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Winning Internet Integration Strategies for Today's Retailer

 

 

e-RETAILING NEWS & OPINION ARCHIVES

December 2008

For the Archives Index, please click here

 

About Advertising

and Promotion

 

December 31, 2008

From ClickZ.com:

"Nine SEO Tips for 2009"

Optimize all of the alternative attributes used in the photos and images that make up your Web site.  Adding a little context to imagery can really help drive customers and conversations...

http://www.clickz.com

 

December 31, 2008

From MarketingProfs.com:

"Top 10 Tips to Recession-Proof Your Lead-Generation PPC Campaigns"

If you are making several individual changes to a landing page, homepage, or any page on your site that affects your PPC campaign, consider using a multivariate test to see which variables have the most impact and which combination is the best...

http://www.marketingprofs.com

 

December 30, 2008

From ClickZ.com:

"Ten Reasons to Be Optimistic About Online in 2009"

The Web provides the perfect storm for niche advertising:  reaching users with very specific subject matter when they're highly engaged with that subject matter...

http://www.clickz.com

 

December 26, 2008

From The New York Times:

"Some Online Ads Thrive in a Miserable Economy"

In a recession, search marketing should fare better than other forms of advertising precisely because it is a cost-effective and measurable way for retailers to get customers into their stores...

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com

 

December 24, 2008

From DM News:

"Every Consumer or Business Has E-mail Profile to Use"

Most companies sending e-mail either don't know their customers' profiles or ignore it with their spray and pray campaigns...

http://www.dmnews.com

 

December 23, 2008

From ClickZ.com:

"Organic Versus Paid Search"

Paid search enables flexibility you don't necessarily have with organic.  If you find certain keywords or content aren't converting, it's harder and slower to effect changes to your Web site than it is to adjust your paid search campaign...

http://www.clickz.com

 

December 21, 2008

From InternetRetailer.com:

"Search Patterns Indicate Stream of Truly Last-Minute Online Shoppers"

Retailers that feature daily deals prominently in their pay-per-click campaigns may be the merchants who acquire the most last-minute customers...

http://www.internetretailer.com

 

December 19, 2008

From ClickZ.com:

"Building E-Mail Strategy with Free Competitive Intelligence"

Close observation of publicly available data sources can provide valuable insights to any marketer, regardless of budget constraints...

http://www.clickz.com

 

December 19, 2008

From MarketingVOX:

"Small Businesses Intimidated by Search Marketing"

By investing in paid search marketing, small businesses can track online sales and determine the return on investment for their campaigns, while at the same time boosting traffic and visibility for their websites...

http://www.marketingvox.com

 

December 18, 2008

From ClickZ.com:

"Top Five Tips for Local Search"

Combine geo-qualifying keywords with your main keyword phrase.  This makes it obvious to the search engines where you are and what you do...

http://www.clickz.com

 

December 16, 2008

From MarketingProfs.com:

"Using Differentiators in Keyphrases"

Use your company differentiators in the keyphrases that prospects target, in order to make sure the traffic that comes to your site is of a very high quality...

http://www.marketingprofs.com

 

December 15, 2008

From ClickZ.com:

"How to Handle More Serious E-mail Mishaps"

A wrong or incomplete offer can have serious revenue potential if it causes you to lose money when people try to take you up on the offer...

http://www.clickz.com

 

December 12, 2008

From MarketingVOX:

"Only 16% of Students Read Marketing Email"

Students are aware of the emails that hit their inbox, and are looking for compelling messages that cut through the clutter and speak to them...

http://www.marketingvox.com

 

December 12, 2008

From eMarketer:

"Display Boosts Search Performance"

Search clickers exposed to display advertising were 22% more likely to produce a sale than those who were not exposed...

http://www.emarketer.com

 

December 11, 2008

From E-Commerce Times:

"Missteps that Can Derail an Online Ad Strategy"

New advertisers on the verge of investing thousands of dollars per year on a search engine marketing campaign should treat it like the real business investment it is...

http://www.ecommercetimes.com

 

December 10, 2008

From iMarketing News:

"Essential E-mail How-To Basics to Keep in Mind"

Keep copy to a minimum.  You want a clear call to action and a strong enticement so the recipient will click through to your landing page...

http://www.dmnews.com

 

December 8, 2008

From MarketingProfs.com:

"Successful Email Marketing Is Right Under Your Nose"

Six strategies that marketers can immediately adopt by using existing online customer information to create highly successful email campaigns...

http://www.marketingprofs.com

 

December 5, 2008

From Search Engine Watch:

"PPC Landing Pages:  The End of the Line - Or the Beginning?"

Pay-per-click advertisers realize that PPC landing pages have more impact on conversion rates and ROI than anything else they can do...

http://searchenginewatch.com

 

December 4, 2008

From ClickZ.com:

"Into the Pits:  Time for an E-Marketing Tune-Up"

The first step to getting your campaigns to work is to ensure that your online processes work.  41 percent of potential customers move to a competing site after experiencing a negative checkout or commerce issue...

http://www.clickz.com

 

December 3, 2008

From eMarketer:

"Generation X Marks a Sweet Spot"

For Gen X, the Internet is a resource.  Effective marketing is marketing that helps them research...

http://www.emarketer.com

 

December 3, 2008

From ClickZ.com:

"Making Distinctions in Contextual Advertising"

Contextual advertising isn't limited to text-only ads.  Display ads can be contextually served, which opens up a whole new door for relevancy...

http://www.clickz.com

 

December 3, 2008

From iMarketing News:

"Optimization Strategies for Complex Search Campaigns"

Successful search strategies are largely dependent on having clearly defined and well-articulated goals...

http://www.dmnews.com

 

December 2, 2008

From MarketingVOX:

"Online Reviews Second Only to WOM in Purchase Influence"

Most web users are voyeurs more than contributors.  Marketers should view an online discussion in the context of a theater performance in which the community leaders interact with a small group of contributors while a larger number of people look on...

http://www.marketingvox.com

 

December 2, 2008

From eMarketer:

"Blogs Hot, But Not for Every Campaign"

While blogs can be an important part of brand conversation, they are not usually a part of direct sales...

http://www.emarketer.com

 

December 2, 2008

From ClickZ.com:

"More Marketing Tactics for an Uncertain Economy"

Once you begin to focus more effort on quality visitors, you'll discover that certain keywords and keyword phrases drive high conversions...

http://www.clickz.com

 

December 1, 2008

From ClickZ.com:

"Oops!  How to Handle E-mail Mishaps"

Whenever there's a mishap, there are three questions you should answer before you act to correct it...

http://www.clickz.com

 

December 1, 2008

From ClickZ.com:

"Online Ad Exposure Increases Brand Impact"

With the challenged economy, consumers may take longer researching and buying products.  As a result, advertisers should look to latent brand-related activity post-viewing...

http://www.clickz.com

 

About Customer

Service

 

December 30, 2008

From The New York Times:

"How E-Commerce Sites Stack Up"

Sites that want to improve their customer satisfaction should focus on the availability, variety and appeal of their merchandise...

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com

 

December 26, 2008

From InternetRetailer.com:

"Crossing Channels to Shop Still a Bumpy Trip for Some Consumers"

Younger consumers` lower satisfaction with the web-to-store cross-channel experience stems from higher expectations...

http://www.internetretailer.com

 

December 23, 2008

From eMarketer:

"Canadians Are Warming Up to Online Shopping"

Consumers in Canada are avid online product researchers, on par with their US counterparts.  But they are much more likely to make a subsequent purchase in-store rather than on a Website...

http://www.emarketer.com

 

December 23, 2008

From E-Commerce News:

"Keep in Touch With Customers - But Not Too Much"

Instead of overdoing your communications and turning off your customers, create stronger bonds with them.  Here are four creative ways to do it...

http://www.ecommercetimes.com

 

December 22, 2008

From E-Commerce Times:

"If You Don't Have Customers' Trust, You Won't Get Their Money"

Easy-to-distinguish visual cues to establish a Web site's identity and online reviews are two ways toward providing customer trust...

http://www.ecommercetimes.com

 

December 22, 2008

From ClickZ.com:

"Calling You to Action"

Call-to-action links should be constructed with an imperative, an implied benefit of what visitors can expect when they click, and a clear sense of the information on the landing page...

http://www.clickz.com

 

December 18, 2008

From Search Engine Watch:

"Social Shopping:  Build Long-Term Traffic and Trust"

Put a face on your site that customers can connect with in terms of recommendations and advice...

http://searchenginewatch.com

 

December 17, 2008

From MarketingVOX:

"Consumers Pursue Personal Interaction with Brands Online"

Two-thirds of consumers say direct and personal communication with a company's online brand representative is preferable to ads or promotional materials from that company...

http://www.marketingvox.com

 

December 17, 2008

From Forrester Research and Tealeaf:

"Need To Cut Costs?

Improve Your Web Site"

Focus on improving the path to key user goals that the Web site is best-equipped to handle...

http://www.tealeaf.com

 

December 15, 2008

From InternetRetailer.com:

"More Retailers Offer December 23 Free-Shipping for Christmas Delivery"

71 of the top 100 online retailers offered free shipping on their e-commerce sites for the week of December 8, and more of them offered free shipping on all orders...

http://www.internetretailer.com

 

December 11, 2008

From eMarketer:

"E-Mail Effective with Boomers"

Given the choice between instant messaging, text messaging or sending an e-mail, 80% of younger boomers and 87% of older ones still prefer e-mail...

http://www.emarketer.com

 

December 10, 2008

From Harris Interactive:

"Consumers Likely to Start Online But Purchase in the Store"

46 percent of in-store purchases begin with research on the Internet as compared to a mere 21 percent which begin in-store...

http://www.harrisinteractive.com

 

December 9, 2008

From MarketingProfs.com:

"Web Site Content - It's All About the Why"

By casting your site in terms of a brochure, catalog, e-commerce-site, blog, or portal, you are falling into the trap of concentrating on the What rather than the Why...

http://www.marketingprofs.com

 

December 8, 2008

From E-Commerce Times:

"Think Like a Fraudster to Protect Your Customers"

There are a number of ways online retailers can cut down on fraud for the holidays, but it is important to factor in measures that ensure good customers still have a pleasant, hassle-free shopping experience...

http://www.ecommercetimes.com

 

December 1, 2008

From Internet News:

"The Social Side of Shopping"

Leveraging the value of ongoing special offers, coupons and other loyalty features allows you to develop a deeper-rooted relationship with your customer, on a one-to-one basis...

http://www.internetnews.com

About Webstore

Management

 

December 31, 2008

From eMarketer:

"Targeting Canadian Online Shoppers"

More than four out of 10 Canadian dollars spent on e-commerce go abroad...

http://www.emarketer.com

 

December 31, 2008

From E-Commerce Times:

"The Free E-Commerce Ride Is Over"

The growth of new online shoppers must slow down because at some point everyone who is going to be shopping online is already shopping online...

http://www.ecommercetimes.com

 

December 29, 2008

From MarketingProfs.com:

"Hocus-Pocus, Keyword Focus"

Five common mistakes companies make in the process of identifying keywords...

http://www.marketingprofs.com

 

December 29, 2008

From E-Commerce News:

"A Better E-Commerce Site:

Is a Little Lipstick the Trick?"

Does your conversion rate beat the industry average or can you improve your order size by adding deeper merchandising functionality?

http://www.ecommercetimes.com

 

December 29, 2008

From ClickZ.com:

"Creating an Integrated Content Strategy in 2009"

When planning your integrated content strategy, determine which components of your message you want to be consistent and how you want your brand portrayed.  Nine content formats to consider...

http://www.clickz.com

 

December 24, 2008

From InternetRetailer.com:

"E-Sales Way Up Last Weekend"

Compared to the weekend before Christmas last year, sales were up 98%...

http://www.internetretailer.com

 

December 24, 2008

From ClickZ.com:

"The Tao of SEM"

To attract the most visitors, do not think about traffic...

http://www.clickz.com

 

December 23, 2008

From Internet News:

"Online Shoppers Have Fewer Last Minutes"

With five fewer days of holiday shopping between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, there is increasing pressure on consumers to make their holiday purchases in time for Christmas...

http://www.internetnews.com

 

December 22, 2008

From InternetRetailer.com:

"As Christmas Nears, Online Retailers Step Up Free Expedited Shipping"

Online retailers who didn't promote free shipping offered free upgrades to second-day deliveries to customers who paid for standard ground shipping...

http://www.internetretailer.com

 

December 19, 2008

From MarketingVOX:

"9 in 10 Shoppers Steer Clear of E-Tailers with Bad Reviews"

The most popular method of sharing online shopping experiences is word-of-mouth, with more than three-quarters of consumers regularly sharing online shopping experiences with friends and family...

http://www.marketingvox.com

 

December 19, 2008

From InternetRetailer.com:

"55% of Online Consumers Visit Retailer Web Site Before Going to Store"

Retailers should consider the online contribution to store sales, in addition to online sales, when evaluating how well the season went...

http://www.internetretailer.com

 

December 19, 2008

From TechNewsWorld:

"How to Build a Small-Business Web Site:  Design Basics"

Make sure your content has a consistent look and feel throughout.  While you might think mixing colors and fonts or even writing styles presents a more dynamic picture, the cardinal rule for any professional looking site is to stick to branding guidelines...

http://www.technewsworld.com

 

December 18, 2008

From Jammicron:

"Measuring Webstore ROI"

Calculating the full return on investment from a webstore involves a number of returns to the retailer from a webstore's operations...

http://www.jammicron.com

 

December 18, 2008

From eMarketer:

"Retail E-Commerce Growth Categories"

E-commerce will represent 7% of retail industry sales in 2008...

http://www.emarketer.com

 

December 17, 2008

From InternetRetailer.com:

"Consumers Turn to Web to Finish Holiday Shopping"

A significantly larger portion of consumers than last year (40% versus 34%) plan to complete their holiday shopping online...

http://www.internetretailer.com

 

December 17, 2008

From ClickZ.com:

"Social Conversions:  Taking Step Two"

The familiar landing page must support one or more of the pre-sale conversions:  awareness, consideration, or purchase...

http://www.clickz.com

 

December 16, 2008

From ClickZ.com:

"Focusing on the Big Picture in Analytics"

To be successful, all players in your Web organization must understand and be able to verbalize the Web channel goals...

http://www.clickz.com

 

December 16, 2008

From ClickZ.com:

"Audience Measurement:

Five Media Factors to Consider"

While all traffic isn't created equal, it's important to understand the attributes that matter most to attracting prospects who will convert most cost-effectively to buyers...

http://www.clickz.com

 

December 15, 2008

From CNET:

"E-Commerce Sales:  So Far, Not a Disaster"

December 9 logged $887 million in online spending, setting a record for the heaviest cyber spending day on record...

http://news.cnet.com

 

December 15, 2008

From DM News:

"Don't Be Tricked by Web Analytics Results"

Factoring in phone orders from customers who clicked on your PPC ads, your keyword strategy may be completely different...

http://www.dmnews.com

 

December 12, 2008

From InternetRetailer.com:

"E-Commerce a Mixed Bag this Holiday Season"

Online retail sales stemming from search engine marketing programs on the Monday after Thanksgiving increased 43% compared to the same day last year...

http://www.internetretailer.com

 

December 11, 2008

From InternetRetailer.com:

"December's First Week Sales:

Online Up 7%; Stores Down 3.5%"

With many consumers likely to rely on the convenience of online shopping in these final weeks, the positive momentum will continue as we count down the days to Christmas...

http://www.internetretailer.com

 

December 11, 2008

From Search Engine Watch:

"Is it Too Late for Holiday Search Traffic?"

For targeting holiday-related keyword phrases this late in the game, three options...

http://searchenginewatch.com

 

December 10, 2008

From MarketingProfs.com:

"Use Welcome Emails to Drive Engagement and ROI"

Eight steps to optimize your welcome program...

http://www.marketingprofs.com

 

December 9, 2008

From InternetRetailer.com:

"Online Sales Grow 9% in First Five Days of December"

The fastest growing product categories were sport and fitness and consumer electronics...

http://www.internetretailer.com

 

December 9, 2008

From DM News:

"The 15 Worst Practices in Paid Search"

If you don't know what you want to achieve from your paid search campaign, you can't develop a strategy...

http://www.dmnews.com

 

December 9, 2008

From ClickZ.com:

"Analytics Basics:  Segmentation"

With Web analytics tools, there's almost no excuse for not segmenting your site visitors and understanding how different types of visitors behave on your site...

http://www.clickz.com

 

December 8, 2008

From ClickZ.com:

"How to Increase Your Search Efficiency"

Five tips for optimizing your search efforts, both paid and organic, to stretch your dollar further...

http://www.clickz.com

 

December 5, 2008

From MarketingProfs.com:

"Blueprint for Online Success"

When you create a new Web site, everything that goes into the process is meant to tell both the customer and the search engines what your business is all about...

http://www.marketingprofs.com

 

December 5, 2008

From ClickZ.com:

"The Value of a Unique Value Proposition"

When visitors take their precious eight-second first impression, you want them to know why they should buy from you and not your competitors...

http://www.clickz.com

 

December 4, 2008

From E-Commerce Times:

"How to Build a Small-Business Web Site:  Nuts and Bolts"

Besides the fact that people need to find you, a Web site is a wonderful way to differentiate yourself - and that's especially important in today's economic environment...

http://www.ecommercetimes.com

 

December 4, 2008

From ClickZ.com:

"Goal-Oriented Content Optimization:  The Final Stretch"

Of all the behind-the-page factors, the title tag is the most critical.  It helps emphasize a page's theme because it sends such a strong signal to the search engines as to what the page is all about...

http://www.clickz.com

 

December 4, 2008

From eMarketer:

"You've Come a Long Way, Boomers"

Boomers make up the largest group of US Internet users.  They go online to get things done, such as finding information on products and services, shopping, and staying in touch with friends and family...

http://www.emarketer.com

 

December 3, 2008

From InternetRetailer.com:

"Online Sales Get Boost on Monday to Second Heaviest Day in History"

Online retail sales grow 15% over the Monday after Thanksgiving a year ago...

http://www.internetretailer.com

 

December 2, 3008

From Retailer Daily:

"Discovery, Differentiation, Discounts Drive Online and Offline Holiday Shoppers to Search"

Online strategies from one marketer to the next can look like night and day depending on the verticals and target segments each needs to navigate...

http://www.retailerdaily.com

 

December 1, 2008

From CNET:

"Black Friday E-Commerce Hits $534 Million"

Web shopping traffic on Black Friday was up 11 percent...

http://news.cnet.com

For the Archives Index, please click here

 

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