2012 Internet Marketing Trends for Selling Globally
Thursday, December 29th, 2011Internet marketing coach, Fione Tan, reveals the top internet marketing trends & social media marketing tips fo 2012.
Trend #1 : Apps Marketing
As more consumers use smartphones - iPhones or Android phones; plus tablet PCs such as iPads, Samsung Galaxy Tabs or the Amazon Kindle Fire, become household products in many families, there will be huge downloads of applications to their devices. More often, these devices are being used at various times – waiting for an appointment, while waiting for your flight, and even acts as insomnia treatments for those late nights that you can sleep, giving these devices the power to reach us even while we are away from the Computer.
Apps such as WhatsApp or Viber allows many people save their communication costs, so how can website owners use App Marketing? In countries like Hong Kong, where nearly 50% of its population are using smartphones, retailers ranging from huge departmental stores have already rolled out their apps, e.g. offering cash vouchers that you can instantly use at their tenants as soon as you download their app. The only thing after that is how to make sure the customer keeps your APP on their devices?
Trend #2 : Social Media Marketing goes Beyond Facebook!
Yeah, lots of advertisers are shouting FB this, FB that, but apart from the 800 million members of Facebook, what about other platforms of social media? While Facebook is still Off-Limits to the world No.1 internet population – China, similarly looking Facebook lookalikes are gaining momentum in China. Do you think that China will open up access to Facebook & Twitter soon?
The new buzz in social media marketing is Google+ and many business owners are rushing to create their Google+ pages too, such as https://plus.google.com/s/eonenet#113695231244670401365/posts
Will Google Plus take over Facebook pages? Reading a news article today, report stated Google Plus may reach 400 million by end of 2012? The word “may” is probably due to the fact that many consumers are not using Google+ as frequently. However, as a business owner, there’s really no harm is starting up your Google+ profile right?
Trend #3 : Revamp of Daily Deals / Group Buy sites
Each day, i’m bombarded by emails by the daily group buy sites that i’ve signed up for, and yes, i often just click DELETE once i see the message. Why? While many are also tempted to start their own group buying sites and feature great deals, the money made itself is unlikely to cover the expenses incurred while planning the deals. In an earlier TV interview about Groupon IPO and the huge expenses, it was said that for every US$1 million income that the group buy site was making, it was incurring US$2 million in expenses. Well, i’m not an accounting graduate but any entrepreneur can tell that it’s gonna lose money unless they can figure out a way to cut their expenses (means less paid advertising). If there is a good deal, the power of the social networks can come in to push your message out for FREE!
For merchants that have tried to sell on deals website, some have reported that customers don’t sign packages as regularly as there is always another merchant offering similar service online at the deal site. Is this gonna be better for your company or worse if the customer expects that the next meal at your 5 star hotel to be at 80% discount? Anyway, since it’s free to feature your items on Group Buy sites, merchants can try to offer deals for specific “sluggish” season, or slow moving products.
What are you views for 2012? Do share them with us and leave us a comment on www.Facebook.com/eOneNet too!
By the way, my eCommerce Book for Starting your eBusiness and Making One Million is now available for sale at http://amzn.to/ulH6BA so you can also support me by pre-ordering a copy now!
Happy New Year!
