What other media channel can compare with this?

Consumers are rapidly adopting mobile devices and behaviors and spending an average of 2 hours per day on smartphone devices. We are rarely separated from them, and we check our phones every 6.5 minutes (or 150 times daily). 

MOBILE advertising grew by 88% in 2012

While MOBILE ad/media spending is only 1% of total media (vs. 10% share of consumer media time), MOBILE advertising grew by 88% in 2012 (from $2.4B to $4.5B). MOBILE ad spending growth to-date has been limited by marketers/agencies challenges in creating MOBILE ads designed specifically to take advantage of MOBILE devices. Chia Chen, SVP Mobile Practice Leader at Digitas indicated their client's mobile ad spending grew by 400% (4X more rapidly) because their ads for Amex, Taco Bell, M&Ms and other clients treated smart phones as "small TVs" and incorporated richer media, and more native creative palettes.

Global Tablet Advertising Study - Results Presented

Beth Doyle, Innovation Director at Vivaki, revealed the results of a 14-month global industry study of 20 million global tablet users (sponsored by 12 advertisers including P&G and Coke and 12 media companies) titled The Pool: The Tablet Lane - TABLETS RISING. This study tested 35-40 tablet advertising formats and yielded 3 STD Tablet ad formats being proven as meeting consumers' needs: (1) let me drive; (2) more for me; (3) "tablet-ize" the user experience; (4) no guessing games - keep it intuitive and simple. Clearly, with MOBILE (smartphone and tablet) ad standards emerging, marketers are well on their way to utilizing this new medium in unique ways not available through other previous media channels.

MOBILE's Big Differentiators

MOBILE is a one-to-one media channel and LOCATION is MOBILE's big differentiator. These devices give consumers the ability to find anything they need in real-time and for marketers (with opt-in permission) to find their best customers and prospects when they are in active shopping/buying mode. 40% of consumers already utilize MOBILE devices as their primary (exclusive) online research channel and 60% of mobile shopping converts to purchase (with 75% of sales take place in-store).

Todd Morris, EVP of Mobile & Marketing at Catalina indicated mobile-assisted grocery shoppers buy 8%+ more and over 1M+ consumers are already spending over $1B+ in mobile grocery shopping where items are scanned, store discounts/coupons are applied, and orders are delivered or picked up without waiting in checkout lines.

Trish Mueller, CMO at Home Depot indicated mCommerce grew 129% in 2012 and sales from MOBILE are projected to exceed $650M by 2016. Home Depot has developed a MOBILE web and apps which make it one of the top 10 retail sites creating "an endless aisle" where consumers can access 400,000 SKUs as well as product information and peer reviews at the point of purchase. One of the most innovative apps is "Find A Pro" where consumers can take a video of a problem, send it to Home Depot, and they will connect consumers with "Pros" who can bid the job.

Winston Wang, Global Director - Strategic Innovation at AB Bev, demonstrated "beer and MOBILE go hand-in-hand" indicating beer is the original social network and MOBILE is helping Sales & Marketing along the entire purchase funnel as well as in the loyalty/advocacy areas after purchase. Winston shared MOBILE apps for Stella Artois (9 step pouring ritual, LeBar finder), Beck's and Bud Light.

Announcement: A New MMA Initiative To Address The Mobile Talent Gap

MMA-NA has launched a NEW Mobile Talent Task Force (Jeff Gundersen - Co-Chair) and the first open Committee meeting was held at the MMA-NY 2013 Forum. All parties (marketers, agencies, media companies, technology providers, educators, training & development companies, and other interested parties) are invited to reach out to Jeff Gundersen for a copy of the "Strategic Framework" and related mobile talent research studies pertaining to this new Committee.

Traditionally a time when people take stock of personal and professional successes and set goals for the next year, I found myself singing along to: ‘I love you, You love me …’.

At this point you might be thinking, ‘Is this blog now getting into what Barney, that ghastly purple dinosaur, can teach me about marketing or marketing research?’

No dear reader, I wouldn’t do that to you … I give you more credit than that. But you’re close!

What could parenting and marketing research possibly have in common?

Outside of work, much of my free time is spent figuring out how to be the best possible father, raise an adjusted child and a good citizen of the world. And that’s how I found myself enjoying the book Erik Erikson’s ‘Eight Stages of Life’, essentially about the development of personality from birth through death.

In reading about these stages, my mind naturally turns to my chosen field of marketing research, specifically as it relates to the role that research plays within an organization, and its stages of acceptance within that organization. As mentioned, Erikson’s eight stages go from birth to death, but I will focus on those stages from infancy to adolescence.

I’ve taken the liberty of modifying this work to make it more meaningful and relevant to this audience, and am providing my own thoughts and reflections as they loosely relate to each ’stage of development’.

Stage 1 : Infants learn to trust, researchers gain credibility

Infancy (birth to 18 months)

Marketers and others within an organization often doubt research. Maybe that’s because the data doesn’t agree with the story they want to convey, or worse, the data itself has quality issues.

It’s critical to get buy-in on the integrity of the data provided. It should be designed, organised, labelled and structured the way you like to see it.

Stage 2 : Toddlers crave autonomy, researchers seek control over data

Early childhood (2 to 3 years)

Having access to research data can be empowering. Some people within an organization may be data-savvy enough to really dig in and mine the data with one of the powerful data investigation tools around.

However, sometimes guardrails are appropriate and users won’t want full flexibility, so use a more appropriate option. Actually, being able to physically view the data is critical and provides a sense of autonomy.

This often frees up resources of the research function and can reduce costs to vendors for ad hoc data requests.

Stage 3 : Preschoolers take the initiative, researchers reduce silos

Preschool (3 to 5 years)

Often data sits in various places, rendering the information useless.

Being able to bring multiple data sources together to make informed decisions is invaluable, as is the ability to share information across different business functions.

Stage 4 : Young school children navigate social demands, researchers engage in group decision making

School age (6 to 11 years)

Providing access to data, either through an analysis or data visualization tool, provides users with an opportunity to interact more and share information, making collective decisions.

The more people who have access to information, the better the end decisions.

Stage 5 : Adolescents become competent, researchers take action

Adolescence (12 to 18 years)

The propensity to act on business decisions based on research findings, varies by company. Research is expensive and the decisions that stem from the research and value received, is constantly under review. It takes courage to stand by research and act on its findings, to help move an organization forward with its business objectives.

Find inspiration - it's out there!

Inspiration for drawing insights regarding research can come from the oddest places. In thinking about the child development process, parallels can be drawn to understand how to better achieve success with research, within an organization.

Giving credibility to research data and providing people access to research data, sets an organizational culture that values and welcomes research. Further, access to data helps reduce silos and encourages group decision-making

Once consensus is researched, organizations must have the courage to act.

Here Infotools provide five quick tips for insight departments. Use them to make sure your data gets used by the marketing team.

1. Data organisation

Consumers are messy. Researchers and data scientists love to put them in boxes, but human beings don’t always fit neatly. Preparing data by checking, categorising, labelling and recoding into logical categories can make a database many times more useful.

Collating all sources of consumer and marketing data in one place not only means data can be cross-analysed, but also removes a massive headache for the data custodian. Even when staff move on, data can always be found.

2. Speedy turnaround

Relevance is key to keeping the attention of busy stakeholders. Involve the marketing department in the planning stages, and then show them the results of their input as quickly as possible.

A good way to save time is to decide what you want to see in advance of having the data. When deciding what questions to ask or what data to include, think about what business questions it will answer, and how you’ll need to see the data in order to answer those questions. For example, a recommendation score out of 10 might generate these questions:

• Are people more likely to recommend us in branches where we introduced a customer service initiative?

• Are there differences in likelihood to recommend us by region?

• If so, what are the unique beliefs people hold about us in our most successful regions?

To answer the first question, you could view the percentage who recommend in branches where the customer service initiative was introduced, and those where it wasn't introduced. You’d want statistically significant difference between the bars to be shown.

Above : A simple chart with significance testing can show us if customers are more likely to recommend in branches with our customer service initiative.

For the second question, you might want to see a shaded map where the colour represents the strength of recommendation in different regions.

Above : A shaded map helps us see where recommendation is strongest.

For the third question, you might want to see a correspondence map of our image attributes and our regions.

Nothing is stopping you from planning out these views in advance, ready to be populated with data when it arrives.

3. Engaging presentation which encourages interaction

Just as good branding enhances the value we feel we get from a product, good presentation enhances the credibility of insight. Of course the data is more important than aesthetics, but why make people work hard to understand it? We need to get the insight right, sure, but just as important is getting it used.

This is where data visualization comes in. Data visualization in a nutshell means 'well-thought-out charts.'

The latest platforms for data visualization not only present data flexibly, clearly and attractively, but they also encourage your audience to interact with the information.

This is important because when we manipulate data for ourselves, our attention levels increase. We begin to ask questions and engage with the subject. We’re more likely to remember and act on the insight, because we’ve taken part in discovering it.

4. Showing the right info to the right people

'This report, by its very length, defends itself against the risk of being read,' said Winston Churchill.

The best way to ensure consumer insights are not read is to bury them in a fifty-slide PowerPoint deck. Marketers in particular are used to effective communication, and so they have little patience for irrelevant information.

Prepare your story, using just the information relevant to the point you’re making. Structure it around marketing questions, not research questions. Make your point clearly and don’t expect your audience to have to go looking for the data.

Of course, people in your organisation who are data explorers should be given the ability to interact and delve deeper into the data. Ideally, we want to give different levels of functionality to different people.

Examples of simple interactivity include demographic filters and switching between charts and tables. More advanced interactivity would be changing the metrics charted, ranking, changing the default significance testing, etc.

5. Capability to collaborate and exchange ideas

So you’ve got your marketing department’s attention. Now to get some action.

The best ideas don’t happen in a vacuum, and neither do ideas for responding to consumer insights. By making it easy for your audience to share charts, add notes, and reply to each other’s comments, you can generate momentum around the findings.

Social sharing functionality is a common feature of newer data visualization platforms. These are often cloud-based, so you can share a link to a chart or view you’ve created and someone else can comment on it. If you update the chart, they see the updated version too – avoiding multiple versions of reports floating around or stored in Outlook inboxes.

In summary …

The best consumer insight in the world is nothing unless it inspires in marketers the confidence to act. We can make this happen by …

• Preparing our database so it’s easy to use

• Planning our reporting so it’s quick to deliver

• Using data  visualization to engage our audience

• Giving relevant insight – and nothing but relevant insight – to the right people

• Making it easy for our audience to exchange thoughts and plans based on our insight.

“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”
― Ernest Hemmingway
The concept of buyer personas, as a means for understanding buyers, has been around now for over a decade.  It is an understatement to say many things have changed in the world of buying and selling since their beginning.

We have witnessed the changing dynamics of the buyer-seller relationship. The dynamics I refer to are buying behaviors and buyer goals.  On the other side of the coin, we see marketing and sales making attempts to adapt.  The concepts of content marketing, lead nurturing, insight-based selling, customer experience, and brand management emphasized.  These practices have been introduced as gateways to connecting with buyers in the new digital age.

Adapting to New Realities

Personas, at their core, were introduced as a tool to communicate the goals and behaviors of users and buyers.  Specifically for informing strategies related to product design and marketing to buyers.  For B2B Marketing and Sales, a clearer picture has begun to emerge around the goals and behaviors of buyers.  Yet, there are many more miles to go.  My endeavor and work with organizations over the past decade lead me to this conclusion:

Personas, specifically in B2B, need to be adaptive to new goals and behaviors of buyers throughout their buyer’s journey.  In addition, personas need to be designed for the new practices, which are developing in marketing and sales.

The term buyer persona has been used universally to an extreme level. The term worked well when buyers relied on sales for their buying cycle for upwards to eighty percent.  We are seeing the inverse today.  Here is where I believe buyer trends as well as qualitative evidence is telling us to go:

B2B personas need to be researched, understood, and designed to meet robust goals and behaviors of buyers throughout the end-to-end buying cycle and brand experience.  In addition, personas need to be designed to enable as well as make more effective new practices, functions, and roles.

Persona Buying Cycle™

As new operational models for marketing and sales develop, there are 5 buying behavior phases of the buying cycle personas must now address:

1. Audience Behavior: the concept of content marketing reaching audiences is more prevalent.  Audience goals and behaviors are distinctly different when not in the market for products or services.  Yet, awareness, insight, and intelligence are an important component of connecting with existing customers and future buyers today.  Content marketing effectiveness is enabled when it can reach many different types of audiences.  Audience personas must now include the likes of industry influences and more.
2. Lead Behavior: one of the fastest growing areas, in terms of emerging practices, is the rise in lead nurturing and lead development.  Buyers have distinct goals and behaviors when they convert from being a part of a wider audience to an interested party.   New forms of lead research and lead personas can create more effective conversions from an interested party to an active buyer.
3. Buyer Behavior: the core persona when buyers have become actually engaged in the process of buying.  Buying behaviors, and buying goals, operate on a different level when buyers are actively engaged in the buying process.  Buyer personas, true their original intent, are designed to enable the buying process between buyer and seller.
4. Customer Behavior: when a buyer becomes a customer, there is a trial period underway.  This trial period consists of a different set of goals and behaviors meaningful to confirmation and customer experience.  Specific customer personas can enable understanding and capabilities to meet customer goals post-sale.  Implementation and customer support teams can benefit immensely from personas designed specifically for their roles.
5. Brand Behavior: brand management is emerging out of the shadows, as a competency B2B companies have to get right today.  Fulfilling the brand promise consistently is one of the hardest jobs of marketing and an organization as a whole.  Customers and buyers have different goals, behaviors, and beliefs, which surround brands.  The goal here is to convert customer personas into brand persona advocates.

A recommendation for forward-thinking marketing and sales leaders is to begin thinking in terms of the Persona Buying Cycle™ versus a singular focus on a buyer persona.  One certainty is the buyer’s journey not only begins before buyers think of themselves as a buyer, but also extends beyond the purchase.  Having a common visual and story of how buyer’s goals and behaviors change throughout the buying cycle is compelling.   We are also seeing activities, functions, and roles widen in marketing and sales in response to changing buying behaviors.  The Persona Buying Cycle™ is a natural extension to address both of these developments.

Positive Outcomes

Creating B2B personas through the lenses of a Persona Buying Cycle™ help bring these positive outcomes:

• • Make personas relevant throughout the major touchpoints of the end-to-end buyer’s journey
  • Make personas more practical to each functional team interacting with audiences, buyers, and customers
  • Make demand generation, lead generation, opportunity management, and customer experience more effective
  • Provide a common communications platform for understanding buyers
  • Foster alignment between marketing and sales by mapping to specific buyer goals and behaviors

In a dozen years, we have seen the then straightforward buyer-seller dynamics become more complex.  How B2B views the use of personas, from a pragmatic standpoint, now must adapt.

(Become part of the dialogue.  Connect with me on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google Plus as well as subscribe to the Buyer Persona Blog on the tonyzambito.com website.)

Related articles

• Marketing is in the Throes of a Buyer Revolution
• The Art of Buying

• 5 Buying Behaviors of the Persona Buying Cycle (tonyzambito.com)

At a recent Coca-Cola conference in Atlanta, Eric Salama, CEO at Kantar Group, said the following in a presentation on the future of research: ’I won't call them consumers, I'll call them people.’ Speaking to him afterwards, I confirmed his belief that our industry will increasingly rely on the notion that people are more than consumers or respondents.

Understanding the behaviours, attitudes and beliefs we measure in the context of real lives is increasingly important as people expand their social presence into digital spheres, and demand to be recognised as individuals.

Acknowledge the human element in people

Equally encouraging, in a recent blog 'I’m not your consumer: How research misses the human behind the demographic', Douglas Van Praet argues that ’We’re not consumers, eyeballs, non-responders, laggards, Millennials, or Hispanics. We are humans.’

His message is the same – reducing a ‘person who consumes’ to a resource called a consumer, conceals what is most important to us about that person – that they are a person! While he doesn’t explicitly make the connection I do, Van Praet does imply that making respondents of consumers is simply an extension of that same mistake.

Another post 'Consumers are people too', makes the same point again from a marketing rather than a research angle: ’Using the word ’consumer’ to refer to ‘people who eat’, makes food impersonal. But of course, food is intensely personal by its very nature.”

So, am I right to sense progress? It is clear from the comments section in these posts that the message resonates with many (I encourage you to read them). And the idea isn’t new – I first heard it expressed by a marketer at a previous Coca-Cola conference way back in 2006.

Perhaps … but we still have a long way to go. In a February 2013 post, Jonathan Pirc at Lab42 starts off with a promising title ‘Survey respondents are people, too’, but goes on to reveal his ‘standard world view’ by reducing those people to respondents again in the body of the post.

Researchers, this is a call to share the love!

I suspect the world of marketing is ahead of the research industry in switching to the lexicon of love. In this blog, also called ‘Consumers are people too!’, Peter Smith of IDExperiential in the UK makes light of the consumer/person conflict – something that would only work if it was a well-established conversation in that field.

He says: ’As dedicated marketers, so obsessed with brands and advertising that even our parents are just another couple of consumers to us these days, it’s sometimes nice to slip off the ole marketing flat cap and remember what it’s like to be a regular person, I mean consumer, no, person.’

With the support of industry leaders like Eric Salama, I think we researchers can steal back the lead in this arena. Marketers look to us for guidance on what’s coming next and if ever there was an opportunity for us to provide, this is it … share the love!

As the shelf life of ecommerce sites gets shorter, it becomes harder for marketers to balance the latest trends while maintaining a seamless customer experience. When constant upgrades and revamps become daily tasks, or the functionality just isn’t meeting your growth demands, it might be a sign that it’s time to replatform—or migrate your site to a more stable, streamlined infrastructure.

The bad news is that if you’re considering a replatform, it’s likely because your ecommerce site is highly complex and dynamic, with rich content, targeted merchandising, interactive customer support and advanced search capabilities. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be tricky. Here’s a checklist of six things to help ensure a smoother process.

Think long-term

According to Forrester Research, 39% of surveyed companies see a drop in conversion rates after replatforming, while 44% note slower load times once a new platform goes live. It’s a given that ecommerce sites will need to be further tested and tweaked after replatforming. Therefore, selling the process as a singular project with a definite end date is counterproductive. Replatforming should be treated as a long-term program that caters to the site’s goals and capabilities. Be upfront about this so stakeholders realize that a post-launch dip is part of the plan. And ensure them that you can bring things back into balance through testing and optimization.

Be realistic

The average delay for a replatforming program is 4.2 months; so promising a three-month turnaround is setting your company up for failure. Functionality and usability issues are common once the transition takes place, so be aware of that when devising a timeline. Companies that rush their replatforming efforts often have to spend more time dealing with unexpected snafus, unlike those who allocate enough time to get things right at the first pass. Pro tip: don’t schedule a replatform in Q3 or Q4—unless you enjoy needless holiday chaos! Instead, plan to make the shift earlier in the year (right now is actually a good time!) so any delays that arise are dealt with during the summer, and the bigger issues can get resolved before shopping season begins.

Use teamwork

While it’s tempting to keep replatforming decisions strictly within the marketing department—perhaps under the assumption that less cooks in the kitchen will make things go faster—remember that other departments (IT, sales, executives) are bound to have their own goals for the project, each with their own key performance indicators. Having all that input and feedback is highly valuable, and crucial to a successful replatforming. Keeping everyone in the loop in a diplomatic and transparent way results in a consolidated master KPI list for the program with fair and effective prioritization.

Stay focused

A big replatforming no-no is trying to fix too many problems at once. New site features, design changes, cross-channel implementations, updated order management solutions…implementing all those changes at the same time will make the possibility of things going haywire even more likely. Adding excess scope at the start often leads to trimming things down later on—in other words, wasted time, money and effort. Figure out what the most important changes will be at the start, and implement those in a focused, rational manner.

Know what you need

Replatforming is not the end…only the beginning. Therefore, it’s important to have a clear idea of what tools and interdepartmental support are needed to keep things running smoothly once the transition takes place, and to make those needs clear during preliminary discussions so there’s no surprises. Any manual effort or IT hours should be estimated in advance, as well as any possible ongoing financial outlay beyond upfront costs.

Test everything

Forrester notes that an astounding 63% of companies decide to re-platform based on “perceived ROI” (otherwise known as hunches), while 54% are motivated by internal company demands (also called wishful thinking). That’s a whole lot of guesswork, when what’s needed is actual customer experience testing to see what really improves matters. Any variable you can think of—site traffic, bounce rates, navigation, checkout processes, layout/design, revenue per visitor—can be tested both before and after replatforming to ensure the changes taking place will actually make a difference to the bottom line.

We also found that stations are increasingly using online video to reach their audiences online. Today between 58%-70% of local TV station’s budgets (depending on market size) are allocated to online video advertising and fully 85% plan to use online video ads to support their tune-in efforts in 2013.

Local TV stations understand that “today’s audiences are not only online, but are increasingly spending a large portion of their online time watching video. TV broadcasters are uniquely positioned to take advantage of this shift and reach viewers with online video advertising. TV marketers already have engaging video content, daily topicals, social media strategies, promotions, co-op programs, and skilled creative resources at their disposal.” This makes online video a no brainer to extend the reach and frequency of their on-air promos.

Travis Brower, Manager of Promotion & Production at PHL17 says it best, “Including online video advertising in a station’s promotional mix is no longer an option, it’s a requirement.”

What are the best ways for stations to create engaging and effective online video ad campaigns that drive viewership?

The basics:

1. Use your existing on-air spots.
2. Lead with daily topicals to drive immediate spikes in viewership.
3. Ride the coat-tails of popular prime time shows by using a split-start frame where the left side of the display ad features a popular network show and the right side features a topical for the 11pm news. Or split the video spot itself between two shows.
4. Personalize the ad by local call letters and logos to drive engagement rates up to 27% higher and view rates up to 30% higher.
5. Entice viewers to watch by clearly showing that the ad is a video. Include a still image of the video framed in a player (including control buttons).

A more advanced collection of best practices can be found here: TUNED IN: 2013 Tune-In Advertising Market Research.

At ground level here in London there are streets and there are people, much as in every other city. But below all this, deep beneath the lights and shops, there is the dislocated world of our metro system we call the ‘tube’.

As the trains rattle through these underground passages, there are thousands of people, but there is little interaction. Rather than acknowledge the pressing crowds, we stand inert or sit with our knees held close together, as we attempt to stretch the narrow distance between ourselves and others.

In this way we deal with the harsh proximity of our fellow passengers, people who are a muddle of triggers for our prejudices and passions.

But, of course, there is more to these journeys than closure to the outside world.

Far from attempting to ignore the other commuters, there is instead a hidden hungry evaluation of the lives that are placed so close to our own. We are all adept at reading the small signals of a person’s class and character; their grooming, choice of clothes and newspaper. We can observe and judge their diet from the branded foods on their laps and follow the way they hold their transport-bruised bodies.

Vision through layered observation

For those of us who work with market research data, the passion for understanding and exploration is the same. Market research presents an opportunity to gently unveil the character and motivations of consumers and markets.

The difference is that the reach of our vision is more profound than the insights we glean from our trains and streets. As we turn over the findings, and mentally place into position each discovery, it is possible to shape a more-or-less three-dimensional understanding of our markets and customers. We turn our respondents in our hands with the same urgent need to comprehend, to see beyond the obvious, and to take sight of the nuances and subtleties of their motivations

Hence, what is often so surprising in market research reporting is the rush to remove the textures from the observations. To reduce the rich dimensions of groups of consumers to flat labels and generalisations, as if the finely-honed mental processing that we all possess, and test so keenly on our morning commute, is of no value or somehow inappropriate in the context of data presentation.

Keeping the textures in groups and profiles

One of the areas where I most frequently see an unnecessary rush to simplification is segmentation studies.

I am a great believer in the power of this work, with all of its rough groupings and compromises. They represent a means of approaching the complexity of human behaviour and classifying relationships with brands and categories. I also believe the understanding of segments can be aided through thoughtful labelling and descriptions.

However, if a group has been identified as ‘quality conscious’ that need not mean the role of convenience as a secondary influence is of no importance.

And to state simply that they are predominantly female, when over a third is male, merely encourages interpretation of the behaviour through the lens of gender, rather than through the dynamics of the variables on which a group has been clustered.

And, perhaps the biggest distraction of all is the use of poorly chosen illustrations and photos of ‘typical members’.

These pictures often embrace our society’s preference for beauty, and aspiration. The result is attractive people in harmonious environments. The inadequacy of this is often apparent when we take the time to explore these polished simplifications against the segment’s responses to questions of demographics, attitudes and behaviours.

These models are sometimes unrecognisable in the harsh outlines of the true ‘typical’, often a place many of us marketing professionals have never visited.

Clarity, not simplicity

We should not be afraid to understand the complexity of our markets and their groupings, particularly when this speaks of the true human condition with its contradictions and exceptions. But where we have responsibility for communicating our data, we should feel the need to represent this complexity in as accessible a way as possible.

The target should be clarity and not simplicity.

Market research studies are not typically burdened with the complexity of their data. The problem is, instead, the limitations of its scope and dimensions.

We often compound this error by representing behaviours in isolated and flat forms when we have the resources to provide a richer picture. If we care about sampling errors and significance testing in our market research reporting, why are we so accepting of the error that comes from reducing data to simple text? Or the error that comes from colouring our findings with illustrations that are a poor fit to the textures of our groups?

To a large degree we should be content to let data talk of its own shape. If we are unhappy with its communication, then we should look at the form and manner of how we have structured and delivered it. It is not the granularity of data that is its problem - that is its strength and it should be jealously preserved. Words should speak of interpretation and action, but the rich dimensions of data should be given their own place from which to talk. Otherwise we risk replacing understanding with generalisation.

This morning I was again on a train, rattling through the deep underground passages of London. I was seated between tourists in heavy knit pullovers and grey city workers with crisp white shirts. As I stared absently at my tired reflection in the window opposite, I wondered just how much was being given away to those silently evaluating me.

I pulled my bag closer to my chest and silently questioned, ‘Why are we so good at dissecting those around us, but we struggle to portray these layers in market research? Why, when we thrive on the freedom to observe, do we choose to hide so many pieces of the puzzle when we are dealing with our targets and consumers?’

Top image : 123rf

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#1 Hello Kitty - photo2013-03-31 16:41

Hope you have an eggcellent Easter!

1.046% enagement rate 97,186 likes 853 comments 34,921 shares 26% shares

#2 McDonald's - photo2013-03-30 23:00

Bacon, Ranch or Sweet Chili. What more could chicken ask for? www.mcdonalds.com/PremiumMcWrap

0.982% enagement rate 244,083 likes 20,440 comments 8,434 shares 3% shares

#3 Louis Vuitton - photo2013-03-25 18:05

Spice up your life with Louis Vuitton in Piment.

0.795% enagement rate 96,632 likes 1,442 comments 5,732 shares 6% shares

#4 Mercedes-Benz ► Cool Hunting - photo2013-03-30 10:22

Cool Hunting editor Josh Rubin had a chance to drive the CLA 250 in South France and used it wisely for these stunning pictures. Take a look and read the full story here: http://www.coolhunting.com/design/mercedes-benz-cla250.php

Cool Hunting with the CLA 250

Cool Hunting editor Josh Rubin had a chance to drive the CLA 250 in South France and used it wisely for these stunning pictures. Take a look and read the full story here: http://www.coolhunting.com/design/mercedes-benz-cla250.php

0.659% enagement rate 59,572 likes 568 comments 5,172 shares 8% shares

#5 Taco Bell - photo2013-03-25 20:30

Cool Ranch DLT, Nacho Cheese DLT or both?

0.644% enagement rate 56,302 likes 5,705 comments 2,157 shares 3% shares

#6 BMW ► Les Voitures - photo2013-03-28 17:08

Do you want to see the world of BMW in a whole new light? Come to Paris and visit the first BMW Brand Store on Avenue George V. Experience in a futuristic and stylish setting some of our outstanding cars and much more. For more impressions please check the Les Voitures blog: http://bit.ly/YHOXhM

BMW Brand Store Paris

Do you want to see the world of BMW in a whole new light? Come to Paris and visit the first BMW Brand Store on Avenue George V. Experience in a futuristic and stylish setting some of our outstanding cars and much more. For more impressions please check the Les Voitures blog: http://bit.ly/YHOXhM

0.631% enagement rate 73,198 likes 807 comments 8,400 shares 10% shares

#7 Natalie Sabrowske ► H&M - photo2013-03-28 12:33

H&M eins sag ich euch, würdet ihr dieses Top verkaufen, würden euch alle Mädchen den Laden einrennen.

0.592% enagement rate 80,881 likes 2,520 comments 176 shares 0% shares

#8 Burberry - photo2013-03-25 18:12

Check canvas tote bag with leather trim http://bit.ly/Vae6vH

The Burberry Prorsum Spring/Summer 2013 Accessories Collection

0.562% enagement rate 76,704 likes 1,449 comments 5,779 shares 7% shares

#9 Buffalo Wild Wings - photo2013-03-26 00:00

It's a little savory, a little sweet, plus "Teriyaki" is just downright fun to say.

0.459% enagement rate 44,840 likes 1,453 comments 932 shares 2% shares

#10 Aéropostale - photo2013-03-31 23:47

Like if you'd wear it! http://bit.ly/Srr4am

0.441% enagement rate 38,049 likes 145 comments 506 shares 1% shares

About

TopTen is weekly summarty of the previous week's ten most engaging posts from the largest 100 consumer brand pages on Facebook. All data is pulled using social media content strategy tool Zuum.

It’s anyone’s guess how successful new these new generic Top Level Domains (gTLDs) will be right out of the gate, and depending on which extensions are introduced when, business owners will have to weigh their options to determine whether purchasing a new domain is right for them. The important part here is that small businesses have that option to choose, and right now nearly two thirds of them don’t have that option because they don’t know it exists. To equate this to the real world, it’d be like failing to tell entrepreneurs, farmers, prospectors and other businessmen about the Oklahoma Land Rush in 1889, when the United States opened up two million acres for Western expansion. There could be "gold" or "fertile land" in this new uncharted territory of the Internet, but small businesses don't even know it exists or that they have the option of exploring it.

At a time where people are increasingly relying on the Internet as a place to conduct business or find goods and services, this is pretty concerning. The days of people thumbing through the yellow pages to find small, local companies to do business with are quickly coming to an end, and you don’t need any research to see that. No matter what business you’re in, a Web presence is becoming an essential part of helping people find your company, and nearly 80% of survey respondents agreed that their domain name was important to their business. With new gTLDs, there may soon be better and more affordable domain name options for small businesses to choose from, and in some cases the right domain is just as important as the right street address for your storefront. However, due to a lack of education on the topic, small businesses don’t seem to care. The survey asked respondents if they planned on purchasing a new gTLD and almost all of them – 94% – said no.

Small businesses are an extremely important part of the economy, representing 99.7% of all employer firms and accounting for half of all private sector jobs, according to the US Small Business Administration. We need to make sure that they have every option available to help market and grow their business and right now we’re falling far short of that. If you’re in the interactive marketing or domain community, you probably have much more knowledge on this topic than the average small business owner. It’s time to help get the word out!

These days, consumers have more choices, more incentives and more reasons to comparison shop for the best deals out there. But marketers can use online behavior and Web analytics to reveal patterns and warning signs indicative of the types of customer retention issues that lead to “online cheating.” The question is, are they?

If caught early enough, these issues can be easily connected. To do so, marketers must identify which types of data patterns to pay attention to and use that data to inform their next steps.

1. Home Page Bounce Rates of 55 Percent or More

If more than 55 percent of visitors are turning around as soon as they reach your site, it’s a major red flag that something is terribly wrong. It’s likely that visitors aren’t finding what they’re looking for. (BTW: You should know that the average industry home page bounce rate is around 50 percent, and that a well-performing home page has a bounce rate of between 0 percent and 25 percent.)

So what gives when this issue arises? It’s usually due to something with layout, design, navigation, site elements, functionality, content or messaging. By conducting A/B testing and multivariate testing on these home page elements in various combinations, marketers can discern which elements are contributing to a higher conversion rate, and which are contributing to the high bounce rates.

2. High Average Shopping Cart Abandonment Rates

Many online shoppers initiate a purchase only to leave the items behind in their cart. The Baymard Institute found that the average cart abandonment rate is about 65 percent. Luckily, there are a number of options you can test to bring this number down. These options include estimating shipping costs at an earlier point in the buying process, allowing guest checkouts, highlighting in-stock versus out-of-stock status, providing auto-fill forms based on cookie tags for repeat visitors, and using shipping discounts or specials.

3. Low Search Engagement

The importance of search on visitor engagement and purchases is often overlooked. By encouraging consumers to explore the site and streamlining the shopping process, the chances you’ll turn more visitors into customers increases. Every single component of the search feature—placement, layout, default search box text and even the color, size and design of the graphic elements—affects engagement with this important tool. Multivariate testing can help marketers discover which combinations work best for their target audience

4. Unsatisfactory Average Order Values

What about those customers who just aren’t buying as much as they could be? Chances are they have a very specific product in mind and aren’t being persuaded to add more items to their cart.

This is where personalization can really help. By inserting and/or customizing information that’s relevant to a specific user based on implicit behaviors (items purchased, pages viewed) as well as explicit details (location, age, gender) provided by that particular user, you’ll be able to customize their recommended items. Product recommendations and behavioral targeting are two common ways to combat this problem.

5. One-Time Buyers

Sixty-six percent of Amazon.com’s sales are attributed to repeat buyers. Remarkably, only 7 percent of the entire e-commerce industry can say the same. But it’s going to be tough to match this success without employing automated personalization with behavioral targeting solutions.

Using data such as previous purchases, searches, page views, geography, demographics, type of button click, transactions, etc., is crucial to keeping customers loyal. Behavioral targeting tailors content and offers to individuals based on both their past behaviors and their unique “buyer personas.”

Placing customers at the heart of online content decisions and giving them unique, personalized experiences is an important part of faithful consumer relationships.

‘New Zealand is not a small country, it is a large village’ says Sir Peter Jackson, Lord of the Rings film director.

Certainly, we’ve had prospective clients pause and hesitantly ask: ‘So … you say you work with major global companies to build a market research knowledge bank and, through data visualization, create their own stories. And the majority of your team is based in New Zealand …

‘How does that work?’

Fair question! How does a company - based in a country with only 4.5 million people and miles from anywhere (24 hours from Europe and 12 hours from the US) – successfully compete on a global basis?

I guess on the surface it may seem an odd one.

And then there are the sheep jokes. As Australian comedian Barry Humphries (Dame Edna) says: ‘New Zealand is a country of thirty thousand million sheep, three million of whom think they are human.’

Why we are based here is an easy one. Don’t tell anyone but New Zealand is a great place to live, so we are a happy bunch.

Four reasons why size, remoteness and sheep won’t distract Kiwis from making a global impact

• We have no choice - our prosperity depends on it!

Yes, New Zealand is tiny and at the end of the world; Hobbiton is only 1½ hours from our office. With such a small population and lack of natural resources, New Zealand‘s economic development has always relied on a global focus and developing value-add products and services.
Underestimating us because of our size has proven to be the undoing of our competition in the past. As Eric Sharp, a US actor and entertainer, pointed out : ‘The United States invented the space shuttle, the atomic bomb and Disneyland. We have 35 times more land than New Zealand, 80 times the population, 144 times the gross national product and 220 times as many people in jail …

‘So how come a superpower of 270 million got routed in the America's Cup, the world's most technically oriented yacht race, by a country of 3.5 million that out-produces us only in sheep manure?’

• We like to take matters into our own hands

New Zealand’s economy and technological infrastructure are developed and the Kiwi culture is geared towards DIY (do-it-yourself) and giving things a go, so this is an ideal place for innovation and testing.

In the words of our very own Ed Hillary, Mt Everest conqueror: ‘It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves … You don't have to be a hero to accomplish great things - to compete. You can just be an ordinary chap, sufficiently motivated to reach challenging goals.’

• We have the freedom to be pioneers

We aren’t set in traditional ways. The Treaty of Waitangi, considered the founding document of New Zealand, was signed in 1840. So there isn’t a lot of history to be wrapped up in.

Instead we have a receptive outlook to global influences, which we build on. For most New Zealand-born Kiwis, OE (overseas experience) is a natural part of our life skills training. Many younger Kiwis make the long haul overseas for a few months, working and experiencing overseas cultures and history.

• NZ readily embraces other cultures and perspectives

We are close to a template multi-cultural society. Each person is judged more on their willingness to integrate in each other’s cultures and on what they do or say, rather than where they come from.

An English mate of mine who immigrated to New Zealand many years ago is much more Kiwi than I am, having immersed himself in the great outdoors, running and biking the length and breadth of New Zealand. A New Zealander is defined not by their birth place, but more by their desire to embrace the Kiwi way.

Well over half of the 150 staff at the company I work for, were born in countries other than New Zealand, so we can’t help but be externally focused.

So what is the Kiwi way?

In short, key Kiwi traits include giving things a go; a relaxed, friendly but persistent attitude; empathy with the willingness to offer new and better ways of doing things; irreverent humour; and an appreciation of a balanced lifestyle, with family and recreation being important cornerstones of who we are.

So the environment is conducive to working successfully on global business. Technology, of course, helps communication, but the value of face-to-face contact means we get on long haul flights often - a very small price to pay.

Of course, no comment on New Zealand would be complete without a reference to rugby.

In the words of Colin Meads, All Black legend, while lobbying for New Zealand to host the 2011 Rugby World Cup : ‘In the rugby world, there is simply no place like New Zealand. No greater country to tour, no better place to hold the Rugby World Cup. I know that people think we don't have the venues, but I tell them New Zealand is one big rugby stadium and it's got four million people in it.’

Sound nationalistic? Absolutely! If you want to experience it, the door is always wide open and the coffee is brewing ...

Top image : Google Images

TopTen is the ten most engaging posts last week from the largest 100 consumer brand pages on Facebook.
All data is gathered with social media content strategy tool Zuum.

#1 Chick-fil-A - photo2013-03-14 19:01

Happy 92nd birthday to Chick-fil-A Founder, Truett Cathy! Click "Like" to share your birthday wishes.

4.09% enagement rate 257,119 likes 8,582 comments 6,684 shares 2% shares

#2 BMW - photo2013-03-14 18:01

BMW Instagram

Thank you all for liking, sharing and commenting on the photos we post here on Facebook. If you want to see more of them, follow @BMW on Instagram: http://instagram.com/bmw

3.136% enagement rate 345,230 likes 5,258 comments 54,857 shares 14% shares

#3 CHANEL - video2013-03-13 17:10

The fashion essential that never goes out of style… a new film revealing the story behind the iconic CHANEL jacket. http://inside-chanel.com

The jacket - Inside CHANEL

www.youtube.com

3.027% enagement rate 248,268 likes 3,603 comments 12,628 shares 5% shares

#4 Macy's - photo2013-03-14 21:03

What’s topping VIP shopping lists everywhere? Designer shoes in every heel, size & color! http://bit.ly/WaVUFu

1.178% enagement rate 119,894 likes 1,529 comments 4,940 shares 4% shares

#5 Nokia - photo2013-03-11 17:10

Want Instagram for Nokia Lumia? Join the movement: http://nokia.ly/Zw5Tmv #2InstaWithLove

1.072% enagement rate 99,321 likes 3,302 comments 3,501 shares 3% shares

#6 Mercedes-Benz - photo2013-03-17 12:55

We present our latest selection of the most beloved pictures on our Instagram channel. Don't forget to follow us onhttp://instagram.com/mercedesbenz

The roar of the engine - Best of Instagram

We present our latest selection of the most beloved pictures on our Instagram channel. Don't forget to follow us onhttp://instagram.com/mercedesbenz

0.843% enagement rate 73,486 likes 774 comments 8,399 shares 10% shares

#7 Hello Kitty - photo2013-03-14 19:40

Tea time is so much fun with Hello Kitty! Find sweet porcelain mugs and plates now at Sanrio.com: http://ar.gy/3j_0

New Photos

0.613% enagement rate 67,385 likes 965 comments 8,978 shares 12% shares

#8 Amazon.com - status2013-03-11 02:00

Who would like that hour back?

0.529% enagement rate 87,486 likes 3,028 comments 573 shares 1% shares

#9 Gucci - photo2013-03-13 16:10

Black? Green? Yellow? Discover which Gucci 1953 Horsebit Loafer suits your style best. http://bddy.me/12H9T8H

0.41% enagement rate 37,586 likes 1,447 comments 3,409 shares 8% shares

#10 Ferrari - photo2013-03-11 16:59

You've seen it in Rosso Corsa and Nero liveries. Now the new special limited series car can be admired in Giallo Modena. To discover the avilable configurations pease click here: http://www.laferrari.com/en/design/

0.381% enagement rate 35,680 likes 527 comments 5,375 shares 13% shares

Changes can be unsettling, whether they're potential or actual, positive or negative. You may be gearing up for a promotion/new position, staring at a wide-open field of new prospective clients, or launching new products and services. Or you may be hunkering down in the face of outsourcing, downsizing, mergers/consolidations, takeovers, and local or global competition. 

Consider the Changes Taking Place at Yahoo!

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer has certainly unleashed enormous, untold passions about how, when and where people should work at Yahoo.

The recent, now infamous, change requiring Yahoo employees to work in the office instead of telecommuting from home has been likened to the shot heard round the world.

No less than a great war has ensued and Marissa Mayer has been villainized and vilified by some and verified and validated by others.

It is no secret that Yahoo has been struggling to keep pace with the likes of Apple, Facebook, and Google, all of whom have strong in-office cultures and not coincidentally, strong revenues to match.

In Our Opinion...It’s not about trusting people to work at home, it’s about Mayer’s challenge in the turnaround of Yahoo regardless of where people are working. Mayer has to build a new corporate culture of trust in the infinite possibilities of what the Yahoo organization can create together.

However, as we are hearing, this change process is creating considerable stress for Yahoo employees.

How We Respond to Change

Do you respond or react to change and do you know the difference? As soon as something nudges you out of your regular routine, or challenges your understanding of how the world works and where you fit into it, it will likely trigger a deluge of feelings including; fear, anxiety, overwhelm, excitement, distraction or denial.

How Does the Way You Respond to Change Impact Your Brand?

These feelings can manifest in your behavior.  You may, unconsciously, act out with behavior that is not a brand match for you, or your communication style alters, both at work and at home. You might feel compelled to push yourself and others to overwork, or take the opposite approach - which most do - and procrastinate, avoid the work that's on your plate and get sidetracked with misconceptions, assumptions and gossip to changes that may or may not happen.

On a personal level, your self-care may suffer and you may reach for unhealthy substances, get less sleep, skip meals or overindulge. You might cut yourself off from friends and family, and spend more time alone or with other people who have unhealthy habits or attract people who are in the same place as you.

The Impact

Dealing with change requires flexibility, resilience and an ability to think on your feet. Unfortunately, when you're caught up in your reaction to change, these mental abilities are affected as well. When you're preoccupied, worried and focused on the future instead of the present, it's much harder to concentrate and apply your brainpower to what's in front of you.

Great leaders are admired for their serenity and confidence even in the face of uncertainty and upheaval. For many of us, though, when change is afoot, serenity is far from our reach. Instead, emotions are much closer to the surface and can flare up at the most inopportune times. Whether you lash out, cry, or pound on your desk behind closed doors, it's incredibly uncomfortable to feel so out of control.

Consider, also, the impact on the people around you. Emotional outbursts, whether at work or at home, can irrevocably damage your effectiveness, your reputation and your relationships.

Successful Strategies for Dealing With Change

Here are five strategies to help you remain flexible and resilient in the face of change:

1. Take care of YOUr body. Eat well, sleep well and refrain from harmful habits like indulging in caffeine adrenaline behavior, excessive drinking, or other risky behavior. Work out whatever that is for you!

2. Take care of YOUr mind. Stay in the present moment. Challenge your negative thinking and keep things in perspective; when the doom and gloom sets in, ask, "How important is this, really?"

3. Take control of YOUr emotions. Find reasons to smile and laugh, even when you don't feel like it—especially when you don't feel like it! Funny movies, blogs or videos can help. Vent your negative feelings by exercising, banging on a drum or pounding on a pillow.

4. Treat others well. Strengthen your good relationships so you can draw on their support and work at your challenging relationships so they don't add to your stress.  In fact, this may be a good time to remove them from your life altogether.

5. Take charge. Be proactive and prepare the best you can for the changes that might come, but then accept the reality of the moment. Think back to other challenges that you've come through and remind yourself that everything will work out okay this time, too.

In the old days we simply used to hand draw our graphs, until we mastered the photocopying of them onto acetates. These solutions just about worked, but then came along a marvellous invention called PowerPoint.

We’ve been enjoying slideshow animations, images and more colourful slides for 22 years now. It could be said that we have ‘evolved’ over the years to bring a more interesting and practical way of serving up consumer research insights data … but have we really?

What’s the next step?

We have made some ground: the colours have improved, and the images too. Our presentations are slicker and we’re now able to share reports much easier via email. We can professionally build our presentation matter in a far quicker time too. And now, tools like Prezi are available.

But, we’ve missed the mark somewhere. How did insight reporting end up in a presentation tool? More often than not, our final insights report is served up in a two-dimensional .pptx report. Take it, read it and then file it.

What if that report doesn’t quite follow the business issue that you’ve got on your mind and you wish you could twist the data another way to paint your own picture? You also wish the recommendations were much more in tune with the way that your business operates. Where are those “Wow” comments that really turn insights into good solid business decisions?

What are we all being told to do with our data?

… make it more interesting, make it sing and serve it up in such a way that the business will want more. Sounds good, eh? We’ve evolved again. It’s becoming common practice to think about placing data into dashboards. They give us a different way of looking at data. We’re easily drawn in to new-looking stuff!

In addition, these dashboards are quick to update and they can bring lots of different data types together. Notice how I’m now talking about data, not insights …

But, are dashboards easy to interpret? Do dashboards correctly present market research data? More often than not they look like financial reporting systems, better-suited to accountants. They also provide limited interaction. Look under the bonnet and realise that they may look new and different, but how good are your business decisions now that you’re using a business intelligence tool to report on your consumer intelligence or rather, insights derived from consumer research data?

What’s the best way of serving up consumer research insights data?

I love those reports that have very few data points in them, tell me what the recommended business decision could look like and are based on very solid and trusted research. I also like the idea of some flexibility … in fact, as much as I need. And they have to look flash too!

The next generation reporting tools for market research?

What if we could take the best of both worlds? We’re not going to actually lose PowerPoint overnight, and its use is widespread throughout all levels of business.

Consider the possibility of a tool that is perfectly crafted for market research data and has been designed with the researcher in mind. One that can also show BI data, thus bringing the broader picture together for you under one umbrella. What if it was respectful of your needs and provided great-looking views with graphs? Include the differentiator that allows you to interact with them, create your own comments, edit the comments, and then run away with an adapted version you’re happy with.

In fact, don’t run away. Share it directly from within the tool with your colleagues, save it for future use and then see it update the story as new data comes in.

Publishing and sharing consumer research data in the right way and to the best effect is difficult to achieve, but we’re moving closer …

Top image : Fotolia

Nothing about the world I follow!

Instead, my email inbox was overflowing with requests for me to answer questions about computers, shoes, lotions, kitchen appliances, window replacements, musicals, air duct cleaning - yes, everything imaginable. Why on earth would I use my valuable time to contribute to consumer research surveys for all those organisations?

Upset, my finger instantly started clicking and moving all those intruding emails to the junk folder. Heated thoughts were sparked: ‘What a waste of time! Where did they get my email address? Why would they think I am part of their target group? Are there actually any functioning spam filters? Is anyone answering these market research surveys? Don’t they have more important things to do with their lives?’

That’s when I saw it ... the subtle inquiry, sent by our school district.

I instantly opened the email, linked to the consumer survey and promptly answered the questions. I clicked on ‘submit’.

The story could have ended there.

Finding my ‘respondent button’

However, my never-pausing, analytical mind made me stop and reflect: What had just happened? Why had I changed from being an opposed recipient of these requests, to suddenly becoming an eager, engaged, enthusiastic contributor to consumer research surveys?

The answer came, clear and obvious.

Our twelve-year-old son is the center of my universe. Anything that concerns his well-being and future is of highest importance to me. A survey about his educational and social needs in school serves a function - it has a meaningful purpose to me.

My answers could actually influence decisions that have an impact on my son’s future.

Researchers, help consumers voice their opinions!

I realised that I actually might influence decisions in many other areas as well - if I just bothered to voice my opinion.

In this new light of insight, suddenly even surveys about lotion had a purpose. What kind of questions were they really asking? Would they actually care about me wanting more options for natural, fragrance-free, dermatologically-tested moisturizers?

Thinking about it, have the TV channels recently been broadcasting anything I am interested in, during my prime time? Why or why not? What social media am I usually spending most of my time on? What kind of energy source do I want to pay for, maybe even pay more for?

Firmly, my index finger clicked and clicked again. It didn’t stop until all those emails were moved from the junk folder back to the inbox. While at it, enthusiastically, my finger continued clicking through all the questionnaires as well, answering every single question.

With the last click, submitting the answers to the last consumer survey, I felt the sensation of being content and powerful.

Being in the market research industry, I constantly focus on helping clients to find the true answers, hidden behind numbers and percentages, enabling them to make a difference.

Shouldn’t I have had this insight about consumer research long ago then? Maybe. But this was my moment of clarity, from the respondent’s point of view …

Consumer surveys empower me!

What an amazingly easy and efficient way to channel my true voice, to be heard by people that make decisions.

What an unparalleled, effortless way to impact the evolution, to change the development, so the end result better meets my desired outcome.

What a powerful tool, helping me to make a difference.

I have grown into an avid consumer research insight fan. Not only from a product or service provider perspective, now even more from a consumer perspective.

Top image : Google Images

With smartphones becoming the default mobile device, the process of showrooming is simplified with apps like Amazon Price Check, RedLaser, etc...  In response to this growing threat, Target and Best Buy have taken drastic steps to directly price match leading online retailers.  At a macro level the threat to brick and mortar retailers is clear, what has widely been ignored is understanding who is doing the showrooming.

In the largest showrooming study to date, Placed identified where Amazon customers who indicated they had showroomed in the past, shopped in January 2013.  This population was further segmented by Gender.  The results were significant, finding Male Showroomers were 39% more likely to visit Best Buy, 24% more likely to visit Home Depot, and 23% more likely to visit Lowe's than the US population.  For Female Showroomers the top three were completely different with Kohl's at 49%, PetSmart at 47%, and Bed Bath and Beyond at 46%.

These insights inform brick and mortar retailers on potential risks associated with showrooming and their customers.  Retailers not directly impacted by showrooming today, should take this as an opportunity to proactively address showrooming in their aisles, or risk reactive measures that drive down margins (ex. price matching).

For online retailers, this highlights an opportunity to leverage mobile to gain marketshare.  By leveraging geofencing, online retailers can proactively target audiences that have a propensity to view items offline, but purchase online (at a lower price point). Understanding these behaviors makes location a key feature to drive ROI for mobile media campaigns.

David Shim is the Founder and CEO of Placed, the leader in location analytics.  By connecting the physical and digital worlds, Placed has created a new class of analytics focused on location.  Prior to Placed, David has held leadership roles in product, marketing, and operations at Quantcast, WebTrends, Farecast, and Razorfish.

Agencies report that auto brands are moving into digital channels more quickly than other brands – and why not? The luxury auto story can be told elegantly online with rich media. As with TV, there’s an opportunity to roll HD video featuring beautiful images of the car in motion with atmospheric music, but rich media has the advantage of being interactive in addition to being very visual. Consumers can click to take a tour of the car, zoom in on specific features, even locate a vehicle in local inventory and make an appointment for a test drive at the dealership. Rich media was practically made for luxury automotive – and 95 percent of auto brands believe it can have the same impact as TV.

According to the research, auto makers currently allocate 40 percent of their budgets to digital. Surprisingly, luxury auto marketers lag behind the rest of the pack, investing only 28 percent of their budget. The luxury brands do plan to catch up in the new year, as 40 percent anticipate double-digit growth in digital. Moving their campaigns online would be prudent: It’s where their audiences are. 98 percent of affluent consumers spend time online – on average, more than 26 hours a week. Between desktop and mobile devices, affluent consumers can be reached online at work and at play, at any time of day or night.  Automotive brands hoping to reach this audience should be there too.

Those who are shifting their budgets online are being progressive and moving quickly beyond the relative safety of old-school display. The number of auto brands leveraging digital video has nearly doubled since last year, increasing by a full 94 percent. In fact, moving forward, more than 60 percent of auto brands plan to shift a portion of their TV advertising budgets to online video. Social and mobile are also growing, with considerable increases over the past year, proving that automotive brands are ready to really interact with their audiences.  Social and mobile have also gone very visual lately, led by Instagram, Pinterest and others, and these image-based services offer a lot of benefit for luxury auto dealers. Beautiful, shareable images are certainly a great way to market beautiful cars.

65 percent of agencies report that auto brands are expanding to digital channels more quickly than other brands, and that’s good news: Luxury auto makers in particular have a lot to gain in the shift to online media. As the web evolves and adapts to accommodate more brand advertisers, new ad formats and standards are emerging. There are more opportunities to share brand narratives in rich media, and in top tier publisher sites as they begin to offer premium inventory to accommodate the new ad formats. With an industry focus on measuring engagement, as well as on brand safety, the time is ideal for luxury auto marketers to dip their toes in.

Some interesting observations for this industry:

• While Facebook communities far outsize Twitter, Twitter community growth outpaces Facebook.
• Moderate posting volume: 70% of brands posted within a 22-28 post per month window.
• Content dominated by visuals: 96% of all posts are photos or videos.
• Brands approach Facebook as a destination: Links off to websites treated secondarily.

Over the last year I've seen a huge rise in mobile visits to the websites I analyse.  At the same time, Google Analytics has reported a massive change in how mobile users surf the web.  A year ago the pattern of mobile traffic was fairly similar to desktop traffic - most people found sites in search engines, some came from other sites, and some came direct.  Some sites saw more people coming from other sites than direct, and some saw more direct traffic than referrals from other sites, but all saw most of their traffic from search engines.  That situation is now very different.  In all cases, at least half, if not more, of the mobile traffic comes direct to the site.  I see this trend in multiple countries, across multiple sectors.  Since none of the sites I track are major, universally-known, brands, I have to wonder how on earth thousands of visitors are able to find these sites without search engines, especially as I know there's no major offline marketing to attract them.  Most are first-time visitors, so they haven't bookmarked the site, which is the way most direct visitors get to a site.  And why is it that a year ago most of these people used search engines, but now they don't?

If GA was telling me these people came from other sites I'd be less worried.  The problem is that attributing a source as "direct" really means - "I asked for a referrer field and got a blank, or none."  - It can just as easily mean the browser refused to provide the referrer, as some are designed to do, or that the GA referrer request wasn't processed by the browser.

So either the entire mobile community has radically changed its web useage in the last year, without anyone noticing or commenting, or Google Analytics can't track mobile referrers as well as it used to (which could be caused by changes in mobile systems, or in GA, or both).

I'm not the only person who's starting to get concerned.  Social media people are starting to complain (http://econsultancy.com/ie/blog/62104-social-media-measurement-is-google-analytics-getting-it-wrong) and I've been working with some US telecoms people who are seeing really wierd stuff in their GA metrics, like mobile patterns completely out of tune with the market (eg: no iOS visitors).

The Google Analytics tracking code requires javascript support, which is not uniform over all mobile browsers, especially Opera, and calls a number of external files, which may not get consistently obtained over mobile connections.   Any of this could be the cause of problems.  As far as I am aware, no one (including Google) have run proper tests for reliability on mobile platforms, and I certainly lack the capabilities to conduct such tests, but I think they're needed.  Mobile is the most important growth area online, and metrics are fundamental to understanding and enhancing mobile activity.  If Google Analytics is inaccurate on referring source, assessment of marketing activity is impossible.  If we are mistakenly believe mobile people are coming direct, instead of via search, it fundamentlly changes our understanding of how to reach mobile users, and sends us up blind alleys.

Testing this can be done via an experiement, by someone able to get a range of mobile phones, access a site with them enough times to generate a valid sample size, then cross-reference what how they accessed the site with what GA reports.  Such an experiment requires serious time and investment.  Alternatively a bunch of us can pool our GA data in an annonymised fashion and subject it to analysis that way.

Have you seen changes in mobile visit sources shifting towards direct and away from search in the last year?  If so, I'd like to know.  If not, that'd be useful information too.  Do you have concerns about whether Google Analytics is accurate on mobile?  I'd love to hear them.

I guess we should have done this work a year ago.  Mobile is a different set of operating systems and browsers from desktops, and it's naive to assume GA code would work exactly the same on all mobile systems just as it does on the limited range of desktop systems.  When this data drives our understanding and decisions, naivity becomes foolishness.

So we need to know - how reliable is Google Analytics on mobiles?