Tag Archive for: Marketing

What You Need to Know About Generation Z

Nela & Boris at Lighthouse Point complex - Collingwood, Ontario (August 2nd, 2008)

As Millennials are making their impact on today’s work force, employers are turning to see what they can expect from Generation Z as they prepare themselves for today’s economy. Described as people born from the mid 90’s to mid 2000’s, Generation Z is just now starting to make its impact. Make no mistake: marketers are scrambling to be the first ones to figure out this generation. Fickle, smart, and diverse, Generation Z is quite different from the entitled Millennials, and are predicted to be more like their great grandparents rather than their older siblings. Here are a few key things you need to know about Generation Z’ers:

  • They Are Diverse: With birth rates for Hispanic and Mixed children soaring between the years of 2000 and 2010, this diverse generation sees their African-American president as normal, not a breakthrough.
  • They Move On Quick: With Vine, the social media platform built exclusively on 6-second videos, as the prevalent form of Social Media among Generation Z’ers, you can count on a generation that will forget about your product just as quickly as they saw it.
  • They Are Risk Averse, Safe: Having grown up during tumultuous times, Gen Z’ers are subjected to their parents, the Gen X’ers, will to provide safety where there was none before. Products featuring extra safety features, promoting sustainability, or that promise to be free of toxins are a selling point to these kids and their parents.

Most of all, it is a generation that values the long term. After seeing how Millennials are bearing the weight of the baby boomers, Generation Z’ers are pragmatic and are not looking for a quick fix. Once you can understand the above characteristics, you can begin to understand Generation Z. Marketers will have to be able to understand minds that have short attention spans, but are still looking for the long term. Though it may be confusing and contradictory at first, the first to master their market will have large rewards to reap.

Read the full article here in The New York Times.

Google’s Race to Stay on Top

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A key component of any business is a company’s website, and Search Engine Optimization, or SEO for short, is key to getting that website seen by customers. Google is the world’s premier search engine, and Amit Singhal is the man responsible for the 200+ factors that determine your website’s ranking in the search engine. Amit also keeps track of incoming trends, and how to adapt Google’s software to reflect changes in the way people look up their information. What someone may have asked a search engine 5 years ago is vastly different from what will be asked today, and it’s Amit’s job to ensure Google is optimally responding to a user’s search query.

How can you ensure that your own business remains up to date? Having your website optimized for mobile is key to being relevant and ranking high in the search engine’s results. With a surge in mobile users on both phone and tablet, a website that doesn’t read well on a phone will not fare well with Google’s algorithms. Quick load times and relevant information are always important, as people want responsive sites with the information they need so they can put their phone down and get on with whatever they were doing.

As a search engine, it is Google’s purpose to deliver exactly what the user needs as soon as possible, and Amit’s job to make sure Google keeps doing that as well as it possibly can. With so many startups being acquired by both Google and now Apple, Google cannot take its position as the #1 search engine for granted. Startups with algorithms for apps and music are appearing, and Google’s ability to adapt to that change will determine its relevance in the decades to come.

 

Read the full article in The New York Times here.

Marketing Trends For 2015: Wearable Technology Expected to Increase

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The prevalence of wearable technologies are expected to increase this year. These devices present an interesting opportunity for advertisers and marketers who will need to adapt their digital marketing strategy for each kind of device. Some general observations regarding these technologies can be made:

  • Advertisements for wearable technology, such as Google Glass, Apple Watch or the Smartwatch, will need to become more customized for smaller screens and heads up display (HUD).
  • We currently check our phones approximately 150 times a day (on average). This number is expected to increase as technologies develop. Imagine how many more times we might look at a Smartwatch or device that we don’t have to take out of our pocket. Scary!
  • “New mobile devices” that consumers, and ultimately advertisers, might interact with more than a smartphone are expected to be introduced to the market.

(Information sourced from Randy Schrum, Founder- Inspired Venture Group | Business Innovator and Speaker on Conversions, Marketing, and Sales)

Marketing Trends For 2015: Mobile Marketing Will Dominate

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One of the biggest trends for marketers to observe in 2015 is the prominence and dominance of the mobile consumer. A number of interesting points can be made on this topic:

  • Mobile is estimated to be the primary channel for paid search by the end of 2015.
  • Having a website optimized for mobile, and not just a responsive format, will be crucial.
  • In response to the dominant mobile consumer, location-based marketing will increase targeting consumers based on where they physically are, what they’re doing, and what’s nearby that may interest them.
  • In 2015 the marketing formula is simple: SOCIAL + LOCAL + MOBILE = RESULTS!

Stay tuned next week for more 2015 Marketing Trends!

(Information sourced from Randy Schrum, Founder- Inspired Venture Group | Business Innovator and Speaker on Conversions, Marketing, and Sales)

Marketing Trends for 2015: Content Marketing

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The marketing landscape is changing rapidly before our eyes. Business owners and marketers need to plan strategies for the coming year well in advance – now more than ever. One of the big marketing trends for 2015 is content marketing. But what does “content marketing” mean, and why is it so crucial?

  • Content marketing is any marketing that involves the creation and sharing of media and publishing content in order to acquire and retain customers.
  • In 2015, marketers must center their content around the reader, not the product. Those who merely pitch run the risk of being ignored.
  • Show your audience you care by dedicating resources to answering customer questions and providing valuable assistance online.
  • The more a company tries to “push the sale” the less likely potential customers will spend with the business. Show passion for your product without sounding like a used-car salesman.

Stay tuned next week for more 2015 Marketing Trends!

(Information sourced from Randy Schrum, Founder- Inspired Venture Group | Business Innovator and Speaker on Conversions, Marketing, and Sales)