Smaller Brands Are Struggling with Social Commerce. Here’s Why
Social commerce is expected to grow 3x as fast as traditional e-commerce, according to a report by Accenture, to reach $1.2 trillion by 2025, but that doesn’t mean savvy marketers from smaller brands can’t find their own points of entry. By thinking outside the box and looking beyond Instagram and TikTok for attention, some midsize brands are finding opportunities to shine.
In Crowded Space, Brands Rethink Approach to CTV
Research from eMarketer shows that advertisers spent $10.3 billion on connected TV programmatic display ads in 2021, an 82% increase from the year prior. But what they got in return is anyone’s guess. For all the advancements in digital marketing, CTV advertising still remains an opaque space where advertisers know little about the shows or other ads their spots are running against. This can lead to wasted budgets, ad frequency issues, and even fraud.
5 Next-Gen RFID Solutions for Omnichannel Retailers
Radio-frequency identification, or RFID, has found new life in the post-pandemic retail space. By attaching small strips of metal that can transmit radio waves with information about any product, retailers are finding that they can accelerate and automate the store checkout process. Unlike barcodes, which must be scanned individually, RFID tags can be scanned together and they hold significantly more information.
Marketers Struggle to Balance Personalization and Privacy
While consumers are increasingly coming to expect personalization in their inboxes, too much personalization can damage trust and steer customers away. Nobody wants to feel like they’re being watched, but recent surveys show consumers are also growing increasingly frustrated with marketing materials that aren’t targeted enough.
Wyng Partnership Enables Personalization with Zero-Party Data
The zero-party data platform Wyng has found a strategic partner to bring its real-time data connector to life. The company recently announced a deal with Qualtrics, an experience management firm, and the release of Wyng Connector for Qualtrics, a real-time data connector available in the Qualtrics XM Marketplace.
Self-Serve Ad Units Level the Playing Field for Emerging CPG Brands
Large CPG brands have traditionally had a leg up over smaller competitors when it comes to shoppable advertising. With the budgets to spend on managed service solutions, global brands like Campari, Heineken, and Chinet have enabled shoppers to add their products directly to retailers’ online carts, efficiently using digital advertising to grow offline sales at the stores of their choosing. Now, the shopping list marketing platform AdAdapted is bringing that same technology to smaller retailers and emerging brands.
Locally Satisfies Shoppers’ Demand to Find Popular Online Items Near Them
Popular brands with successful online storefronts can integrate Locally’s technology to show shoppers where they can pick up specific product merchandise immediately at retailers in their own neighborhoods. For example, a shopper who clicks on a 30oz Rambler Tumbler on YETI’s website would see a link to purchase the product online, alongside a list of retailers that have the product in-stock nearby.
AUDIENCEX Rolls Out DSP Access for Mid-Market Brands
With Admatx, small and mid-size businesses, and middle-market performance brands and agencies, will have access to enterprise-level DSP technology through a self-serve platform, without the constraints of monthly spend minimums. The platform is a strategic complement to AUDIENCEX’s core managed-service offering, providing an enterprise-level tool to drive performance at lower prices than what most category leaders and Fortune 5000 firms are currently paying.
Advertisers Adopt Cross-Channel Strategies for Super Bowl LVI
As major brands put the finishing touches on their Super Bowl LVI strategies, they’re discovering that the biggest plays on game day are happening outside the confines of traditional 30-second spots. Sports fans are increasingly watching live sports on two or more screens at a time, simultaneously engaging with brands and posting on social media while games are going on.
Opportunity In the Metaverse Isn’t Just About NFTs — It’s About Interactions
While there is certainly opportunity for brands to sell additional product in the metaverse—fashion retailers like Nike and Gucci are already working on developing pricing strategies for digital goods and services—branding experts believe the greatest long-term gains will be won through marketing approaches that focus on quality interactions and engagement.
Here’s What Happens When Brands Start Micro-Communities for Digital Engagement
“[Micro-communities] foster a collaborative relationship between brands and customers. So instead of spying on consumers through cookies, brands can simply ask consumers for feedback and offer them recommendations based on their likes and dislikes,” says Philip Smolin, chief platform officer at 100.co, an AI-powered consumer brand group that works in the CPG space.
Live Commerce Guides Retailers to Success in the Metaverse
Immerss Co-Founder Patrick Jacobs says his company is working with a number of retailers to leverage live commerce as a way to blend the physical and digital worlds. Jacobs says sales rates with live commerce are on par with or better than in-store conversion rates, and that merchants jumping into live commerce now will be better prepared for the metaverse boom in the future.
6 Contactless Shopping Solutions for In-Store Retail
The retail industry took notice when Merkle debuted its newest contactless shopping solution at CES 2022 this month, but the company’s Scan & Know product isn’t the only touchless retail solution on the market. Thanks to the continued adoption of augmented reality and virtual reality among consumers, more technology providers are developing in-store retail experiences that keep physical contact to a minimum.
