Mobile Friendly websites

A few weeks ago, I posted a graphic that represented email clients in order of popularity. I will re post a similar graphic again from a campaign we sent last week.

This chart evidences the point I would like to make regarding the importance of ensuring that a website is designed to be mobile friendly. So much direct marketing is carried out by email today and the evidence is that much of it is being accessed by mobile email clients.  For email marketing to be successful, it is important that there are clear and compelling calls to action present. But if fulfilment of these marketing campaigns is to take place on an iPhone or an Android device then it is just as important that the destination website be mobile compatible.

It is possible to have a mobile application creates, with an RSS feed that your mobile users may access your news etc. however it is unlikely that unless you are a very big consumer brand that you are going to get many subscribers who regularly check that application and even less likely to get them to download it in the first place.

One area that is seeing rapid growth is streaming video. There are many websites that supply streaming content that I can access with my HTC. Sadly, they do not offer 100% usability. The thing is I am most likely to access this type of content from my mobile when I have a few minutes to spare and I am not at my desk or in my house.
Most of these systems do use flash and the problems with accessing rich flash content from a mobile device are well documented. No doubt we will see more websites developed to offer a better streaming experience to mobile users but I cant help but feel that some big players in this market are missing a trick.

Once again I have to say that if you are running direct email marketing campaigns, ensure that the landing page does not have flash. This will ruin the impact of the campaign on pretty much any mobile device. Another thing to be wary of is screen width. Make sure that the different elements of your homepage are able to exist next to each other without blocking important text, links or functions.

Th important point to remember is that New Media is all about giving customers choice. If customers are choosing to use mobile devices as web browsers, it would be a fool who fails to react to that basic market force.

Tergeted Advertising, pros and cons or is it just inconclusive research.

Most consumers choose not to opt-out of behavioral targeting

Marketers who feared opt-out icons on targeted advertising would lead to a mass uptake can relax. Recent analysis has shown that, when given the option to opt-out of behavioral tracking, many consumers don't bother.

Earlier this year, the Digital Advertising Alliance, representing thousands of advertising and trade companies, announced details of a program designed to give consumers more control over how their Internet browsing habits are used to target ads.

Advertisers that collect Internet user information for behavioral targeting of ads were encouraged to implement an "Advertising Option Icon" on websites, or near ads, where behavioral tracking has been used.

But, as ClickZ reports, recent analysis from Better Advertising shows few consumers are choosing to opt out. An average of one in 700,000 who were served an ad with the icon chose to opt out - a rate of about 0.00014%.

Of those that clicked on the icon and were presented with information about tracking, only 5% decided to continue the process and fully opt out.

This is great news for marketers who depend on targeted advertising to hone their response and conversion rates.

"There's always a chance the number of users opting out could go up as more advertisers implement the icon... It's early days, but there's no indication the opt out rate will go up dramatically," said Better Advertising CEO Scott Meyer.

"Whatever the [opt-out] rate is, it's so small that it's not going to destroy the business."

Web users say targeted advertising not justified

As discussion surrounding Do Not Track and behaviorally targeted ads continues, new research has surfaced that shows most consumers don't think targeted advertising is justified, even if they do get free access to content in return.

We recently reported on analysis from Better Advertising that came to the conclusion consumers, when given the option to opt-out of targeted advertising, choose not to.

New insights from a poll conducted by Gallup and USA Today appear to contradict Better Advertising's findings.

The poll found that while the vast majority claimed to pay little or no attention to online advertising, 61% did admit to having seen ads they felt were directly targeted at them based on their browsing history - and they don't like it.

In fact, almost 70% are opposed to behaviorally targeted ads and believe them to be unjustified. Nearly as many (61%) said that behaviorally targeted ads aren't even justified if it means they can access online content free of charge.

Ultimately, consumers want more control. If given a choice, just under half of respondents said they would accept targeted ads from networks specifically chosen by themselves. Thirty-seven percent said if they had the option they wouldn't allow any ad networks to target them.

by Helen Leggatt

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These two articles above have made me think of the difficulties involved in turning research into reliable market intelligence.

Two recent studies into the same subject have come up with diametrically opposed findings. The truth in my opinion is consumers have never liked advertising. People who realise that they will be advertised to no matter what they do, would probably rather they got adverts that were targeted at them offering things that may be of some interest.

If you have for instance had a day off work, ill perhaps and needed to watch a lot of day time telly.

It is unlikely that you would have found any of the advertising applicable and it may have even been rather annoying, stealing minutes of your life showing you things you have no need for or even dislike.

at least the internet is not this way. Id rather have track days, hosting deals and e-commerce tools flashed in front of me regularly than sanitary products, denture paste and train to be a plumber courses.

I think the best way to manage expectation is to ensure that the adverts are of high quality, not just "Male 30 UK we want you to try our sneakers" and not intrusive either, stay away from the pop ups that get in the way of content. There is a lot of good stuff on the net that is free but it does have to be paid for somehow so advertising will continue and I for one would rather it be relevant.

Why are there so many foodies? What to do with them?

I have been giving some thought to food programmes on TV recently. I don’t watch them very much but so many of my friends and family do, I have always been curious as to the appeal. I will admit to having watched two series of New Scandinavian Cooking but that was because I had a horrible crush on Tina Nordström which I think does account for the popularity of certain well known culinary personalities. What does strike me from looking into this phenomenon is that Foodies are a huge market. The sales of celebrity chef cook books attest to that as well as the numerous hellish spin offs of Gordon the Swearing Scotsman. (No not the former PM)

Why are foodies so numerous? Because nearly 100% of the consumer base cook on a daily basis and they don't want to have the same chicken and potatoes every night. Amateur chefs are moms, dads, young adults, retirees and busy families. With the ongoing recessionary conditions (it can be argued that the recession is over but inflationary pressure is driving up all prices) many people are looking at their kitchens as a way to spice up their lives, pardon the pun, restaurants are suffering slightly as Jack and Jill experiment in the kitchen rather than take that easy meal out.

Given the size of this market, how can brands engage foodies? The obvious answer is through advertising and social media.

If you are selling a directly related product, knives or crockery then the route to the hearts of your clients is through their stomachs. It is easy to see how a brand associated with a celebrity chef like Tefal with Jamie Oliver could use the likes of Facebook and Twitter to great effect to grow a following of Jamie fans and indeed convince them not only to buy Tefal but to promote it to their “Friends”.

Marketing experts around the world are telling businesses to get involved with social media, but many companies are not clear on what to offer to a social network. Cooking and recipe information can’t work for all brands, but for food or cooking supply brands it is an easy fit. This type of information is exactly what their customers are after. Social network features such as recipe of the day or encouraging their fans to add their own recipes can be really powerful loyalty builders.

As far as advertising is concerned, a recent study from About.com discovered that there is a new community of cooks out there who are active online and searching for recipes, tips, equipment and secrets to improve their cooking and meal planning. Companies are presented with an opportunity to reach this group, just as they discover a need for a particular item. This could lead on to a quick sale if there is advertising directly to an e-commerce store or a coupon that offers an in store discount.

Mobile applications are another way that brands can engage with foodies. A food or diet related application could capture useful demographic data. This data can be used to thoughtfully target advertising at consumers. The Advertising need not necessarily be food related as having good demographic data to hand the advertising could be targeting the wider interests of each group.

I hope this has wetted your appetite for marketing to the hungry masses and I have not left a bad taste in your mouth with one too many food puns. Bon Appétit!