For Interactive Marketing Professionals

How To Work With IT To Get (Most) Of What You Want

A Guide For Interactive Marketers As They Collaborate With Internal IT Groups

by Neil Strother, October 15, 2009

Many interactive marketers find their interactions with IT to be positive, but others struggle with conflicting team priorities, slow response times, or differing communication styles. To successfully engage with IT, interactive marketers must: 1) define . . .

For Interactive Marketing Professionals

How Interactive Marketers Can Secure Budget From Their CMOs

by Neil Strother, October 2, 2009

Senior interactive marketers — an emerging role within the interactive marketing team — face the challenge of winning budget approval from CMOs for new digital initiatives. These initiatives compete for scarce marketing dollars against traditional media, . . .

For Interactive Marketing Professionals

Rich Search Ads: Too Early For Most Advertisers

by Neil Strother, September 30, 2009

Some search marketers are experimenting with new ad formats — what Forrester calls rich search ads — that can include product images, promotional videos, and interactive forms. But search engines have limited access to trials of rich search ads to a few . . .

For Interactive Marketing Professionals

Best Practices: Mobile Marketing

As Mobile Campaigns Spread, Plan And Measure Them Appropriately

by Neil Strother, August 6, 2009

Mobile marketing is gaining momentum, even in a down economy. One in four US interactive marketers is currently using mobile, and nearly half of these (47%) will increase mobile spending this year. Even with marketers using a wide variety of tactics, . . .

For Interactive Marketing Professionals

Case Study: RIM's Simple, Goal-Oriented Approach To Mobile Marketing

by Neil Strother, August 6, 2009

Research In Motion (RIM), maker of the popular BlackBerry devices, has used a simple approach to its mobile marketing effort as it tries to capture growing interest among consumers for smartphone devices. The campaign demonstrates other best practices: . . .

For Interactive Marketing Professionals

Case Study: Bing Mobile Campaign Syncs With Target Audience

Microsoft Matches Audience Habits In Interactive Search Engine Ads

by Neil Strother, August 6, 2009

Microsoft demonstrated a keen understanding of mobile marketing best practices when it launched its Bing for mobile campaign in conjunction with the kickoff of its new online search engine. These best practices include matching the campaign with your . . .

For Interactive Marketing Professionals

Performance Marketing: How To Build An Effective Affiliate Program

by Neil Strother, June 4, 2009

A majority of interactive marketing executives would boost spending on online advertising given more proof of performance as measured in sales, according to a new Forrester survey. Fifty-nine percent of interactive marketers say they would moderately . . .

For Interactive Marketing Professionals

Is An iPhone App Right For You?

How To Decide If A Mobile Application Should Be Part Of Your Brand's Road Map

by Neil Strother, May 11, 2009

The size of the smartphone market — and the buzz surrounding Apple's iPhone App Store — has many interactive marketers considering whether they should deploy mobile applications. Early success by some brands might lead marketers to mistakenly conclude . . .

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

How To Grow US Mobile Video Adoption

by Neil Strother, Seth Fowler, April 20, 2009

The US audience for mobile video is growing but moving toward a freely distributed, online-based model and away from subscription-based models. Advances in handset and network technology are making mobile video faster and higher-quality, but significant . . .

For Interactive Marketing Professionals

Flexing The Mobile Channel In A Recession

How Interactive Marketers Can Leverage Mobile In A Downturn

by Neil Strother, March 6, 2009

One-third of consumers expect to alter their use of cell phones and wireless services this year as they cope with a faltering economy, and many will change their buying habits to lower spending. Interactive marketers seeking to reach mobile consumers . . .

For Interactive Marketing Professionals

Beyond SMS: Advanced Tactics For Mobile Marketers

by Neil Strother, March 3, 2009

Marketers who have used the mobile channel have confidence in SMS or text messaging because of its wide reach. But it has creative and technical limitations. Experienced mobile marketers should try more advanced tactics, including coupon applications, . . .

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

Emphasize The Value Of Mobile Services To Keep And Attract Cost-Conscious Consumers

by Neil Strother, Seth Fowler, February 26, 2009

The recession is having an impact on US consumer mobile spending, but most consumers won't be giving up basic services. A majority of US online consumers don't plan to change their mobile spending, but some are taking a closer look at their expenses to . . .

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

Mobile Content: Smart Strategies In A Slowdown

by Neil Strother, January 27, 2009

Mobile content will not suffer a meltdown as a result of the current economic slowdown, according to a new Forrester survey. Overall, just 6% of US online consumers expect to reduce their spending on mobile products such as ring tones, games, music, and . . .

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

Off-Deck Content

Successful Sales Strategies

by Neil Strother, December 16, 2008

Off-deck mobile content has yet to explode, but new distribution channels are emerging in the form of non-carrier application stores, setting the stage for this market to heat up.

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

Mobile Internet

Web Strategies for Media Companies

by Neil Strother, December 4, 2008

With mobile Web access on the rise, media companies are compelled to provide more of their content to mobile consumers and are seeking new ways to meet demand.

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

US Mobile Media Forecast, 2008 to 2013

Ringbacks, Video, Music to Trigger Next Growth Phase

by Neil Strother, November 21, 2008

The next growth opportunities for mobile media will come from ringbacks, music, and video services, helping to push overall revenue from $3.1 billion to $4.3 billion in five years. Revenue from personalization products, however, will peak in 2009 and . . .

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

Mobile TV

How to Drive Wider Adoption

by Neil Strother, November 5, 2008

Broadcast and streaming television services have been available for cell phones for several years, yet an expected adoption surge has failed to materialize.

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

SMS Marketing

Leveraging Call-to-Action Features of Cell Phones to Maximize Effectiveness

by Neil Strother, October 28, 2008

Text messaging has proven to be an effective method for delivering marketing messages to consumers; however, marketers have yet to fully explore the possibilities.

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

Location Marketing

Unlocking the Potential of Geo-targeting

by Neil Strother, September 17, 2008

As cell phones become increasingly location-aware, marketers are seeking ways to deliver relevant messages.

For Interactive Marketing Professionals

MMS Marketing

Limited Reach, Complexity, and Cost Hinder Near-Term Growth

by Neil Strother, September 9, 2008

Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) offers potential as a new and richer method for marketers to connect with consumers beyond text messaging, but significant hurdles remain.

For Interactive Marketing Professionals

Mobile Search

Unlocking the Potential for Advertisers

by Neil Strother, July 16, 2008

Marketers are poised to deploy tactics around mobile search, yet consumer adoption remains low. The challenge for marketers will be to leverage the early adopters and prepare for the coming growth.

For Interactive Marketing Professionals

Sega Drives ROI with Savvy Mobile Search Campaign

by Neil Strother, July 14, 2008

For Interactive Marketing Professionals

Nikon D40 Gets Mobile Lift from Slifter

by Neil Strother, July 14, 2008

For Interactive Marketing Professionals

Pepsi Uses Mobile to Drive Branding Initiative in Run-up to Super Bowl

by Neil Strother, April 21, 2008

Participants include PepsiCo (Pepsi), Enpocket, the National Football League (NFL), Sprint, and IMG.

For Interactive Marketing Professionals

Ironman Deploys Mobile Marketing Scheme That Increases Brand Impressions and Fans' Involvement

by Neil Strother, April 21, 2008

Participants include Ironman, Sportgenic (formerly Active Athlete), AT&T, and GSD&M Idea City.