Posts Tagged ‘e-commerce’

The Dos and Don’ts of Web Design

Wednesday, June 27th, 2012

By Natalia Rodriguez

Sayings like never judge a book by its cover and what really matters is what’s on the inside are values that many people should live by, but unfortunately, this is not something that works in the world of digital marketing.

Like it or not, people do judge a book by its cover, and in the digital world, the importance of beauty is magnified. In this world, people only have their eyes to formulate an opinion about the product and the brand. That’s why it’s so important for organizations to invest time and resources in their website.

As a marketing agency with clients in the United States, South Florida and Latin America, we understand that having a well-designed and user-friendly website is a must for the success of your business.

What did it have that mine didn’t?

The appearance of a website is highly important. It can be the factor that can make your audience leave or stay on your website.  It doesn’t matter how credible and honest you know your business is. If your website doesn’t look the part, it’s likely people won’t want to buy from it.

The layout of your website needs to be clean. It needs to have the right amount of white space and high-quality images. In other words, it has to look as if time and effort was put into it. The only thing worse than not having a website is having a website that is poorly done.

Let’s eat grandpa vs. Let’s eat, grandpa

Grammar is a big part of credibility. If your website is full of grammatical and spelling errors, it tells your audience that you don’t know what you are doing. In the real-world, people measure your educational and intelligence level by the way you speak, in the online world, it’s by the way you write.

Take the time to carefully proofread everything you write and to make sure that there are no spelling and/or grammatical errors.

If you’re not nice to me, then we can’t be friends

The third and most important factor is how user friendly your website is. If you have the most beautiful website in the world and it’s not easy to navigate, chances are people will get sick and move on to the next thing. The last thing people want is to try to figure out how to navigate your website. Keep the goal of your website in mind and make sure that your website meets that goal. If the goal of your website is to sell a product or services, make sure that the buying process is easy for customers.

At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that your website is the face of your organization in the online world. Your website should be an asset to your business. If it’s not helping you, then you should consider making changes to it.

Tell us, as a user what’s your biggest pet peeve when it comes to websites?

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Posted in 2012 Trends, Businesses, Current Events, Everything iSource, Uncategorized, Web Design | 1 Comment »

Mobile Marketing

Wednesday, May 30th, 2012

By Carolina Perello

One of the downsides of living in South Florida is the traffic. I know I’m not the only one who has been stuck in traffic for hours, and while I know I shouldn’t be using my smartphone while driving, I just can’t help it. With nearly half of Americans using smartphones, chances are I’m not the only one.

As a marketing agency in South Florida, we have noticed that mobile marketing is starting to play a bigger role  in the world of marketing.  But how do you make mobile marketing efficient?

You have to make sure you have the core ingredients: quick, convenient, personal and targeted.

In a fast-paced culture, you have three seconds to get the message across in order to capture the audience’s interest. Keep it simple, brief and to the point. Focus on specific information that will draw the target’s attention as quickly as possible.

The majority of mobile device searches are for local purposes. Make sure to optimize the location if necessary for direct search results. Remember, people are comforted knowing there is always something close by when they need it. (Extra tip: the time most people check their phones for personal updates is around 8-9a.m.)

It is important to keep the target audience in mind. Sure, practically everyone owns a smartphone at this point, but your product/services? Understanding your target audience helps you narrow your content, in turn, getting the message across much faster.

You still want to engage with the audience because even if it might not seem like they have time, they appreciate the feeling of interaction. Adding personal touches to your posts and feeds helps them relate with what you’re marketing to them. Examples?

Mobile devices have made life so much simpler. It would be a crime not to take advantage of what technology has to offer. Mobile marketing is the present of marketing. To fall behind is detrimental at this point. Time to jump on that train!

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Posted in 2012 Trends, Businesses, Current Events, Events in Review, Events in Review, Everything iSource | No Comments »

What to Expect from a “Public” Facebook

Friday, May 18th, 2012


By: Keilany Inciarte

If you haven’t heard the term “Facebook is going public” in the last couple of weeks, you may be one of the rare individuals who hasn’t joined the flourishing world of social media.
Many experts predict that once Facebook goes public, Facebook will have one of the largest initial public offerings (IPO) in history. IPO is the first sale of stock by a previously private company to the public. Today it was confirmed that Facebook shares will be sold at $38 per share. So what will be different?

Facebook will most likely become an even larger company from the capital raised from their IPO. According to the Wall Street Journal, Facebook will raise $77 billion to $96 billion by selling shares to the public.
Well, why didn’t they do this earlier if the company will profit from it? Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s founder and CEO, wanted to keep the company private as long as possible because he believes this is the best way to help build the company. With Facebook’s rapid growth in the last eight years since its invention, the company became too large and surpassed 500 shareholders, a milestone that Zuckerberg has been trying to avoid. Zuckerberg has stated in the past that becoming public may impair innovations within the company in return for meeting shareholders’ demands and boosting stock prices.

The Securities and Exchange Commission rule of 1964 states that any private company with more than 500 shareholders needs to abide by the same financial disclosure requirements that a public company does. To put it in a simpler, more straightforward way, Zuckerberg was basically forced into going public, but realistically, it is a great move for the company.

There are several changes that experts say the average user may encounter due to Facebook’s IPO.

Facebook wants to build a stronger mobile presence among its users, possibly leading to the invention of new mobile applications or the acquisition of existing ones. Some say Facebook has reached its peak and that new memberships will start to gradually decelerate, providing a need for other forms of revenue. New inventions will not only be limited to mobile as Facebook is said to experiment with new products, such as the possible introduction of a search engine, one of the most efficient ways to advertise, into Facebook itself. In addition, Facebook will rely heavily on profits from advertisements, leading to the placement of more ads throughout the site. With the addition of applications, brands and media updates to a Facebook user’s news feed, only 12 percent of your friends see your average updates, as reported by Facebook. A possible integration of a paid service in exchange for more exposure on status updates is also being rumored.

Facebook now has approximately 845 million members and has become much more than a social network, serving as a successful media platform for businesses as well.Recently, Facebook has acquired smaller companies like the popular photo-sharing mobile application known as Instagram for $1 billion.

As Facebook approaches a new phase in its history, it’s important to remember that Facebook is not a publisher but a platform.

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Posted in 2012 Trends, Businesses, Current Events, Events in Review, Everything iSource, Facebook, Facebook trends, Social Media Tips, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Creating a Social Media Campaign

Tuesday, April 17th, 2012

By Natalia Rodriguez

Luck may exist in life, but not in social media marketing.

As an interactive marketing agency in South Florida, here at iSource Digital, we understand that having a successful social media campaign it’s not about luck, but about the content, strategy and understanding of the target audience.

One of the biggest mistakes many organizations make when embarking onto a social media campaign is that they go into it with little understanding of how social media works and with unrealistic goals and expectations. They think that to gain people’s interest the only thing they have to do is post random content on their Twitter or Facebook page. But social media doesn’t work like that.

To create a successful social media campaign, there needs to be a concrete strategy in mind. Organizations should establish goals and objectives that are relevant to their organization’s needs.

For our most recent social media campaign for BenQ Latin America (BenQ Latam), the first thing we did was establish a strategy relevant to their target audience. Our objectives and goals were relevant and realistic. We dedicated important resources to the campaign. Thus far (the campaign is still in progress), this resulted in more than 10,000 likes on BenQ Latam’s Facebook page in less than a week, and that number keeps on growing.

“Kony 2012” is another great example of a successful social media campaign. The short film, created and produced by Invisible Children, was launched on March 5, 2012. It didn’t take long for the video to go viral. As of March 30, 2012, the video has been viewed 80 million times on Youtube. By creating concrete goals and strong content and by keeping followers updated and active, the campaign has been able to acquire the interest of the public and the press.

Don’t just embark onto a social media campaign if you are not willing to dedicate the resources and time that it needs. That will only lead to failure, and it could do more harm than good. Concentrate, research and communicate correctly to obtain better results.

Social media can do great things for an organization. It’s one of the best tools out there. Give it the attention and resources it needs, and you will see a great improvement.

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Posted in 2012 Trends, Businesses, Current Events, Events in Review, Everything iSource, Facebook, Facebook trends, Social Media, Social Media Tips, SocialNitro, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Facebook Timeline for Your Business

Tuesday, March 20th, 2012

By: Carolina Perello

The idea of switching to the new Facebook Timeline may come uneasy to some businesses. As an interactive agency in South Florida, here at iSource Digital we understand that changes can be nerve-wracking, but it is an investment that’s worth it.

Unlike the previous Facebook set up, Timeline allows your business to represent itself in a more personalized way using features like interactive posts and the new cover photo. Timeline has also made it easier for businesses to keep track of how many people “like” the page and how well they are interacting with it. Additional advantages include milestones to capture significant moments over time along with the feature and pin options that allow you to draw the visitors’ attention. This all may sound complicated (and scary), but no need to worry! I’ll explain in a brief breakdown all of Timeline’s new features and how they will each benefit your business.

The first thing you need to do is choose a profile and cover photo. Think of this process as building the brand identity for you Facebook page. The Profile picture is ideally the company logo or what represents your business best. Along with the Profile picture, the cover photo is also essential in characterizing your business.  Keep in mind that the cover picture is the first thing people will see when visiting your page. There is also a section at the top of your page that includes your “likes,” photos and other additional apps that can be incorporated into your business page.  These features serve as visual aids to the public so they can paint a better image of what your business is about.

In the Timeline itself, people can see the current activities following your business, and this allows them to feel more connected with your business using your profile posts in a timely order. It’s all about staying connected in this fast-paced world where people (especially in cities like Miami) no longer have time to sit down and read a page full of words. Your latest update is what catches the audience attention. Your post is not only what promotes you but what connects with your followers. For example, at iSource we are trying to personalize our posts so followers recognize that there are actual people they can connect with working here and not just robots that type all day and answer calls. Some other features on Timeline are also good to keep in mind, like a pinned post. Pinned posts allow you to keep the most important message at the top of your page for up to seven days, making sure it gathers more attention than other posts. It is also good to take advantage of larger stories to use pictures and videos to capture attention and build interaction. You can also keep track of when people engage most with your content by using Timeline’s insight. This way you know when the best time is to post certain items on your page.

Don’t think of Timeline as the monster under your bed who is out to get you. Instead, think of all the benefits your business will receive from it. Not only will you gain more followers and recognition, but you will also have a chance to develop a meaningful connection with your target audience that no amount of research can give you. We’ve been able to manage iSource Digital’s Facebook much easier since switching to Timeline, and you can use it as an example so that you have a better idea of everything explained on this blog. Don’t be afraid and make the switch!

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Posted in 2012 Trends, Businesses, Current Events, Everything iSource, Facebook, Facebook trends, Social Media, Social Media Tips, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Black Friday As We Once Knew It

Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011

by Katherine Schober, Account Manager

As soon as Thanksgiving ends, Christmas shopping begins. Although Black Friday isn’t actually a holiday, many workers and students take a break from their normal lives to celebrate Thanksgiving, spend time with their families, and kick off their holiday spending on this most famous Friday.

For years, Black Friday has been defined by doorbusting deals, early-bird prices, and crowds that make Woodstock look spacious. Regardless of the weather, dedicated Black Friday shoppers would wait endless hours outside retail stores in hopes of making the most of their holiday shopping budgets. The hardcore retailers began opening their doors at six in the morning, but over the years, many stores have moved to opening as early as four. Once inside, bargain seekers become relentless and all courtesies are thrown out the window with last year’s Apple iPad 1st Generation (so last season). Some shoppers resort to good old-fashioned shoving, while others might get creative using their shopping carts as shields to grab that last Play Station on the shelf. These extreme tactics may have been necessary for successful shopping on previous Black Fridays, but in this new digital era long lines, elbowing our way through crowds, and early mornings outside a store in the freezing cold could be a memory of the past.

The growing presence of brands on social media sites has already begun to change the way we “clip coupons.” For consumers, following their favorite brands on Facebook or Twitter allow them to get the latest updates on product shipments, quick sales, and even compete against other customers through contests for a special deal offered only through this medium. Companies have been utilizing the popularity and convenience of social media in their everyday business routines. Not to be excluded, Black Friday and the buzz that surrounds it is just as present this year on social media sites as all your favorite brands. In fact, Christine Erickson of Mashable.com claims, “Black Friday is a lot like Facebook — you’re either obsessed with it, or you try to avoid it at all costs. It’s also equally as fast and crowded, which is why the two are so perfect for each other!” Macy’s, Walmart, and Best Buy are just a few of the companies taking Black Friday to a social level. Announcing last minute doorbusters, previews of in-stock products, and exclusive fan-offers, companies have their customers visiting their pages incessantly to stay on top of the latest Black Friday news.

Social media isn’t the only game changer this year. Our mobile devices have evolved to be so much more than the telephones we originally used them for. Smart phones now email, browse the Internet, stream music, and more recently allow for purchases to be made in the palm of your hand. Many companies have developed mobile friendly websites so that their customers can conveniently shop or get information from wherever they are. Another mobile trend coming on strong is the use of QR codes. These codes are popping up everywhere, in magazines, newspapers, and online. All the consumer has to do is take a picture of it with their phone and the deal is revealed and ready to use when they get to the store.

In recent years, retailers have coined the term Cyber Monday to encourage shoppers to go online and buy products they weren’t able to sell on Black Friday for bargain prices. Since many students and workers return to their normal lives after Thanksgiving weekend, retailers have acknowledged that people still have a lot of holiday shopping ahead of them. Some might even continue this shopping from their desk if they can. Cyber Monday has been around for less than a decade and has already gained a level of popularity similar to that of Black Friday. In fact, some shoppers prefer to wait until Cyber Monday to catch the same great deals without the hustle.

This year has been a growing one for social media and mobile marketing. Already, these new trends are affecting how we get ready for Black Friday. Looking for special offers on social media sites and through QR codes has taken consumers down a different path of prepping for the holidays than years past. These changes are only the beginning. This Black Friday will be different from the last, but next year, will people even wait in line? Will stores continue to open as early as midnight and will crowds be as large? What effect will social media and mobile marketing have on the already digital Cyber Monday?

In the past, these two retailer-made-holidays were easily distinguished from one another. Prices offered in-store on Black Friday weren’t available online and featured products online for Cyber Mondays weren’t always available in-store. Does anyone else see where I’m going with this? At the rate these trends are taking over, it’s anyone’s guess as to how much longer these two days and the characteristics that define them actually remain separated. Social media and mobile marketing are going to continue to change our familiarity with brands, and days like the crazed Black Friday, might soon be a pleasant experience after all.

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Posted in Everything iSource, Holidays, Social Media, SocialNitro | No Comments »

Optimizing Mobile Channels

Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011

by Jason Andujar, Business Development

Today’s companies are looking for alternative methods of advertising. But how are companies to increase sales and cut costs at the same time? By shifting their methods from traditional print advertising to social media marketing, businesses are reaching their target market while cutting their marketing expenses. With mobile purchases increasing and GPS-capable applications on the rise, companies are looking to capitalize on new digital opportunities.

Since the birth of smartphones (i.e. iPhone, HTC EVO, Blackberry, Android), sales have consistently increased. The number of users is to reach over 73 million by the end of 2011, which is roughly 30% of the total mobile user population. (eMarketer.com)  This is attributed to the practicality of using one. Smartphones allow you to do more than simply make a call or send a message. With today’s technology, you can pay bills, make reservation, book a flight, calculate tips, and much more with only the touch of a button.

Consumers are turning to their mobile devices to make online shopping easier, from scanning items for price comparison to keeping track of their package shipment. Consumers are also turning to social media applications like Foursquare, a location-based check-in app. This social service allows consumers to check-in to a location and get rewarded for doing so. Companies are advertising directly through Foursquare and other geo-location applications to increase sales and develop consumer relationships. It’s important for companies to keep up with developments in the digital marketing world. If not, they may miss the opportunity to reach their target market at costs lower than their current spending.

SocialNitro, a social media marketing agency powered by iSource Digital in North Miami Beach, FL is using these social websites to create unique social platforms for local establishments. SocialNitro helps them reach out to new and repeat customers to develop social media promotions and longstanding brand equity. Weekly reporting by SocialNitro shows return on investment through exposure and fan engagement. With the increased development of e-commerce and mobile marketing, SocialNitro directs companies to find their target market in the industry’s most current avenues.

For more information about social media marketing or mobile marketing, contact Jason at jason@isourcedigital.com.

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Posted in Everything iSource, Social Media, Uncategorized | No Comments »

E-Holiday Trends for 2010:

Monday, November 29th, 2010

Online shopping is growing to help consumers save during this holiday season.

Is your company prepared for the e-holiday trend?

by Natalie Cukerman, Business Development

Save, save, save. Consumers are very money-conscious this holiday season and are considering e-commerce as an alternative way of shopping. The U.S Commerce department stated, “e-commerce sales increased nearly 13.7% during the third quarter from the same period a year ago and captured 4.2% of total retail sales, a new record for e-commerce.” (The Internet Retailer)

Consumers are buying online to save money with “free shipping and no taxes”, affirmed comScore. As a result, “US web retail sales increased 11.4% in early November.” (The Internet Retailer) Among the online bestseller products are Books & Magazines, Computers/Peripherals/PDAs, and Consumer Electronics. They all showed a 10% increase in sales compared to Q3 2009.

E-opinions Matter
Consumers not only buy online, they also search for prices, find exclusive offers, and compare reviews. According to the Nielsen Report on Online Shopping Trends for 2010, “57% of online respondents consider reviews prior to buying”, especially on cars and software. Moreover, 40% would not buy consumer electronics without consulting online reviews.

Companies often see this as a double-edge sword. Even though they can segment their target audience and reach consumers easily, bad reviews can kill a product or even a brand in just one click. The Nielsen report showed that “41% of online consumers will share a negative product experience online via Twitter or write a review”.

Mobile Holiday Season
“Mobile commerce sales in the U.S. will grow to $3.7 billion this year, with most of the buying coming in the holiday season”, stated ABI Research. Although mobile sales have the potential to play a significant role in retail, comScore proposes it’s not quite there yet. Consumers are using mobile devices this holiday season mainly for price research and comparison.

Social Media Special Offers
Businesses are also using social media to get to their customers. Price reductions are not the only temptation they offer; coupons and exclusive day sales are being promoted online, and have heavily increased traffic to websites and Facebook pages, according to comScore.

For example, Wal-Mart has been posting online specials on Twitter. They are also trying to acquire more friends (and future clients): “Want to see even more holiday values and special savings? Follow us on Twitter @WalmartSpecials and find gifts for everyone on your list”.

Whether you like it or not, online shopping has started to change the holiday season. Big companies are facing e-commerce as a shocking reality. Is your business prepared to compete in the cyber world?

For more info on e-commerce solutions please contact me: natalie@isourcedigital.com

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Posted in Everything iSource, Holidays | No Comments »