CaliberPulse

With the continuous rise of technology and digital accessibility, the marketing industry has found itself in the heat of what could be called the ‘Gilded Age,’ for mobile marketing. What can be attributed to the massive increase in mobile ad spending and mobile device use? Accessibility, accessibility, accessibility! Marketers know their audience well. Generation C, those between the ages of 18-34, accounts for 23% of the population, and they thrive on connectivity 24/7. What better way to get your message in the hands of these connected consumers than through the medium that never leaves their hands in the first place?

Facebook changed their format for brand pages to the Timeline a week ago today. What do you think of it so far? Are you using it to your brand’s advantage? Some of the updates are behind the scenes, but most are featured on your page. We've pulled together a list of the top five changes to brand pages:

As we cross the threshold of the eleventh month of 2011, we find ourselves once again in a unique position to reflect on lessons learned in the months behind us and apply them to projections and trends in the year to come. November Caliber Pulse articles will do just that. In this week’s post, we will examine the well-predicted trend of localized marketing.

There is more to having a social media presence than just posting statuses. Having a branded Facebook page may help cultivate an audience or garner high numbers of “likes,” but if you only post one-way marketing or media messages, your audience will eventually lose interest. A page’s number of followers pales in value compared to interaction with them.

Now that you’ve taken the plunge into the world of social media, you are faced with yet another decision. How do you find the best person to maintain your company’s message? The importance of this decision cannot be overlooked. Social media has opened a window that gives your customers a more personal connection with your business. It creates an opportunity for us to talk with our customers instead of at them. As a result, loyal followers expect authentic interaction and finding the person or team who will act as your authentic company ‘voice’ is crucial.

Social media use is experiencing a sharp upward trend in popularity, but is it right for your company or clients? This month we will explore the factors businesses should consider when making the decision to engage in this dynamic marketing medium. Most companies today have an online presence. To interact with their customers, some simply send a monthly or quarterly eblast with information, while others actively engage via Facebook, Twitter, blogs, frequent eblasts and constant website updates. Is it information overload or simply what consumers have come to expect?

As we dive into refreshing our strategic toolkit this Autumn, we should consider our automated tools. A new study by Strategy Analytics found that tablet use currently accounts for 20 percent of weekly digital media consumption. It is estimated that 15.1 million tablets were sold during the second quarter of 2011 (18 percent of the total PC market). The study also found that the average user spends 1.5 hours per day browsing content and other communication-based apps, and more than 25 percent of all tablet usage is dedicated to web browsing and email.

Now more than ever, your customers are being bombarded with messages from your competitors demanding their attention and motivating them to open their wallets. When consumers are presented with competing choices to your offerings that appear equal in price, benefits and quality, one sure way to stand out from your competition and gain customer loyalty is to support a charitable cause that your customers care about.

August has arrived and with it, the familiar “back-to-school” theme. Let this month serve as an opportune time and reminder to sharpen your skills, knowledge, and invest in new resources. Students around the nation are buying new pencils and notebooks, so why not mirror this trend and advocate that your business invest in a new strategic toolkit?

The key to marketing success is identifying target audiences that will be motivated by tailored messages and calls to action. For this purpose, accurate audience demographic information is crucial. The value in this information, however, lies in detailed segmentation of a specific audience group. Unfortunately audience demographics are unreliable for the “65+” segment, which represented approximately 40 million adults in 2010, according to the U.S. Census. To bundle everyone over 65-years-old in one “targetable” demographic is practically useless for marketing purposes.

ICANN, the body that coordinates Internet names, has approved one of the biggest changes ever to the Internet’s domain name system. The change will allow companies/brands to own their own name after the dot—rather than using .com or .org. Effective January 12, 2012, companies will be able to create URLs with a branded touch, such as .nike, .mtv, or .newyork.

Today, 95% of all email is considered spam. If you use email for your business, you must know the rules of the CAN-SPAM Act and how to protect your company from a violation. This act sets rules for how you can contact your current and potential customers by email and gives them rights for opting-out of future emails. If you don't follow the guidelines, you could face hefty fines for non-compliance – up to $16,000 per email.