Moz Blog

Moz is a company that provides a range of tools and services for search engine optimization (SEO). The Moz blog is a blog on their website that provides news, tips, and insights on SEO, digital marketing, and online branding. The blog features articles written by Moz's in-house team of experts, as well as contributions from industry leaders and other experts. The content on the Moz blog covers a wide range of topics, including keyword research, link building, content marketing, and technical SEO. It is a valuable resource for individuals and businesses looking to improve their online visibility and performance.

 

 The industry's top wizards, doctors, and other experts offer their best advice, research, how-tos, and insights—all in the name of helping you level-up your SEO and online marketing skills.

 

The Moz Keyword eplorer tool is here to save the day. Moz is probably the most respected thought leader in the world of SEO, so when they designed a tool to make keyword research as easy as possible, it’s no surprise that they thought of everything. The keyword explorer lets you analyze any keyword you are interested in ranking for, using specific metrics that were chosen for their usefulness.

If you have a free Moz account (which is easy-peasy to set up if you don’t already have one), you are limited to 20 queries per month, so keep this in mind before you begin exploring. We’ll give you a few tips for making the most of these free searches later in this blog post.

 

Will Social-based E-commerce Model Work In Future?

While Amazon demonstrated a successful business model for e-commerce, Pinduoduo, the second largest e-commerce platform in China, has developed a team-based/social-based buying model. 

Pinduoduo's social, team-based buying model (platform layout shown above) has built success upon creating an unconventional, feed-based shopping experience, rather than a search based experience typical of traditional retail and e-tail. It runs under a "'you don’t know what you want but happy to discover'" mantra, in essence, building a feed catered to each individual user in a personalized, virtual bazaar format. This model has drawn millions to the app and has allowed Pinduoduo to grow its user base and revenues at a dazzling pace.

While this model significantly contributed to its user growth and GMV, the negative side cannot be ignored. Its social interaction is mainly sharing a link with existing connections and asking them to do a favor by registering and clicking the link. This is disturbing especially if sent to people that are not in close connection. Current social-based e-commerce was regarded as annoying and unhelpful to get desired discounts.

Therefore, when Pinduoduo enter the U.S. market, it has launched a new brand called Temu. Temu is similar to Amazon where products are displayed to show its quality, which is completely different from Pinduoduo itself. Its business success still remains to be verified, but seems social-based e-commerce would not be a prioritized strategy for Pinduoduo.

Wechat's recent focus on mini program - embedded apps in wechat

Wechat, the largest social media app in China, has demonstrated its leading position in social media, payment, etc. One noticeable trend is its emphasis on the "Mini-program" - simple apps that are embedded in the app. 

While keeping its position as the dominant social app and payment app in China, WeChat is also trying to replace App Store/Android Store by launching “Mini-programs”. WeChat initiated “mini-programs” in 2019 and now has 7Mn+ mini-programs on its platform. Mini programs are frequently used in ordering online and accumulating points. Also, the “Health code” that permits entering buildings and restaurants is frequently used. Other mini programs include games and videos.

From user's perspective, mini program is extremely easy to use. I don’t need to download multiple apps for ordering. I just simply open WeChat, and the apps are integrated within WeChat. Over the past year I used 500+ mini programs, and it saved the time and energy to download their apps individually. From the developer’s perspective, mini program is much easier to develop and is highly effective for gathering consumers’ information and building connections with them.

Considering monetization, Wechat is free to developers and users. There are display ads for specific free apps, such as Weibo (Chinese twitter), and the developer can pay a membership fee so that users can use it for free.

The Dark Side of Data

This week's discussion regarding the "Social Dilemma" highlighted a number of intriguing -- yet at times, concerning -- trends and issues related to digital marketing. One of those in particular that keep surfacing in my mind was the use and power of big data. As this class has taught us, a skilled marketer can use such information to influence the actions and beliefs of very specific audiences. That power can (and has been) be used for nefarious purposes and has the potential to create further social inequalities. 

Its not a new debate by any stretch; we live in the Information Age. But I think that there is a growing divide between the have's and the have-not's. In other words, the people, groups, and interests that are able to harness the power of data and use it to influence outcomes in their favor are gaining ground on those that cannot. 

We have seen instances like that of Cambridge Analytica weaponize big data in their digital marketing war against Democrats to influence the outcome of the 2016 U.S. election. This is problematic in of itself, however even further, the people, groups and interests that are lower end of the data literacy spectrum are disproportionately people of color. 

If we don't take steps to empower certain people with the skills, knowledge and access to the world of big data, it has the potential to emerge as its own form of inequality. With all that said, I am still optimistic about where society is heading and the potential for big data to level the playing field against inequality. Its incumbent on leaders such as us in this class to lead business and society in the right direction - which is a responsibility I take seriously. 

Subscription model back in trends

Several years back, subscription-based business was the hot commodity on the market, such as Birchbox and Smashbox etc. In recent periods, this type of business model died down and the “surprise” factor wore off. 

However, we saw another wave of rising subscription model in E Commerce – subscribing to a particular product and receive automatic replenishment. Amazon probably is the first major player adopting this model, and now we see other platforms such as Sephora and many DTC brands started the same offering. To provide incentives to consumers, the brand typically offers a discount if customers signing up for subscription. The value proposition is no longer the surprise factor, but the promotional discount and the convenience of not having to reorder the product. This model also increases customer loyalty and repeat purchase. As a result, customer life value increases and the payback period on marketing costs becomes longer. The ROI of marketing jumps and brands could potentially save more marketing costs.  

The auto replenishment subscription model is still mainly used as a tool to retain customer when they are already on the webpage and making purchase decisions. We haven’t seen many brands using the discount as a main marketing point in terms of customer acquisition. 

Beasting the Content

 

Youtuber, Jimmy Donaldson, was recently pictured on the cover of Forbes. Jimmy, goes by MrBeast, and has spent his young adulthood creating fun youtube videos to gain a following and build an empire. MrBeast's first video was posted in February of 2012, and since then, he's been able to accumulate over 19 billion Youtube views. So how did he get there, and what can aspiring content creators take away from MrBeast's creator journey? 

The first step to become a successful content creator is to have a good understanding of your main audience.

• Identify what you're good at and lean into it. Analyze your audience by looking into your platform's metrics. This could be Youtube, TikTok, IG, or Pinterest. Once you have a better understanding of your core audience, produce content that is relevant to your audience and unique to your own personal brand. 

 

The next step would is to plan a content strategy and have an overall goal in mind. What goal would you like to achieve and what small steps can you take to get there?

• For example: Writing out your plan, producing, and allocating efficient time to edit your content before it is published. 
• Find software that is easy-to-use and helps you cut down your editing time, so that you can invest more time on producing content to keep your audience engaged.  

 

The final step consists of putting it all together.

• Continue to analyze your metrics and data to figure out the effectiveness of what you're producing. You can continue to produce content that keeps these metrics and overall KPIs growing steadily. 
• Piggyback off current events. Make teasers, gain subscribers, and publish.
• Have a set calendar with clearly outlined content and publish target dates. 

Publish and share with the world! Maybe one day you'll be on Forbes like MrBeast.

P.S. Just for fun. 

 

AI makes digital marketing more effective and less costly

 

Artificial Intelligence can reduce the cost of digital marketing and increase its effectiveness in growing the sales and profitability. Also, AI can seamlessly stich marketing to sales for customer experience and reduce cost. 

With the help of machine learning, Netflix managed to save USD 1 billion in 2017. When a company is using AI, 34% of customers spend more money on their products and services. Apart from this, 49% are thinking about buying something from the company more often in case it uses AI.

Here is detailed description of how AI makes digital marketing more effective and reduces the cost. The text below is copied from Global Tech Council website.  

Table of Contents 

• What is AI Marketing, and Why is AI Important to Business?
• Ways in Which AI can Help in Lowering the Marketing Cost
• Concluding Lines

What is AI Marketing, and Why is AI Important to Business?

AI marketing is an innovative mechanism to leverage intelligence technologies in order to collect data, customer insights, predict customers’ subsequent moves, and make automated decisions. AI marketing offers one of the best ways to revolutionize the business world. AI is important to businesses as this technology benefits both large and small companies by assisting them in rising, ensuring efficient decision-making, and revolutionizing management. IDC predicts that by 2024, the AI market is expected to break the $500 billion and total revenues reaching around $554.3 billion. Moreover, Allied Market Research predicts that the global AI market size is expected to touch $169,411.8 million in the year 2025. 

With the help of machine learning, Netflix managed to save USD 1 billion in 2017. When a company is using AI, 34% of customers spend more money on their products and services. Apart from this, 49% are thinking about buying something from the company more often in case it uses AI.

The AI space is booming. If this domain interests you, you can get enrolled in Global Tech Council and become a Certified AI Expert.

Ways in Which AI can Help in Lowering the Marketing Cost

Let’s explore some of the ways by which AI can prove to be useful in lowering marketing costs. 

• Automation of Successful Processes

Various automation technologies have been developed over the last few decades to meet business needs. The aim is to make the business process more agile. Startups and businesses are taking advantage of the growth of AI in automation in this new period.

A smart AI algorithm is assisting leaders in foreseeing extraordinary outcomes. Retail, hospitality, and other service industries

• Automated Customer Interactions 

Despite the fact that many organizations and businesses have begun to use AI and machine learning to simplify their business practices, some firms continue to use manual procedures for tasks that could be handled more reliably and cost-effectively by automation. 

Thus by automating customer support tasks, for instance, handling thousands of queries in a day by leveraging AI technology such as chatbots, organizations can not only save their resources but can also expect enhanced quality levels. 

• Cuts Sales Costs and Not Revenues 

Whether it is a big organization or a small enterprise, the sales process requires a lot of money as the company has to invest in sales strategies in order to keep up with its competitors. Nowadays, due to technological advancements, salespeople are using AI to learn more about their clients. 

Thus, AI not only cuts the need of salespersons but also brings more revenues by offering personalized solutions and maximizing conversions. 

Does that mean a chatbot is a better salesperson than a human?

• Automated Marketing Testing 

By finding what a given customer is willing to pay or optimizing price across their customer and product mix, AI and ML may assist managers in capturing more sales and earnings. Automated marketing testing not only brings more revenue to the table but also frees up marketers in spending more time, leading to reduced marketing costs. As technology is evolving each passing day, AI-based models are capable of performing tasks with complete efficiency and accuracy. 

•  Free up Organization Employees

Apart from lowering costs, AI can free up organization employees from performing repetitive and ordinary jobs. In addition, it shortens the time that those tasks are originally done by your staff while reducing the errors to zero. 

Moreover, it can also reduce the cost of hiring employees while taking advantage of available talents to focus more on critical tasks, increasing overall efficiency.

Concluding Lines: Will AI Replace Humans

From the above discussion, it is clear that undoubtedly AI is a futuristic technology that can transform every business, every company, and every industry. But there is a myth surrounding this futuristic tech, and that is will AI replace humans? Here it is important to note that AI does not replace people in most cases. Instead, it enhances human capabilities and transforms how businesses operate and function. 

Cyber5, Economic Uncertainty, and What it Means for Marketers

 It has maybe never been a more confusing time to be a digital marketer. Between dealing with the ongoing ramifications of COVID, conflicting signals on customers' buying behaviors, and the looming potential of an economic recession - the kinetic nature of the consumer landscape has never felt more fraught. 

The most typical response to uncertainty like this, especially economic, by marketers is to cut back on their spend. I think what recessions past and even the recent market shock event at the start of the pandemic in 2020 have shown is that this is a mistake. And this is supported by research by Analytic Partners in their note from August 2020: "Marketers who cut spend risk losing 15% of their revenue during a recession". Research like this illustrates that when marketers cut back, they risk losing significant and outsized share of their business to competitors in their industry who choose to actually lean in. 

I think the dynamics that are created during times like this that create opportunity for marketers are the following: 

1) Reduced ad costs as overall advertiser demand decreases - creating an incredibly favorable ads ecosystem and market for those businesses choosing to continue to engage their prospective customers through marketing activities. 

2) A unique opportunity to go back to the basics of brand messaging to communicate clearly what brands stand for. I believe what we saw since 2020 was a clear shift, more obvious than during any other recent year, to marketers winning on consistent and clear brand values that resonate with their customers. Those that did not do this or stood by values that were not in line with customer expectations - were the big losers during this time. 

https://analyticpartners.com/news-blog/2022/08/report-cutting-spend-in-recession-risks-loss/

TV advertising

The removal of third-party cookies may drive advertisers toward TV instead of traditional channels. As the popularity of streaming services continue to grow, there are more innovative ways to generate ad revenue with product placement. In addition, users are increasingly becoming more “ad blind”, so companies are searching for revenue opportunities that have a more seamless user experience. 

1) When users watch a show on one of the streaming platforms, there could soon be an option to purchase an outfit that one of the characters is wearing, without ever leaving the app. This would capitalize on viewers who are fans of a show and would then search for the outfits after an episode. 

2) Another similar option is shoppable ads, so products can be sold directly from the ads. Shoppable ads lets e-commerce advertisers create a seamless, measurable journey from when the user first views the ad to purchasing the product.

3) An interesting alternative is an “in-scene” ad. TV shows could have a custom solution for brands to advertise at just the right moment for a personalized message to the user. Post-production, the streaming service could integrate a brand’s product into the show. 

These types of ads can help businesses increase their conversion rate, simplify the buying process, and make it easier to track and sell the product directly from each platform. For example, initial beta testing has shown a 6.9% increase in favorability and a 14.7% increase in purchase intent attributable to a Virtual Product Placement campaign. While the technology is still new, the results are promising.

Social Media Content Marketing

With over 4.2 billion global social media users, it’s easy to understand why so many businesses invest in social media marketing. There are a number of platforms (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Snapchat) to work with and several ways you can create and share content on each of them (e.g. photos, live videos, pre-recorded videos, stories).

The benefits of social media content marketing are:

1. It's easy accesible: 

The marketing contents are just there and get easy exposure to all users when they are viewing social media. Additionally, people usually spend considerable time in social media which can repeat similar content multiple times to firm the impression and higher conversion rate among target customers.

2. Further use of  customer intelligence

Depending on the time users spend on your content/ the clicks/ the conversion rate, the advertiser can get a good sense of whether users like it or not to further adjust the channel of media, the time of the post, and the key works associated with the marketing.

3. Enhance synergies from KOL marketing and direct sell

With the KOL rising, content marketing can combine it with the KOL direct sell in social media and increase the conversion rate. 

Infographics?

 An infographic is a collection of imagery, data graphs like pie charts and bar graphs, and minimal text that gives an easy-to-understand overview of a topic.

Infographics are a valuable tool for visual communication.  The most visually unique, creative infographics are often the most effective because they grab our attention and don’t let go.

But it’s crucial to remember that the visuals in an infographic must do more than excite and engage.

They must help us understand and remember the content of the infographic, as seen in this infographic about employee resignation announcements

Why should you use infographics?

Infographics are great for making complex information easy to digest. They can be helpful anytime you want to:

• Provide a quick overview of a topic
• Complex details
  
• Display research findings 
• Explain detailed post
  
• Compare and contrast multiple options
• Raise awareness about an issue or cause

When you need to give someone a really quick rundown on something that can be hard to explain in words alone, an infographic is a good way to go.

This means that infographics can be useful in pretty much any industry. Here are just some of its use cases

Infographics for marketing, consulting, government, non board and many more.

 

 

H&M Serving Up Style... or putting lipstick on Fast Fashion?

Wrinkly thin fabrics. Shoddy Stitching. One time wear. These are all things I think of when someone says H&M. From a business perspective, working with such a brand doesn't feel ethical. Creating strategies to encourage people to buy more disposable clothes. The brand seems to be hyper aware of their perception problem and taking steps to be "customer centric". 

Forbes reports that they recently launched a new "Rotating Style Destination experience" in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It will be an incubator of sorts, where H&M determines what resonates with their customers. 

My interest in this is multifaceted. Firstly, curious about customers return to brick and mortar after the pandemic years. The retail in my own neighborhood was decimated. Experiential activations like this, making stores more "showrooms" for brand events seem to be the future of these physical spaces. 

Secondly, interested due to a recent company acquisition of a Digital Experiential company. A high-profile brand presence like this feels made for online experiential events. 

I'm also interested in the future forward retail tech being deployed - mobile payment from anywhere in store and smart mirrors making recommendations. 

While I certainly am not "rooting" for H&M, props to their marketing team!

 H&M Is Opening A Year-Long Rotating Style Destination In Williamsburg, Brooklyn (forbes.com)

Shades of Truth & Influencer Marketing

 In this morning's Marketing Brew newsletter, the below news snippet was posted regarding the FTC suit against Google and iHeartMedia for deceptive ads promoting the Pixel 4 smartphone.

The suit alleges that influencers were paid to make statements about a product that they never actually used, and recorded testimonials before they were even sent the product.

While scrolling on social media, tags like #ad and #sponsored make it painfully obvious when influencers are making paid statements about products that they clearly do not endorse on a daily basis. I'd bet that the majority of these influencers still use iPhones every day. As consumers of these ads, we're not fooled when we see influencers promoting a new beauty product or vitamin supplement; we know they were offered these products for free, and that they are being paid for endorsements.

In order for influencers to truly build community, their audience must trust their advice - and that it comes from a place of credibility and authenticity. 

Something like a Pixel smartphone - which these influencers were so blatantly not using and would likely never use - is a perfect example of a failed attempt at influencer marketing. A smartphone is not a consumable or discoverable product like beauty, fashion or food. It's a device that for the majority of consumers, represents a medium-term purchase at a mid-to-high price point. There is less "test driving," and more research-driven purchasing, and so the idea that an influencer would switch their entire OS for a paid endorsement (unlike switching their lip gloss brand) is unreasonable. 

Though we know it's all a sham, there are degrees of credibility we still expect from influencer marketing. Rules of the road that govern these influencers from an ethical perspective, and now, from a legal perspective as well. The FTC allocating attention to companies breaking these rules, when the very nature of the ad itself is so fundamentally untrue, reflects the gradiation of truth within influencer marketing.

When you set $44 billion on fire and no one comes to your bonfire

Advertisers Hit The Pause Button With Twitter

Well, that escalated quickly.

So, Elon had a genius idea to bring Twitter into the black - instead of relying on advertising dollars, move to subscription. Every tech company is doing SaaS these days, right? How hard can it be? Well, it turns out advertising accounted for 90% of Twitter's total 2021 revenue of $5.1 billion. One could increase the ~10% not-advertising dollars by more than 9x and reach that goal, but I guess if you decreased that 90% advertising down by say... 90%, mathematically, that would work too!

Omnicom (one of the world’s largest ad agencies with over 5,000 global clients) (full disclosure, I am not and could never afford to be an Omnicom client), "cautioned their clientele about Twitter’s new verification decision. The ad agency cited the departure of top -level executives, brand safety and fake verification accounts among other reasons." Basically companies calling for Twitter to re-establish: IT, security, privacy, trust, safety, leadership, moderation, full transparency... I mean, gosh - I suppose next they'll be clamoring for Twitter to allow the option to edit tweets too! (Twitter will finally let you edit tweets — if you pay)

Normally, I would elaborate more, but these direct quotes hit the nail right on the head:

" It’s reported over past two weeks one-third of Twitter’s top 100 marketers have not been advertising." 

[Twitter has] "greatly expanded its tolerance for hate, negativity, and misinformation." 

"The situation we’re watching unfold with Twitter right now is a real-time study of the myriad of risks that advertisers face in today’s unsteady landscape. With risk avoidance being paramount for brands..."

Hmm... risk avoidance is the keyword then. Brand management. Wokeness. Cancel culture... Which reminds me, I should probably set my Myspace to private - lest my next employer finds out I'm a diehard Michael Bublé fan.

Being a poor, unemployed grad student, I'm basically just the peanut gallery when it comes to critiquing these high stakes business moves, but goodness, I am constantly checking (my borrowed/shared) Netflix top 10 for when the Elon Musk Netflix documentary unveils. Hopefully it'll displace the Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes. 

Imaginary Currency of TikTok

There is an imaginary currency called "Dabloons" that has been trending on TikTok over the last week. Users are engaging in a fake economy where they are spending, collecting and gaining/losing coins using the #dabloons. The hashtag has over 417 million views in just under a week. The way you gain or lose the fake money is by scrolling through content and if you happen upon a video that provides or takes Dabloons, you'll adjust your wealth accordingly (honor code of course). The depths to which this trend has gone has people keeping track of their Dabloons on white boards, creating a Dabloon University and even one account said it would hold an election. What's amazing about this trend is that it demonstrates just how engaged people can get on the platform and the lengths to which people will carry on a joke about a valueless economy. It's clear when gamification, trending momentum, and maybe a little bit of fun can create a viral experience  on TikTok and demonstrate the power of the platform. 

World Cup advertising to Gen Z

Like many people, I’ve been watching the World Cup over the last week or so – the live games, the online highlights, the social media memes, and of course all the advertisements in between. The Super Bowl is known for producing creative (and expensive) ads given the desire for brands to stand out in front of a large audience, but search interest in the World Cup is actually seven to eight times greater (and lasts a full month), so for international brands especially, the potential for their advertisements to have an impact is quite large. 

This year was a bit different, given the World Cup was moved from the summertime to holiday time, creating an interesting opportunity for companies to combine sports and holiday shopping ads. However, reaching Gen Z, which is an important audience for sports advertisers, continues to be difficult for a number of reasons: 1) fewer Gen Zers claim to be sports fans; 2) the way they engage with sports extends beyond traditional TV game watching; 3) they connect more with authentic, immersive experiences than traditional on-screen ads; and 4) the onslaught of digital advertising has made many numb to all but the most memorable and engaging.

Athletes are more than just athletes to Gen Z (and other demographics) – they’re influencers, tastemakers and celebrities that their fans want to engage with. Brands should aim to leverage that desire for interaction and influence by incorporating the athletes into immersive experiences that make people feel seen, understood and connected in an authentic way.

Article: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/engaging-gen-z-world-cup/467394/ 

Digital Marketing strategy of Shein leads to its valuation higher than that of H&M + Zara combined

 Valuation of Shien, the Chinese clothing brand founded in 2008, has surpassed the combined valuation of H&M and Zara in this short period. Young girls in over 200 countries including love these innovative fashion style clothes and extremely cheap price. For example, $10 for a beautiful blouse and $10 for a great looking jeans. Digital marketing including social media, influencer marketing, and co-creation of clothes with users by offering then free products are just some of the examples of great digital marketing strategies of Shein.

The link pasted below details all aspects of the digital marketing of this hugely successful brand Shein.

https://blucactus.blue/what-is-sheins-marketing-strategy/ 

A few important points about Video Marketing

 Video marketing is an important component of digital marketing. Effectiveness of a short video in engaging the prospects, creating a deep impression on mind, and instigating the prospects to buy on the spot or later is key to the success of a business. 

I have copied the text below from iide.co that lists a few key points the brands should consider in their Video marketing strategy.

Video Marketing

In short, the use of engaging video content in your digital marketing strategy to bring in awareness and grow your business to earn a profit is called video marketing.

Today, most of the users end up watching videos that are informative yet quirky and funny. People find it more visually appealing to watch videos than read a piece of content, and many times they end up sharing it.

• Make sure your videos are consistent, informative, and content-rich. This matters a lot as this can help viewers engagingly learn more about your business. 
• Make titles that are engaging and eye-catching. Make sure your video titles include your main keyword and are relevant to your brand. As a result, the title may be effective in attracting potential consumers.
  
• Use video to link to other pages on your website. Upload a few videos to video-sharing sites like YouTube and Vimeo, and consider linking to related content and other relevant videos on your site.

Brands should prepare digital marketing strategies for Metaverse version of ecommerce

 It appears that trade in virtual goods and virtual real estate has already begun in metaverse space. Second Life has many examples of people striking rich by creating virtual objects such as bikes, beds, islands, houses, furniture, and clothes. Second life also creates and sells virtual real estate such as islands to virtual residents on Second Life.

Going by this example of Metaverse and popularity of NFTs for trading in virtual objects combined with imaginable future where brands may set us shops in metaverses, ecommerce may move from current ecommerce sites to Metaverses. And that would require the brands to have digital marketing strategies for the Metaverse world.

The text pasted below and copied from mpost.io lists points that brands should consider for digital marketing in the Metaverse world.

Top points to keep in mind for Digital Marketing in the Metaverse

1. Create In-game Advertising

Some of the world’s largest brands, such as Volkswagen, Coca-Cola, Samsung, and others, have included virtual hoardings in games like Hyper Space and others. Any marketer should aim to increase visibility in the Metaverse as a first step.

2. Retail Virtual Goods & Services

Given that the NFT marketplace is making millions in revenue, it’s safe to say that people are interested in buying digital assets. Businesses should consider creating and selling virtual goods and services in the Metaverse.

3. Develop a Brand Persona

Since the Metaverse is still a new frontier, it’s important for businesses to create a brand persona that fits the culture of this virtual world. This will help businesses connect with their target audience in the Metaverse.

4. Engage in Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing will be key in the Metaverse. Businesses should consider creating and maintaining a strong presence on social media platforms like Second Life, Avakin Life, and others.

5. Create Viral Content

Given the popularity of user-generated content, businesses should aim to create viral content that will be shared by people in the Metaverse. This will help to increase the visibility of the business in the Metaverse.

Digital marketing in the Metaverse is a new and exciting field. Businesses that are able to understand and tap into the power of the Metaverse will be well-positioned to reap the benefits of this new form of marketing.

Nike Announces the Launch of .Swoosh, New Web3-Enabled Platform, Store

(Copied from the website thefashionlaw.com

 Nike’s latest web3 venture is here. Taking the form of a web3-enabled platform, .Swoosh is aiming to enable consumers to “learn about, collect and eventually help co-create virtual creations, which are typically interactive digital objects, such as virtual shoes or jerseys,” the Beaverton, Oregon-based company announced on Monday. Currently in beta mode, the platform will ultimately serve as a place “where our community can come in and co-create [the] future with us,” Ron Faris, GM of Nike Virtual Studios, said in a statement. “You can collect, trade, and flex Nike virtual products. You can go to IRL events with your token-gated virtual creations.” 

Nike says that it will grow the platform by inviting in “a diverse, equitable community, then launch its first digital collection – shaped by its members – [beginning] in 2023.” Shortly after the first digital collection drops, “Members will be able to enter a community challenge to win the opportunity to co-create virtual product with Nike, [with] those winners [able] earn a royalty on the virtual product they help co-create.” 

The point of the venture, according to Nike? “To expand the definition of sport – and serve its future – by democratizing the web3 experience so that everyone can collect, create and own a piece of this new digital world.” Faris notes, “We are shaping a marketplace of the future with an accessible platform for the web3-curious. In this new space, the .SWOOSH community and Nike can create, share, and benefit together.”

The announcement comes after Nike has continued to position itself at the forefront of the budding web3 universe. On the heels of first partnering with gaming platform Roblox back in the 2019 and also receiving a utility patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a “system and method for providing cryptographically secured digital assets” that same year, the sportswear titan hinted at future ambitions in this space by way of filed an array of intent-to-use applications in October 2021 for its most famous trademarks – word marks “Nike,” “Just Do It,” “Jordan,” and “Air Jordan,” its iconic swoosh logo, the Jordan silhouette logo, and a stylized combination of its name and the swoosh – for use on various virtual goods/services, kicking off a frenzy of similar filings by brands across industries.

Since then, Nike, Inc. acquired RTFKT, “a leading brand that leverages cutting edge innovation to deliver next generation collectibles that merge culture and gaming,” in December 2021 in furtherance of what Nike President and CEO John Donahoe said was “another step that accelerates Nike’s digital transformation.”

As for its actual output in the web3 front, Nike, landed in the top spot on a list of large brands that are generating revenue from non-fungible tokens (“NFTs”). According to data from Dune Analytics, which sheds light on the primary sales revenues, secondary transactions, and royalties associated with some of the early-moving brands participating in the NFT space, as of this summer, Nike had generated a total of $185.31 million in revenue from its NFT collections, namely, those from RTFKT. In addition to primary revenue, Nike boasts big number in terms of primary sales revenue ($93.1 million) secondary transactions (67.4k), secondary volume ($1.29 billion), and total royalties ($92.21 million). 

In conjunction with the announcement, counsel for Nike filed a trio of intent-to-use trademark applications for registration for “.Swoosh”, “DOTSWOOSH”, and a stylized version of the swoosh logo with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for use in Classes 9, 16, 18, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 42, and 45.

Content Creator to CPG Company

Why is it easier to shift from content creator to consumer product good company than vice versa? Voted as one of the most innovated companies in 2019, Hodinkee is a successful company that leveraged this strategy. Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism alum and Founder and CEO, Ben Clymer started Hodinkee as a forum for watch aficionados. During this time, Ben and his team of writers made Hodinkee the go to site for everything watches through their educational and entertaining digital content. In 2012, the Hodinkee shop was launched and is now considered one of the most trusted sites for accessory and timepiece consumers.

 

Haven’s Kitchen is a premier sauce company utilizing the same strategy to help promote, build awareness, and a relationship with their consumers. Their mission is to make every home cook a champion. They have been successful at this mission through all of their digital platforms .Haven’s Kitchen has amassed over 200k followers on Pinterest because of their recipes and educational posts. Will this be a go to strategy for budding entrepreneurs? The main motivator of intentionally building rapport and a loyal following is that it lowers customer acquisition costs. Because Hodinkee and Haven’s Kitchen have such a strong following, they are able to leverage their platforms when promoting new products instead of depending on the costly Google Search Ads or other means of expensive marketing. We are seeing more examples of this through influencers and celebrities who are launching their own consumer product goods. This is becoming a norm and an expectation for new generations. It will be interesting to see if and how incumbent and older companies like McCormick, who own 80% of the spice category compete with rising digital content creator, Just Spices. 

Experiential Marketing in the Digital Space

 

In recent years, we’ve seen the rise of experiential marketing, where brands create engaging and interactive marketing event on the ground, typically in the form of a popup store showcasing product features or brand value with games, sensational experience, or festivals. 

However, good experience marketing doesn’t always have to be in-person; there can be digital experience marketing too. For example, recently Benefits created a virtual experience with Augmented Reality and users can use their phone to find tokens in their physical space. The tokens can be exchanged for Benefits product discounts or samples. The campaigned has created a conversion rate of over 50%. 

Gamification is the key to increase engagement time and conversion rates. Adults love games too! Gamification doesn’t have always to be purchase driven. An interactive game can also deliver brand stories and drive long term customer retention and repurchase. 

Given the rise of metaverse, markets may have better infrastructure to create even more immersive digital experience for marketing purpose. There are already Metaverse fashion show and concerts that brands are leveraging. When virtual reality penetration increases in the future, brands can use the technology to fully replicate or even go beyond the current experiential marketing on the ground. Minting limited NFTs and other digital assets with utility or collection value could also create additional revenue streams.   

Video's role in Marketing

Video can be a valuable tool for helping internet businesses with building brand loyalty and acquiring new customers. Video content has been proven as one of the best approaches to capturing and retaining users because it’s an influential storytelling tool to quickly tell a story that intrigues, informs, and impacts people. 

The rise of video marketing is strongly associated with the creator economy – creator-led content dominates social media video content and in order for brands to be competitive, brands have to also develop a creator strategy. 

It’s telling that TikTok was the most downloaded social media app this year and the app is completely dedicated to video content. Video marketing has grown by 25% in the last six years and viewers retain 95% of a message watched in a video versus reading it by text. In addition, 88% of people say they’ve been convinced to buy a product or service after watching a brand’s video. Video is a valuable medium because it not only improves SEO, but also gives the brand a platform to reach customers directly at a lower cost than TV ads.

Short-form video is the future of video marketing and its key for brand awareness and reaching a targeted audience. With content overload happening all over the internet, short-forms video lets the audience consume information at a faster pace while also giving the brand an opportunity to display their brand proposition in a personable way for users. 

 

Twitter - Risk and Potential for Marketers

Twitter – Risk and Potential for Digital Marketers

With Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter for $44B last month, the tumultuous first few weeks have brought significant layoffs, exits of senior leadership, and an increase in hate speech on the platform. Twitter users are threatening to depart to legacy platforms (e.g., Tumblr) as well as try new entrants (e.g., Mastadon). The volatility of the platform is certainly raising alarms for brands and digital marketers to proceed with caution. If Twitter continues this downward spiral, it’s likely that more advertisers will withdraw investments in the platform. 

 

However, with Musk’s original intent to minimize the allegedly rampant bot presence on Twitter, there could be a sliver of hope for marketers if the company can stabilize. Reducing bots and potentially improving ad targeting would make Twitter a more viable platform for marketers to generate the meaningful conversion rates. 

 

Even still, with Musk opening new revenue streams through subscription, Twitter Blue for users to pay a monthly fee for a blue checkmark, it’s possible that Twitter differentiates away from ad revenue. This could reduce the focus on improving the ad targeting capabilities for marketers as the firm seeks to grow through delivering additional value to subscribers.

 

As for now, it will likely be a wait and see approach for marketers as Musk attempts to stabilize both employees and users in the coming weeks and months.

 

https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/elon-musk-completes-44-bln-acquisition-twitter-2022-10-28/

Chief Twit

The past couple of weeks, I’ve been obsessively following Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter. Elon Musk is a polarizing character – but whatever your perception of him, he has established a reputation as an effective executive that has an inspiring vision for the companies he leads (and a vision for the future of humanity at large). Twitter is an incredibly important platform in our society; it’s as close as we have to a “public square”.  

Perhaps the most challenging issue at hand for Elon and Twitter is its ability to return to profitability. Furthermore, Elon’s has proclaimed he will do this with only a minority of the revenue coming from advertising. I am not a digital marketing expert, but based on my instincts – complemented by what I have learned in this class – I am very doubtful as to whether this can happen. Twitter currently makes such a small proportion of its revenue from non-advertising streams that its challenging to imagine a near to mid-term future where such a revenue is possible. 

With that said, a hallmark of Elon’s leadership is his ability to achieve the unachievable, and I don’t think anyone would underestimate his determination to succeed. It will be interesting to see where Twitter is at in 12-18 months… I will be watching!

Marketing Measurement: No Silver Bullet

A significant advantage of digital media over other channels is its measurability - the ability to more easily quantify the value that can be attributed to investments in digital ads versus other forms of more traditional media. This doesn't mean however that a perfect single solution for measuring digital media effectiveness exists - yet for too long many advertisers have relied solely on models like last-touch attribution that provide a too-narrow view into the impact that their digital campaigns are driving. Working in advertising, I have seen a shift amongst marketers towards an approach some companies have started dubbing as a "Measurement 360" approach. 

I think it's appropriate that this approach is described through a framework that illustrates how measuring the effectiveness of digital media is an iterative approach that involves a suite of tools and processes as opposed to a single solution that represents one absolute source of truth. Recognizing the unique value-adds and drawbacks of tools like MMM vs. experimental testing vs. more real-time attribution is important when defining clear swimlanes for each piece of a Measurement 360 approach. As more marketers move towards an approach that ditches over-reliance on one single solution and more openly acknowledges that measuring media isn't about finding a single absolute value (vs. a range of potential outcomes), I become more optimistic about the efficiencies and accretive value that digital advertising can continue to deliver for brands in the future. 

Will I watch broadcast tv when I retire? Wait, that's not how statistics works?

https://www.axios.com/2022/08/02/record-ad-spend-for-2022-midterms

I suppose the midterm elections are still fresh on our minds. (technically they're not even over yet - hooray for me as a Georgia resident!). Who in the world is watching broadcast tv these days? (actually quite rhetorical if you just think about it for a minute)

Through August of '22, $3.6B had been spent on political and issues ads. It's estimated "that $1.5 billion will be spent on connected TV ads this year, surpassing the $1.3 billion it expects to be spent on Google and Facebook." Now, connected TV I get, but what the hey about the $2.1B spent on broadcast TV? I mean, who is really watching that these days?

Or maybe it's something a bit more interesting? Supposedly there are rules in place to provide equal amounts of airtime (if requested) to the various political interests. What is driving the massive gaps in cost? Could it be the so-called "super PAC tax"? Probably. Republicans, whose '22 fundraising is anemic when compared with the Democrats, are relying heavily on the super PACs to fund ads. Meanwhile, the Democrats are able to run ads at a ~50%+ discount rate due to the ability to use candidate funds. (wow! who knew your donations actually like, made a difference?)

Anyways, there's probably another blog post in here about how Democrats have a substantial edge for all voters under 40 - the digital media users, cord cutters, etc; Republicans are paying an uber premium to reach their recent voter base - apparently people who still watch broadcast tv? (Hi dad!)

Why political advertising is moving away from Facebook

The recent midterm elections illustrated the stark decline in political ad spending on Facebook, likely as a result of a few key factors:

• Apple’s 2021 iOS privacy changes has limited advertisers’ ability to target voters;

• a sensitivity to overreliance on one particular platform;

• the maturation of connected streaming devices and platforms.

Political ads have historically been a relatively small part of Facebook’s overall business, so the significance of this shift is less about lost revenue (although Facebook’s stock has tanked recently) and more about the impact of privacy changes on industries that rely on highly targeted advertising. Connected streaming devices and services have matured such that location and behavioral click-through data can enable targeted advertising, and the tools to push those ads are comparably easy to that of Facebook, but I think it’s just a matter of time before the same privacy concerns crop up and limit ad effectiveness.

I think this highlights an interesting tension between effective advertising and user privacy. On one hand, if users are going to be served ads regardless, then they probably want ones that are more relevant than not. On the other hand, targeted advertising can create filter bubbles and perpetuate racial biases and inequality, amongst other unintended (or even intentional) consequences. I don’t know what the right answer is – and I’m not even sure there is one, given how rapidly the advertising landscape and accompanying legal and regulatory policies are changing – but it’s interesting to watch advertisers and ad platforms continuously try to adjust to an ever-changing industry.

Article: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/02/facebook-has-lost-political-ad-dollars-since-apple-crackdown.html

Will There be a Twexodus?

By and large, I've been amused by the brand impersonator accounts popping up since Musk's half-cooked launch of "Twitter Blue," aka paid verification. The NYTimes shared a nice roundup, including:

• "Verified" Eli Lily announcing they're making insulin free;
• "Verified" Nintendo sharing a photo of Mario giving the middle finger;
• "Verified" President Biden sharing some sexually explicit content;
• "Verified" Pepsi asserting Coke is better;
• "Verified" Lockheed Martin ceasing weapons production in support of human rights

I suppose if I were an Eli Lily shareholder, I'd be less amused: according to Forbes, it may have caused a 4.7% plunge in their stock price.

There are obvious averse implications on brand safety that have resulted in many brands pausing or terminating their twitter advertising.

Beyond alienating brands, he's alienated his workforce. Musk dismissed the Human Rights team; he dismissed the Ethical AI team; he dismissed anyone who openly criticized him. Worse yet, he mocked them afterwards.

The monetization failure, when paired with the sweeping, haphazard and unempathetic layoffs that rocked LinkedIn feeds over the last few weeks, leads me to wonder how many users will remain in the long term. Users are already searching for alternatives.

In our last guest lecture, we heard that conversations on twitter (which vary in level of rigor, professionalism, and source, spanning personal opinions, to news, to gossip) may move to other platforms like LinkedIn, which will be an interesting challenge for LinkedIn moderators, who have managed to maintain a relatively professional content feed.

If that is indeed the case - where will traffic move to, and how do marketers adjust? In today's issue of the Marketing Brew, the editors shared a link to A Beginner's Guide to Mastodon. Will traffic move there, and if so, would it serve marketers to begin planting seeds in alternatives? Will advertising work similarly in these platforms, or will the potential twitter exodus give rise to a new industry of experts in alt-social media?

Elon Musk

Elon Musk made the rounds a few weeks ago, visiting our companies CEO to assure us that Twitter was still a great place for advertisers. He is a dynamic yet divisive leader - while he has achieved great things, he also veers far from the status quo. I can understand why this makes advertisers and pundits uncomfortable. 

Growing up during Twitter (and many other social platforms) inception and evolution has been interesting. I popped on for the first time in a while recently and was excited to see it's become more of a discovery platform. Overarchingly, I think anything that gets generations reading and thinking and caring about the world around them is a positive thing. But when these platforms begin to represent fake realities, it starts to feel dangerous. 

It makes sense that Twitter has implemented a content moderation panel for the near future while new ownership finds its footing. Looking forward to seeing where Twitter Blue and Priority Ranking for Quality Content evolve to. 

All about conversion rate

https://www.hotjar.com/conversion-rate-optimization/


Increasing traffic is a matter of linking and optimizing for the right keywords.

• To increase interest and awareness, we need to create an eye-catching and compelling headline –  that is relevant to your keyword and compels prospective clients to remain on the page to fulfill purchases or increase clicks.
• To increase the decision, we need to provide specific, targeted content that clearly communicates the offering and speaks directly to the keywords while not becoming too overwhelming for the viewer to digest.
• To increase actions, a user-friendly interface is key. The interface should include all the fields needed to fulfill the offer/interest, clarify the result/feedback, and be consistent with the brand value proposition.

Elon Musk's ZERO cost marketing

https://www.adcore.com/blog/elon-musks-marketing-strategy-secrets/







No wonder Elon is a digital marketing genius who spends 0 on marketing. Key takeaways are:

1. His personal Twitter account is for content marketing. The tweets are the content, and he uses them in the best way possible to promote his business and personal brand

2. Instead of advertising, Elon tries to get people to talk about their products through eye-catching things - the brand gets talked about by not only people who are interested in the product but those who are interested in Elon Musk, the person.

3. Marketing is all about brand awareness. The more people know the brand, the more discussion, the more discussion, the more conversion into sales and revenue.

INTRODUCTION OF ADS ON OTT PLATFORMS

 

 

“Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos confirmed on Thursday that the company would begin testing an ad-supported, lower-priced subscription tier. The streaming company is speaking to multiple potential partners to help ease its entrance into the ad world, Sarandos said while speaking at the international ad festival Cannes Lions. Those partners reportedly include Comcast, NBCUniversal, and Google.”

 

How are ads inserted on OTTs?

 

Ads are inserted on client side or server side of OTT box. Client side addition is an old technique but is susceptible to ad blockers. Since most of the ads are from client side(outside) they could be blocked.

Server side ads integrate in to the content. Also this is added into live broadcasts. Many advantages compared to client side as : solution to ad blocking, eliminates buffering, latency, better experience and implementation.

 

Parties involved are:

• Advertiser — The advertiser is a brand or company looking to get its brand in front of OTT
• Agency — Agency is often an intermediary party that handles ad creation
  
• Demand-Side Platform (DSP) — A DSP is a platform that enables advertisers (or their partner agencies) to buy ad inventory
• Publisher — Publishers are content providers looking for ad demand to monetize
• Supply-Side Platform (SSP) — An SSP is a platform that enables publishers to sell ad inventory
• Ad Server — An ad server is a technology that publishers, advertisers, and video ad networks use to serve ads across various OTT channels.
• Analytics & Optimization — This part of the OTT advertising ecosystem comprises various tools that collect and analyze viewership data.

 

As you can see, the OTT market’s massive potential is only going to keep growing. That is why getting a foothold in the market early on can prove imperative to your success.