by
0 Comments

In Advertising, Consumers Trust Earned Over Owned

posted on September 17, 2012

When it comes to information about a product or brand, the personal recommendation trumps all else. That falls under the category of “earned” advertising. Your product was worthy, so you earned the respect of a consumer, who in turn, passed that good word on to their friends and family. It doesn’t get better than that.

The downside, is that “earned” advertising has to come when it comes. You can’t make it happen on schedule, so that’s where “paid” and “owned” come in.

Take a look at this trust chart from Nielsen and we’ll talk about it on the other side.

It’s a given that consumers don’t put much stock in paid advertising, but look at mobile dragging its knuckles at the bottom of the chart. Mobile phones and tablets are the hottest thing in tech right now, but people are almost universally shunning the ads they see there.

by
0 Comments

Don’t Think Apple Is Trying to Shift the Search Landscape? Think Again

posted on September 17, 2012

At what point do ‘frienemies’ drop the pretense of being friendly? It’s like any other relationship really. It’s when one tells the other that it’s not needed anymore and, in the case of Apple and Google, one side says that they want what the other has.

Apple is making more and more gestures toward a Google-less Apple experience if an iOS6 user would so prefer. The latest move comes in a deal Apple has made with Russian search engine Yandex. TechCrunch reports

Apple’s gradual extrication from Google services is having a knock-on effect in international markets — and Google’s competitors elsewhere. In Russia, the local search leader Yandex is now powering Apple’s mapping service on iOS6 — and TechCrunch understands from sources close to the situation Yandex and Apple are working on an even bigger deal, in which Yandex would become the default search on the mobile version of Safari. In both the case of maps and search, Yandex is/would be replacing Google.

by
0 Comments

Top Social Lead Generators for B2C and B2B Marketers

posted on September 17, 2012

The holy grail of any Internet related marketing effort is lead generation. It’s like that in a good economy and it’s even more important in the continuing sluggish economic climate the US is in (not to mention Europe which is even worse shape).

So what ares of social media provide the greatest bang for the buck? It depends on what type of company you are. As one might expect the B2C market is different than the B2B market. A recent study by Webmarketing123 and reported by eMarketer shows just which social outlets serve each distinct market.

by
0 Comments

Hip Hop Stars and Sharks Heat Up the Summer Social Media Charts

posted on September 14, 2012

Even though the way we watch TV has changed drastically in the past 50 years, the top 5 networks are still running a fall to spring season. But summer is no longer packed with nothing but reruns, it’s now the time when the cable networks lure in an audience with their own original shows.

For me, summer means the return of the crime dramas on TNT and USA. White Collar, Rizzoli and Isles, Leverage. . . but when it comes to social engagement, it’s the reality shows that really shine.

by
0 Comments

Majority of Blackberry Owners Say They’ll Give it Up for iPhone 5

posted on September 14, 2012

Apple has made a business out of creating technology that is obsolete within a year of its release. Let me rephrase, Apple has made a business out of convincing consumers that their technology is obsolete with a year of release.

Are you walking around with an iPhone 4? You might as well have a stone tablet and chisel! It’s time to get a new iPhone!

The recently announced iPhone 5 is thinner, but taller, and faster and smarter than its older siblings, but the only drastic change is the type of connector you use ($$$ Ka-ching!). It’s cool, but not cool enough to spend the big bucks needed to upgrade from my iPhone 4.

Apparently, I’m part of a very small minority. According to a survey by Toluna QuickSurveys, the new iPhone is being welcomed with open arms and wallets.

by
0 Comments

Twitter Submits and Hands Over Occupier Tweets to Judge

posted on September 14, 2012

While Twitter spent many months resisting attempts to hand over tweets to a criminal judge that belong to a member of the Occupy Wall Street movement, it could only hold on for so long. Reuters reports

Twitter handed over tweets from an Occupy Wall Street protester to a New York criminal judge on Friday after months of fighting a subpoena from prosecutors.

The company surrendered the micro-blogging posts to Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Matthew Sciarrino but they will remain under seal until another appeal by the protestor, Malcolm Harris, is argued next week.

Twitter held on as long as they could but Malcolm Harris’ luck with keeping that data private may have just run out.

by
0 Comments

YouTube Looks for Next Gen Video Educators with Khan Academy

posted on September 14, 2012

One of the greatest applications for video of any sort is education. Whether you are a B to C marketer with a product to sell and a need to educate the consumer as to why yours is better or a B to B marketer using video to sell a process or educate existing customers, education works in getting and maintaining users’ attention.

YouTube, who is responsible for the vast majority of viewed videos in the world, is teaming with the folks at Khan academy to help identify and reward the next generation of video educators in its Next EDU Guru program. The YouTube blog explains.