During the past few weeks, we have been peeling back the many layers of analytical data available via Google Analytics. The layers are complex, but if you thrive on establishing these layers and defining how/what the various components will achieve, Web analytics is for you.
I’ve decided it certainly isn’t for me. I liken Google Web Analytics to the crazy directions you get when you buy something and you have no idea how to put it together. You know what I’m talking about, the product that has about a hundred parts and thousand bits, screws, and bolts needed to actually get it together. The Google directions for adding filters, custom filters, event tracking, etc. is just as complex (I’m pretty sure you need a PHD in it). So, leave those directions for the developers and engineers who understand what they’ve written, because you certainly haven’t written it for an ordinary girl like me. Note to Google and others: if you want someone who isn’t a developer to actually understand what you’re touting and spouting, get a girl like me to write them for you.
Don’t get me wrong, I understand that if we want to provide our customers with extraordinary service (we know they expect it), and we want our business to be successful, analytical data is critical. But, you have to have someone on your team who can a: build the data site for you (or maybe have directions that Joe off the street can decipher) and b: help you sort through this data.
Okay, so enough about my struggles with getting my arms around the analytics mess. This week, we got deep into the layers of metrics and studied how e-commerce, customer filters, event tracking and other characteristics can provide much-needed information for businesses.
Event tracking was added to Google in June 2009 (Google, 2009). The addition of this tool is important because it helps provide data on actions that aren’t considered page views. For example, event tracking can include the downloading of a video or an Adobe file, or the interaction with a Flash presentation. As more and more companies use these types of files/programs on their sites, including YouTube, having this information is important in developing marketing strategies.
After reading the instructions on how to set up event tracking, I was once again left a little miffed. The instructions note that you should insert the appropriate tracking code, but I can’t figure out where you find that and how you know if you have the correct code in place. So, after fiddling with it and searching for articles that might help me “dumb it down” I was once again left frustrated, so I moved on to adding filters.
I decided I would go in and establish a filter to exclude visits from my own computer because I don’t want that information to be included on my analytical report. So, I followed the initial instructions which eventually got me to the filter location. However, once there, the “Greek” language once again reared its ugly head and I was lost. When it started referring to “ISP” and “IP” addresses, I was gone. I know techies will find it hard to believe, but those who don’t know the ins and outs of computers have no idea what these are. But, I trudged on, searching for it via Google Analytics and guess what? It defined it, but didn’t tell me where I might find one. So, I did a complete Google search and from an organization called tracemyip.org I finally found it, well, the site automatically gives it to me. I’m still not sure how you find it on your computer, but I finally got the filter set up. Now hopefully my blog will not count visits from my computer, which will help give me a better idea of how many “real” visits are occurring on my site.
I also added a couple of custom filters to the site. This process I found somewhat easier, although there are filters listed that I’m not sure how they are used/why. I chose to include the visitor city and whether or not the visitor is a new or returning customer. As I went back to my report, it appears that the custom filters available are already on my report, including the ones I thought I just set up. I don’t know if Analytics holds a spot for the filters on the report, and only includes the actual data after you have set up the filters.
I wanted to add a custom filter and keyword ranking system to my analytical tool. I spent much of Sunday afternoon trying to figure those out. After some help from the professor, I was able to get my hands on an article from Internet Marketing Insights, which walked me through the process. I was very excited to actually be getting somewhere with these analytical tools and then, “bam,” I hit another wall. After following the directions, I was able to set up a new Web site profile and go in and edit according to the directions. It’s when I get to the “add the three keyword filters” that I begin to have another meltdown. I did that, however, no report is showing up on my site. And, how is it tracking keywords used by others to get to my site when it never asks me which words I want to track?
As part of the learning process during the past two weeks, we have been using Conversion University. These videos are a little more helpful than just reading the articles/information, but they are obviously developed for those who work in the Web/data analytics field (lots of jargon). And, I also found it funny that nearly all of the people participating in these videos – either those teaching or those sitting in the class – are all men. Maybe this is the problem? Sorry guys, just kidding, sort of…
As noted earlier, I really do understand why this is important. And, I believe the information can provide intriguing data that will help us build better Web sites, add programs/services that will give them what they want, and help our bottom line. But, trying to teach a simple public relations practitioner all of this jargon, technical directions, etc., is like telling a cat it has to love to be in the water. More than likely that’s not going to happen. So, my advice to those like me is to work with your Web experts to help you identify the data you want to collect, ask them for their suggestions, and then work together to gather/review the data. A team approach with the right players is your best bet.
References:
Google (2009, June 4). Google Analytics. Google.com. Retrieved February 20, 2010, from http://analytics.blogspot.com/2009/06/event-tracking-now-available-in-all.html
Radhakrishnan (2009, November 22). Search Engine Ranking - Track keyword rankings in Google using Google Analytics. Internet Marketing Insights. Retrieved February 22, 2010, from http://seo-insights.blogspot.com/2009/11/track-keyword-rankings-in-google-using.html
Monday, February 22, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
Using analytical data to learn more about your consumers
Our blogs for class are fairly straightforward. There aren’t many bells and whistles on the blogs, so our Google Analytics reports will be fairly simple. We can get information on how many people visited our site, how long they stayed, and even from where they viewed the page(s).
Although I’m not sure the funnel would have much function on my site, I guess directing visitors to another site or perhaps a particular Web site, Twitter or Facebook page could be mapped out through a funnel. For example, if I am writing on particular topic, let’s say the latest shoes for spring in this case, and I want to get people to visit my latest line of spring footwear on my Web site or Facebook page, then I might want to have a funnel in place to get people to those sites via my blog or vice versa. And, I want the path clearly defined so that people do indeed get directed to that information and actually go there.
Goals in the analytical tool appeared to be more complicated to me. I understand the point of it, but how to set those goals up were unclear to me. I think on the blog it would be nice to add a thank you feature when someone comments on your blog. This could be done by establishing a new goal, although I am not sure how to do this via the directions. I think it would be beneficial to learn more about html and how to write code if you are indeed going to be adding these features into your Google Analytics tool.
As I discussed in the previous blog, understanding how much time people spend on your site is important in determining what you are doing right. The time spent can be found in your report for Google, and I have asked the report to let me know who visits the site and spends more than five minutes on the site. If I am posting information and people are only skimming over it, I may not be doing a very good job presenting the information (or I’ve not selected a very interesting topic). I have often visited a site and because the site wasn’t very organized, I immediately exit if I am unable to find what I’m looking for, so you definitely want to avoid that when you can and work to develop a site that people feel is useful.
In looking at a particular company’s Web site (let’s use Allstate in this case), establishing filters would also be beneficial. If I am understanding this correctly, I can exclude visitors from a specific domain (in this case allstate.com) so that my data is more accurate. If employees are using the site daily (even making it their home page), then including those visits would skew my data. In my own work, I do use our Web page daily and have it as my home page. When we are collecting data, we certainly wouldn’t want to include anyone in our office who is doing this or using it daily because that really makes a difference in our number of visits.
The whole concept of Google Analytics is pretty complicated, but certainly critical in developing your various marketing tools for your business/organization. For those who don’t work with this type of information often, it is probably a good idea to consult with an expert or your Web team to ensure that you are establishing the right parameters, goals and tracking information to get the most out of your reports.
Reference:
Google Analytics (2010). Conversion University. Retrieved February 7, 2010, from http://services.google.com/analytics/breeze/en/ga_intro/index.html
Although I’m not sure the funnel would have much function on my site, I guess directing visitors to another site or perhaps a particular Web site, Twitter or Facebook page could be mapped out through a funnel. For example, if I am writing on particular topic, let’s say the latest shoes for spring in this case, and I want to get people to visit my latest line of spring footwear on my Web site or Facebook page, then I might want to have a funnel in place to get people to those sites via my blog or vice versa. And, I want the path clearly defined so that people do indeed get directed to that information and actually go there.
Goals in the analytical tool appeared to be more complicated to me. I understand the point of it, but how to set those goals up were unclear to me. I think on the blog it would be nice to add a thank you feature when someone comments on your blog. This could be done by establishing a new goal, although I am not sure how to do this via the directions. I think it would be beneficial to learn more about html and how to write code if you are indeed going to be adding these features into your Google Analytics tool.
As I discussed in the previous blog, understanding how much time people spend on your site is important in determining what you are doing right. The time spent can be found in your report for Google, and I have asked the report to let me know who visits the site and spends more than five minutes on the site. If I am posting information and people are only skimming over it, I may not be doing a very good job presenting the information (or I’ve not selected a very interesting topic). I have often visited a site and because the site wasn’t very organized, I immediately exit if I am unable to find what I’m looking for, so you definitely want to avoid that when you can and work to develop a site that people feel is useful.
In looking at a particular company’s Web site (let’s use Allstate in this case), establishing filters would also be beneficial. If I am understanding this correctly, I can exclude visitors from a specific domain (in this case allstate.com) so that my data is more accurate. If employees are using the site daily (even making it their home page), then including those visits would skew my data. In my own work, I do use our Web page daily and have it as my home page. When we are collecting data, we certainly wouldn’t want to include anyone in our office who is doing this or using it daily because that really makes a difference in our number of visits.
The whole concept of Google Analytics is pretty complicated, but certainly critical in developing your various marketing tools for your business/organization. For those who don’t work with this type of information often, it is probably a good idea to consult with an expert or your Web team to ensure that you are establishing the right parameters, goals and tracking information to get the most out of your reports.
Reference:
Google Analytics (2010). Conversion University. Retrieved February 7, 2010, from http://services.google.com/analytics/breeze/en/ga_intro/index.html
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Google Analytics can provide important data, if you can decipher the directions
As noted in the Conversion University overview, obtaining and reviewing data can help businesses and organizations gain valuable information from their consumers (Conversion University, 2010). This information can help us determine if our site is designed in such a way that visitors actually come to the site, how long they stay there, what they look at while they are they and how they interact with our site pages.
This week we began using Google Analytics on our blogs (i.e., Getting your arms around social media). As with much of the search engine information I have experienced so far, I found the assignment to once again be challenging. I think the biggest challenge, and the one that affects me the most, is the use of very technical terminology in the directions/instructions on how to use/set up Google Analytics tools in your profile. The information as it is presented is not done in “easy to understand” terms, unless you are someone who works with this type of data on a regular basis. Even when going to the “help” section, I didn’t get my questions answered.
So, after some help from the professor, I was finally able to get a link into the code to get the tracking set up. Once that was done, I returned to the tool to start adding some parameters/goals as part of the tracking process. Because our blogs are fairly simple, the number of pages and opportunities to actually set up parameters for information is slim. One of the areas I that I would like to get more information about is which links/articles the visitors go to when visiting the site. From the report, it doesn't appear that this information is included; it only reports the pageviews and is not specific to which pages are viewed. I think this information will help to see what information they are viewing and how long visitors spend on certain topics.
Additionally, I would also be interested in knowing which links users click on when reading through the articles. This will help me determine if people are finding the links useful when reading through the material.
I think determining what you want to track and how to set it up through the analytical tool is fairly complicated. When I edited my profile, I came to the area where it asks “track site search.” I thought that I probably should add that as part of my profile, but once I clicked “yes,” I was asked to set query parameters. Unfortunately, I had no idea what that meant, and the help section was of no help, so I decided that I guess I wouldn’t/couldn’t track the site. But when reading the report from the blog, it appears that information is already in the content information. It is not clear to me what the goals are and why/how to set those up.
For me, trying to grasp the technical terms/information has been the biggest challenge in setting up the Google Analytics tool. This again goes back to the fact that I am a novice at looking at/using this information and the information is not presented for a novice. But, I’ll continue plugging along, hoping that a light bulb will eventually go off in my head!
References:
Google (2010). Google.com. Retrieved February 7, 2010, from http://www.google.com/analytics/
Google Analytics (2010). Conversion University. Retrieved February 7, 2010, from http://services.google.com/analytics/breeze/en/ga_intro/index.html
This week we began using Google Analytics on our blogs (i.e., Getting your arms around social media). As with much of the search engine information I have experienced so far, I found the assignment to once again be challenging. I think the biggest challenge, and the one that affects me the most, is the use of very technical terminology in the directions/instructions on how to use/set up Google Analytics tools in your profile. The information as it is presented is not done in “easy to understand” terms, unless you are someone who works with this type of data on a regular basis. Even when going to the “help” section, I didn’t get my questions answered.
So, after some help from the professor, I was finally able to get a link into the code to get the tracking set up. Once that was done, I returned to the tool to start adding some parameters/goals as part of the tracking process. Because our blogs are fairly simple, the number of pages and opportunities to actually set up parameters for information is slim. One of the areas I that I would like to get more information about is which links/articles the visitors go to when visiting the site. From the report, it doesn't appear that this information is included; it only reports the pageviews and is not specific to which pages are viewed. I think this information will help to see what information they are viewing and how long visitors spend on certain topics.
Additionally, I would also be interested in knowing which links users click on when reading through the articles. This will help me determine if people are finding the links useful when reading through the material.
I think determining what you want to track and how to set it up through the analytical tool is fairly complicated. When I edited my profile, I came to the area where it asks “track site search.” I thought that I probably should add that as part of my profile, but once I clicked “yes,” I was asked to set query parameters. Unfortunately, I had no idea what that meant, and the help section was of no help, so I decided that I guess I wouldn’t/couldn’t track the site. But when reading the report from the blog, it appears that information is already in the content information. It is not clear to me what the goals are and why/how to set those up.
For me, trying to grasp the technical terms/information has been the biggest challenge in setting up the Google Analytics tool. This again goes back to the fact that I am a novice at looking at/using this information and the information is not presented for a novice. But, I’ll continue plugging along, hoping that a light bulb will eventually go off in my head!
References:
Google (2010). Google.com. Retrieved February 7, 2010, from http://www.google.com/analytics/
Google Analytics (2010). Conversion University. Retrieved February 7, 2010, from http://services.google.com/analytics/breeze/en/ga_intro/index.html
Friday, January 22, 2010
Finding a new pair of shoes via SEO
Today, our assignment is to compare keyword searches for two different companies and determine why one company appears at the top of the first page, and the other appears on the top of the fourth page (or #40 if you're counting) of a Google search. Then, we'll do a comparative search on other search engine sites such
as Yahoo and Bing. The goal is to determine why one company ranks higher in the search and the other does not based on the use of search engine techniques. What are they doing that is so different? And, let me throw out the warning message that I find this topic to be very over my head and very hard to determine, so I could be way off base.
The keyword I selected is one that is near and dear to my heart: shoes. Upon Googling shoes, the first company to appear at the top of the page is shoes.com. Right off the bat you can decipher that one of the reasons this particular company shoots to the top of the charts is because of the mention of the word "shoes" on its main page of its Web site. The word is mentioned more than 30 times on the site, including a "Top Searches" section which includes 19 mentions of the word (women's shoes, men's shoes, kids' shoes, etc.).
The company that appears on the fourth page is Dillard's. Compared to shoes.com, the word shoes is only mentioned once on the main page of Dillard's. Additionally, as you dig deeper into the site by clicking on the "shoes" link, the word still only appears twice. Because Dillard's is a department store offering a wide range of products for consumers, it isn't surprising that it appears farther down on the search list.
When searching "http://www.shoes.com", more than 12 million sites mention/link site on the Web, and more importantly, these links, in addition to mentioning the site, often mention our keyword "shoes." The site is mentioned in blogs, on other shopping sites, such as pricegrabber.com, and business.com -- all of which help to build the power of this particular site. Dillard's on the other hand is mentioned about half as many times. As noted in Rand Fishkin's Beginner's Guide to SEO, search engine optimization includes what he terms "stage four" where major search engines such as Bing and Google take into account the number of links a company has to other external sites (Fishkin, 2005). Because shoes.com is mentioned so often, the web spiders or "crawlers" scour the external sites and find that the company's site is linked to many other Web sites, so that in turn pushes it further up the list. Anchored text would be included as well since many blogs may refer specifically to shoes.com. In the case of this blog, my reference to Fishkin's guide would be an example. Mark Glaser agrees, noting that providing inbound and outbound links "enhances site visibility" (Glaser, 2008).
Tying into the previous paragraphy, Fishkin also discusses the idea of community when building or enhancing SEO. As social media continues to grow, so does the opportunity to for companies to help move their site higher in SEO rankings. For example, as consumers use Facebook and other blogs to discuss products, search engines pick up on the mentions made via these social networks. Both Dillard's and shoes.com promote the same social networking pages -- Facebook and Twitter. Dillards has less than 400 fans and shoes.com boasts more than 2,000 fans, so one could assume that because there are more fans on shoes.com's page, the company gets more mentions via sites such as Facebook.
When searching for the same keyword on Bing and Yahoo, shoes.com still appears at the top of both lists. However, Steve Madden now shows up on the fourth page of the search on Bing, while Macy's now appears on the fourth page of the Yahoo search. When using Ask.com for my search, I got completely different results for both pages. Appearing first on the page of Ask.com is Zappos.com, while an article on walking shoes comes up on the fourth page. I guess this is where my confusion really sets in -- why do different search engines turn up totally different results? I understand that companies play a major role in determining where they fall in the rankings, but if they are doing all of the "right" things, then why is it that they appear in different spots in the rankings?
References:
Fishkin, R. (2005, Dec. 5). Beginners guide to SEO. Retrieved January 18, 2010, from http://www.seomoz.org/article/bg1
Glaser, M. (2008, April 30). Nine tips to improve search engine optimization (SEO). Retrieved January 21, 2010, from http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2008/04/9-tips-to-improve-search-engine-optimization-seo121.html
The keyword I selected is one that is near and dear to my heart: shoes. Upon Googling shoes, the first company to appear at the top of the page is shoes.com. Right off the bat you can decipher that one of the reasons this particular company shoots to the top of the charts is because of the mention of the word "shoes" on its main page of its Web site. The word is mentioned more than 30 times on the site, including a "Top Searches" section which includes 19 mentions of the word (women's shoes, men's shoes, kids' shoes, etc.).
The company that appears on the fourth page is Dillard's. Compared to shoes.com, the word shoes is only mentioned once on the main page of Dillard's. Additionally, as you dig deeper into the site by clicking on the "shoes" link, the word still only appears twice. Because Dillard's is a department store offering a wide range of products for consumers, it isn't surprising that it appears farther down on the search list.
When searching "http://www.shoes.com", more than 12 million sites mention/link site on the Web, and more importantly, these links, in addition to mentioning the site, often mention our keyword "shoes." The site is mentioned in blogs, on other shopping sites, such as pricegrabber.com, and business.com -- all of which help to build the power of this particular site. Dillard's on the other hand is mentioned about half as many times. As noted in Rand Fishkin's Beginner's Guide to SEO, search engine optimization includes what he terms "stage four" where major search engines such as Bing and Google take into account the number of links a company has to other external sites (Fishkin, 2005). Because shoes.com is mentioned so often, the web spiders or "crawlers" scour the external sites and find that the company's site is linked to many other Web sites, so that in turn pushes it further up the list. Anchored text would be included as well since many blogs may refer specifically to shoes.com. In the case of this blog, my reference to Fishkin's guide would be an example. Mark Glaser agrees, noting that providing inbound and outbound links "enhances site visibility" (Glaser, 2008).
Tying into the previous paragraphy, Fishkin also discusses the idea of community when building or enhancing SEO. As social media continues to grow, so does the opportunity to for companies to help move their site higher in SEO rankings. For example, as consumers use Facebook and other blogs to discuss products, search engines pick up on the mentions made via these social networks. Both Dillard's and shoes.com promote the same social networking pages -- Facebook and Twitter. Dillards has less than 400 fans and shoes.com boasts more than 2,000 fans, so one could assume that because there are more fans on shoes.com's page, the company gets more mentions via sites such as Facebook.
When searching for the same keyword on Bing and Yahoo, shoes.com still appears at the top of both lists. However, Steve Madden now shows up on the fourth page of the search on Bing, while Macy's now appears on the fourth page of the Yahoo search. When using Ask.com for my search, I got completely different results for both pages. Appearing first on the page of Ask.com is Zappos.com, while an article on walking shoes comes up on the fourth page. I guess this is where my confusion really sets in -- why do different search engines turn up totally different results? I understand that companies play a major role in determining where they fall in the rankings, but if they are doing all of the "right" things, then why is it that they appear in different spots in the rankings?
References:
Fishkin, R. (2005, Dec. 5). Beginners guide to SEO. Retrieved January 18, 2010, from http://www.seomoz.org/article/bg1
Glaser, M. (2008, April 30). Nine tips to improve search engine optimization (SEO). Retrieved January 21, 2010, from http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2008/04/9-tips-to-improve-search-engine-optimization-seo121.html
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Understanding the nuts and bolts of search engines
Web analytics is a challenging topic -- one that seems to change daily. With new software/resources and "black hat" tricks constantly taking shape, it's no wonder companies have trouble keeping up. Americans tap search engines more than 12 billion times a month to find everything from song lyrics and shoes to recipes and weight loss tips (Steiner, 2010). And data indicates that most visitors don't look past the first 10 or so search results. It’s easy to see why SEO is a hot topic.
Understanding how the various search engines work and what they look for when scouring the Web is a critical piece of the overall marketing strategy for today's business. Are consumers reading what you are sending? Do they click on links in your newsletter (or, better yet, do they even open it)? Web metrics is the key to understanding what your consumers want and need. Yet even companies who have this information may not always know what to do with it or, on some levels, they may not have the right people who can tell them what the information means. As Rand Fishkin notes in his beginner’s guide to SEO, search engines do have their limitations, so incorporating the “right moves” will help increase traffic to your site (Fishkin, 2005).
This week in class we were asked to do some searches of keywords to see where certain things fell in the Google search ranking. Because I spent a lot of time looking at Hasbro for class last semester, I decided to do a search for "toy companies." While Hasbro did show up as one of the top 10 listings, I found it very interesting that when looking at its Web site, the use of the word "toy" only shows up once on its main page. Wouldn't you think a toy company would use that word on its main Web page more than once?
Search engines pick up on the number of times a keyword is listed on a page or on the links found on other sites. It would probably be beneficial for Hasbro to incorporate the use of the word "toy" on its site so that when Web crawlers or "spiders" search through the hundreds of thousands of Web sites, Hasbro will move further up the search chain.
Another interesting piece of information I picked up this week was the use of site maps in helping to move a company's ranking higher on search engines. I had actually thought site maps had become passe. However, by mapping out a site layout for your Web page, you can identify key areas/key words that you want search engines to pick up and include those specific links on the site map. By adding the map to your main page, you have added more opportunities for a search engine to recognize those keywords, further enhancing your presence in searches via the Web.
There are numerous equations that decide where a company falls on the list of search engines. Paid advertising (search engine marketing), social media, and keywords are just a few pieces of that equation. As companies continue to struggle to make their organization the first stop on the search engines, strategic planning using the various tactics for search engine optimization must be in place (and constantly updated) in order to make that happen.
References:
Fishkin, R. (2005, Dec. 5). Beginners guide to SEO. Retrieved January 18, 2010, from http://www.seomoz.org/article/bg1
Steiner, C. (2010, Jan. 10). The latest tricks for getting found online. Forbes. Retrieved Jan. 12, 2010, from http://www.forbes.com/2010/01/12/search-engine-optimization-tactics-entrepreneurs-technology-seo.html
This week in class we were asked to do some searches of keywords to see where certain things fell in the Google search ranking. Because I spent a lot of time looking at Hasbro for class last semester, I decided to do a search for "toy companies." While Hasbro did show up as one of the top 10 listings, I found it very interesting that when looking at its Web site, the use of the word "toy" only shows up once on its main page. Wouldn't you think a toy company would use that word on its main Web page more than once?
Search engines pick up on the number of times a keyword is listed on a page or on the links found on other sites. It would probably be beneficial for Hasbro to incorporate the use of the word "toy" on its site so that when Web crawlers or "spiders" search through the hundreds of thousands of Web sites, Hasbro will move further up the search chain.
Another interesting piece of information I picked up this week was the use of site maps in helping to move a company's ranking higher on search engines. I had actually thought site maps had become passe. However, by mapping out a site layout for your Web page, you can identify key areas/key words that you want search engines to pick up and include those specific links on the site map. By adding the map to your main page, you have added more opportunities for a search engine to recognize those keywords, further enhancing your presence in searches via the Web.
There are numerous equations that decide where a company falls on the list of search engines. Paid advertising (search engine marketing), social media, and keywords are just a few pieces of that equation. As companies continue to struggle to make their organization the first stop on the search engines, strategic planning using the various tactics for search engine optimization must be in place (and constantly updated) in order to make that happen.
References:
Fishkin, R. (2005, Dec. 5). Beginners guide to SEO. Retrieved January 18, 2010, from http://www.seomoz.org/article/bg1
Steiner, C. (2010, Jan. 10). The latest tricks for getting found online. Forbes. Retrieved Jan. 12, 2010, from http://www.forbes.com/2010/01/12/search-engine-optimization-tactics-entrepreneurs-technology-seo.html
Monday, January 18, 2010
Driving down the winding roads of the digital highway
Greetings social media gurus, guests and wannabes (that would be me). Well, here I am. Two classes down, three to go in the digital marketing communications program at West Virginia University. The fifteen-hour program is aimed at helping students navigate the "new" world of social and digital media in our ever-changing world. The courses are all taught online via a virtual classroom. It has been interesting, yet very challenging during the past six months to get a grasp on the many aspects of our digital world and how that relates to our day-to-day business.
During the past six months we've covered the basics of social media, as well as the latest marketing tips and strategies for social media marketing campaigns (I wonder if Hasbro was listening?). Social media is certainly an interesting topic. It has become a staple in our society, opening the windows of the world to people from all walks of life.
Now, we're hitting the "Ess" curve of Web analytics and metrics. Can't say that I am looking forward to it. I already have to get a dictionary out to decipher the information and filter through the various articles and information. I guess I'll just have to put on the driving gloves and try to maneuver the tricky curves, although I'm convinced I might need a more experienced driver to help me.
So, a little about me and my background...
When I'm not logged on having discussions with my classmates, I work in alumni relations where I oversee communications for our largest constituency. In this role, I help develop key messaging, write/edit content for the Web and other communications (press releases, e-newsletters, feature stories, video, etc.), monitor social media sites (Facebook, LinkedIn), assist with event planning, collaborate with other units within the university, and serve as the primary spokesperson for the organization. We are a very small group compared to other institutions, so you learn to wear many hats and juggle many things.
Before joining the university, I previously worked in corporate communications for a large energy company where much of my focus was on internal and crisis communications. Corporate America certainly has its benefits, most notably resources, so I was able to serve in a number of roles that provided me with great knowledge and experience, but I must say working for a non-proft has its advantages, and I certinaly don't miss those "middle of the night" calls or the lack of vacation (or the ability to take it). :)
Hope you will continue the journey with me down the winding roads of the digital highway.
During the past six months we've covered the basics of social media, as well as the latest marketing tips and strategies for social media marketing campaigns (I wonder if Hasbro was listening?). Social media is certainly an interesting topic. It has become a staple in our society, opening the windows of the world to people from all walks of life.
So, a little about me and my background...
When I'm not logged on having discussions with my classmates, I work in alumni relations where I oversee communications for our largest constituency. In this role, I help develop key messaging, write/edit content for the Web and other communications (press releases, e-newsletters, feature stories, video, etc.), monitor social media sites (Facebook, LinkedIn), assist with event planning, collaborate with other units within the university, and serve as the primary spokesperson for the organization. We are a very small group compared to other institutions, so you learn to wear many hats and juggle many things.
Before joining the university, I previously worked in corporate communications for a large energy company where much of my focus was on internal and crisis communications. Corporate America certainly has its benefits, most notably resources, so I was able to serve in a number of roles that provided me with great knowledge and experience, but I must say working for a non-proft has its advantages, and I certinaly don't miss those "middle of the night" calls or the lack of vacation (or the ability to take it). :)
Hope you will continue the journey with me down the winding roads of the digital highway.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Getting Hasbro into the Game
The emergence of social media has provided a unique opportunity to engage consumers and enhance brand loyalty. By offering special services and encouraging conversations, companies can benefit greatly from these relationships with their audience. As Keith O’Brien noted in his blog, “While the traditional media still holds sway, the emergence of brands as storytellers has significantly altered the dissemination of information” (O’Brien, 2009).
The top two toy manufacturers are Mattel and Hasbro. While Mattel has chosen to dip into the social media pool, Hasbro has not exactly been what some would call a social media darling (that would be the Starbucks, Coca Colas, etc., of the world). The company’s presence on social media outlets such as blogs, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube has been very limited. Instead, Hasbro has remained focused on traditional marketing vehicles, including print and television.
In order to succeed in today’s digital world, companies have to be creative, engaging and authentic. And, they have to understand that they are no longer driving marketing strategies; the consumer is. Social media vehicles provide the outlets needed to achieve these goals and enable the customer to be part of the brand. Hasbro must embrace these new mediums to extend its reach to its customers and provide opportunities to bring them into the conversation.
About Hasbro
Hasbro, Inc. is a worldwide leader in children's and family leisure time products and services with a rich portfolio of brands and entertainment properties that provides some of the highest quality and most recognizable play and recreational experiences in the world. As a brand-driven, consumer-focused global company, Hasbro brings to market a range of toys, games and licensed products, from traditional to high-tech and digital (Hasbro, 2009).
In 2008, annual sales were more than $4 billion. This is about two billion shy of Hasbro’s main competitor, Mattel. Mattel’s annual revenue was approximately $6 billion last year (Hoover’s, 2009).
Demographics:
The company’s primary target audience is children ages 3-12 (22 percent). The male to female ratio for that audience is almost dead even, with females edging out males 54 percent to 46 percent. The company’s Web site – Hasbro.com – reaches 1.5 million consumers monthly (Quantcast, 2009). During the past two years, the company has placed an enhanced focus on “tweens” (kids ages 8-12) by focusing on products that are high-tech/digitally innovative products (Hoovers, 2009).
Current Marketing/Advertising Strategies:
In a day and age when many Fortune 500 companies are transitioning their marketing plans to include social media and other new mediums, Hasbro’s main advertising vehicle continues to be television which helps them to reach their primary target audiences – children ages 12 and under.
Each year, more than $17 billion is spent on advertising to children (Lagorio, 2007). Last year, Hasbro spent more than $4.5 million on advertising (Hasbro Annual Report, 2009). And, it is easy to understand why when you look at the big picture. Many children have televisions, DVD players and other electronic devices in their room. According to Nielsen ratings, kids ages 2-5 spend 32 hours a week watching TV, while children ages 6-11 watch TV approximately 28 hours per week (McDonough, 2009). So, television still hits a large audience for Hasbro; however, reaching the adult populations (i.e., the parents) becomes more challenging. This is where social media vehicles such as the experiential marketing (“reliving” their favorite childhood Hasbro games and sharing those via on-line communities/websites), Twitter, Facebook and branded entertainment can really enhance that strategy.
Children also contribute to the bottom line of toy companies. Children ages 8-12 spent $30 billion of their own money on toys. Additionally, they greatly influence what their parents spend on products, estimated at $150 billion per year (Lagorio, 2007).
In addition to traditional advertising through print and television, Hasbro markets its products through the American International Toy Fair which is held each year in New York.
Ellen Degeneres also has been helping Hasbro market the Family game night by playing some of the games on her show, including Bop-It and Guesstures. Because The Ellen Degeneres show embraces social media, Hasbro has benefitted from this partnership. There are many opportunities for Hasbro to further enhance its branded entertainment presence by integrating more “personal” experiential marketing strategies that truly engage consumers.
Research and Data:
Trends and use of social media has changed dramatically during the past few years. With the increased use of social networking sites, Twitter, YouTube and other social media tools, companies are constantly re-evaluating their marketing strategies. The following research/data will be useful in developing Hasbro’s marketing plan.
In a recent study from the Center for Marketing Research at the University of Massachusetts, Inc. 500 companies (five of the top 10, 12 and 15 companies and 38 of the top 100 companies) were interviewed about trends/uses of social media (Barron, 2009). Several trends/statistics were discussed in the survey that deserve some attention, and ones that have real value for Hasbro’s marketing plan:
• Social networking leads the way. Seventy-five percent of respondents reported this as the most familiar aspect of social media.
• Fifty-two percent of the companies responding use Twitter.
• Social media is here to stay. Ninety-one percent of respondents used some sort of social media in 2009.
• Inc. 500 companies attribute success to social media communication. Eighty-two percent had a success rate with Twitter and 87 percent for other social media tools (Wikis, social networking, blogging, video, etc.).The Razorfish Digital Brand Experience Report 2009 found the following:
• More than 65 percent of consumers reported having a positive or negative digital experience that affected how they viewed a brand.
• Ninety-seven percent of those individuals reported that the experience ultimately determined whether or not they bought a product from that brand.
• Seventy percent of respondents have read a corporate blog.
• Sixty-seven percent have watched a commercial or video advertisement on YouTube.
• Seventy-three percent of respondents indicated posting a product or brand review on a web site like Amazon, Yelp, Facebook, or Twitter.
In 2008, Cone LLC presented the findings from its “2008 Cone Business in Social Media” survey. The following items are worth noting as part of the recommended marketing strategy for Hasbro:
• Sixty percent of Americans use social media and 59 percent of those individuals interact with companies via social media.
• Ninety-three percent of these social media users feel a company should have a presence in social media, and 85 percent believe not only should a company have a presence, but they also should interact with consumers via this new medium.
• More than half of these individuals feel a stronger connection with and better served by companies when they interact with them via a social media environment.
• Forty-one percent of the respondents think companies should solicit feedback on products/services.
• Forty-three percent of respondents think companies should use social networks to solve problems.
Additionally, more and more companies are making experiential marketing part of their strategy to help to build relationships with their customers. And, it’s working. According to a survey by MICE Group, more than 80 percent of companies/organizations believe experiential marketing is extremely or very important to the success of their organization. Forty-three percent of the respondents also noted that they expect to increase their budgets to increase experiential marketing tactics in their organizations during the next two years (MICE, 2009).
Social Media Implementation Strategies
Hasbro has been what a Wetpaint and Altimeter study dubbed “wallflower” when it comes to social media. By taking a few simple steps to incorporate social media as part of the overall marketing strategy, Hasbro can enhance its brand and engage customers, which, in turn, will lead to greater loyalty. Hasbro will need to be “selective” in determining the right fit for the organization. This is critical in developing the strategy. Hasbro does not want to try to be all things to all people. It needs to clearly define what social media strategies it will use, blend those strategies with the traditional marketing tools, and do them well.
In addition to using the traditional marketing vehicles (print and television), the use of the following social mediums is encouraged as part of the overall marketing strategy.
Blogs
As noted earlier, 70 percent of respondents in the Razorfish study said that they have read a corporate blog. Consumers are interested in what companies are doing and saying, and now more than ever before they have access to a wealth of information about companies/organizations available at their fingertips. In his blog, Jeff Bullas noted seven reasons why a company should blog. In looking at Hasbro’s marketing strategy and adding blogs to that strategy, two points stand out: 1) blogs are viewed as more trusting than company Web sites/press releases and 2) blogs can move customers to purchase your product (Bullas, 2009). Consumers will still look to a friend or next door neighbor for advice on what type of lawn care to use or what type of mp3 player to buy, so it is easy to understand why blogging, as well as other social mediums, is so important in branding and marketing.
Blogs are the easiest way to engage consumers in conversation. They provide open dialogue among consumers all over the world. It not only serves as a communications tool to educate customers, but it also provides companies opportunities to learn what others are saying about them.
In his book, Join the Conversation, Jaffe lists the 10 characteristics of a “good conversation” (Jaffe, 2007). Two characteristics are especially important: it is natural (not forced) and it is open. As Hasbro works to develop its blog – whether it be from the CEO or a toy designer – it is important to adhere to these golden rules. If you are not authentic, your consumers won’t believe you, and they will go elsewhere when they want information about products (or, they won’t buy anything from you again). You have to be willing to be open to the different points of view and be respectful of those viewpoints. Comment on others’ blogs.
Hasbro can easily incorporate blogs into the marketing strategy. It could offer an employee who has been working on a particular toy the chance to blog about that toy. He/she could discuss why he/she likes this toy, what is cool about it, etc. This will open the door for conversation from consumers. If by chance the toy is not actually a hit once it rolls out, the two-way (or multi-level) communication provides valuable feedback for Hasbro.
Hasbro should also ask for something via a blog. For example, perhaps the CEO could reminisce about his/her favorite childhood memory/experience with a Hasbro toy. Then ask for comments, stories, etc., from readers. Ask them to include photos. The feedback from customers is a valuable tool that can help further develop the company’s overall marketing strategy. Customers are your biggest salespeople. And, with the viral implications of social media, they can make or break a company.
As our research indicates, adults ages 35-54 using Facebook grew more than 170 percent in less than a year, and adults ages 24-35 and 55+ also saw substantial growth, more than 97 percent (Corbett, 2008). These are the parents and grandparents (and, in some cases siblings or great-grandparents) of our primary target audience. Reaching these groups is critical to the overall success of our company.
Hasbro has no real Facebook presence. The page has less than 2,000 fans and it provides little to no opportunity for users to write on the wall or share information (Facebook, 2009). The main point of social media is to engage and share information, and Facebook is a social networking site aimed at achieving those goals.
Hasbro has simply established a page for the sake of having a page. As part of our marketing strategy, the company will focus on enhancing this page to allow for the exchanging and sharing of information via the wall, special offers, photos, etc. Because our “secondary” target audience (parents and grandparents) is using this page, this is an area where there is great potential to engage consumers.
Facebook provides an opportunity to build relationships with consumers. By developing a solid "fan" following, Hasbro can develop marketing strategies to build brand loyalty. For example, the company should offer special discounts, "sneak peeks" and other premium services to “fans” of the page. The company could also offer incentives to those fans who “recruit” a set number of new fans to the page.
Many companies are already doing this, and consumers want these special services.
Mark Walsh noted that a Razorfish study shows that 44 percent of Twitter followers and more than 37 percent of Facebook/MySpace followers note receiving exclusive offers/deals/promotions is the main reason for subscribing/friending a brand via social media. Providing discounts and premium services makes your consumer feel special. And, driving them to your Facebook page or Web site provides additional opportunities to further engage them (wall posts, photo uploads, etc.).
Hasbro much enhance its presence on Facebook and work to provide fans with useful information that draws them in and provides them an opportunity to share their thoughts, ideas and stories.
Tweets
One simple step Hasbro can take to get consumers engaged is to offer the ability for consumers to sign up to receive information from the company via Twitter. Currently Hasbro relies on postings on its Web site or e-mail to notify customers of special offers or recalls.
Dell has been using Twitter to "tweet" coupon information for the Dell Outlet. The tweets link to the company's Facebook page where interested consumers can get more information, review the offers and make additional purchase. Hasbro can easily incorporate this feature as part of their Twitter presence as well.
Additionally, Twitter offers a unique opportunity to further engage consumers by seeking their feedback. For example, a fun, creative use of Twitter could be developed during the holiday season to ask consumers what their pick is for their favorite Hasbro toy. Or, Twitter serves as a great outlet to notify followers of the latest Hasbro toy launch.
Twitter offers a simple, cheap and effective way to cast the Hasbro net to more consumers and bring them into the conversation.
YouTube/Flickr
Much of social media revolves around user-generated content. In 2008, more than 82 million people generated their own content via various social mediums, including video, social networking, etc., and during the next five years those numbers are anticipated to grow to nearly 115 million (Ostrow, 2009). Sites such as Flickr and YouTube provide users with the ability to create their own information in creative and unique ways. In the Digital Outlook Report, Iain McDonald discusses the whole premise of social object theory and social influence in marketing. In the article, he notes that much of social media is built around an object that helps us make connections to others (i.e. photos, videos, URLs). It is these objects that we build our relationships around and discuss via the various social mediums.
YouTube provides a wonderful opportunity for Hasbro to market its products. Whether it is using the site to showcase special toys or creating outlets for consumers to share their story, Hasbro can capitalize on the power of YouTube. Mattel is already using YouTube in unique ways to help its consumers. In October of 2009, it launched shopmattel.com and uploaded a video outlining how the site works and what it has to offer.
Hasbro can engage consumers by providing useful information via this video site (shopping tips, what’s hot for the season, commercials) and by offering consumers an opportunity to join the conversation. Like Twitter and Facebook, YouTube can be used as a vehicle to share special memories of Hasbro toys. For example, ask for videos showcasing your child’s favorite Hasbro toy. Ask consumers to share their own videos of them enjoying a Hasbro moment.
YouTube also can be used for what Jaffe termed “advertising on demand” (Jaffe, 2005). In today’s world where more and more consumers are skipping through traditional television advertising, YouTube offers companies an opportunity to showcase products and services via the new social medium. And, more importantly, it allows the consumer to choose the advertising he/she wishes to engage in. Because the site is also viral, the opportunity to reach a broader audience is greatly enhanced.
Mobile Applications/Technology
As more and more consumers move to Blackberries, iPhones and other mobile devices, developing services and applications will become increasingly important because the consumer expects it. The challenge is developing a program/app that peaks the interest of your consumers while working across multiple mobile platforms.
Hasbro could benefit from mobile applications that provide parents with information that can make their life easier. For example, if Hasbro can develop an application that allows parents to track toy information, make lists, get recommendations – all based on data provided by them (i.e., age of the child, sex of the child, child’s interests) – will help parents. Hasbro’s application could then tailor toy information based on the data provided, as well as offer tips for finding the right toy, where to find it, etc. Another application that would benefit the consumers is a storefront window of toys from Hasbro.
Mobile coupons are expected to become a popular tool for companies moving forward. This technology provides ease of use, higher redemption rates and is more cost effective for the actual company (Razorfish, 2009). Hasbro can easily use this tool to as a reward incentive to those customers who have engaged in other social media mediums at Hasbro.
Conclusions:
Social media has put consumers in the driver’s seat. The level and types of engagement ultimately affect the financial success of a company. Those who engage and build/maintain relationships tend to be more profitable. Conversations and engagement are critical in helping to build trust, loyalty and support for a company/organization. Understanding and incorporating the right social media strategies will continue to be an important piece of an overall marketing strategy. Identifying and using those mediums that are most appropriate for your company or organization is key in developing your strategy.
Obviously privacy issues will continue to arise with our main target audience – children under the age of 12. But, what also is likely to change is the demographics of who is using the various mediums. As found with Mattel, even children are getting involved with Twitter and Facebook (example, Barbie – kids follow her tweets and are fans of her Facebook page, 250,000 and counting). As technology changes at a rapid pace, companies will have to continually invest in emerging technology and manpower to keep up with those changes.
Hasbro can incorporate some simple social media strategies, outlined above, that will help to enhance their overall brand and further engage consumers. By taking these simple steps, Hasbro will achieve greater success and possibly catapult over Mattel as the number one toy manufacturer.
References:
Adler, D. (2009, July 31). Twenty-one top Twitter tips. Forbes. Retrieved Dec. 26, 2009, from http://www.forbes.com/2009/07/31/top-twitter-tips-entrepreneurs-technology-twitter.html
Barnes, N. and Mattson, E. (2009). Social media in the 2009 Inc. 500: New tools & new trends. Retrieved Dec. 12, 2009, from http://www.umassd.edu/cmr/studiesresearch/socialmedia2009.pdf
Bullas, J. (2009, July 10). Seven reasons companies should blog. Retrieved December 2, 2009, from http://jeffbullas.com/2009/07/10/7-reasons-why-companies-should-blog/
Cashmore, P. (2009, Sept. 7). Monopoly City Streets: Google launching online version of Monopoly. Retrieved Dec. 27, 2009, from http://mashable.com/2009/09/07/monopoly-google-maps/
Cone, Inc. (2008). Cone finds that Americans expect companies to have a presence in social media. Retrieved Dec. 15, 2009, from http://www.coneinc.com/content1182
Corbett, P. (2008, June 20). Facebook demographics 2008 update -- It’s getting older in there. Retrieved October 30, 2009, from http://www.istrategylabs.com/2008/06/facebook-demographics-2008-update-its-getting-older-in-there/
Hasbro, Inc. (2009, February 25). 10-K and Annual Report to Shareholders. Hasbro.com. Retrieved November 2, 2009, from http://www.scribd.com/doc/12937028/HASBRO-INC-10K-Annual-Reports-20090225
Hoover’s (2009). Hasbro, Inc. and Mattel, Inc. Retrieved November 1, 2009, from http://www.scribd.com/doc/12937028/HASBRO-INC-10K-Annual-Reports-20090225
Jaffe, J. (2005). Life after the 30-second spot. Chapter 9, pp. 95.
Jaffe, J. (2007). Join the Conversation. Chapter 11, pps. 120-121.
Lagorio, C. (2007, May 17). Resources: Marketing to kids. CBS News. Retrieved October 21, 2009, from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/14/fyi/main2798401.shtml
Mattel (2009). Retrieved November 1, 2009, from www.mattel.com and http://www.shopmattel.com/ and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNWKUPu2-sw
McDonough, P. (2009, October 26). TV viewing among kids at an eight-year high. Nielsen Wire. Retrieved November 22, 2009, from http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/media_entertainment/tv-viewing-among-kids-at-an-eight-year-high/
MICE Group (2009, September 8). New international survey predicts experiential marketing 'set to become major growth area in next five years'. PR Newswire. Retrieved November 11, 2009, from http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=178594
O’Brien, K. (2009, April 7). Why the future of PR lies in social media. Attention! Blog. Retrieved Dec. 21, 2009, from http://blog.attentionusa.com/2009/04/why-the-future-of-pr-lies-in-social-media/
Ostrow, A. (2009, February 19). 82 million user-generated content and counting. Retrieved December 6, 2009, from http://mashable.com/2009/02/19/user-generated-content-growth/
Powers, V. (2009, October 30). Hasbro’s family game night teams with Domino’s Pizza: Free pizza, mini games. Retrieved November 22, 2009, from http://www.houstononthecheap.com/hasbros-family-game-night-teams-with-dominos-pizza-free-pizza-mini-games
Razorfish (2009). FEED Report. Digital Brand Experience Report 2009. Retrieved November 9, 2009, from http://feed.razorfish.com/downloads/Razorfish_FEED09.pdf
Razorfish (2009). Digital Outlook Report. Retrieved Dec. 1, 2009, from http://www.razorfish.com/#/ideas/reports-and-papers/special-reports/
Walsh, M. (2009, November 8). Online Media Daily News. Razorfish study: Special offers drive engagement in social media. Retrieved November 9, 2009, from http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=117008
Wetpaint and Altimeter (2009, July). The world’s most valuable brands. Who’s most engaged? Retrieved from http://www.engagementdb.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
