on an ongoing basis to ensure the app works, is generating the results you need, and is evolving in order to stay relevant and useful to consumers.

3. You need to promote your mobile app.

Visit the Apple App Store or the Google Play app store, and you’ll find a lot of apps and a lot of clutter. Unfortunately, people won’t find your app unless you promote it before and after launch. That means you need a marketing budget to develop awareness of the app and drive downloads (or sales if it’s a paid app). You also need a team to put the marketing plan into action, monitor the app’s performance against goals, and calculate ROI.

4. You need to develop an app that your audience actually believes is useful and/or adds value to their lives.

The barrier to entry in the mobile app market is almost non-existent, but if you launch an app that no one finds useful or meaningful, the app will fail. Even the biggest marketing budget can’t save a mobile app that is irrelevant and useless to consumers. You need to do your research up front and get a clear understanding of the type of app your customers want from your brand. Don’t assume you know what they want, because you don’t. This is an area where making assumptions will lead directly to failure.

5. You need to develop an app that actually does something and builds a deeper connection between the brand and consumers.

Don’t just make your corporate blog content available in a branded mobile app. Instead, make sure the app you create for your brand taps into consumers’ emotions and builds connections with them that lead to brand loyalty and advocacy. This is where the marketing team can show off their innovative thinking and turn the data collected from market research that identified consumers’ wants and needs into a successful branded mobile app.

Image: Yutaka Tsutano

1 out of 2 Consumers Think Brand Facebook Pages Are More Useful Than Websites

According to a survey by Lab42, about one out of two consumers think a brand’s Facebook Page is more useful than a brand’s website. Of course, it’s imperative that brands maintain their own controlled online presence via a website as well as a Facebook Page as parts of a comprehensive, integrated marketing plan. However, for brands that aren’t completely sold on the value of a Facebook Page, the results of this study simply add to the ever-accumulating data telling us that consumers want to find brands on Facebook.

For example, the study also revealed the following statistics related to consumers’ opinions and preferences about brand Faceboook Pages:

  • 87% of people like brands on Facebook.
  • 82% of people who like brands on Facebook believe that Facebook is a good place to interact with those brands.
  • Out of the people who think Facebook is a good place to interact with brands, 35% believe that brands listen to them more on Facebook.
  • 75% of people who like brands on Facebook feel more connected to those brands.
  • 69% of people who like brands on Facebook have done so because a friend liked the brand.
  • 34% of people like brands on Facebook in order to get discounts and promotions
  • 21% of people like brands on Facebook in order to get free giveaways.
  • 14% of people like brands on Facebook because they are already loyal customers of the brand.
  • 11% of people like brands on Facebook because they trust those brands.
  • The top three ways consumers interact with brands on Facebook are: print coupons, like/comment on the brand’s page, and learn about new products (in that order).
  • 46% of people who like brands on Facebook have liked brands that they have no plans to purchase. 52% liked those brands to get a free item. 46% liked those brands because they actually like the brands but can’t afford them, and 24% liked those brands to help a friend.
  • 73% of people who like brands on Facebook have unliked brands on Facebook.
  • The top three reasons consumers unlike brands on Facebook are: the brand posted too frequently, they stopped liking the brand, and they had a bad customer experience with the brand (in that order).
  • 47% of people do not like brands because brands clutter their news feeds. 36% don’t want to be contacted by brands. 30% are concerned about their privacy, and 27% only post things relevant to their own lives.

You can see all of the data from the Lab42 study in the infographic below. Click to view it at full size.

facebook brand likes infographic

Consumers Prefer to Shop in Physical Stores

retail shoppingThe Fitch 2012 Joy of Shopping study reveals that 54% of shoppers prefer to do their shopping in brick-and-mortar stores over any other channel. 50% of respondents to the global survey indicated that they prefer to shop on the web. Both channels rate significantly higher than mobile app shopping (13%) and social media shopping (7%).

However, there are some regional differences in consumers’ preferred shopping channels. Internet shopping is far more popular in emerging markets like China and Brazil than it is in mature markets. Furthermore, while the Chinese are the happiest and most enthusiastic shoppers (55%), Brits are the most unhappy shoppers in the world. Only 21% of British respondents to the Fitch survey claimed that they enjoy shopping.

Differences were also found in enthusiasm levels for specific categories. For example, the highest levels of enthusiasm were found in the electronics category where 83% of respondents overall are either very enthusiastic about shopping for electronics products (43%) or at least enjoy the electronics shopping experience (40%). Fashion is another category that consumers enjoy shopping for. 89.3% of respondents to the Fitch survey overall claimed they were very enthusiastic about shopping for fashion products (37.4%) or at least enjoy shopping in the fashion category (51.9%). Grocery shopping ranks a bit lower with 85.3% of respondents overall stating they are very enthusiastic about shopping for groceries (39.0%) or at least they enjoy grocery shopping (46.3%).

Fitch offers some suggestions for increasing retail shopping satisfaction and enthusiasm levels to help businesses succeed in the future:

  1. Don’t underestimate your customers’ enthusiasm for shopping and going to stores.
  2. Rethink how you define and measure success and deliver shopping experiences that lead to happier customers.
  3. Play to new differentiators by appealing to consumers’ exploring and dreaming mindsets rather than just the locating mindset that often happens after the purchase decision has been made.
  4. Don’t think off- or online. Think seamless.

You can read the complete report here.

Image: pipp

4 Ways Brands Can Wow with Twitter Header Photo Designs

Last week, Twitter rolled out its new header photo design feature for user profiles. Now, all Twitter profiles can include not just an avatar image, but also a large header image that appears at the top of their profile timelines, similar to the Facebook cover photo design.

The launch of Twitter header photos gives brands another way to visually connect with consumers, and already, brands are getting creative with header photos that enhance their Twitter profiles in a variety of ways. Following are four ways that brands have already found to wow audiences with Twitter header photo designs. Take a look at these great early examples and think about how you can turn your boring Twitter profile into a visualization of your brand promise with a great header photo.

1. Show Your Products

Imagine a bakery with a Twitter header photo filled with delicious treats or a high-end jeweler displaying its beautiful designs. Already, brands like Starbucks and Vanity Fair have rolled out Twitter header photos that show their products in very different ways.

twitter starbucks
twitter vanity fair

2. Show Your Employees and Offices

What better way to make your brand more human than by showing your employees in your brand’s Twitter header photo? It’s a smart move for a brand like Ford. You can also give your audience a peek into life at the company and people behind the brand by displaying photos of your office or working environments. Take a look at the Twitter header image from The Huffington Post below for a great example.

twitter ford
twitter huffington post

3. Show What You Do

Service organizations and non-profits might not have tangible products to display in their Twitter header photos, but they can show photos of what they do. Check out the Twitter header photos for Charity: Water and Greenpeace to see what I mean. Also, take a closer look at the Greenpeace header image and you’ll see a clever design trick where the avatar image matches up exactly with the larger header image behind it. Instead of using the organization’s logo, like most companies and organizations do in their Twitter profiles, Greenpeace focuses more on the brand’s mission in its avatar and header photo.

twitter charity water
twitter greenpeace

4. Show Your Brand Promise

Brands like Nike and Red Bull use inspirational and motivational images in their Twitter header photos, which reflect the brands’ promises. These are brands that connect with consumers on an emotional level, and the decision to use visuals that represent the brand promise rather than products is a smart one for both brands.

twitter nike
twitter red bull

Have you seen any brands with amazing or creative Twitter header photos? Leave a comment and share your favorites to date.