BCA

One-half use the site more than they did a year ago

Business-to-business (B2B) sales cycles are longer than a year ago, but pipelines are growing, according to the “B2B SalesPulse Survey” from business information company OneSource.

Traditional outbound prospecting still produces the most qualified leads for US B2B sales representatives, but companies are relying more on their corporate Website to help bring in customers. Social networking sites were rated toward the low end of the scale, though they were as helpful in lead generation as direct mail.

The most effective social network for prospecting was LinkedIn, by a wide margin. The business-oriented site was rated 3.1 out of 5, compared with ratings of 2 for blogs, 1.9 for Facebook and 1.8 for Twitter.

LinkedIn’s effectiveness in this area has translated into significant increases in usage. Nearly one-half of respondents said they were using the site more for prospecting and research than a year before. Around one-fifth of those polled were also upping their prospecting efforts on blogs, Facebook and Twitter, but majorities of B2B sales professionals did not use those sites for research at all.

January 2010 data from HubSpot showed 45% of North American B2B companies using LinkedIn for marketing had acquired a customer through the site. Company blogs were effective for 43% of respondents, while 38% and 33%, respectively, got customers from Twitter and Facebook.

In contrast, research firm Outsell found that US B2B marketers considered Facebook the most effective social media site, at 51%, followed by LinkedIn (45%) and Twitter (35%). That poll focused on effectiveness in general, not necessarily lead generation.

For complete story and data charts go to eMarketer.com

Share / Save E-mail Add to Favorites   Amazon Wish List   n     Send from any other e-mail address or e-mail program: Any e-mail Powered by AddToAny

Four in five have no mobile presence

Website redesigns are in the cards for about two-thirds of multichannel retailers, according to the “Outlook 2010: E-Commerce” survey from Multichannel Merchant. Online retailers are looking to refresh their look and improve search engine optimization, navigation and conversion rates.

Thy are also looking to add more advanced features, such as social media tools, video, forums and personalized recommendations. Mobile, though, is barely on the horizon for most survey respondents.

Four in five US multichannel retailers polled said they were not using any mobile commerce functionality in February 2010. The most common m-commerce application in use was mobile advertising, and just 6.5% of respondents had a mobile site. Slightly fewer had an iPhone app.

The report suggested that retailers could be put off investing in mobile by carriers’ failure to keep up with consumer demand for mobile data service.

Consumers, though they are avid cross-channel shoppers, have only embraced mobile browsing and purchasing on a small scale. Three-quarters of respondents to ATG’s “Cross-Channel Commerce: The Consumer View” survey said they never researched products on their handsets in Q4 2009.

According to Forrester Research, 25% of US online retailers are planning at least some mobile features for 2010, compared with just 4% in 2009. North American retail executives told RIS in January 2010 that they hoped to increase customer engagement through m-commerce by serving consumers the way they want to be served.

Printed with permission of E-marketer. For full story and data charts go to e-marketer.com.

The Path to Growth Comes From Leveraging your Assets

By John Riley

 In the rush to get on the social media bandwagon, it appears a number of companies have been satisfied to simply post a note inviting visitors coming from Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to follow their company or brand. With that non-engaging message, the result is a lost opportunity and the likelihood the visitor won’t return. 

 The benefit of social media is to build relationships and that means there needs to be a dialog between the visitor and the website host. Because of the immediacy of these social media tools, it’s essential the website has a mechanism in place to respond in kind so the dialog can be initiated. When that happens, the response is an opportunity to influence visitors to later communicate their endorsement of the company or product to their friends and associates directly or through social channels.

 For the website host, a ‘what is’ analysis of the state of the company’s current website capabilities accompanied by a projection of ‘what the capabilities should be’, that is based on the company’s vision, needs to be prepared. Also prepare a clear and concise brand positioning statement designed to attract the maximum  number of your target audience. Then, implement the steps necessary to make it all happen.  Recognize that as the level of sophistication increases, so will the need for resources and management support.

 You have to start with a strategy

 Start with a social media strategy that takes into account all of the company’s assets that can be leveraged to help build the brand. Study the website and either incorporate with or link to a company blog. While the website provides company and product information that can be assimilated and digested, the blog is ideally suited for interaction with visitors on any number of issues important to the host or visitors.  

 Access to the blog can be handled in two ways. First, allow visitors to use their existing login.  The disadvantage of this option is the inability to capture the visitor’s e-mail. Second, use a sign-in process to capture the visitors’ information. This option usually provides more complete and accurate information, but its’ the less desirable choice because of the inconvenience.

 Keeping the visitor on site once he’s there requires an attractive website/blog with compelling content. The challenge is to know who the target audience is so the content can be designed to satisfy their curiosity and stimulate interest. Most important is the need to refresh the blog content at least once or twice a week to sustain visitor interest. This is where a social experience needs to occur so the visitor can interact with the brand or socialize with the host, both of which will keep the visitor on site longer. When the experience is positive, that person becomes an ambassador for the company or brand within the social network fraternity/sorority.

 Participate in conversations anywhere

 When the coordination between website, blog and social media is functioning, customers, employees and prospects can interact as a community. However, that will take more time.

But don’t overlook the importance to the brand of taking part in conversations wherever they take place, i.e. blogs, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or forums.

 An essential element in strategy is brand tracking. That requires tracking the brand’s progress continually. The obvious reason is to detect any negative results so corrective action can be taken promptly and avoid any long term damage to the brand. If progress is positive, further upgrading of the social structure can take place to accelerate the progress. Listening to customers and prospects is the most important part of this process and the social interface should take precedence over the automated data collection systems although ideally, both should be used.

 Social media can be an important asset for any company, but like any tool, it needs to be used properly. To do that requires a strategy that links all the resources to a common goal or vision. Otherwise, the time and money spent on these tools won’t help drive your marketing plan.

From World Advertising Research Center

Most major brands in the US are likely to heighten their focus on platforms such as social media and mobile this year, but concerns over measurement remain for many companies.

Datran, the digital marketing specialist, surveyed 5,000 marketing executives drawn from Fortune 500 companies, leading publishers and prominent advertising and media agencies.
It found that there was “significant optimism” among its panel regarding prospective communications expenditure levels this year, following on from a decline in budgets in 2009.

(more…)

One-fifth of small businesses “could not survive” without mobile

Mobile and wireless technologies such as smartphones, Wi-Fi hotspots and laptop data cards are becoming more important for small-business owners, according to the “Small Business Technology Poll” from AT&T.

More than one-fifth of respondents said they could not be in business at all without wireless technologies, and a further 43% claimed it would be a major challenge. That makes mobile and wireless critical for about two-thirds of small businesses.

This reflects the increase in use of mobile and wireless tech among small businesses over the past two years. AT&T found that while one-quarter of respondents reported the same usage as in 2007, 74% of small businesses relied on wireless at least somewhat more.

This reflects the increase in use of mobile and wireless tech among small businesses over the past two years. AT&T found that while one-quarter of respondents reported the same usage as in 2007, 74% of small businesses relied on wireless at least somewhat more.

That dependence is set to increase, according to small-business owners’ plans for the next two years. Nearly three-quarters of respondents plan to up their use of mobile and wireless technologies, including 37% who say they will use the services “much more.”

That dependence is set to increase, according to small-business owners’ plans for the next two years. Nearly three-quarters of respondents plan to up their use of mobile and wireless technologies, including 37% who say they will use the services “much more.”

Small businesses’ top uses of laptop data cards and Wi-Fi hotspots were for checking e-mail (done by more than eight in 10 respondents) and surfing the Web (57%) on the go. Smartphones were used slightly less for those purposes but were of course vital as mobile phones (91%).

“Wireless technology is a critical business tool that allows mobile workers to stay in touch with colleagues and customers, and to access company data on the move,” said Timothy Doherty, associate research analyst for SMB Mobility, IDC, in a statement. “Reliance on wireless technology will only increase, as growing adoption of mobile business applications among small businesses drives the need for fast, reliable connectivity.”

For complete story and data charts go to e-marketer.com

By John Riley

 Does Spinternet mean anything to you? It didn’t to me until I visited the Forrester Research website recently and found a reference to it. Now I know and so should you.

 With all the excitement surrounding the introduction of Kindles, Androids, iPhones, tablets and FiOS TV’s,  you may be surprised to learn your site may not work right on these devices. You will notice the change when you try to use flash or mouse-based navigation. The Internet was created in a compatible format so that any computer, connection or browser would interface with it. That is no longer true.

 In the past, everything on the Internet was standard and connected. Today, much of the really valuable information and data is login and password protected. If you are a frequent user of the very popular Facebook, its applications won’t work anywhere else. Most importantly Google can’t access much of it. Furthermore, apps that function on the iPhone can’t work on the Android. Widgets designed for FiOS TV won’t work anywhere else.

 Google requires a standard format to operate as does search engine optimization, click-throughs, ad networks and analytics.

 Because these new devices will splinter the web as a standardized system, Forrester Research, following a study of this phenomenon, coined the term Splinternet to describe it. All of the new devices have their own format, ad networks and technology. As new social sites come online, they will have their own login and much of its content will be concealed from search engines.

 Since there will be no turning back, the study authors recommend the following:

1)     Choose your devices carefully as investments in one cannot be transferred easily to others if you make a mistake.

2)     Rethink analytics, links and measurement because they are just coming available in the new environments.

3)     Promote new channels since SEO won’t help you much here. Platforms like iPhone apps and Facebook are some of the most  exciting new channels out there.

4)     Just realize you are leaving the comfy environment of the Web behind… along with all the tools you’ve grown dependent on…as you embrace the new platforms.

 For marketers, its not too soon to start revising market plans. The rest of us will need to start doing our homework on the new devices.

Older users take to Net as younger ones pioneer new territory

With 71% of Americans using the Internet at least monthly in 2010, US Internet users now closely resemble the general population. Over the next five years, that trend will continue. Overall, eMarketer forecasts the number of monthly Internet users in the US will rise to 250.7 million in 2014, up from 221 million in 2010.

Half of new users are 45 and up

More than one-half of new users will be ages 45 and up, as many of the remaining laggards come on board. Among younger groups, the Internet is nearly ubiquitous, and most who are able to access it already do so, leaving limited potential for penetration growth. Notably, though, eMarketer expects significant increases in usage among children ages 3 to 11, as technology becomes a part of consumers’ lives at increasingly younger ages.

Currently, 12- to 24-year-olds represent a major bloc of users at 51.7 million, or 23.4% of the total. By 2014, though, their share will wane to 21.3%, even as their numbers increase to 53.5 million. Meanwhile, those ages 45 and older will grow from 35% to 38.3% of total users to more closely align with their relative share in the overall population.

The 24 and under group continue to be heaviest users

While older groups will occupy a larger share of monthly users, that measure is quickly becoming antiquated. Younger groups have already entered a new phase of always-on Internet use, where the Web never leaves their side and is accessible 24/7 through their phone or other devices. Those 34 and under will continue to be the heaviest, most engaged and most voracious consumers of content online.

“The Internet has been a mainstream medium since at least 2008,” said Lisa E. Phillips, eMarketer senior analyst. “In 2010, more and more US consumers—even the baby boomers—are going mobile, on laptops, smartphones and other devices. The desire and the ability to stay connected will drive Internet usage to even higher levels.”

For complete data tables and article go to eMarketer.com. Printed with permission of eMarketer.

  Mobile Phone is greatest change for the better

Americans looking back at the end of a decade have little love for trends such as reality TV, they are generally positive when evaluating the most basic technological and communications advances that have affected their lives, according to the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press.

Respondents had the overall best view of cellphones, which 69% claimed were a change for the better. Sixty-five percent said the same of both e-mail and the Internet.

Other, more advanced handheld devices, such as BlackBerrys and iPhones, were also relatively popular, though one-quarter of respondents thought they were a change for the worse. Unsurprisingly, younger adults were more likely to be positive about the rise of smartphones, while users over 65 were more evenly split.

Online shopping was slightly less likely to be seen as a good development, at 54% of total respondents. But when it came to e-commerce, 24% of consumers said it made no difference—and younger adults disliked it at more than twice the rate of seniors.

Adults ambivalent about social networking sites

“No difference” was also a major factor in consumer views of the marketing darling, social networking sites. Adults of all ages were notably ambivalent about the sites, though nearly one-half of those under 50 had a positive impression. Despite wide uptake in recent years, the largest group of respondents over 65 did not know enough to say whether social networks were good or bad.

Even active users of social media have registered mixed feelings of the medium with other researchers, however. Crowd Science reported that more than one-half of female users ages 12 to 21, for example, thought they spent too much time with social media.

Printed with permission of E-Marketer; to see data tables, go to E-Marketer.com.

A majority of consumers think technology has made life better in every area except personal relationships, according to the Philips Center for Health and Well-being.

Communication, information and medical treatments topped the areas of their lives that consumers felt were improved by technology. In addition, 64% of respondents said the Internet in particular had made life better, but only 26% said the same of social networking services such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.

Durability Top Consumer Concern

Consumers’ biggest concern was that technology be built to last, followed by good quality and the best price. Women were more interested than men in tech that could make life easier, save them time and let them express themselves through personalized features.

Just under one-half of consumers reported that technology was easy to use, and a further 32% felt it had a good mix of advanced features and basic functions. In 2004, only 13% of respondents thought technology was easy to use, indicating a dramatic increase in users’ comfort level.

Respondents ages 18 to 24 found technology easiest to deal with, while those ages 55 and up were most likely to say it was too complex to operate. Men also reported more ease of use than women.

Respondents Believe Tech Companies Understand Their Needs

Growing comfort with technology has come hand in hand with an increase in respondents who believe tech companies understand their needs (37%). Still, a majority of consumers said companies make what they think will sell, and 39% thought manufacturers simply fell in love with their own ideas.

One-third of respondents reported a substantial disconnect with tech marketers, saying companies had no idea what their lives were like or what they would use. Notably, women were 7 percentage points more likely to say so than men.

Printed with permission of E-Marketer; for complete data charts, go to E-Marketer.com