Emerging Media is EMERGING in all Industries

Emerging media is coming to light in all industries. Businesses are realizing the need to embrace emerging media platforms in order to give themselves an edge over the competition.

Real Estate is but one industry embracing emerging media, more specifically the platform of mobile media. Real estate mobile marketing is a highly effective way to supplement regular phone calls, emails and mailings. An increasing number of agents are implementing real estate mobile marketing strategies to generate more business and provide better service to their existing clients (Real Estate Mobile Marketing Strategies., 2015).

Image retrieved from http://www.mobyaffiliates.com/blog/xpressdocs-and-chalk-digital-partner-to-roll-out-geo-targeted-mobile-ad-solution-for-real-estate-clients/

In terms of mobile media, there are various tactics in which to reach a consumer in the market for real estate. Some ways include a mobile website, not only for the agency, but also for a real estate agent, text messages that can be sent out with links to listings and/or real estate related blogs for decorating and home repair tips and tricks, geo-targeting when near a residential or commercial property that is for sale, and coupons for local businesses that can be of assistance when in the midst of a move.

What other emerging media platforms should the real estate industry be utilizing?

 

 

Source:
Real Estate Mobile Marketing Strategies. (2015, May 17). Retrieved October 03, 2016, from http://therealestatetrainer.com/2015/05/17/real-estate-mobile-marketing/

Our Mobile Marketing Nation

We see it everywhere we go in today’s society. Whether you are out to dinner, walking down the street, or even at a movie theatre where your attention should be on the theatre screen. Look around you. Everywhere you look, you see the glow of a cell phone light and someone’s face peering down at it. It’s almost like the light draws you in and keeps you mesmerized no matter what is going on around you.

 

A study recently released by Deloitte found that Americans collectively check their smartphones upwards of 8 billion times per day. That’s an aggregate number that refers to the number of times all Americans throughout the country look at their mobile devices on a daily basis (Eadicicco, 2015). From a marketing standpoint, this number is positive, in that consumers are seeing the ads we are presenting to them.

 

This statistic gives way to the fact that mobile is a viable option for most integrated marketing communications plans, depending on a marketer’s objectives, of course.

 

Are there advantages to using mobile in an IMC plan over traditional mediums?

Of course there are advantages! Some advantages of employing mobile marketing verses traditional media platforms include targeting the consumer in the moment, engaging content, lower costs with higher return on investment (ROI), and the simple ability to stand out in advertising clutter.

 

With these advantages in mind, is your business employing mobile the way it should?

 

Sources:
Eadicicco, L. (2015, December 15). Americans Check Their Phones 8 Billion Times a Day. Retrieved October 02, 2016, from http://time.com/4147614/smartphone-usage-us-2015/

M-commerce: Risk vs. Reward

M-commerce is the buying and selling of goods and services via mobile / wireless technologies and devices. Customers now love shopping online from their mobile phones more than ever, primarily because they can do it whether they’re at home on the couch, on the train on the way to work, or while standing on a long line at the grocery store (Komarek, 2015).

In 2016, it’s kind of astounding that m-commerce isn’t more prevalent than it is. Why is this? What are the risks of m-commerce? What are the rewards?

Consumers are becoming increasingly receptive to new, ever more convenient ways of shopping, banking, stock trading, and so on. But right alongside all the new conveniences will be many new opportunities for cyber crime. Some of the risks that come with mobile commerce and payments are phone-based fraudulent communications such as text message scams, security/accessibility issues, with human nature playing a cameo role within these various scenes (Pravda, 2013). Being proactive, vigilant and employing some common sense in how personal information is used can go a long way in keeping the consumer safe. Think about whom you are willingly giving personal identifiable information (PII) to and make sure they are a reputable brand or company. This will go a long way in keeping one safe from hackers and scams.

There are also great rewards that come with m-commerce, most notably, the convenience it provides. As previously mentioned, you can basically shop from anywhere. And while shopping in an actual brick and mortar store, it can reduce a transaction to the swipe of your phone saving you valuable time. Additionally, a lot of stores and brands are offering loyalty programs with mobile wallets. This can provide additional monetary savings!

The graphic below certainly shows that more and more consumers are adopting m-commerce. Are you utilizing the benefits of m-commerce or do you fear the risks?

Image retrieved from http://www.business2community.com/mobile-apps/5-key-advantages-mobile-commerce-01414032#38996Ws6rDE3DSeg.97

 

 

Sources:
Komarek, J. (2015, December). 5 Key Advantages of Mobile Commerce. Retrieved September 26, 2016, from http://www.business2community.com/mobile-apps/5-key-advantages-mobile-commerce-01414032#38996Ws6rDE3DSeg.97

Does Size Really Matter?

Let’s get our minds out of the gutter and come back to media and marketing. We are asking about screen size here! Does the size of your smartphone/tablet screen make a difference in the way you go about your activities?

There’s no doubt about it: We live in a multiscreen world, and content publishers know that if there’s a screen out there to which they’re not able to deliver, they’re missing out on potential viewers and possibly leaving money on the table (Schumacher-Rasmussen, 2013).

Every year a new smarter, faster, bigger smartphone and/or tablet comes to market. We carry these devices with us everywhere and access them for a various activities including entertainment, paying bills, and shopping. But, do we, as consumers and marketers, need bigger?

The simple answer is yes! How often do you look something up on a smartphone only to move to a tablet or PC to make the actual purchase because there is a bigger screen? I find myself doing this a lot. The larger screen provides a better user experience when shopping. It makes it easier to compare and research a product, and then ultimately make a purchase.

In a 2015 report conducted by IBM, retail websites saw 34.2% of visits from smartphones versus 12.8% from tablets. When it comes to completing the purchase, the numbers reflect a different behavior. Consumers purchase using their tablets 13.6% of the time versus 10.7% for smartphones1. The report suggests that consumers prefer the larger screen to learn about and ultimately purchase their items (Frank, 2015).

Various reports suggest that a larger screen is optimal, but what do you say?

 

 

Resources:
Frank, L. (2015, July 01). Adapting Your Testing to Consumer Behavior. Retrieved September 19, 2016, from http://www.sitespect.com/blog/adapting-your-testing-consumer-behavior

Schumacher-Rasmussen, E. (2013, May 30). Streaming Forum Preview: Does (Screen) Size Matter for Advertisers? Retrieved September 19, 2016, from http://www.streamingmediaglobal.com/Articles/Editorial/Featured-Articles/Streaming-Forum-Preview-Does-(Screen)-Size-Matter-for-Advertisers-89931.aspx

Wearable Technology

In today’s digital world there are not many aspects of life in which we are not connected in some manner. We are connected right down to the clothes we wear on a daily basis. Wearable devices can track nearly everything and anything. They track the biometrics of an athlete’s physical activity, sleep, exposure to sunlight and even the extent of a blow to the head inside a football helmet. Their versatility and portability appeal to consumers and healthcare providers alike. Even our pets are tethered to the digital realm with GPS collars that would help us find them should they wander from home. Is this wearable technology a detriment to society or is being connected aiding in living a better, more efficient existence?

In my opinion, the technology that we are connected to is helpful and even plays a part in keeping us healthy as it can detect abnormal activity in our bodies and let us know where we need to improve performance. Some examples of wearable technology include FitBit, Apple iWatch and various other watches, Google Glasses, connected shoes, shirts and pants.

With all of this connectedness and the positive gains it provides, what are the negative aspects of wearable technology? Does it outweigh the positive attributes that wearable technology provides?

 

 

Resources:

Image retrieved from https://people.rit.edu/sml2565/iimproject/wearables/index.html

Should My Business Put Resources Into Developing an APP?

We are all part of the smartphone and tablet craze! As a matter of fact, a Pew Research Center survey discovered that 68% of adults own a smartphone, while 45% own a tablet. Along with those smartphones comes standard apps as well as millions more that can be downloaded. Often the apps you download are from some of your favorite brands and offer great content, tips, games, and sales or promotion information.

But, should every company invest in developing a mobile application?

The simple answer is… MAYBE. There are a plethora of pros and cons that need to be considered when entering the world of app development. One thing to think about is, who are your target audience? Do they utilize mobile applications? If so, what do they utilize said apps for?

Another consideration is the cost. Costs for app development can be astronomical. Big brands have been known to spend upwards of $3-$5 million on app creation. That number is just for the first year of development. Subsequent years would require additional monetary contributions for upkeep that could be $20,000+ depending on what needs changed or modified. And we all know how fast technology changes.

An alternative to a mobile app would be a responsive mobile website. Again, with a mobile website comes pros and cons. Consider these factors about a mobile website, it’s cheaper, still fast, there is no need to get approval to be on an app store, and maintenance would be easier.

These points only briefly touch on if a business should develop a mobile app or not. They could, however, be a starting point and a push in one direction or another.

 

 

Resources:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2999631/phones/pew-survey-shows-68-percent-of-americans-now-own-a-smartphone.html

The Politics of Mobile

I’m sure everyone has seen the debacle that is the election for the United States President. Is anyone following either of the campaigns? It’s hard not to at least see some portion of them as they are all consuming for the news channels. I’m willing to bet these campaigns have been able to reach each and every one of you in some manner by utilizing a form of emerging media.

Presidential campaigns are a prime example of an entity needing to reach various target audiences, young and old alike, with different incomes, educations and expectations. These campaigns utilize social media platforms such as Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook, as well as television commercials, websites, web banners and email. With all of those platforms, traditional mediums are also still being utilized. What comes to light is that most of these digital platforms are used on a mobile device. America is on the move, all the time, so consumers need their news and presidential campaign updates in motion and on their terms.

According to Naveen Tewari, founder/CEO of InMobi, smartphone usage was at 42 percent during the presidential election in 2012 and is projected to grow to 70 percent this year. With this in mind, smartphones will be the go-to platform of choice among politicians and voters as a way for everyone to become more engaged, and to track and analyze public opinions.

I am certainly a part of that huge number. I have been more engaged in this year’s presidential election than ever before and I keep up with it via my iPhone.

Here is a small sample. Bernie Sanders, although no longer in the race, started using SnapChat. Hillary Clinton is big on Twitter with a huge following.

Think about this the next time you need to reach large and diverse audiences. Mobile might just be the means to get the engagement, conversions and acquisition you desire!

 

 

 

Resource:
http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/mobile-technology-and-the-2016-u-s-presidential-election

Emerging Media. Wait. What is Emerging Media?

What exactly is “emerging media”?
From what I have been able to ascertain from some of my reading, emerging media is any type of innovative communication means that resides within digital technology and tries to get consumers to interact in some manner. These interactions can be merely the sharing of ideas and communicating with other users. There are various forms of emerging media including mobile, digital TV, blogs, social media, podcasts and interactive web pages.

 

Should we be part of every emerging media that comes to existence?
The simple answer here is “no”. It would be impossible to be part of each and every emerging media platform. As a consumer, you can’t possibly be part of every emerging media. The same rings true for a business as well. We must find what works best for us, as marketers, and what platforms our customers are utilizing. Then, resources can be allocated to focusing on those most important emerging media platforms.

 

Why Emerging Media Matters…
Emerging media plays a role in all of our lives. I would even venture to guess that it plays a role every single day in our lives as consumers and marketers alike. Even my 80-year old grandmother is not excluded from emerging media on a daily basis. Here is a snapshot of how emerging media plays a role in just 60 seconds on the internet!

Perhaps this video can paint a better picture about emerging media and get us all hyped to learn more.

In the next couple of weeks, in this blog, we’ll explore different emerging media and how it affects daily life. Stay tuned and we’ll learn about emerging media together!

 

 

Resources:
In 60 Seconds…
http://manjgura.hr/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/internet-1-minute-large1