Mobile Traffic for Retail on the Rise

Stores opened earlier, and stayed open longer than ever before this Thanksgiving weekend.  As a result, two million MORE people shopped this year, over last.  But here's the catch....they weren't all purchasing something.  According to the National Retail Federation, the average consumer who did purchase spent $407.02.  Although this number is slightly less than last year, the expectation was that Cyber Monday would cover the difference, and it did.  "Online shopping surged about 20 percent to a record on Cyber Monday as many consumers took to the Web to buy holiday gifts."  With sites like eBay and Amazon offering free shipping, it's no surprise that the internet is eating up more and more of the sales.  I think people still like the brick and mortar store, but they seem to appreciate it more for 'window' shopping rather than to make purchases. 

What is most interesting about the trends in retail shifting to online is the increase of purchases using mobile devices.  Mobile traffic over Thanksgiving accounted for 32 percent of site visits, a 45 percent gain from last year. That's HUGE.  Just think of the opportunities stores could unlock through sharing Wi-Fi, promoting mobile-friendly websites, and offering online deals.

How consumers are using their mobiles in-store:  

• 35% of smartphone owners in Q2 2013 used their device to locate a store
• 59 percent used mobile while in the store, 24% of them just want to see if there was an online discount or coupon available
• Many used mobile to search a different retailer’s site, (92 percent wanted to see if they could get a better deal somewhere else.)
•  23% used mobile phones in-store to text or call family or friends about a product
• 17% send a picture from the store to share product to family/friends

*Source, The National Retail Federation

More interesting facts to ponder:   

• Hispanics are almost 30% more likely than the average US consumer to use social media to find coupons.
• Thanksgiving weekend deals are especially attractive to the younger generations as (76.2%) of 18 – 34 year olds shopped or planned to shop over the holiday weekend.

Google Hummingbird and Google Penguin Updates

Google changes or updates its algorithms 500-600 times per year!  For a small business, this is a lot to keep up with.  Having a webmaster that keeps up with these changes will make a big difference in your bottom line. 

Had changes recently in your search results?  Knowing when the Google algorithm updates took effect may help explain those changes:  SEO MOZ list of major algorithmic changes that have had the biggest impact on search.

August 2013, Google Hummingbird

Hummingbird was created to help provide better “conversational search” results, paying more attention to every word in a query, rather than pulling from a few key words.  When you speak a search topic such as, “Place to buy Green Bay Packer jersey?”  Traditional search engine may have focused on matches for the words, “buy” and “Green Bay Packer,” for example.  Hummingbird takes the search a step further by focusing on the meaning behind the spoken search words.  If your location is shared with Google, it will recognize and compare it to your search words.  It may understand that “place” means you want a brick-and-mortar store. It might get that “Green Bay Packer jersey” is a particular brand and type of clothing carried by certain stores. The goal is that pages matching the meaning do better, rather than pages matching just a few words.

October 2013, Google Penguin

Hummingbird is like Google’s entire ranking engine, whereas Penguin is like a small part of that engine. Penguin is a part of Google’s overall search algorithm, designed to detect web spam and remove it from results.  If links are showing high in search results, but appear to be “paid” or “spammy,” Google will penalize your search results.     

Over the years, there have been many update versions of the penguin algorithm.  (Penguin 1, 1.2, 2, 2.2, etc.)  If your site was affected by the most recent Penguin update, you would have noticed a marked drop in traffic over the past week.  How to fix the problem?  Get rid of those paid links.  

Remember “Relevance and Quality”

Content on sites must be relevant and sector-related to fair well on Google search.  Double check to ensure links are relevant to their specific topics and that they have developed organically.   It is also vital that the content on your site is frequently updated and changing.

Consultants and contractors make good business sense

Your Team Players.  Your team is important, and having the right people in place is critical!  Just because you have had an employee for ten years doesn’t make them a dedicated and loyal employee.  People can become comfortable and lazy.  Ensure that everyone is working towards the same common goal, and contributing towards your business success.   There should be a motivational relationship between your business success, and the rewards/success of each team player.  However, it’s impossible to be responsible for all of the motivation behind each team member.  A good portion of motivation just comes from respect, and wanting to do a good job for the pay.  

Consultants and Contractors.  The next question is, “should you hire or contract out for services?”  There are a ton of advantages to hiring a professional contractor or consultant.

·         Reduce overhead. Reducing expenses is a real attraction to hiring an independent contractor or consultant.  Lower overhead means less stress to cover costs.  New business can go right into your wallet and ensure the future success of your company.

·         No health benefits are necessary.  According to the EBRI, employers traditionally spend just over 29 percent on employee benefits.  In 2010, the average total cost to employers for employee benefits was around $10 per hour for each employee, or about 30 percent of total compensation.  Source:  The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Due to health care reform, these costs are expected to increase.  

·         Cost control.  With more employees, your office will probably have to move to a bigger space, sign a lease, and purchase more equipment.  Contract out and save yourself some money.  You’ll also have the ability to take on opportunities as they arise.  During seasonal or slow periods, easily scale back on spending. 

·         Highly specialized.  Many consultants and contractors come trained and highly specialized, giving your company a leading edge towards greater profitability.  No successful business works in a vacuum.  Hiring an independent consultant or contractor offers flexibility to the changing work demands of your company, as well as the changing demands of the marketplace.  Avoid juggling multiple contractors, find one or two that you can depend on to meet project goals and grow with your company.

·         Require less management.  As your employee numbers grown, you become less involved in practicing your trade and more involved in people management issues.  You have to worry about worker-related lawsuits and putting out fires on a daily basis.  Self-employed independents and contractors should require less management due to the fact that they are more motivated and accountable.

·         Well-networked and well-informed. Many consultants and contractors are members of local business groups, and are typically well-informed.  In order to remain relevant, they have to stay on top of trends, continue training and connect with other professionals in their local communities.  In time, an experienced consultant or contractor can have access to a huge network of professional services and experts in a variety of platforms. 

Online Shopping Cart Abandonment

This is an interesting topic as I just recently abandoned an online purchase myself.  I’m a busy and admittingly impatient person when it comes to shopping for something specific online.

Eager for a simple and quick solution, I resulted to search online.  The shoes were quickly found at DicksSportingGoods.com.  Excellent!  Dick’s is a local store that I recognized, and probably more convenient if there was ever need for a return or exchange.  The website displayed (3) different colors. ( I don’t buy running shoes for the appearance, but knowing that the shoe I wanted had options was enticing.)  After setting up the e-mail contact and billing information, I put the shoes in my cart only to find that the color I choose was out of stock.  To make things worse, my second choice was also out of stock.  As mentioned, I don’t purchase running shoes for appearance.  However, after learning that I had did have choices, my mind was now focused on getting the color I wanted.  After all, if I’m spending nearly $200 for a pair of shoes, why not get the color I want?  Before continuing to explore options online, my contact info/e-mail address was deleted.  (I knew my cookies were out there, but at least Dicks couldn’t contact me by e-mail.)  So I thought anyway…  The shoes were found at Zappos.com. They didn’t have the color choices I was looking for, BUT they did have a mind-changing offer; $50 savings from the price quoted on Dicks.  I will absolutely buy the ugly running shoes if it saves me $50!  And I did…

I specifically remember deleting my e-mail info, but since the Zappos purchase, Dicks has been sending me annoying e-mails anyway.  All of this had me wondering how many people react as I did, abandoning their initial cart selection for one reason or another.  I found this article from MarketingProfs.com which states that abandonment rates in the second quarter of 2013 were averaging 75%. The study also found that if an online retailer is able to ‘capture’ contact informationbefore a cart is abandoned because following up with an email can often times become lucrative.

More interesting Q1 2013 facts from SalesCycle.com:

• 73.6% was the average shopping cart, basket and booking abandonment rate (up from 70.7% in Q4 2012)
• Most abandonments happened between 8 and 9pm - with Thursday the most common day
• 48.1% of basket abandonment emails were opened (up from 45.9% in Q4)
• 14.9% of basket abandonment emails were clicked (up from 13.5% in Q4)
• 33.3% of these clickers went on to purchase a product (up from 30.1% in Q4)
• The AOV was 58% higher for purchases from basket abandonment emails compared with direct sales (up from 36% in Q4)
• Revenue per basket abandonment email sent was $5.78  (up from $4.14 Q4) 

Could a complaint become your next big idea?

It's a known fact that the internet and social media have amplified customer voices, and it's not a bad thing.  Yes, there are those who use online outlets to vent rage and obtain some sort of power from posting unwarranted comments.  But, because these internet 'personalities' are easy to peg, their comments mean next to nothing in the long run.  Of course, every business owner welcomes a positive review and customer feedback.  After all, what's not to love about a customer expressing their satisfaction and delight regarding the services and products that you offer?  These words can define the difference between your business and the competition.  Encouraging words and praise can lead to some well-deserved free 'word-of-mouth' advertising and encourage new business in the future.

But what about the customer that expresses otherwise?  It's true that most business owners fear complaints and dread a customer revealing a negative experience online.  However, I believe there are important lessons to be learned, and bigger opportunities to be discovered from a legitimate negative comment or customer concern.

Valid reasons not to fear the LEGITIMATE Negative Customer Complaint:

• Having some negative comments mixed with positive ones will make your business reviews appear more relevant and believable.
• Negative reviews add to the total quantity of reviews a business has which is important, providing more confidence in star ratings (represent an avg. across all reviews).
• Customers who bring to surface and issue want to be heard.  If they have taken the time to express their concerns, they are more likely to return when the issue is resolved.
• Resolving a negative complaint allows opportunity to present a special offer or incentive to motivate that customer return and satisfaction.
• A dis-satisfied customer who doesn't complain in a public manner could harm your business by talking behind your back and amplifying it's negative effects without your knowledge.
• After a situation has been exposed, your business can take action to obtain the upper hand, change the tone, and gain a new-found respect from current and potentially new customers.
• Responding and resolving a negative comment allows you, the business owner, a chance to be heard and seen as a business that cares about its customers.
• Your customers are always right.  Your customers know the competition better than you do.  Their questions may be your answers!

Be sure to PLAN for complaints.... as they are guaranteed to happen!  Make resolving those complaints a priority and conduct yourself professionally, especially online.  Compensate an unhappy customer for their inconvenience. Really listen to what customers are trying to tell you, especially if you are hearing the same type of concerns repeated.  Knowing and understanding customers wants and needs will absolutely create new and positive opportunities for your business...the next BIG IDEA.

What are you waiting for?  Tap into it!

Local Marketing not just about Search

It’s true that “word-of-mouth” recommendations from family and friends are the top means for getting a good referral; this is precisely why social media is so important to business.  Social sites allow customers to quickly see, or ask what their social connections have to say about your business.   In addition, some of these social sites have become so sophisticated that they are soon become mini-search engines of their own.  However, to get results, it’s important to be active and interactive…the more involved you are, the better the results.

Be sure to select the social media outlets that best represent your business and potential customer base.  Not only can you gain the trust and respect of potential customers, but it will also help with retention, branding, search engine optimization, and ultimately…more sales!  Information derived from social media will also provide valuable information for planning future marketing and advertising campaigns.  When planning your next campaign blitz, don’t forget that it’s absolutely critical to connect social media to purchased advertising.  I call it “cross-platform marketing,” ensuring that your business branding or promotion is well-connected, and consistent.  This will extend the reach, frequency and ultimate success of your campaign.

Business uses for some of the top social media sites

LinkedIn:  LinkedIn is a professional social networking, and outstanding business-to-business, LEAD GENERATING marketing tool.   Your profile is essentially your business card, so make sure it’s public and search engines will index it!  New company pages allow you to update business products/services and add special offers.

Facebook: New graph search feature allows users to search for businesses according to both location and recommendations from friends.  Keep your Facebook page is categorized correctly and consistently updated with new and relevant information.

Foursquare:  Allow users to check in, find specials and rate your business.  Users can share offers with their friends, extending your message reach.   Ask for feedback from your most loyal patrons, and pay attention to which offers customers have responded best to, and keep them coming back!

Twitter:  With the new ‘anyone know” search, Twitter has become closer to a search engine tool.  Your twitter activity can boost Google search results for your business.  But, you have to do a little bit of work here; converse, respond, talk and interact!  Connect with relevant friends and industry peers to get the most out of it.

YouTube:  Did you know that the second largest search engine after Google is YouTube, yet the tool is often underutilized by businesses?  This could mean big opportunity for you!  In terms of SEO, titles, descriptions, and tags are the most important content elements.  And, of course, video…

Negative Online Review and What to Do

Some customers express their positive or negative experience in person, which is ideal.  However, some dissatisfied customers quietly take their business elsewhere.  This is an unfortunate situation for your business because you have no way of knowing what went wrong or what to fix.

Even if you have a stellar business that people love, few will actually take the time to write a positive online review.  However, when it comes to negative reviews, you can have the opposite situation.  There are aggressive and chronic complainers who spend most of their time writing reviews online. They prefer to be hidden behind a profile name, and are empowered by the internet because it gives them a loud and lengthy voice.  The aggressive customer does not respond well to any kind of comment or rationalization because they can’t complain if there is a true issue that can be fixed!  A chronic complainer is never satisfied and never stops whining.  Visitors can identify these people simply by clicking on their profile and seeing the list of chronic complaining they’ve done.  When an internet-savvy customer sees a chronic complainer review, they’ll usually ignore it.

Businesses should respond to both positive and negative reviews.  But be aware, once a chronic complainer is pegged, it’s best to walk away because they will always have to have the last word.  Once they see that you have left the conversation, they will move on to the next unfortunate target.

The best advice for handling customer reviews:

• Manage your online reputation to know what people are saying.
• Respond to both positive and negative reviews whenever possible.
• If a review is negative, attempt to handle the situation offline with a phone call.
• If the customer is satisfied with your complaint resolution, ask for a follow-up review!
• Once pegged, ignore the ‘chronic complainer’ and move on.  (They’re a waste of precious time.)
• Negative reviews are nearly impossible to remove, shift energy towards building positive reviews.

Does your business need to hire a marketer?

Do a simple search for your business online.
Google reports that 97% of Americans use search engines to find local businesses. (July 2012) It’s easy to see for yourself what is found by simply typing in your business name, or major category it’s associated with. Because results will vary, check all search engines including Google, Yahoo and Bing. Also check from your desktop, as well as a mobile device. For accurate results, don’t forget to ‘clear browsing history and cookies’ in-between each search
If you are a business who has embraced good social media practices, those sites are likely to appear. If you’re a business who has an optimized website, an active Google+ Places account or other frequently updated online listings, they should also appear.

Did you find a mess?
How you have found your business online is how potential customers gain their perception of your business. Most businesses will find a combination of competitor results, incomplete and outdated information, unmanaged duplicates, unclaimed listings and worst-case scenario….negative reviews! Half of small businesses never update their online listings. If your business is not found at all, or found in a way that doesn’t represent the image you desire, you’re probably losing money. It’s a good indication that you need help, and you need it fast. Find an outside help in an experienced and trust-worthy marketer that others speak highly of. Investing in a large advertising agency may not provide the cost efficiency or personal customer service your looking for. Instead, seek a local marketer who offers a variety of services such as online reputation management, and cross-platform branding, (which will include social media). These things will help create a cohesive and ‘buttoned-up’ image, improve search engine results and ultimately help your business gain new customers.
A good Online Marketer will utilize free online tools, inbound and content marketing to organize your business before proposing a ‘Pay-Per-click,’ or any other type of media campaign. They can help you figure out which social media sites your customers are active on and help create a presence in those spaces. Social media sites, search engines, (especially Google), and technology will continue to evolve and need to be tested. An online marketer will help you stay up-to-date with these changes and offer new ideas and strategies to make the most of them.

The Bottom Line for your business.
Online marketing, especially inbound/content marketing strategies, can be the most efficient way to generate leads! Compared to the benefits, hiring a professional is a small investment. However, if you don’t know what you’re doing, the results can be extremely time-consuming and counter-productive for your business.

Content Marketing and Google Algorithms

Recently, Google rolled out some new quality controls for content marketing which will play into algorithms important to organic search results. The change is designed to place relevance on the QUANTITY of new content, and will affect 35% of all search queries. For businesses who are constantly updating their blog, social media sites, website content, and participating in inbound marketing….this is great news. For those who are not, this change could put a little fire in the seat to do something about it. Stated in a Google press release, “Search results, like warm cookies right out of the oven… are best when they’re fresh.”
If you want a piece of the SEO action, be prepared to push out more blogs, tweets, posts, and join in on discussions related to your products, services, and industry at any moment!

Don’t wait another minute to check your Google+ Business Places accounts and ensure you are within the guidelines. The penalty? Google will remove your business information and your business will lose precious search engine leverage.

Just because Google is asking for more quantity doesn’t minimize the importance of current and relevant information. If you buy Google AdWords, familiarize yourself with Google’s Quality Score. In addition, here are some basic definitions for marketers and business owners alike:

• SEO: abbreviation for “Search Engine Optimization,” how to appear higher in search engine results.
• Inbound Marketing: Marketing efforts focused on getting found by customers rather than traditional marketing which is more intrusive.
• Content Marketing: Technique of creating and distributing relevant and valuable content to attract and engage an audience with the objective of driving profitable actions.

All of the above utilize blogs, social sites, websites, Press-releases, etc. Instead of merely “selling” your products and services, you’re delivering information that makes your buyer more intelligent. Not only that, but consumers don’t respond to traditional marketing like they used to. It takes more to catch their interest than an online banner or TV ad alone.  Contact the Leaning Tree Marketing for your content marketing needs.