Marcout Marketing Collaboration and Outsourcing

INNOVATIVE MARKETING SOLUTIONS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

What begins as expensive enterprise solutions and exclusive to big brands later become affordable and accessible to small businesses as well.
Some of what we have come across in our business life that would be worth sharing with you:
Innovation No. 1: Display Advertising - Online

Online display ads used to be called simply "banner" ads - have grown - you are likely to see display ads - image, text, video and rich-media formats - on most of the websites that you visit. These ads are crucial to the internet. They provide information about thousands of products, services and businesses. They help large and small customers to reach new customers, increase sales and grow their businesses. Display advertising has grown from a series of simple, static images, to the incredible creative units that we see today. The best display ads today are often like mini-websites with complex animations, stunning graphics or videos, interactive and social elements. Display advertising is better targeted to visitors, includes more interaction, and is using the same pricing structures that helped search ads become popular.

 Why are banner ads which seem like an antiquated way of advertising becoming more interesting?
The two trends you need to watch:

Trend 1: Better local ad targeting. Companies such as Local.com, LinkedIn and Facebook are getting into the local ad targeting game and heading in the direction of Search Engine Marketing.

Trend 2: The online display advertising pricing is moving towards cost-per-action rather than cost-per-click. This means you do not pay the publisher until you get the desired action from the ad i.e. if you want your ad to drive someone to make an online purchase you do not pay for the ad until someone clicks the ad and makes a purchase. Today it is CPA tracking and Billing.

Do these sound interesting and are you ready for the change? Have you understood costs on an intimate level and can you now decide what you wish to pay for a customer action that your ad attracts?

Innovation 2: Online Retail Promotions

It won't be long before smaller retailers have the ability to sell more of their products on other highly targeted customer websites.

Another innovation is allowing people to browse and buy products that appear in any photos. Let's say you are reading a magazine online and you see a photo of Hanna Montana wearing earrings that you are dying to have, getting yourself a similar pair is easier than ever. You would be directed and recommended earrings at suggested prices far below what Hanna Montana probably paid for hers.
Now how can you get ready for this? (Selling products on the website owned by other companies)

• Get your inventory database in shape.
• Publish real time inventory on your website and do not worry about the fact that you may have to conform to the database of the other company website.

Innovation 3: Mobile Marketing
Consider this:

• Mobile penetration in India is the second highest in the world today.
• Every month over 8 million users are being added.
• Mobile phones are a constant companion today and you are almost certain that the user will read the advertisement.
• It is cheaper than other media.
• It is interactive and possible to engage the consumer in a dialogue.
• Greater reach with over 100 million subscribers in India.
• Mobile Advertising can be targeted and personal.
• It is viral and the fun factor makes it a phenomenon of epidemic proportion.
• There is four times the number of cell phones in the world versus PCs.

Enough to justify the use of mobile marketing for small businesses....
Get Ready: make your communication more mobile friendly so the people can respond to your offers while they are on-the-go, make sure the contact information for your business is seen clearly on the page on your site, and make sure you have a presence on the social network sites..

Innovation 4: Social Media Advertising

Social Media advertising the most innovative internet tool to emerge and there is enough guidance and enough reasons to advertise through your social network and fan pages.
There are several companies trying to make Social Media Advertising more engaging and fun and also making it possible in small budgets.
Invest in Social Media Advertising (Marketing) only if you are sure you can afford to invest time in tracking and comparing your results.

What do you think of these emerging trends in Digital Marketing?
Write to us and share your views.