Geary Fresh

Angry Groupies

Is it a gift card? A cash voucher? A coupon? No it’s a Groupon!

The daily deal website is being sued by one of their not so supportive “groupies.” Eli Johnson is seeking class action status because he was not able to use his Groupon voucher before it expired.

Johnson reportedly claims that the expiration dates on the company’s coupons violate the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act, which prohibits the sale of gift certificates that expire within five years of when they are purchased (www.internetretailer.com).

And what has gotten this specific man’s boxers in a bunch?

He was not able to play a 30 minute game of Whirleyball with his friends. Is missing out on this rousing combination of bumper cars, polo and jai alai worth the court battle? He thinks so.

Along with short expiration dates, Groupon’s fine print has caused other “groupies” to get riled up. Many of the vouchers may be limited to a single transaction, leaving part of the customer’s value unused. Some of the deals have blackout dates, restricting when the product/ service can be redeemed. Plus, the vouchers often cannot be used on alcohol, tax or tip.

Groupon has responded to the customer complaints by offering refunds to unsatisfied customers. They have also increased their customer service support; which accounts for about 20% of their global workforce (www.adage.com).

So online shoppers beware… read Groupon’s fine print!

Where do you want to go? Lessons from the travel industry

Where do you want to go? Lessons from the travel industry

The travel industry is transitioning again with web properties, brands and apps all clamoring for our attention. What can all marketers take away from these changes? Buckle your seat belt folks.

First the aggregator changes:  Like many industries, aggregation and affiliates have become a robust part of the business model.  For the hospitality industry, OTA (online travel agents) are still a major part of the equation, with Expedia being the #3 most visited travel site behind maps sites, but also on the Top 10 were Southwest and Delta (#4 and #9) respectively (eMarketer.com, 12/10). With Southwest running ads that you can only book on their site and Delta continuing to drop OTAs, the marketplace seems to be even more fragmented. As a consumer, I’m not sure if I should go to Kayak.com and open window after window, straight to the airlines or just get a personal assistant to book my travel.

There are few new entrants on the market as highlighted by Fast Company. Hipmunk was highlighted and goes right to my pain point with “agony” ratings (i.e. how painful it would be to fly from the West Coast to Atlanta just to get to DFW). Although it doesn’t have flexible dates, it does give me some great options to ease the pain.

Ultimately, these services keep popping up because the system which once seemed to be getting easier is once again getting harder for the consumer and the marketer. The marketer’s battle for positioning with SEO and expenditures for paid search and display advertising is intense. Google Places also now has drop down functionality and is pulling in OTA rates for locations such as hotels.

Marketers need to be especially aware how they and their partners work together online with strong attribution models and governance agreements.

Second, the rise of the app: The Donnie Deutsch axiom, “there’s gotta be a better way” has pushed companies and marketers to be more innovative.  Cue the apps marketplace. There are so many that I’m constantly on my phone on a trip (see T&L’s Top 10 Apps). This is wonderful, and according to my colleagues, completely normal; however reality sets in when I have no reception.  Ah the yuppie cry for help when I can no longer use my Google Maps. I was like a lost puppy when my phone could not pull up all of my best laid plans (directions, reservations, phone numbers to local eateries, etc) on my last trip. And so I go back to marketers, what kind of utility can you create throughout the process, not just at the point of purchase or early on, that keeps me engaged and connected (and not lost).

So what is next and how can marketers capitalize on the ever changing digital marketplace? Get your ducks in a row first. Learn from the hospitality industry that being in the place where your customers are (Google Places, OTAs) is critical. Get your media dialed in. You are either losing market share or throwing money away if your media is a mess. Be innovative if appropriate and sometimes just making consumers’ lives easier is just the right dose of innovation. Safe travels marketers.

Does someone have a grudge against Google?

Google’s algorithm has been scrutinized recently as name brands have made headlines for their questionable link building practices. One might think that only the offending companies would have PR issues, but because the offending sites successfully increased their rankings, the quality of Google’s algorithm has also been of interest. No one is saying that Google is losing ground or suddenly doesn’t serve the best results. In fact, more people are wondering who is behind this PR attack on Google. There are a few competitors that could be the culprit, but no one has found concrete evidence proving who is after Google’s blood.

There has to be someone though. By and large, mainstream media like the New York Times and Wall Street Journal do not cover SEO (at least not in this great of detail). Rightfully so, the ins and outs of search engine algorithms do not appeal to the general public, but sensational stories about companies being knocked down a peg or two are definitely interesting. With 3 mainstream articles being published in the last few months, it is too big of a coincidence to think that these publications would be able to churn out these stories together on their own. I mean no offense to either publication, as their are the best we have, but they had to be tipped off. While I do tend to be a conspiracy theorist, I think there is probable cause that someone has been helping out the media.

Search Engine Watch contends that there are only a few companies that would be willing to tackle Google–especially on the grounds of quality. We will have to wait and see how this all plays out and how Google will respond if other stories surface.

The magic of Apple’s PR

Apple has created an atmosphere where there is so much buzz around impending product announcements that I wonder how much they let publicity affect their plans. Take, for example, the iPad 2. People are anticipating its release, hypothesizing about new features and speculating how it will impact the tablet market. In the middle of all this excitement, rumors surfaced that there are manufacturing delays that could possibly delay the launch (the hypothetical launch that is supposedly in the works).

People went into a frenzy.

Question: If Apple delays their iPad launch until June, other companies might get in there and take over market share. Question: Can Apple hang onto the market? Question: Does this reflect a post-Jobs Apple? An amazing sense of urgency was created about the launch of a product that hasn’t even been announced yet. Does Apple let this get to them? Are they rushing the supposedly tardy manufacturer? They cannot just ignore such speculation, but what can they do?

If you were Apple, would you turn a deaf ear to this? Would you try to meet demands/ expectations? Would you call it a double edge sword that also helped you reach cult-status?

Marketers Love Valentines Day

Valentine’s Day is a big holiday for marketers. Consumers (begrudgingly) come out to shop for their sweeties, and in many cases, V-Day shopping involves digital channels. Here is a quick look at how Valentine’s Day looks from a digital marketing perspective:

• - Twenty-three percent of all internet users are planning to shop online.
• - Top 10 February Keywords by Volume (2010)- Flowers, Valentine’s Day, Flower Delivery, Roses, Valentine’s Day Gifts, Flower, Vermont Teddy Bear, Orchids, Valentine’s Gifts
• - Leading up to Valentine’s Day from February 1 to February 12, the average CPC for the top ten terms increased 32x.
• - Online shoppers plan to spend a combined net average of almost $200 for Valentine’s Day, or about two-thirds more than offline-only shoppers.
• - E-commerce sales of flowers will increase 9 percent, and jewelry sales will increase 11 percent.
• - Online shoppers plan to spend a net average of $114.25 on just their significant other or spouse, about 66% more than offline only shoppers.
• - 58% of consumers in 2010 said they look at restaurant menus online, up from 31% in 2005
• - 27% of consumers said they make reservations for dining online in 2010, up from 10% in 2005.
• - Everspark identified nine terms that were uncharacteristically “volcanic” in popularity the last two Valentine’s Days. In no particular order, they were:
  • - Olive Garden
  • - Red Lobster
  • - Applebee’s
  • - Outback
  • - Outback Steakhouse
  • - Outback Steakhouse coupons
  • - Outback Steakhouse menu
  • - Chili’s
  • - Macaroni Grill

Sources:

Married vs unmarried online shoppers opinions in 2010:

• - http://totalaccess.emarketer.com/Chart.aspx?Ntk=basic&Ne=1047&R=92568&N=908&Ntt=valentines+day&xsrc=chart_head_sitesearchx&No=1

Retail Ecommerce Sales Growth by Category, 2010-2014:

• - http://totalaccess.emarketer.com/Chart.aspx?R=105199&Ntt=flowers&No=-1&xsrc=chart_head_sitesearchx&N=0&Ntk=basic

Survey conducted by BIGresearch:

• - http://blog.shop.org/2011/02/01/online-shoppers-to-treat-loved-ones-this-valentines-day/

Info provided by the National Restaurant Association’s 2011 Restaurant Industry Forecast:

• - http://thepacker.com/Forecast-calls-for-improving-restaurant-outlook/Article.aspx?oid=1304764&fid=PACKER-FOODSERVICE&aid=117

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110210006469/en/Valentine%E2%80%99s-Day-Search-Report-Shows-%E2%80%9CFlowers%E2%80%9D-Love

Fox News

• - http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/lifestyle/2011/02/07/slackers-wait-afternoon-valentines-day-restaurant/

Checking Out Check-in Marketing

Fourquare takes advantage of our competitive natures; more than wanting to be mayor, I don’t want someone else to trump me. New platforms and technologies are tapping into another weakness–our desire for deals. Shopkick in particular has developed a model that has equal parts discounted rates and convenience, so it’s hard to see a downside for retailers to get involved. According to Business Insider, retailers only pay Shopkick when consumers actually enter a store. For retailers the ability to drive foot traffic with a mobile app is pretty great.  Here’s a break down of the model:

• Users initiate the app and can either check into a nearby store (much like Foursquare) or they can earn more points if they actually enter a store.
• This is tracked by technology that pings a cell phone.
• Once inside a store, consumers can earn additional points by scanning certain merchandise or other actions like trying on clothes.
• Once a certain number of points are earned, consumers can trade them in for gift cards or Facebook credits.

Technology like this does two things for marketers. One, there is a solid, undeniable connection between digital and in-store behavior that can be tracked. Secondly, its encourages foot traffic, which is always desirable for retailers with merchandise that needs to be tried on/ touched/ experienced.

How would you use this technology? Do you see value in check-in marketing?

Do you “like” my bean dip? Marketing Lessons from the Super Bowl

According the WSJ, 54.8 million people watched the Steelers vs. Jets game. The Super Bowl may double that number. And it seems that this year, most advertisers are finally getting on the integration bandwagon.

This may seem like a no-brainer, but consider Ad Age reports that, “E-Trade was the only advertiser among the 2009 and 2010 Super Bowl rosters to even add a tease to its Facebook or Twitter presence at the close of the ad”.

You are falling behind the competition if you are not integrated:

Companies are finally seeing that integrated campaigns can have a positive return such as the Old Spice campaign which started as a commercial, then got integrated after the suds had subsided.  Old Spice is now the,  “#1 body wash brand for men” (Source: http://www.digitalbuzzblog.com/old-spice-social-campaign-case-study-video/).

So what can you learn from these Super Bowl big spenders? Here’s what Geary is thinking about:

-          Conversations are a two way street

• People are talking about your brand so be prepared to hear things you may not want to hear. Be there, listen and give them something of interest.

-          The Super Bowl is not it

• Marketers are creating buzz for weeks. Some are treating the commercial as an event with games and promotions for weeks before and after. This includes paid search ads and SEO  with keywords from ads, social media as the center of the campaign and press to drive awareness and traffic.  Interesting examples include:
  • BMW is having a create your own BMW on Facebook to be given away during the Super Bowl. (link)
  • Bud Light – Unlock the Spot campaign, if they guess correct they unlock the ad (link)

-          Think beyond B2C

• It’s not all about chips. Football fans have jobs too. B2B company Salesforce.com will be featuring their first ad this year and trying to stay in front of decision makers when they can pry themselves away from their smart phones.

-          Think about new ways of measurement

• While commercials are difficult to measure awareness, the digital space is a little more forgiving. By implementing closed loop tracking (think keyword to purchase and beyond), you can see what is and is not working in real time.

For more tips on integration beyond the big game, you can download Geary’s recent presentation at www.slideshare.net/gearyinteractive.

The benefits of wireframes (aka wahoo for wireframes!)

I know what you are thinking, but you can’t keep me from trying to make them sound as exciting to you as they are to me.  Wireframes are not very pretty to look at.  In fact, they are quite intentionally bland and unrefined; otherwise one might mistake them for the actual look and feel of a site.  Still, they are very important.

Here are a few reasons why….

Time-saver. Some may see it unnecessary to demonstrate a black and white version of a site before a full color comp and think “well, we are on a very strict deadline, so we should just go ahead and skip wireframes and move on to design.” Not a good idea.  While wireframes may add another step to design, you can save a great deal of time in the long run because you can address problems early and not wait to resolve problems during full color phase, which takes a lot more time.

In reality, no matter how amazing a comp is the client is going to request revisions. Asking your graphic designers to do multiple revisions in full comp phase will take far more time than wireframes.

Wireframes aid client focus. Rather than allowing the client to get too bogged down by color, text type or other graphical elements, it is best to first focus and approve the structure and layout of a website first. This way, wireframes will help free your graphic designers to do what they do best…make the interface look awesome and engaging through their amazing designs.

Internally collaborative while maintaining our role of what we do best. Graphic designers need time to get their creative juices flowing with a focus on aesthetics, without the additional responsibility of developing the architecture of a website.  Wireframes allow the information architect to do what they do best in organizing and providing sometimes very complex, layouts and content.  When done correctly, this process can allow for a more collaborative process where everyone can use their skill sets appropriately and work together refining the details.

Predict the user experience from the get-go.

Wireframes help everyone start thinking about where important components of a site should live and establish a hierarchy of information based on target audience and client goals.  By adhering to information architecture principles (aka a user centered design, site usability, etc) and creating coherent, logical grouping and layout of an interface will produce a more simplified and smooth user experience.

In a nutshell, wireframes can help us ask important questions early in the design process, avoid time-consuming iterations and aid in the process of creating a logical, solid house for online content to live.  Ultimately, wireframes are a good step in the process to ensure an optimal interface is built to meet both client expectations and user needs.

CES and the year of the tablet

Marketers either love or hate conferences. I love them – even when I’m not there. CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is case and point. For marketers in the tech area, it’s like the Super Bowl (another favorite). But like never before, CES signals how ALL marketers can use innovations in technology to connect with consumers like never before.

A few things I’ll be watching:

1. The keynote from Verizon CEO, Ivan Seidenberg:
   1. Is a Verizon iPhone finally on the horizon. They are already talking about their 4G network and have already started selling the iPad. This (along with continued other smart phone sales) should keep mobile at the forefront of digital marketers’ thoughts.
   2. eBay
      1. Mobile is big for eBay especially with Amazon’s recent app technology. Think apps and barcode scanning. Retailers should know that bargain hunters are comparison shopping in stores in real time. Companies like Sephora have seen this trend and are building their own apps as well.

1. The obsession with tablets
   1. There will be ton of new tablets. It will be a race to figure out which will sink and which will actually be able to compete with the new iPad. For marketers, it means it’s time to think UI as well as utility to discover what your brand delivers to customers.

1. Who’s not there- Apple
   1. They have done announcements during CES in the past. Will they do it again?

What are you looking forward to this week?

Digital moves to the center of the marketing wheel

I like the notion that marketing is a wheel with different spokes that make up one program. Twenty years ago, television was the undisputed center of the marketing wheel. The last 10 years, digital was a forceful spoke, but it was only considered one component of a greater marketing mix. Now, Media Post is claiming that digital has proved itself as the hub of marketing, and that all spokes lead to it.

This probably has to do with its granular tracking capabilities (compared to the broad demographic strokes that broadcast models provide). It also helps that digital channels act like conductors for all other forms of media. No matter the other spokes of a marketing wheel, digital has and will continue to be the connecting link where marketers want to engage consumers. LBS and mobile marketing are just two of the examples of  digital disciplines that enable marketers to connect offline and digital activities.

Moving forward, this will only be more prevalent as marketers refine their marketing wheels to augment the strengths of digital channels.