Do These Holding Company Numbers Indicate Global Recession in 2013?

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It's been long understood that the advertising business is a leading indicator of an oncoming recession (and a lagging indicator of it's end). Business Insider has gathered together the Q3 numbers from the four largest agency holding companies and the outlook isn't pretty. Having barely recovered from the last recession, if these numbers are to be believed, we may be headed for another in 2013.

Taking a look at WPP Group, Omnicom, Interpublic and Publicis, Business Insider compiled a graph that tracks the ups and downs of the four holding companies and recent numbers all indicate we may be headed for the crapper again very soon.

It's not all doom and gloom, though. While IPG sees a 2.7% drop in U.S. revenue for the nine month period ending September 30, Publicis sees U.S. growth of 2.4%. Much of the declines across the four holding companies are seen in Europe with healthier indicators for Asia and the UK.

Check out their full analysis here.

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by Steve Hall    Oct-29-12    
Topic: Research



47 Useful Facebook Stats and Charts

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Hubspot has compiled 47 stats, charts and graphs about Facebook that are easy to share and put into presentations. Use these stats to help you determine what is the best strategy for your next Facebook marketing campaign.

After reading this eBook, you will be able to:

  • Determine how to best reach your particular target
  • Measure your progress on Facebook relevant to others in the industry
  • Implement strategies for best results on Facebook

Download the free eBook now and become a walking encyclopedia of Facebook marketing knowledge.

by Steve Hall    Oct-24-12    
Topic: Research



Five Ways to Grow Your Agency with Inbound Marketing

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Perhaps you've heard of inbound marketing? If you haven't, listen up. Inbound Marketing is marketing focused on making it easy for customers to find you. It flips traditional marketing on its head. Instead of an interruptive model, inbound marketing advocates the creation of content (blogs, videos, whitepapers, eBooks, webinars, seminars, etc.) that is of interest to potential clients who, because of inbound marketing strategies put in place, will easily find it.

In other words, when a potential client searches for a great agency, they will find you instead of your competition.

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by Steve Hall    Oct-24-12    
Topic: Agencies, Research



Non-Voice Mobile Usage up 51.9% to 82 Minutes Per Day

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A recent report from eMarketer has pegged non-voice mobile usage at 82 minutes per day for 2012, an increase of 51.9 percent over 2011's 34 minutes per day. This growth is in contrast to slowing time spent online with non-mobile internet connected devices. This year, eMarketer estimates time spent online will grow just 3.6% to an average 173 minutes per day, compared to 7.7% growth in 2011 to 167 minutes per day.

Sadly, marketers' adoption of mobile as an advertising platform hasn't kept pace with its growth. While mobile is expected to account for 11.7 percent of time spent online, its share of ad spend will hit just 1.6 percent.

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by Steve Hall    Oct-23-12    
Topic: Mobile/Wireless, Research



Five New Laws of Content Marketing

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Ah, yes. Content Marketing. The current panacea of every marketer's woes. Snarky as that may sound, content marketing does, indeed, play an increasingly important role in today's marketing mix. Dovetailing nicely with social media, it provides brands a marketing method that is much less in-your-face and far more informative than traditional advertising.

A new whitepaper, part of the Adrants whitepaper series, from communications firm Moveo posits five "laws" that can aid brands stepping foot into content marketing waters. The whitepaper explores:

  • The relationship between content consumption and perishability
  • The mission-critical role of the content curator
  • The impact of source reputation on perceived quality
  • How agencies and brands can create compelling content
Download the whitepaper now to find how how your brand or agency can achieve the most from content marketing.

by Steve Hall    Oct-23-12    
Topic: Agencies, Brands, Research



5 Best Practices for Increasing Earned Media

The fact is, all social marketing campaigns on Facebook are not created equal. Campaign types that attract high user activity and entry rates are not always the same campaign types that inspire users to share with their friends.

This Wildfire report, part of the Adrants whitepaper series, discovered a number of insightful results for social marketers, including the types of social marketing campaigns that tend to get the highest participation rates, the different campaign types that get the highest sharing rates and the common thread among campaign types that generates the most sharing with friends on Facebook which results in valuable earned media as well.

Whether it be sweepstakes, trivia, quizes, coupons, giveaways, videos, photos, essay contests and a host of other tactics, this report will tell you what works and what sort of results you can expect.

Download the report now.

by Steve Hall    Oct-11-12    
Topic: Research



Internet Ad Revenue Hits $17 Billion in First Half 2012, Up 14 Percent

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In the first half of 2012, internet advertising revenues climbed to an all-time high of $17 billion, representing a 14 percent increase year-over-year, according to IAB Internet Advertising Revenue Report released today by the Interactive Advertising Bureau and prepared by PwC US. In the first half of 2011, internet revenue was $14.9 billion.

Also marking a 14 percent year-over-year increase, second quarter internet ad revenues for this year hit $8.7 billion, up from $7.7 billion during the same time period in 2011.

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by Steve Hall    Oct-11-12    
Topic: Research



How Social Media Can Deliver Positive ROI For Your Brand

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If you are a brand or an agency attempting to decide whether or not social media marketing is worth the investment, consider these numbers from recent studies of social media users:

  • 78% are directly influenced by branded posts when making purchases
  • 74% encourage friends to try new products
  • 80% try new things based on friends' suggestions
Given that Facebook alone now has over a billion users, the possibilities are too significant to ignore. But how does a brand tap into the full potential of social media marketing? A new best practices ROI report from Wildfire, part of the Adrants white paper series, focuses on 6 social marketing success stories from 5 different industries, each demonstrating a significant positive ROI for the featured brand.

Download the free report now to find out how your brand can maximize its social media investment.

by Steve Hall    Oct-10-12    
Topic: Research, Social



How to Master Facebook Marketing in Ten Days

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Everyone's doing it. No, not that. Facebook marketing! With the social network recently surpassing one billion users, it might be wise to give Facebook a spot in your marketing plan. HubSpot is out with an eBook that will get you and your brand up and running on Facebook in no time. Here's what you'll learn:

- Evaluate successful Facebook pages
- Understand Facebook best practices
- Speak Facebook-ese
- Create custom Welcome Pages
- Create a content calendar
- Understand EdgeRank and the art of engagement
- Create a contest
- Run a targeted ad campaign
- Use Facebook's analytics package 'Insights'
- Start garnering fans and customers who will spend real money as a result of your social marketing magic

Sound good? Download the free eBook now and get Facebooking!

by Steve Hall    Oct- 9-12    
Topic: Research, Social



How Social Media Is Changing Brand Building

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Marketers have accepted that social media is now a fundamental part of brand building but putting that theory into action is still a challenge as many struggle with how to use social engagement effectively. Social efforts do not represent a standalone solution and need the scale and consistency of paid and owned media.

In this report, part of the Adrants whitepaper series, Forrester identifies three ways in which social media can help marketers' brand building efforts by: 1) building a relationship to become more trusted; 2) differentiating through an emotional connection to become more remarkable and unmistakable; and 3) nurturing loyal fans to become more essential.

Download this report now and learn how social media can positively change your brand building.

by Steve Hall    Oct- 4-12    
Topic: Research, Social