Geolocation technology 'can improve lead generation'

In order to reduce costs and improve clickthrough rates, companies should be using geolocation to target customers, an expert has suggested.

Businesses should consider using geolocation tools to enhance lead generation in advertising campaigns, according to an industry insider.

Frank Bobo, vice-president of Digital Element, suggested in a blog for Net Imperative that targeted adverts by region or city can mean less wasted impressions and better clickthrough rates.

He used the example of a sports merchandise store, which will benefit if people from the Greater Manchester area surfing the web are presented with Manchester United shirts rather than merchandise from a London football club.

By making the content more relevant to the consumer, improved clickthrough rates can lead to increased revenue and reduced costs.

"Advertisers need to cut through the vast clutter of the internet to increase the reach, relevance and response of their messages," he explained on the website.

This week, a spokesperson for digital marketing organisation TGB championed the use of behavioural advertising as a technique for more effective lead generation.

03/11/2009

Google 'will not be sole SEO platform in future'

Portals other than Google will still have a vital role to play in search marketing, says an expert.

Search engine optimisation (SEO) will need to be carried out across a range of portals in the future, with the focus not just on Google, according to an industry expert.

Deputy news editor at New Media Age Will Cooper noted that Google does provide consumers with a solid base to search for what they want on the internet.

However, he claimed that people will still search across various company portals.

In his view, one company will always dominate an area, but it is another point entirely to suggest that a search engine such as Google will displace all other search sites and portals.

"I wouldn't imagine - I might be wrong - we'll get to a point where Google will become the main place you start for everything," he explained.

Mr Cooper made his comments following the launch of the Google Social Search tool, which the organisation has advised will work best if users create a public profile with the company.

03/11/2009

Expert recommends IP intelligence for lead generation

Lead generation can be boosted by using IP intelligence to customise marketing campaigns, says an expert.

An industry commentator has advised companies to use IP intelligence to enhance the quality of their lead generation.

Vice-president of Digital Element Frank Bobo made his comments on Net Imperative, where he highlighted how online media has become the most popular advertising media in the UK, with a 23.5 per cent market share.

In his opinion, by using IP intelligence advertisers are able to customise campaigns so that they appeal to consumers close to home using localisation software.

Also, by being able to sense what internet connection speed a consumer is using, Mr Bobo pointed out that marketers can automatically offer more advanced media-rich adverts only to those with the capabilities to stream them.

"By utilising IP intelligence, advertisers now have a way to reach out to an untapped and previously hard-to-reach online audience - the unregistered user," he wrote.

This week, Oxfam announced that it had improved conversion rates by using an innovative lead generation strategy, in which customers decide how much postage they want to pay on a product.

03/11/2009

New social media tool 'aims for meaningful experience'

Twitter users have been urged to create lists of content using a new tool, which the company's co-founder believes will be a new "discovery mechanism".

A new Twitter tool has been developed to help people communicate more information in a cohesive manner, according to the social media site's co-founder.

Biz Stone, writing on Twitter's official blog, commented that any user can curate a list and claimed the feature will become a "discovery mechanism".

He also mentioned how several media companies have already begun making lists using Tweets, such as the Huffington Post during their coverage of the baseball World Series in the US.

"Lists also make it easier to curate tweets into meaningful real-time experiences on your own sites via the Lists API," said Mr Stone.

There are also new applications on offer to help people create lists such as TLISTS, while others provide users with a selection of recommended Tweets of this kind, for instance Listorious.

Last week the social media company announced that it is partnering itself with Google to allow Tweets to appear in the search engine's results pages.

02/11/2009

Oxfam 'pioneers lead generation strategy'

The international poverty charity has seen a spike in conversion rates since allowing customers to choose how much they pay in postage, according to a spokesperson.

A new lead generation tactic by Oxfam has been "massively successful", according to a senior spokesperson at the charity.

Director of trading David McCullough described how the company decided to let customers choose how much they want to pay in postage when they buy an item.

He claimed that delivery charges can be an obstacle for online retailers, since consumers are not spending as freely in the current economic climate.

But the amount of money raised by the voluntary scheme has suggested to Mr McCullough that people do want to donate money, even during a recession.

"We are the first organisation to trial a 'pay what you like' format for online delivery and it has already proved massively successful," he said.

Since the scheme was launched a fortnight ago, conversion rates have increased by 35 per cent and more than £8,000 has been paid in voluntary delivery donations.

The shop sells a variety of products, from ethically produced clothes and gadgets to second-hand music and collectables.

02/11/2009

Behavioural advertising 'encourages lead generation'

An expert has championed behavioural advertising as a form of lead generation, but called for more information to be given to consumers.

Lead generation can be improved with the use of behavioural advertising, but the technique should be explained to consumers.

David Gilbert, spokesperson for digital marketing company TGB, claimed that this form of marketing provides "measurable return on investment", which advertisers love.

But users are objecting because they feel their privacy is being intruded upon, which would not be the case if they understood the benefits to themselves and to advertisers.

Mr Gilbert explained: "Once users understand how behavioural advertising works, they will feel more comfortable about it and trust will be restored."

He suggested that marketers add explanatory information on their website and clear instructions on how to opt out if they do not want their online behaviour recorded.

In his view, "targeted advertising" is nothing new in itself.

Recent research by the Internet Advertising Bureau and Olswang revealed that 72 per cent of online users are not aware of behavioural advertising.

02/11/2009

Sponsored Tweets 'could fund Google social media search'

Having Twitter users paid to write sponsored content has been suggested as a way to fund Google's Social Search tool, according to an industry insider.

An industry commentator has suggested that Google Social Search could be funded by sponsored use of social media service Twitter.

Will Cooper, deputy news editor of New Media Age, pointed out that when new applications are released, people will often focus on monetisation because everything "has to be funded somehow".

He said that this issue has not yet been answered with regard to Social Search, but there have been suggestions that advertisers could pay people to Tweet about products and brands.

"But the thing they've got here is an understanding that people are looking for information on social networks," explained Mr Cooper.

It would be quite a surprise if there are sponsored links on there in future though, he added.

Google Social Search was released last week and allows users to search for content on social media platforms according to preferences and contacts in their Google gmail account.

One of the focuses of the tool is to allow people to search their friends' blogs and social networks for content.

02/11/2009