ROI | Internet Marketing Blog

Facebook IPO filing could come next week

After years of waiting, one of the most widely-discussed IPOs ever -- that of social networking giant Facebook -- is all but certain to happen this year as the company is forced to make public disclosures in the coming months.

The exact timing of Facebook's IPO has been the source of much speculation, but according to the Wall Street Journal, the wait may be over next week.

by Patricio Robles 28 January 2012 18:36pm 2 comments

UK and US retailers benefit from increased search spend

The 2011 holiday shopping season was a banner year for online retail, which broke numerous records. Savvy retailers can pat themselves on the back; the best have become incredibly adept at enticing consumers and delivering a great customer experience.

But they'll probably also want to thank their spend on search according to a new report by IgnitionOne, which found that significant increases in this area for Q4 boosted impressions, clicks and transactions.

by Patricio Robles 13 January 2012 16:33pm 1 comment

Facebook more profitable than Amazon. Who cares?

Facebook's revenue growth over the past several years is almost as impressive as its user growth. And with money pouring in, thanks in large part to advertisers eager to reach consumers on the world's largest social network, its profits are growing. How much?

According to Michael Arrington, Facebook generated nearly $800m in operating income in the first six months of this year.

By comparison, Arrington's sources said the company produced $1bn in operating income in all of last year.

by Patricio Robles 25 October 2011 15:10pm 2 comments

Is Facebook a black hole for brands?

With more than 750m users, Facebook is one of the most populous online hubs through which consumers can be reached.

That, not surprisingly, has made it a platform of significance to brands which thrive only when they reach consumers.

On the surface, many brands are succeeding, piling up 'likes' for their Facebook Pages by the tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, and in some instances, millions.

But according to London-based monitoring and analytics company Market Sentinel, brands aren't doing as well on Facebook as it might appear.

by Patricio Robles 20 September 2011 14:51pm 7 comments

Will $50 in ad credits make small businesses like Facebook?

With more than 750m users, Facebook is the world's largest social network. So it's no surprise that marketers have flocked to the Facebook in an effort to reach consumers online.

But Facebook's COO, Sheryl Sandberg, knows that multinational brands and Madison Avenue ad agencies aren't necessarily the most lucrative group of 'marketers' her company can court.

by Patricio Robles 19 September 2011 15:42pm 1 comment

Daily deals: hazardous to your online reputation?

For many merchants owners, daily deals services are very attractive. Their promise: lots of customers coming through the doors in a short period of time. And no up-front fees to boot.

The appeal of the daily deal has driven the growth of some of the fastest growing companies ever.

by Patricio Robles 13 September 2011 14:24pm 9 comments

Majority of marketers unhappy with mobile ads: report

Recently, Razorfish's Paul Gelb suggested that the spend on mobile ads could soon surpass the spend on television ads, even though television advertising currently has a hundred-billion-dollar-plus lead.

There is, of course, good reason to believe that mobile advertising's best days are ahead. Mobile penetration is significant, and smart phone penetration is growing rapidly.

by Patricio Robles 03 August 2011 14:00pm 1 comment

11 ways to measure the value of social media

This article is the third in a series of ongoing extracts from Econsultancy's new Internet Marketing Strategy Briefing. The free-to-download report covers the most important online trends in digital marketing that currently occurring.

Topics covered within the document include customer centricity, channel diversification, data, social media and content strategy.

This extract, written by Econsultancy's US Vice President of Research, Stefan Tornquist, focuses on the ins and outs of measuring social media.

by Jake Hird 01 August 2011 10:28am 16 comments

25% of hotels still ignoring social media: report

Of the industries impacted by the internet, the travel and hospitality industries are amongst those impacted greatest. While companies within these industries have faced numerous digital challenges, there can be little doubt that the web has benefitted forward thinking players immensely.

When it comes to hotels, however, a survey conducted by TravelClick found that a full quarter were still ignoring social media for purposes of "[increasing] occupancy and revenue per available room."

by Patricio Robles 14 June 2011 13:06pm 3 comments

Demographics aren't dead

Are demographics dead? Will marketers eventually buy most if not all media inventory, including television inventory, on performance-based models instead?

Executives from agency Initiative think so.

by Patricio Robles 13 June 2011 16:58pm 3 comments