This months issue of Advertising and Marketing News will focus on the online marketing world. As you try to digest the numbers, think about what it was like ten years ago and ask yourself if you are keeping up.
Borrell Associates has forecast total online ad spending will grow almost 14 percent, from $45.6 billion, in 2010, to $51.9 billion, in 2011, while local online ad spending is expected to grow nearly 18%, from $13.7 billion, this year, to $16.1 billion, next year. The fastest-growing segments of online advertising are the local sector, anything targeted (that's us), and everything involving social media.
Borrell is a leader in localized online advertising. If you have a store and have not considered localized online advertising, Borrell is a good source of information. By the way, Google offers local online advertising and recently selected one of its top executives (Marissa Mayer) to head up a new business focused on location services.
Don't think online advertising is important - According to MagnaGlobal Online advertising will overtake newspapers as the world’s second-largest ad medium behind TV by 2013. Internet ad revenue may reach $117 billion by 2016 on a worldwide basis. As a familiar comparison, Twitter's advertising revenues are forecast to reach $150 million in 2011.
Three tips for improving your web presence.
Keep it fresh
If your web site is over three years old, it is due for a face-lift. New technologies can improve your positioning and the effectiveness of your site. Daily or weekly updates will help your ranking with Google.
Let the Source Be With You
Most web browsers will let you look at the code used to create the web page. On Firefox, it is View/Page source. There is a world of information available when looking at the code. Sites with a lot of code tend to show up lower in the search engines. Ask your web developer to take steps to reduce the amount of code that the search engines see. Don't forget to check out the web sites of your competitors, you might just learn something.
What’s in a Name?
The title of your web site is one of the most important elements in good search engine optimization. Place key words in front of your company name. For example, 'Acme Manufacturing | Bird feeders and houses' is not as good as 'Bird Feeders and Houses | Acme Manufacturing."
Do you like to write? Want to get more exposure for your company? Want to make a little coin in the process? Then consider writing for Yahoo.
Yahoo recently acquired a company called Associated Content. Anyone can become a writer for the Yahoo network, which includes Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Sports, Yahoo! Finance, omg!, Shine, Associated Content, and other leading websites. The Yahoo! network reaches more than 600 million unique visitors each month. It’s free to sign up. If your articles are used, you get paid, or you may be contacted for a special assignment. Your articles can include a link to your web site and can help establish you and your company as an expert in your field.
It looks like social media is here to stay. We'll discuss social media in a future issue; in the mean time you can visit our Facebook page.
What can groupon do for you?
Have you heard about groupon? It’s an online coupon service based on regional offers. Groupons are offered in over 100 cities. Its free for users and does not cost advertisers a dime unless someone pays for the coupon. The majority of the offers are for personal services, attractions and events. The largest user base is female, 20-40 years of age and active in social media. Maybe not the typical buyer of bird feeders but maybe a way to reach a new audience with no risk other than a little time.
Most of the groupons offer a big discount of 50% or more. Could a store come out ahead by selling a feeder at a 50% discount, then selling sunflower to fill it? It’s the add ons and repeat business that pays.
Birding Business can work with you to develop your online marketing campaign. Products inclue our own web site, Birdzilla.com to reach the consumer, apps and social media. Contact Felix Schilling to discuss your needs.
Print:
Ads for the next issue of the Nature Products Buyer's Guide will open soon.
Web:
For business-to-business contacts, we are now accepting advertising on the BirdingBusiness.com web site. It's the place to be seen if you want to reach an ever-widening audience. Recent contacts through the web site include Woody Woodpecker (his representative, actually) and 20th Century Fox promoting the new Rio movie about a macaw. You never know who will stop by.
To reach the consumer, we have developed a working arrangement with Birdzilla.com. With over 250,000 page views a month, it is a high traffic site with a focused audience.
Apps:
Everyone seems to be into apps these days. In future issues we'll discuss the process for developing your own app, connecting with Apple and developing for the Android operating system.
If you have an interest in having your own app, Birdzilla.com has developed an app called America's Fifty Most Beautiful Birds - now on sale in the Apple app store. It was specifically designed to allow customized presentations, offering companies as much as a 2/3rds reduction in development costs. An additional app focused on backyard bird feeding will also soon be available. Advertising will be available directly in the app or custom versions can also be arranged.
Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for additional information.
817-731-9352
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