To the Promised Land-ing Page!

Let's start off by clearing any confusion... What IS a landing page?

According to HubSpot (you're welcome on this backlink, HubSpot!), "[a] landing page is a web page that allows you to capture a visitor's information through a lead-capture form (AKA a conversion form)." The article goes even further into what makes a good landing page:

A good landing page will target a particular audience, such as traffic from an email campaign promoting a particular ebook, or visitors who click on a pay-per-click ad promoting your webinar. You can build landing pages that allow visitors to download your content offers (ebooks, whitepapers, webinars, etc.), or redeem other marketing offers such as free trials, demos, or coupons for your product. Creating landing pages allows you to target your audience, offer them something of value, and convert a higher percentage of your visitors into leads, while also capturing information about who they are and what they've converted on.

Want to see what an effective landing page looks like? The link above leads to a page where you enter your information before being able to download (or be sent) content... In this particular case, the content is a PDF that has great information on how to BUILD LANDING PAGES.

I have to admit - I have been a sucker for these. I fall for email marketing/landing pages that are executed well and offer content that are worth printing. Here is a short list of the companies that I follow and don't mind sharing my information to in exchange for career-related content:

• Advertising Age - Need I say WHY I grab as much information from them as possible?
• Newscred - Simple, easy-to-navigate website with lots of great insight on several advertising/marketing/social media topics
• HubSpot - "The #1 Marketing Platform" and widely considered as the best lead-generation companion at the moment
• Hootsuite - One of the best, if not the best, social media management service in the industry right now. This is what I use for most of the social media posting and analytics at my current job - very helpful.
• KISSmetrics - "A blog about analytics, marketing, and testing [and social media!]." 

Don't Hate The Advertiser, Hate The Game!

As both an advertising student and a gamer (much MUCH less of the latter recently), I have seen first-hand the different ways that a company can execute in-game advertising (IGA). Mentioned in the lecture, IGA can be in a form of a "static" item within the game, a rich media item within the game, or the entire game itself. With the consistent progression of different forms of gaming (mobile/social, console, MMO, etc.), IGA is becoming a very attractive channel for brands because of the increase in accessibility and interactivity both inside and outside of the game. Especially with the development of technology such as the Oculus Rift, IGA will continue to be a very logical choice for advertising.

So how effective is in-game advertising? A recent report by MediaBrix, an ad network for mobile and social gaming, shows that video ads associated with gaming sites generate an average CTR of 3%, which is roughly 30 times higher than the CTR of standard online advertising campaigns (0.10%), Facebook ads (0.03-0.11%) and rich media banner ads (0.12%). Throughout the different gaming platforms, an average player spends 30-40 minutes per gaming session, with some regions going all the way up to 50 minutes (compared to the average of 5 minutes that 80% of average news site visitors get). In addition, players play games with the mindset of being fully engaged in the experience (a positive frame of mind). Essentially, this is one of the reasons why IGA is producing better rates than ads on other forms of entertainment.

Here are other reasons why in-game advertising should be taken into consideration when it comes to an advertiser's media planning:

• … Advertisements can now be dynamically delivered and updated in-game based on multiple criteria, such as players’ demographic, regional, and gamer profile, time of the day, etc. (Frontiers)
• Apart from reaching an ever-growing, diverse audience and the possibility to dynamically place, track, and alter ad units in games, the appeal of IGA also lies in the long shelf-life and replay value of games (the average game is played for up to 30 hours), and the fact that integrating ads into digital games can provide brands with the opportunity to become an integral part of the digital game experience, reaching out to players in a highly vivid, interactive and immersive entertainment environment. (Frontiers)
• Casual gaming offers advertisers a low-risk, brand-safe environment. Advertisers don’t need to worry that their ads will be placed next to content that is either band for the brand to be associated with or in a forum where people are likely to be discussing that brand in a negative light. (Mediapost)

Lastly, I would like to share some statistics that Microsoft concluded from one of their campaigns for Bing.com. In additional to traditional channels, Microsoft decided to include in-game advertising... And here are some of the results:

For more information on the entire case study (especially on the execution of the in-game ads), click HERE to download the PDF.

You Wanna' Go, Pro?

Since its release, the "World's Most Versatile Camera" has silently taken over the world of videos and video marketing. But what made GoPro so successful in their marketing?

You.

GoPro, a San Francisco-based company, found a way to harness user-generated content to its fullest potential. Recently became listed on the NASDAQ (GPRO), their reported numbers have proven that less truly is more (if executed correctly). Check out the charts below:

Comparing their increase in spending to the year-over-year in net income/revenue, GoPro's return on investment has been staggering. Both charts were found on a posting from Wall Street Daily.

So what is GoPro doing to help develop and mine advertising and marketing gold from its users?

GoPro simply hands a wearable camera to an amazing athlete and gets back advertising and marketing gold. Regular customers have become advertisers on a smaller scale, shooting high-quality video, loading it up to YouTube and social networks, and advertising the capabilities of the camera to friends, family, and complete strangers. (Fast Company)

If you think about it, GoPro has really leveled the playing field. Long ago were the days when consumers could only dream of producing high-quality videos - but with a $300-400 device, and a few other attachments, anyone can become an overnight celebrity. Take a few minutes and look at GoPro's YouTube channel (currently reported as the fifth-largest group, with roughly 2.1 million subscribers), or simply watch the video provided below to see how users have used (and helped advertise) the brand:


Here are a few more information/statistics on the growth of the GoPro and its use within video marketing, whether for the company or for the users themselves:

• “Currently, about 6,000 videos a day are posted on YouTube with the word GoPro in its title or description, and the number of videos increased 60% in 2013 compared with the previous year. The total time of the GoPro videos span 2.8 years, YouTube reports.” (NYDN)
• "GoPro boasts 222 million views on its YouTube channel and 4.7 million likes on Facebook." (Forbes)
• "Shaun White, who says he used to tape old cameras to his hand, used GoPros on his runs during the Winter X Games. Hollywood directors, including Michael Bay, keep crates of them on set. The NFL has tested them in their end zone pylons to capture touchdown replays. The Rolling Stones deployed them on stage. Police forces and the U.S. military have started to incorporate the cameras into training exercises. Woodman, who calls it a “life” camera, proved the point by wearing one on his chest at the deliveries of his sons." (Forbes)
• "... GoPro monopolizes more than 70% of the wearable sports camera market..." (Wall Street Daily)

Lastly, here is my personal favorite:

What, Who, Where, When, Why--Google Partners

After last week's guest speaker, I wanted to find out more on how to become a certified Google Adwords user. Considering I have hopes on starting my own agency, one that focuses on the online advertising and analytics, I felt that being able to say that I am a Google Partner would only be beneficial to my brand.

What is Google Partners?

"Google Partners is Google’s platform for agencies, online marketing consultants and other web professionals who want to get the most out of their relationship with Google. Members receive exclusive access to a range of benefits including live training events, industry insights, extra support, promotional offers, beta test opportunities, professional networking and other tools designed just for agencies."

Who can join Google Partners?

"Anyone can join Google Partners. However, the program is specially designed to support agencies and web professionals who help advertisers with AdWords and other Google advertising solutions. Qualifying companies can achieve Google Partner status, earn the Google Partner badge, and receive leads from Google Partner Search."

Where can I sign up to be a Google Partner? <-- Link!

When do I officially become a certified Google Adwords user/Google Partner?

"To become Adwords or video advertising certified as a Google Partner, whether as an individual or as a company, you need to pass two out of the three tests:

Personal Screenshot

 Advertising Fundamentals: This test is a required test for all aspiring Google Partners. It consists of 90 questions with a time limit of 120 minutes. To pass, a user must score an 85% or higher. To prepare, Google provides 11 lessons that range from videos to PDFs.

Advanced Search: 98 questions in 120 minutes with an 80% passing score; 9 lessons to study from. 

Advanced Display: 88 questions in 120 minutes with a 70% passing score; 4 lessons to study from."

Why become a Google Partner? 

"With Partner status, your agency can get recognized as a trusted business partner by Google and by clients.

Partner status also gives agencies access to the Partner badge and Google Partner Search, helping to generate new client leads. Google Partner Search is a tool that AdWords advertisers can use to search for professionals to manage their accounts."

 

 

 

 

 

So, Why Email Marketing?

Here is a list of statistics that I found that can make or break your next advertising decision and using email as a delivery channel:

• There are 3.6 billion email accounts in 2013. By 2016, the number will reach 4.3 billion. (Salesforce)
• 48% of consumers say email is their preferred form of communication with brands. (Yahoo!)
• 91% of consumers check their email daily. (HubSpot)
• Email marketing has an ROI of 4,300%. (HubSpot)
• A recent study concluded that email is almost 40 times better at acquiring new customers than Facebook and Twitter. (Capterra)
• 81% of US digital shoppers surveyed said they were at least somewhat likely to make additional purchases, either online or in a store, as a result of targeted emails. (Business2Community)
• More than 70% of mobile purchasing decisions are influenced by promotional emails. (Visual.ly)

When designing how to execute your next email marketing message and/or campaign, here is a list of statistics to keep in mind:

• Adding social sharing buttons to email messages an increase click-through rates by more than 150%. (Yahoo!)
• In 2013, 62% of emails were opened on a mobile device (48% on smartphones and 14% on tablets). (Yahoo!)
• 1/3 of email recipients open emails based on subject line alone. (Visual.ly)

Be Part of the Sharing Economy: Airbnb

Sharing economy, peer economy, asset light lifestyle, collaborative consumption--whatever you want to call it, technology and the internet have made it possible for millions of people to share personal assets. At affordable rates, interested users can now rent assets such as housing and cars from people who are willing to be hosts for a limited amount of time. According to The Economist:

Such “collaborative consumption” is a good thing for several reasons. Owners make money from underused assets. Airbnb says hosts in San Francisco who rent out their homes do so for an average of 58 nights a year, making $9,300. Car owners who rent their vehicles to others using RelayRides make an average of $250 a month; some make more than $1,000. Renters, meanwhile, pay less than they would if they bought the item themselves, or turned to a traditional provider such as a hotel or car-hire firm. (It is not surprising that many sharing firms got going during the financial crisis.) And there are environmental benefits, too: renting a car when you need it, rather than owning one, means fewer cars are required and fewer resources must be devoted to making them.

Image is from Airbnb.

The poster-child of the sharing economy, a company mentioned from the excerpt from above, is Airbnb. Started in 2007, Airbnb founders Joe Gebbia and Brian Chesky were "just trying to get their makeshift website online so they could rent out air mattresses to guests in their apartment [and] called their service Airbed & Breakfast."Recently valued at $10 billion, Airbnb released a major rebranding effort that could lead to an expansion of other sharing services in the future. Chesky hopes that their new logo becomes a "universal symbol of sharing."

Here are some of the key points that the co-founders of Airbnb want Belo to represent:

• "Airbnb is about belonging anywhere. The brand shouldn't say we're about community, or our international [reach], or renting homes--it's about belonging."
• A symbol that "anyone can create, whether drawn on a mirror or etched in the sand, every single person can have their own impression of the brand."
• [In regards to other brands not allowing users to recreate their brand and cease-and-desist letters] "We wanted to do the opposite."

Previous Airbnb logo. Image is from Business Insider.

New Airbnb logo. Image is from Forbes.

What do you think of the brand new logo? Was the team responsible of the rebrand successful at portraying the essence of the brand? Let me know what you think by posting in the comments.

Chipotle - Beyond the Foil

One of the most distinguishable extensions of a brand, especially one that participates in the fast food industry, is in the form of packaging. On May 15, 2014, Chipotle (widely recognized by their iconic foil-wrapped gourmet burritos) launched their "Cultivating Thought" campaign series that features "original essays written by thought-leaders, authors, actors and comedians on its restaurant packaging."The campaign is led by New York Times best-selling author Jonathan Safran Foer (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Eating Animals, Everything is Illuminated) and includes several other influential personalities such as: Malcolm Maldwell, Bill Hader, Sarah Silverman, and several others.

An example of the cups being used by Chipotle as part of a new series that includes writing by authors like Toni Morrison, George Saunders and Jonathan Safran Foer. (Image and caption from The New York Times)

Today, I had the privilege of satisfying my lunch-hunger with a Chipotle bowl. Personally, I didn't quite pay attention to the printed-content of my to-go bag because I was either too busy enjoying my food or I was already on my way back to work. It wasn't until I placed the recycled, brown bag on my desk that I noticed the "Two Minutes of Rambling Wisdom" by Judd Apatow. Here's a thought-provoking excerpt from his piece, printed on one side:

"Don't be a jerk. Try to love everyone. Give more than you take. And do it despite the fact that you only really like about seven out of 500 people."

Upon doing a little bit of research, I ran into a few articles that saw the negative out of the thoughtful campaign. As it turns out, Chipotle's "Cultivating Thought" campaign did not include any Mexican/Mexican-American authors in its series. Several popular media sources, including The Huffington Post, have posted about the matter while some have voiced their opinions through social media. Although Chipotle has given a "reasonable" response (reportedly reached out to more than 40 authors, which included a few Latino writers), the campaign continues to be a trending topic amongst the company's followers, especially in the Mexican community.

What do you think of Chipotle's "Cultivating Thought" campaign? Did not having a Mexican/American Mexican author as part of the launch hurt the brand? Why or why not? Please feel free to discuss in the comments below.

The "Cultivating Thought" campaign can be viewed in its entirety at cultivatingthought.com.