It seems like India is Google’s favorite testing ground. One of the latest India-first product Google is betting and committing heavily on is its mobile payment app Google Tez. A new chapter to this ongoing ‘great Indian experiment’ was added by a partnership with India’s most popular smartphone brand Xiaomi. The partnership will see Xiaomi introducing a new payment service on its e-commerce platform powered by Google Tez which will help users to make cashless transactions on Mi.com website and the Mi store app. [Source: PCMag India]
If brands want to attract extra attention for their ads on Facebook, they may be better off paying a publisher or influencer to produce a branded-content post through their Pages and paying to promote that post as an ad instead of a post published to the brand’s own Page. [Source: Marketing Land]
Instagram’s feed will now show users recommended posts – a change that earlier this month was spotted while in testing, and has since quietly gone live. The feature will suggest posts for you based on those that have been liked by other accounts you follow. [Source: TechCrunch]
Google is testing a new “related searches” box in the mobile version of the Google Image search results page. [Source: Search Engine Land]
WhatsApp and Netflix are expected to join hands to send content recommendations to users very soon. With this move, Netflix basically wants its users to be updated with all its services and also try them out, in turn enhance user experience. [Source: India Today]
It’s a good time for online video ad sales. According to the IAB Internet Advertising Revenue Report for the first half of 2017, total online video ad sales (which include desktop and mobile) grew to $5.2 billion, up 36 percent over the same period in 2016. [Source: Onlinevideo.net]
LinkedIn’s new messaging experience essentially replaces the need for face-to-face networking. Because of your ability to instantly scan someone’s profile, see conversation starters (where someone lives, works, went to school, etc.) and then engage in a real-time, one-on-one conversation, you can now chat up prospects at a scale like never before. [Source: The Business Journals]
Though the part of Google’s antitrust settlement with the Federal Trade Commission that had them allow exports of AdWords data through its API expires, the company announced that Google will keep the AdWords API terms and conditions as they are currently. [Source: Search Engine Land]
Amazon is expanding advertising efforts in 2018, especially on its search and video products. It also has plans to increase advertising sales off its platform, including partnering with third-party technology companies to sell partnered TV and mobile ads. [Source: CNBC]
Google is integrating third-party reviews into the Knowledge Graph for hotels. It apparently has been happening since 2016 and is entirely opt-in for the provider. Google works directly with the third-party review source (e.g., TripAdvisor) to integrate the content. [Source: Search Engine Land]
Expert Opinion:
- Build a positive brand image through mobile moments
In today’s age, speed and relevance are crucial for customer satisfaction. The popularity of smartphones and access to internet has made it even more critical to deliver right messages to the right users instantly and correctly. People these days have higher expectations from brands on mobile. During the customer journey on mobile, there are a lot of smaller moments that make the users pull out their mobile devices to look for what they need immediately. These moments, also known as mobile moments, are crucial for marketers to offer unique solutions to the customers when they need it, and the way they need it. Mobile moments are a great way for engaging users and creating a win-win situation for both users and brands.
Here are some ways you can use mobile moments to build your brand image.
– Be Fast
People who have a negative brand experience on mobile are less likely to purchase from that brand in the future. One of the most common complaints of users is the speed of the brand destination. Consumers don’t like it when sites load slowly, and are more likely to move on rather than wait for the details to load. As per a report published by Google, 53% of mobile page visits are abandoned if the pages take longer than 2 seconds to load. Marketers should make speed a priority to deliver a positive experience. And also, ensure that the design and navigation is simple so that people can find what they are looking for quickly.
– Be Helpful
Constantly endeavor to better understand your customers and deliver brand experiences that enable solutions rather than just distribution of brand information. Users who find mobile experiences helpful are more likely to repurchase from that particular brand. Make an effort to help your consumers. It can either be fast & friendly customer service or a simple functionality to quickly check if the items are in stock, etc. Aim to understand consumer behavior and anticipate their needs, and use this to offer products/ solutions that are useful to them.
– Be Relevant
Data as they say is the new oil. By constantly analysing your own data as well as adopting a data-led marketing approach you will be able to tailor your brand messaging a lot better for your audience. Not only will this drive greater efficiency in your marketing investments, but also enable better engagement with your audience. Mobile data, both first party as well as through trusted third-party sources, gives deep insight into consumer trends and behaviours which further drive the ability to build delightful and personalised mobile experiences. And the more relevant you are, the more brand love you will be able to generate.
Today’s consumers are more aware and want to be in control of the content they consume. Brands that do not make them feel empowered could be damaging their relationship with them in the long run. When it comes to mobile, brands need to be more proactive. Be it speed, assistance, relevance or any other aspect, users should be made to feel as if they are in control of every step in their journey. This is surely a big secret for a positive brand experience these days.
