Marketing Forecast from Ad-ology

Today’s shoppers appear content to browse websites and order everything from shoes to books without ever leaving home. But there are also consumers who are frustrated by the poorly fitting shoes they ordered online and consumers who are just wandering by a bricks and mortar store. It is these shoppers that retailers hope to reach with their geo-fencing strategies.

Because social media is still proving its worth to many marketers, there is no shortage of new studies emphasizing the various strengths of the format. Earlier this month, Market Force set up a survey to determine whether consumers can be influenced to buy products as a result of marketers’ social media posts. The findings may surprise some marketers.

Consumers are spending more time on social games these days. And, whenever consumers begin to change where they are directing their media time, markets pay attention. Analysts believe that more companies will be advertising in social games which means the format is moving from the fringe into the mainstream.

Healthcare marketers, especially pharmaceutical companies, have a love-hate relationship with social media. Consumers have made searching and talking about health problems one of the top online categories. But healthcare providers have been hesitant about engaging in social media because of privacy concerns and the need to provide full disclosure with respect to medication.

It might seem like people are perfectly happy to communicate with each other solely through social media. But event planners have noticed that corporations are increasing their activity and experiential marketing budgets this year because people really do like to meet face to face. The latest twist is that social media is now driving more interest and participation in these events.

Since nearly all online users, 91%, are using social media to some extent, will marketers be able to roll out the kind of national branding campaigns on these sites that they’ve long been using for other formats? Possibly, say some analysts. But it’s also possible that marketers will begin using unique characteristics of audiences on specific social networking sites to reach a more targeted population.