Are social networks tapped out?
Social networking may be the most notable phenomenon in internet history. Few trends have grown as fast and gone as a far, and it has in many ways fundamentally altered the way hundreds of millions of people use the internet.
But have popular social networks like Facebook tapped out most of their growth potential? According to a new eMarketer report, the answer may be yes.
Currently, just under 64% of the internet users in the United States use social networks. By 2013, that number will increase to 67%. That's growth, but it's not the double-digit growth we've become accustomed to seeing.
Mobile investments will pay off for retailers in 2011
Despite its obvious potential, mobile has arguably been overhyped for years. So it's not exactly surprising that many businesses have held back on their investment in mobile.
But for retailers, both online and offline, that are still skeptical, 2011 may be a good year to take the plunge. That's because according to a survey conducted by SapientNitro, consumer habits finally caught up in a big way with expectations and hype last year.
It's official: internet ads surpass newspaper ads
It has been a long time coming, but according to new stats, the internet has achieved a significant milestone this year: it surpassed newspapers to become the second largest ad medium.
Specifically, eMarketer predicts that by the time 2010 is finished, marketers will have spent just under $26bn on online ads, up nearly 14% year-over-year. At the same time, the research firm estimates that newspaper ad spend will have dropped over 8% year-over-year, to just under $23bn.
Marketers have bought into social media, now what?
Still have questions about social media's impact on marketing? You shouldn't. According to a new report, "next year, four in five US businesses with at least 100 employees will take part in social media marketing."
If that prediction comes to pass, there won't be much room for debate about social media's significance. But the debates aren't over. Instead, the mainstreaming of social media with marketers means that the most interesting debates are yet to come.
Hulu’s voodoo: Optimized online video ads lead to double the revenue in 2010
Hulu has finally shed light on how much money it's bringing in. At the
NewTeeVee Live event, CEO Jason Kilar said Hulu would close out 2010
with over $240 million in revenue. That’s double the $108 million it
made last year, and a nice benchmark for comparison to online video
platforms across the board.
It’s very strong growth, particularly when gauged against the overall US online video ad market. eMarketer predicts advertisers will spend roughly $1.5 billion on online video ads in 2010. Hulu’s $240 million equates to a roughly 16% share of that market. So how has the company attracted so much demand?
Facebook fans: you find them, they don't find you
Back in the 90s, brands had to answer the question: "Do you have a website?" In 2010, brands are increasingly having to answer a similar question: "Do you have a Facebook Page?"
In some respects, Facebook Pages are the new web pages. With more than 500m registered users and counting, Facebook is to brands today what the internet was to brands in the 1990s when the consumer internet was in its infancy.
eMarketer: Social media ad spend to hit $1.7 billion in 2010
Facebook advertising appears to be a rising tide that lifts all social media boats. According to eMarketer, the ad spend on social networks is set to hit $1.7 billion this year. That's a 20% increase, and at least half of those ad dollars will be spent on Facebook.
The last click measurement isn't going down without a fight
Online advertising has long been measured by clicks. But as advertisers try to make a case for display and branded advertising online, it's become fashionable to discount the importance of the last click-through. Trouble is, it looks like most advertisers are still relying on click-throughs to measure their online campaigns.
According to new survey from Chief Marketer, the click is by far the most important measure of ad performance for online marketers. 60% of those surveyed reported that they rely on clicks to measure ad effectiveness. Less than 2/5 measured overall return on investment (ROI).
And despite the fact that display advertisers have been hard at work trying to discount the last-click through rate as the final say in online measurement, these answers are roughly the same as last year.
Holiday shopping forecast 2009: a lot like 2008, with more coupons
Many believe that the worst is behind us but a key economic indicator is still a few short months away. Will Santa deliver strong retail sales this holiday season or will the holidays serve as a reminder that times are still tough for consumers?
According to the RetailMeNot's Second Annual Benchmark Survey on Consumer Coupon Behavior conducted by HarrisInteractive, Holiday Shopping 2009 will look a lot like Holiday Shopping 2008.
Retailers need to embrace m-commerce if they want consumers to start shopping
The mobile market is expected to explode in the coming years thanks to the popularity of smartphones. But for the market to really take off, retailers need to get comfortable selling their wares in the space.
According to an eMarketer survey released this week, that hasn't happened yet. The new study, “Mobile Commerce: Ahead of Its Time," shows that while 70 million American consumers will access the mobile web from their phones this year, retailers are hesitant to sell products to them. That ought to change over the next year.
