Marketing & AI is at a confluence. Where to go next?

What is the future of marketing and/or marketing research?

Marketing & AI future! Click here to see video.

Social media platforms create emerging-talent teams to help promote future online influencers

Social media platforms promote influencers.

Social media platforms create emerging-talent teams to help promote future online influencers. Click here to see my video for more information.

How is your organization leveraging influencers?

Tips to Find the Best SEO Keywords

Below is a good information graphic from @BenKamauDigital on Twitter illustrating how to find the best SEO keywords.

 

Digital Marketing Trends

Here are a few digital marketing trends:

1) Keywords are important

2) Long keyword searches work

3) Mobile matters

4) Video tweets get more views

5) Instagram stories rock!

Visit blog.cktechconnect.com for a comprehensive list of digital marketing trends.

Millenials and the Mail!

Millenials will outnumber any other generation by 2019. Millenials are the members of the population born between 1980 and 1996. Millenials are known for extensively using mobile devices and multi-tasking. A recent report by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) finds that millenials like the United States Postal Service (USPS). Millenials prefer direct mail more than you think! Other USPS OIG findings are as follows:

• Millenials grew up using digital devices; however, still prefer print. USPS research shows that half of millenials agree they “like to discover what the mail brings every day and consider time spent looking at/reading mail time well spent.”
• A Gallup poll found that 95% of adults 18 to 29 enjoy receiving personal mail.
• Ninety-percent (90%) of people ages 25 to 34 find direct mail reliable.
• Sixty-two percent (62%) of millenials said they have visited a store in the past month based on information received in the mail.
• Sixty-nine percent (69%) of millenials like receiving, and using, coupons by mail from local restaurants and retailers.

What does this mean?

Millenials are extremely familiar with digital devices and marketing; however, prefer print. Furthermore, millenials interact with mail in different ways than prior generations. Advertisers and marketers that can build seamless links between direct mail and digital advertising through a “multi-channel” campaign can perhaps most benefit from direct mail advertising.

Do any of the findings above surprise you? Feel free to leave a comment.

Source: The Postal Record, October 2018

Interesting Video Statistics

– Video in an e-mail leads to increased click-through rates.

– Two minute videos appear to be an optimal length.

See the graphic below for more interesting video statistics.

Is Interest in Voice Search on the Rise?

Many publications and podcasts have been touting the rise of voice search since 2018 began.  For example, Forbes recently published an article titled, “The Continued Rise of Voice Search and How Your Business Can Leverage It” on January 29, 2018.  Voice search poses many benefits for both businesses and consumers.  Is interest in voice search actually gaining traction despite recent praise by prominent sources?

Source: Google Trends

The trend graph above shows that online search requests for the phrase “voice search” on Google are noticeably lower than reported in years past.  Roku and Amazon Fire are contributing to a resurgence in voice search interest though.

Businesses and consumers can benefit greatly through improved voice search technologies.  Do not to go overboard with recent voice search hype until voice search technologies prove to be viable staples for your search optimization strategy.

What are your thoughts about voice search?

Are you Pinterested?

Pinterest is a photo sharing website that allows users to upload, save, sort, and manage images – known as “pins”.  Pinterest is known as a great site to increase awareness.  It can also be used to increase sales and website traffic.

Pinterest caters to millennial women ages 25 to 34 who are interested in cooking, DIY (Do it Yourself),  fashion and home decor.  Pinterest users appear to be more interested in brands than personalities.  More than 1.36 million visitors go to Pinterest.com daily.

Your organization can harness the power of Pinterest through a variety of ways.  Most important is to make sure “pins” are seen.  Pinterest can be used in a number of ways to help increase sales and website traffic.  Several ideas can be viewed below:

1). Photos should include descriptive text that will help “pins” bubble to the top of search results.  Utilize Pinterest analytic tools (and other social media and online search data) to identify keywords that will help images posted surface higher among search results.

2). Use “Rich Pins” to provide further details to help with conversion.

3). Backlink photos to your company, or organizational website so that consumers who click on photos will be directed to your site.

Sources:

Wikipedia.org – Pinterest

AdWeek – “3 Tips for Using Pinterest to Drive Sales”

Shopifynation.com – “How to Boost your Ecommerce Sales on Pinterest” & “Make your Pins Count: 7 Ways to Drive Sales and Traffic with Pinterest“