Yesterday, I got my first Instagram sponsored ad by Instagram themselves as I was scrolling through my newsfeed. I knew it was coming since it officially launched last year and I honestly thought I would be bothered by it.

Instagram is by far my favourite social media channel; it’s quick, visually appealing and easy to browse and discover new users. On top of that, a bonus is that it was ad-free until now. With this new addition so far, I can say that it doesn’t effect me as much as I thought it would. Coming from a marketing perspective, I’m actually excited to see the ads that roll out on Instagram directed and almost controlled by me. Take a look at how Instagram plans to tailor ads to your individual tastes and preferences. Similar to Facebook, if you don’t like the ad, tell Instagram and you’ll never see it again!

With that being said, I haven’t been exposed to the addition of ads too much so I still have a fairly clutter-free newsfeed. Instagram also introduced video ads recently. This, on the other hand, may be an issue because videos, of course, require a little more attention. However, on a platform like Instagram, this is easily avoidable I would guess since you can just continue scrolling to stop the video if you wanted to unlike YouTube, for example, which requires you to watch at least the first part of a video clip. The challenge here with companies is to create an enticing video considering the 15 second time slot. Not only that, I would say the first couple seconds are critical form me personally because I’m go through my newsfeed quickly.

In a more negative perspective, McDonalds has received negative feedback from their cheesy Instagram campaigns so even though it’s simply just a photo and caption with some hashtags, there’s definitely strategy to it. To combine with the theme of analytics we discussed in class this week, Adweek discusses some pretty interesting Instagram data that plays into brand strategy and overall engagement for brands.

I’m going to hope that Instagram gradually introduces ads so users can slowly become immune to them and not frustrated from cluttered newsfeeds. As it continues to be my favourite social media channel, I’m really interested in what to expect content wise from brands trying to target me!

Brands are constantly testing their content on social media channels and are trying to figure out the most ideal and effective way to reach their audience. What is the best medium? Should we include images? What should the message say? This last one might often be overlooked: how long should the message be?

With the attention span of online audiences being very limited, it is essential to come up with a catchy message that gets to the point. Realistically, who reads into lengthy articles without knowing the purpose to begin with? Nobody has time for that anymore!

Adweek has created an infographic on the ideal length of message according to channel and function. I posted a snippet for you to see below.

I definitely agree with everything Adweek says being an easily distracted individual myself. I find that I’m always multi-tasking (or so I think I am) when on these digital channels. Am I the only one playing with my phone while reading content online? It’s really important for brands to step their word game up and create catchy one-liners or at least something to entice me to read further. If it’s too long or not engaging enough or doesn’t seem like it appeals to me, then it will be overlooked.

With that being said, however, length is not a make or break point; it’s just another important factor to take into consideration! Happy strategizing!

I recently read an article by Adweek about the effects of customers who are browsing their mobile while in store. I didn’t even come to realize that I am definitely one of these customers. The article mainly talks about how customers use their mobile to compare price differences, which ultimately steals sales from the retailer if the lowest price isn’t offered. As the most indecisive consumer, I browse to check prices, reviews, and alternatives. I can stand there for hours with the product in front of me and never buy because I’m checking my phone for something better. I have a bad case of buyer’s remorse.

Adweek explains how to combat this issue through an info graphic shown below. Basically, a user will scan the barcode on a product to compare price differences on a programatic app. This not only provides the user with price and product information but also provides the retailer with information on user preferences and common competitors. Combining the technology and learned user preferences, the app will then create and offer a deal fitting to the user, which, in turn, deters them from buying from other resources.

This is very clever and targeted well for those who use mobile devices when shopping. I would probably buy into something like this. Having worked in retail, I see this issue arise all the time and so far, price matching has been a huge strategy in trying to overcome the eCommerce rivalry. However, this new technology could work out to the company’s favour since it’ll provide them with more information on the consumer.

There have always been online video platforms but YouTube has always come out on top. YouTube, by far, is the most used and most prominent platform in regards to video so this, without a doubt, gives them a lot of power when it comes to advertising.

Growing up with YouTube and watching the channel evolve, I have definitely noticed the gradual implementation of advertising and essentially monetization of content especially in the form of banner ads on the webpage, banner ads on the video, and commercials before the start of the video. Clearly, there are so many ways a brand can target you. This is what makes YouTube so appealing to brands – the power of its reach. Also I find it creepy how targeted the ads are! YouTube knows exactly what to throw at me because I’ll admit, I’ve clicked on the ads before.

But, there might be a game changer entering the market. Adweek reports that Def Jam (a huge music label) has formed a new partnership with Playwire, another video platform. Read the article here: http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/def-jam-pulling-away-youtube-160788.

They argue that the revenue stream is much greater. Apparently with Playwire, “it offers an average of $8 to $10 gross CPM for desktop viewers and $14 to $17 gross CPM for mobile”. For those of you, like me, who don’t know what CPM means, here’s a definition thanks to Investopia:

This gives companies a strong reason to hop on this platform instead because at the end of the day, revenue matters! However, I don’t see Playwire outperforming YouTube any time soon because YouTube is still a major player in terms of audience reach. Maybe overtime, when Playwire grows its viewer base, things will start to shift.

With the exponential rise of technology, the internet and two way communication via social channels, it is ingrained in our minds that going online is the best, most effective way to go for the future growth of companies. With practically everyone online nowadays, it is a strategy that cannot be underestimated so usually we hear companies go from offline to online to improve their business.

However, Amazon has recently announced that it will be pushing its current online business to an offline setting in the form of a brick and mortar store in Manhattan, New York. This is really interesting because you don’t really see a successful online retailer choosing to revert to the original option of brick and mortar. In the case of Amazon, instead of using the store to sell products like any other retailer, they are apparently using it for more of a service station for New Yorkers, which will definitely humanize the business. Watch a video about the strategy here: http://fortune.com/2014/10/09/amazon-plans-to-open-its-first-brick-and-mortar-store/

Business Insider writes, however, about five reasons why this strategy is a good idea for Amazon. (Read the full article here: http://www.businessinsider.com/why-amazon-should-open-stores-2014-10). These include the ability for customers to be exposed to more products, consumers being use to trying products before buying, comfort in buying more expensive items in store, picking up is preferred over home delivery and finally, returns are an easier process in store.

These are all very valid points made by Business Insider. As a consumer myself, I hardly buy products online because I’m still hesitant of the system and I’m a fan of having the product in my hands before I buy. I think having a physical retail store for Amazon is a smart strategy because the norm is still buying in an offline environment. By having these two points of interaction with their consumer, I can only see Amazon strengthening their business in the eyes of the consumer.