Read on for news about ad viewability, social strategy, consumer opinion on AI, and lots more to boot. Check out the Internet Statistics Database for further stats and insight too.
83% of senior marketers feel ‘data blind’
A new report by Domo has found that 83% of senior marketers feel ‘data blind’ due to the sheer volume of analytics they have to deal with as part of their day-to-day role.
In a survey of 681 marketers from around the world, 83% of respondents said they are struggling to adapt to the volume of data, while 80% of this group feel the industry as a whole focuses on too many performance metrics.
Almost half of respondents said the number of data channels and sources has made it more difficult to plan for the long-term, and 26% said a focus on short-term analytics, rather than long-term results, is one of the biggest challenges in the sector.
Meanwhile, the survey also uncovered a debate around who really owns data. 34% of senior marketers believe it should be their M.O. (modus operandi) to connect and manage data insights across the business. However, 30% believe it’s the CTO and the IT department that should shoulder the responsibility for data insights, while 20% argue that they should be the CEO’s remit.
Consumers fail to recall ‘viewable’ ads
A new study by Outbrain has found that a large percentage of consumers are failing to recall brands from ads that are deemed ‘viewable’ by the industry. Currently, the IAB defines viewability as 50% of pixels visible on-screen for two consecutive seconds.
When 1,000 UK consumer respondents were shown two ads for just two consecutive seconds, with just 50% of pixels visible on-screen, 75% did not remember what brand the ad was related to. In a further survey, Outbrain also found that 50% of consumer respondents knowingly engage with advertising, and out of those 50%, one in two consumers take action after a brand interaction.
Meanwhile, the study also states that there is confusion among advertising executives about viewability benchmarks. In a survey of 190 UK digital advertising executives, 25% were unsure of how the IAB defines a viewable ad, with 19% believing that more than 50% of the pixels had to appear on-screen for more than three consecutive seconds.
Friday at 10 to 11am is the best time to post on Instagram
A new study by Sprout Social has revealed the best times to post on social media in 2019. This comes from an analysis of when 25,000-plus Sprout customers were engaged the most (and least) across major networks.
On Facebook, the best time to post was found to be Wednesday at 11am and 1pm, with Wednesday being the best overall day. Meanwhile, the safest time to post is weekdays from 9am to 3pm. Sunday has the least amount of engagement for Facebook during the week, with early mornings and evenings (before 7am and after 5pm) generating the least amount of engagement per day.
Similarly, Sprout Social found that the best time to post on Instagram is either Wednesday at 11am or Friday at 10 to 11am, with Wednesday being the overall best day to post. The safest time to post is Tuesday through Friday, 10am to 3pm, with Sunday also seeing the least engagement overall.
In contrast to Facebook, users on Instagram appear to check their phones last thing at night and first thing in the morning, with the lowest amount of engagement occurring from 11pm to 3am.
Amazon lacks loyalty from younger shoppers
Wunderman Thompson’s ‘Future Shopper 2019’ report has revealed that younger shoppers are not as fanatical about Amazon as older shoppers.
In a survey of 15,188 global consumers who shop online at least once a month, just 26% of consumers under 25 say Amazon is best at having the brands they want, compared to 35% of all consumers. This group is also less likely than older shoppers to believe the marketplace provides the best experience when it comes to easy returns and customer service.
Elsewhere, the report suggests that the youth movement may be reverting back to traditional branded experiences. 53% of people aged 16 to 24 prefer to shop with a brand or retailer that has a physical store – well above the survey average of 48%. Young people are also more open than most to finding inspiration in social buying and even print publications.
Consumers want less AI when talking to brands
New research from Invoca and The Harris Poll has delved into consumer sentiment towards AI and automation, and whether consumers feel like brands are overusing technology.
In a survey of 2,000 adults in the US, 87% of respondents said they have reached out to a company and only had the option to communicate through automated communications, such as a chatbot. Of this 87%, 52% said they feel frustrated and 18% feel angry at not being able to chat to a human.
The study also found that consumers are wary of trusting information or advice from AI-based interactions, especially when it comes to more complicated information.
While 49% of consumers would trust AI-generated advice for retail item information, only 20% would trust AI-generated advice for healthcare information and just 19% would trust AI-generated advice for financial services. Meanwhile, 38% of consumers say they’d trust AI-generated advice for hospitality, such as checking in for a flight, or comparing flight and hotel options or restaurant recommendations.
Gen Z and Millennials more likely to shop in-store than online this year
According to a recent study by Oracle NetSuite, Wakefield Research, and The Retail Doctor, retailers are failing to tailor the in-store shopping experience, with 44% making no progress in this area whatsoever. The study, involving 1,200 consumers and 400 retail executives across the US, UK, and Australia, also found differences in generational expectations.
Despite the stereotype of being “digital natives”, 43% of Gen Z and Millennials said they are most likely to do more in-store shopping than online this year. This is followed by 29% of Gen X, and 13% of baby boomers. Gen Z and Millennials also had the most positive view of the current retail environment, with 57% feeling like it was more inviting. Baby boomers were more likely to find the current retail environment less inviting than consumers overall.
Finally, despite 98% of retail executives believing that engaging customers on social media is important for building stronger relationships, just 12% of consumers think their engagement with brands on social media has a significant impact on the way they think or feel about a brand.
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