MGT 4311 Exam 2

building blocks of affiliate marketing

1. affiliate refers potential customers to merchants website or other offsite destination 2. some of those customers perform desired action 3. merchant rewards affiliate for each desired action that results from affiliates referral

setting up campaign

~(1) need clear idea of business's identity/goals/unique selling points [competitors that affiliates already promote so you need to be able to give affiliates compelling reasons why your program is better] ~(2) determine goal of affiliate marketing and decide whether you are going to run your own program/from affiliate recruitment/from affiliate network [if you are using affiliate network you need to look at where your competitors are, who has the kind of affiliates you want, what joining and monthly fees are, how much support they can offer you, what countries the network is in] ~(3) decide whether to hire affiliate manager to run program, whether you will outsource program management or whether you already have resources to run program yourself ~(4) focus on competitors affiliate programs- look at commission tiers, cookie periods, creative offerings, which affiliates they work with, networks, incentives offered to affiliates ~(5) test tracking software on site and make sure it doesnt conflict w/ any other tracking you are using ~(6) recruit affiliates- use competitor analysis to contact potential affiliates, promote program through affiliate forums, use affiliate network contact channels to approach affiliates, approach sites you think fit your user demographic

video promotion

~4 main ways where users can find content and video online- (1) knows video they want and goes directly to search engine (relies on SEO) (2) user follows recommendations from others (social sharing) (3) someone knows what they are looking for and navigates to appropriate URL directly (branding and market awareness) (4) finds video through paid ads and promotions (paid advertising) ~earned video promotion- youtube video search optimization [titles, descriptions, tags, playlist additions, inbound links] [relevance is baed on video views, channel views, ratings, comments, shares, embeds, subscribers, age of video] or social sharing [ask viewers to post video to social networks- the more people share the wider the audience and more likely to go viral] [social sharing also increases relevant ranking factors for search engines] ~paid video promotion- you can pay to have video recommended on youtube [able to bid on searches or popular videos, show pre rolls on other videos and have video content displayed alongside search results of other videos] [trueview in search- these video ads appear to right of search results on youtube search pages (triggered by keywords)] [true view in display- ads appear to right of video user is currently watching] [trueview in stream- ads appear at start of regular youtube videos (viewers have option of skipping after 5 seconds)] ~owned video promotion- hosting your video content yourself make sure text content on that page is optimized for video [page title, video title, video file name, text on page, transcribe video and use this text in video meta data, drive website visitors to your video content (link or CTA to encourage visitors to view videos)]

email for mobile phones

~42% of emails opened are accessed on mobile devices ~mobile screen is smaller (way email is displayed differs vastly) and mobile devices also use diff mobile operating systems (diff standards and default settings so render emails in unique ways) ~want email that displays well across as many different clients and operating systems as possible [achieve this through responsive email design] ~emails are designed to be 600px wide to display well in email preview pane- and this scales well on mobile screen sizes ~host email newsletters online and link to them from preheader [can click straight through to html version of newsletter] ~design email in grid system- helps w/ scaling which auto fit HTML emails ~make sure you include alt text for images [email needs to convey messages w/ or w/o images] ~remember design for touch- if links are too close together its difficult for users to click on one link w/o accidentally hitting another

testing

~A/B testing- involves sending one version of newsletter to specified percentage of database while sending modified version to remainder of database [(1) open rates across diff subject lines and delivery times (2) optimal number of links in email for clickthrough rates and conversions (3) diff copy styles and copy lengths (4) effect of video on delivery rates, open rates and conversions (5) balance of image and text ratio] ~what to test- subject lines, send times, best day to send, layout, text vs button links, database segmentation, call to action

email service providers

~ESP is partner who can help manage your email design and send [for bigger orgs it makes sense to purchase your own software and server or partner w/ ESP] ~most ESPs are do it yourself services that dont manage your campaign but gives you tools you need ~how easy is it to use?, can you upload and migrate contact list?, is process self service or managed?, how does the reporting work?, what is deliverability like?, how is data stored/processed/secured and who owns it? ~A company which offers email marketing or bulk email services. A commercial ESP may provide tracking information showing the status of email sent to each member of an address list. ESPs also often provide the ability to segment an address list into interest groups or categories, allowing the user to send targeted information to people who they believe will value the correspondence [services- ability to create multiple templates/campaigns, ability to A/B test and segment customers, dynamic personalization, ensure delivery (white lists), email client compatibility testing, analytics]

ecommerce

~Electronic commerce, consists of the buying and selling of products and services over electronic systems such as the Internet. It can be business to business (B2B) or business to consumer (B2C) ~shopping cart abandonment- high shipping costs, not ready to purchase, high product price, wanted to save products for later consideration, no guest checkout option, complex checkout process, website too slow, need too much info, slow shipping, dont have enough payment options, spam w/ offers, website crashed ~conversion optimization problems in checkout- insecure checkout, not allowing guest checkout, layout page design that conflicts w/ eye flow, multiple CTAs w/ same design and in close proximity, not displaying visitors progress in checkout, requiring unnecessary info ~drivers of positive recommendations- free shipping, receiving product when expected, free returns, easy returns/exchanges, tracking services, fast refunds if product is returned ~goal- (1) Increase shopper to buyer conversions - increase both # of shoppers that become customers as well as # of products purchased (2) Reduce shopping cart abandonment rate (3) Identify integrated tactics that support e-commerce efforts (4) Measure results and make adjustments/modifications (analytics, a/b testing) ~(1) Search Bar - Prominently displayed, intuitive location (2) Where am I? - Location within the site: breadcrumbs (3) Narrowing Options - Ability to be specific (4) Shopping Cart Access - Ability to see my selections (5) Secondary Refinement - Further results narrowing (6) Product Matches - Display the matching products (7) Pricing - Show cost (8) User Review Summary - Display user ratings (9) Details - Detailed product information/description (10) Additional Visuals - Multiple product photos and/or video (11) Other Product Options - Additional products viewed by other customers (12) Call To Action - Purchase capability (acquisition) (13) Availability & Shipping Options - In stock? Shipping methods? (14) Share - Email & social media capabilities (15) Recommendations - Other similar, recommended products (16) User Review Details - Customer comments and ratings (17) Security - Establish trust in secure transaction processing ~Personalization- Welcome messaging and targeted content, Recommendations based on your preferences and buying behaviors, Wish Lists ~Email Follow-Up- Re-sell/Up-sell opportunities, Should be personalized, Recommend other products ~Dynamic Navigation- Determine what sells/is most popular, Shift positioning and navigation elements accordingly, Organize by popularity and/or user profile data ~digital technologies retailers are investing in- online customer service, free shipping, online purchase in store return, paypal checkout, email marketing, shopping personalization, product customization, product videos, e gift cards, facebook advertising, youtube, pinterest/instagram, online purchase in store pick up, user reviews, email personalization, subscriber retention

designing email

~HTML emails are emails w/ more complex designs that contain images, diff fonts and hyperlinks [given HTML emails take longer to download you should give subscribers choice of viewing in plain text or HTML email] ~working w/ templates- email template is predesigned structure you use for each email you send [just slot content into appropriate sections] ~design considerations- look and feel [readers scan emails following F shape so plan info to follow this flow] ~designing for preview pane- many dont open emails but prefer to view them in preview panes [images and layout should consider preview pane and be tested for rendering (preview panes can be vertical or horizontal)] ~images- avoid using images to convey important content [make sure there is alt text for all images in email- this ensures message of image will still be communicated even if image itself isnt seen] ~call to action- can be hyperlinked text or images that look like buttons [remember if images are blocked your buttons will be blocked too] ~testing- design should be tested to ensure it renders clearly in as many clients as possible [make sure images line up, copy is clear and all links work]

mobile messaging channels

~SMS- can be max of 160 characters long [can string together several in order to send longer messages (this is called concatenating)] [restriction on amount of data that can be communicated through SMS demands simplicity and so consideration must be given to working creatively within space of small screen] [several ways SMS can be used to complement existing marketing strategy- (1) CRM [update progress of claim/order or can include details/directions of reservation] (2) promotions [send sales promotion to large database for low cost- can be targeted to particular time of day] (3) receiving messages [fast/instant/trackable means for public to enter competitions, voice opinions, make request] (4) please call me messages [sent for free asking recipient to call sender back] ~MMS-allow richer info to be sent but costs are higher [particularly useful in viral campaigns encouraging participants to use phones to create content and/or pass on content] [doesnt appear to be cost effective method b/c it requires recipient to bear considerable data costs to receive messages] ~wi-fi and bluetooth- if user has bluetooth enabled device to "discoverable" then devices in range can request to connect to it and enhance messages and data [can be used to send location specific marketing messages] ~USSD- initiated by user who enters code on device and sends that as request to network [often used to provide service to customer like requesting balance info, etc] [using USSD can help build up profile of customer by tracking interactions and services they engage in] ~QR codes- way to compress complex info into image that can be decoded by mobile phone [convenient way to get info (website URLs, contact info, discount vouchers, etc) w/ just one click] [offer way to activate offline advertising and make it interactive and measurable]

action and reward

~actions and type of commission can be cost per action (CPA) [fixed commission for particular action], cost per lead (CPL) [fixed commission for lead/potential sale], revenue share (CPS/cost per sale) [agreed on percentage of purchase amount], cost per click (CPC) [fixed amount for each clickthrough to website] ~CPL- merchants who offer CPL are usually those who need to convert lead into sale offline [affiliates prefer this model as they arent in control of offline conversion process and its merchants job to complete transaction] [merchants are wary that leads will not be high enough quality- why they will have conversion targets w/ which leads generated need to comply as quality control] ~revenue share- ideal commission structure as both merchant and affiliate are rewarded for performance [more sales the more revenue generated for merchant and more commission for affiliate] [structure commission offering so affiliates who perform better earn higher commission]

tracking (continued)

~all affiliates are paid only for performance (if anything goes wrong in tracking process its the affiliate who suffer) [merchant will still get desired sales but affiliates wont be rewarded] ~multiple referrals one sale- potential customer visits merchant website through links of many diff affiliates before finally making purchase [usually most recent referral is awarded commission although some merchants also offer compensation to other affiliates involved in sales process] ~deleted cookies- if consumers delete cookies the sale wont be attributed to affiliate [doesnt effect numbers drastically so most affiliates calculate this into ROI] ~clashing cookies- even if its merchants marketing effort that is responsible for final sale the affiliate still gets commission if its within affiliates cookie period] ~placing order by another method- if customer completes action but doesnt do it online affiliate doesnt receive commission

tools of the trade

~any retailer should have product feed [way of providing info about products on merchants website in way that breaks up info easily and is standardized] [product feed will contain product name, product URL, picture, price, description, shipping price, stock status for each product] [affiliates can then use this to promote individual products] ~merchants need to create set of banners and buttons that can be placed on affiliate websites [having interactive banners means that potential customers can interact with brand before they even come to merchants website]

how do affiliates promote merchants

~basic aim of affiliate is to send targeted traffic (customers who are likely to perform desired action) to particular merchants website ~main types of affiliates can be broken up as (1) personal websites (2) content and niche sites [websites created specifically around topic that links to different products] (3) email lists [market particular merchant offers through email newsletters] (4) loyalty sites [as affiliates earn percentage of sale some affiliates split this w/ customer and create cash back or points based shopping sites] (5) coupon and promotion sites [use unique coupons to get user to click links- benefits affiliate and buyer] (6) search advertising

segmenting database

~customization covers everything from using recipients name, to sending correct email version to their device to sophisticated measurement of recipients preferences and tailoring content to suit them ~segmenting database can allow for customization across demographics or purchase history [possible to send mailers that are slightly different and tweaked to diff target groups]

growing a database

~database is most valuable asset of email campaign [permission must be explicitly given and if company's abuse this then it can put their reputation in jeopardy or legal action] ~important to track permissions generated for each user- time stamp of data capture and opt in process helps protect you against spam complains ~database needs name/surname/title, date permission granted, source of permission, gender, country, telephone number, date of birth, frequency (how often theyd like to hear from you) ~sign up form on company website/newsletter/blog/facebook/email signatures [visitors to website have already expressed interest in company by clicking through] ~best practice for sign up forms- (1) put sign up form where it can be seen above fold and on every page (2) state anti spam stance and be clear you value subscribers policy (3) clearly state what subscribers info will be used for (4) use clear CTA (5) tell subscribers what they will get and how often [include benefit statement] (6) ensure email address is correct by checking syntax (7) test to see what works best ~every interaction can be used to ask permission to send emails- (1) offer something valuable and ask if they would sign up at same time (2) add subscribe box to checkout process (3) ask for email addresses in store (4) call out your email campaign on social networks and link through to subscription form

deploying

~email reputation- score given to you depending on how well your emails are regarded by ISPs and your subscribers [if under certain score emails may arrive in spam folder or be bounced back to sender] ~most lists shrink by 30% each year as result of subscribers changing email addresses [send out email once a year asking to update their details]

role of mobile in personal communication

~excellent marketing channel due to its always one, always nearby nature [offers constant access and communication to users] ~6 unique features- (1) mobile devices are personal [respect for privacy and permission is important particularly when it comes to mobile] (2) mobile devices are always carried [messages sent to mobile devices will most likely be accessed within minutes of being received] (3) mobile devices are always on [marketers need to be more sensitive w/ communication- timing] (4) mobile devices have built in payment system [SIM card- billing is handled through users mobile network] [consumers are willing to pay for services and content on their mobile devices so advertising is not only way to generate revenue for content] (5) mobile devices are available at point of creative inspiration [used to encourage interactivity within campaigns created for mobile- present mobile device as useful tool in campaigns based on consumer generated content] (6) mobile devices allow accurate audience measurement [every transaction can be uniquely tracked- real time or location based] [aggregated data provides profiling and segmenting opportunities for targeting right audience]

email marketing

~form of direct marketing that uses electronic means to deliver commercial messages to audience ~extremely cost effective due to low cost per contact, highly targeted, customizable on mass scale, completely measurable ~alt text- refers to alt attribute for img HTML tag [used to attribute text field to image on web page telling user what image is about] ~domain name system (DNS)- converts domain name into IP address ~DomainKeys- email authentication system designed to verify DNS domain of email sender and message integrity ~double opt in- act of getting subscribers to confirm their initial subscription via follow up email asking them to validate their address and hence opt in again ~hard bounce- failed delivery of email due to reason like non-existent address ~house list- email database a company generates itself w/o purchasing or renting names ~open rate- percentage of emails determined as opened out of total number of emails sent ~opt in- giving permission for emails to be sent to you ~soft bounce- failed delivery of email due to deviating reason like overloaded email ~unique forwarders- refers to number of individuals who forwarded specific email on ~white list- list of accepted email addresses that provider allows to deliver messages regardless of spam filter settings

games/gamification

~gamification- The application of typical elements of game playing (e.g., point scoring, competition with others, rules of play) to other areas of activity, typically as an online marketing technique to encourage engagement with a product or service ~'Cognitive' benefits include the development of problem-solving skills [Gamification can be a powerful tool in addressing 'emotional' needs (e.g. learning to overcome failure)] ~Potential Benefits- Brand Building, Stay Relevant, Educational / Informative, Collect Data (preferences, product feedback, solve problems, etc.) ~how social games are monetized- "free to play" w/ most social network games using "freemium" model of distribution and monetization [free to play but players purchase optional upgrades/in game currency/etc] [only 1-5% of users purchase virtual items but this source dominates most games revenue streams]

video production step by step

~identifying your audience- what are their wants/needs, what video content are they already consuming, how can you engage their attention/provide something value/promote your brand at same time ~planning and concept- come up with core concept for video which will be dictated by what will resonate w/ your target audience [write script and schedule shoot (consider venue, crew required, actors, how long this will take)] ~producing video- actually film and edit ~choosing and uploading to platform- online video can be hosted on your own site or posted to one or many video distribution channels [advantage of posting to third party site is opportunity to exploit already existing audience quickly] ~youtube should be first place to post to [allows you to add logo, background, branded elements, brand description, links to other web properties] [have analytical features for measuring video engagement] [work well on mobile devices] [you may gain benefits in ranking well on google] ~if video is hosted on own website then you have control over whole website and environment in which its hosted [control advertising and related content- traffic and links go directly to website] ~promoting- promote video by using owned, earned and paid media channels ~youtube analytics- how often video is viewed in different geographic regions, how popular they are relative to all videos in that region, how long it takes for video to become popular, what happens to video as popularity peaks, specific seconds when people stop watching video, how viewers discovered video

location and mobile

~if services/useful info can be shared based on users location the possibilities for conversion naturally increase ~geo location- when combined w/ location awareness mobile search offers a targeted user experience [if website can detect what device someone is using and where they are content customized to their location could be delivered either automatically or after user input] ~mobile social networks- several social networks (facebook, twitter, instagram) created specifically for mobile devices and centered on potential of location specific awareness [many social media sites are encouraging geo-tagging as way for users to comment on posts (check in or tag locations in posts)] ~provide method for people to unsubscribe [no one wants location published w/o permission] [network operators often closely guard all user info and not all devices have capabilities of revealing location]

measuring

~key measurables include number of emails delivered, number of bounces (this should be separated into hard and soft bounces), number of unique emails opened, unsubscribes, pass on rate, clickthrough rates and conversions ~smaller lists have higher open rates b/c they are more targeted [overall average open rate is 11% and clickthrough rate is 2%]

tracking

~key to affiliate marketing is being able to track the whole process from potential customers through to a completed action ~affiliates send traffic to merchants through links or URLs and tracking software allows each affiliate to have unique identifier in URL [links set cookie on customers computer which allows software to track sale] ~info recorded- affiliate network, ID of affiliate, ID of merchant, ID of program, media used, destination of click, total sale amount for commission, date and time of sale, unique order number of sale ~software also collects info on impressions, clicks, conversions (even if no action is completed) [this data helps strengthen campaigns] ~cookie period- domain owner gets to determine how long cookie should last [affiliate is awarded commission only if desired action takes place within cookie period ~some merchants make cookie last for the session only (if user leaves, comes back same day and makes purchase no commission is rewarded) [standard cookie period is 30 days but can last to 90 for higher value items] ~affiliate lock in- first affiliate to refer the customer earns commission for lifetime of customer] [affiliates prefer longer cookie period- it increases likelihood of being awarded commission]

mobile commerce (continued)

~near field communication- allows data to be transferred over short distances through use of data chips [allows consumer to make payments on spot by simply scanning mobile device] [mobile wallet is way of storing payment methods on mobile device and using device to make payments] ~mobile ticketing/coupons- allows consumers to use mobile devices to purchase/receive tickets for things like parking, etc [once ticket has been purchased a barcode is sent to phone via SMS or MMS] ~mobile currency- pay via mobile phone using either e currency or mobile voucher [money can be sent via SMS or USSD so internet connection isnt required] ~carrier based payments- all user has to do is provide merchant with mobile number for transaction [they are then sent special code via SMS and billed for cost of this premium SMS from their airtime balance] [carrier will then receive payment and merchant will get portion of this payment] ~mobile banking- (1) mobile web [mobile users gain access to modified versions of banks online site] (2) mobile app [give users ability to access variety of account features through simple mobile friendly processes- users have full access to accounts] (3) mobile text [banks sending alerts (for account balances, payments, direct deposits, etc) to customers via SMS] [can be free or available at additional cost depending on provider]

creating content

~newsletters can offer humor, research, info, promotions, exclusive content ~in email links- consider that any links you include in email copy will lead readers away from your email [include link only when its call to action, legal requirement or service feature] ~subject line- many users decide whether or not to open email based on first point of contact ~if newsletter contains a lot of content its advisable to include enticing snippets w/ link to full article displayed elsewhere such as company blog

advantages and challenges (affiliate marketing)

~no contracts b/w affiliates and merchants- means affiliate could decide to stop promoting the program w/ no given notice [this could lead to sudden traffic and sales drop] ~little to no industry regulation ~some merchants fear loss of brand control ~affiliate programs are not easily scalable- often include a lot of admin and technical set up ~its pay for performance marketing so merchants are paying only for growth ~merchants sales force becomes bigger as well as its branding growth ~very low barrier to entry for both affiliates and merchants

advantages and challenges

~permission based email marketing can give highest ROI of any marketing activity [allows mass customization allowing personalization across large list of subscribers] ~highly measurable and databases are easily and thoroughly segmented ~w/ increasing number of people using email marketing many consumers are email fatigued [requires ingenuity and dedication to maintain email database and deliver useful quality emails that will be read] ~doesnt take much for email to be marked as spam and can be difficult to recover from being branded as spammer

email strategy and planning

~promotional emails have immediate goal- users make purchase, users download some content, users request further info ~newsletter tend to focus on longer term goals and are usually geared at retaining long term relationship w/ reader- open rate, clickthrough rate, number of emails forwarded, ROI, number of social shares, database growth, conversion rate, delivery or bounce rate

video production step by step (optimizing)

~search engines rely on being able to use text in content to determine what its about [SEO must rely on other text on page as well as meta data added to determine what video is about] ~video title- first used to determine relevance of video by search engine [most important keywords should appear in first 3 words of title] [longer descriptive titles are better than short/concise/obscure ones] ~use informative/long descriptions- use most important keywords here [can include as much info as possible but put most important stuff in first 25 characters] [can include link in description enabling you to direct users to other content you have] ~use tags- put most important keywords first [also capitalize on popular search terms and piggyback on popular phrases] ~encourage comments/subscriptions/ratings/embedding/sharing- respond to relevant comments to create community [engagement is massive factor is SEO so its very important to focus on content- strong optimization is no substitute for weak content] ~use annotations- to link to and from other video properties [allow you to add text boxes w/ clickable URLs (which are also crawled) at points of your choosing in video] ~upload videos regularly- ensure continuous channel activity and interest [more videos you upload the higher your channel will rank as result of google picking up on your fresh content]

parts of an email

~sender info- these are opportunities to build relationship through creating perception of familiarity [reader needs to perceive email is unique and sent personally] ~subject line- help reader identify email and entice them to open it [consistent subject lines, using name of company can build familiarity and help readers to sort their inbox] ~pre header- line or 2 of text displayed above email header [line of text that will redirect you to "view online"] [try including CTA in pre header- ensures every recipient will be exposed to it] ~header- colorful banner or image included that contains logo (which is important for branding) as well as CTA or image to capture attention ~personalized greeting- w/ database that has capability to store readers names you can insert names into greeting ~body- content of email [short paragraphs, emphasis on bolding and coloring, sectioning info w/ bullets and borders] ~footer- helps build consistency and is customary place to keep contact details [most important part is clear unsubscribe link]

mobile marketing

~set of practices that enables orgs to communicate and engage w/ their audience in interactive and relevant manner through any mobile device or network ~reaching people exactly at right time, place and mood to facilitate their needs provide a convenient touchpoint and encourage them to convert ~common short code (CSC)- special number or code that can be used to address SMS and MMS messages from mobile phones or fixed phones usually to get something in return ~short message service (SMS)- text messages that can be sent to mobile phones from internet or from other mobile devices [multimedia message service (MMS)- media rich extension of SMS which allows pictures, sound or videos to be sent on wireless network] ~unstructured supplementary service data (USSD)- messaging protocol used to connect mobile devices w/ service providers computers often enabling variety of apps and creating real time connection that allows 2 way interaction

affiliate marketing

~system of reward where compensation is based on referral (specifically online environment) [occurs where third party advertises products on behalf of merchant in return for agreed commission for sale or lead] [affiliates are viewed as extended sales force for website] ~action- specified task performed by user which results in affiliate being awarded commission [include purchasing product, signing up for newsletter, filling in form] ~cookie- text file sent by server to web browser and then sent back unchanged by browser each time it accesses that server [used for authenticating, tracking and maintaining specific info users such as site preferences or contents of shopping carts] ~referrer- when user clicks on link from one site to another the site the user has left is the referrer [most browsers log referrers URL in referrer strings b/c this info is vital in determining which queries are being used to find specific sites] ~revenue share- commission structure where affiliate earns percentage of sale ~session- period of user w/ unique cookie spends on website during specified amount of time

video marketing

~turn to search engines to help us answer questions and find content (content includes video) [text content can be read by search engines but images/videos cant be read nearly as well] [w/ more people using searches to find video content understanding how to create videos for online and optimize videos for searching is important] ~annotation- comment or instruction (usually added as test) on youtube video [may contain links directing users to other pages within youtube] ~embedding- taking video from online video provider and posting it elsewhere on the web ~thumbnail- still image shown at start of video [this can be selected and can make video more enticing] ~video search engine optimization (VSEO)- optimizing videos for search engines ~video syndication- process of distributing and getting search coverage for videos

mobile commerce

~users can buy things through mobile devices (shopping from mobile browser, paying for apps/games, using phones built in technology at point of sale) ~consider who your mobile customers are (what sort of devices do they own, are they comfortable shopping online, have they bought items on mobile phones in past) [use this to inform your strategy] ~mobile shopping- search for and compare products/prices [factors that influence mobile shoppers behavior- device and its interface, context within which shopping is explored] ~9 principles that define users mobile shopping experience- (1) location [mobile ads should be relevant to users current location] (2) goal orientation [users know what they need to do and how to achieve it] (3) attentiveness [give full attention to category info] (4) killing time [access content b/c they are bored] (5) taking my time [use as much time as they need to complete task] (6) urgency [sense of urgency about completing task] (7) routine [embrace same method/process used to access category info] (8) passion [display sense of enthusiasm about category info] (9) trust and security [want to access trusted and secure source] ~prioritize user experience above everything else- include prominent search bar and incorporate auto suggest to make searching easier, keep menu short and clear, make it easy to navigate (back button), lay out individual product pages simply, include add to wishlist button so customers can find it later, use images to draw attention and illustrate products, allow users to sort search results so they can find what they want, ensure users dont have to register to make purchase

video content strategy

~video is ideal for experiential marketing b/c they have strong emotional effects on viewers [helps show brands personality/tone/communication style] ~video content- videos made to entertain/inform/share updates or enlighten/delight viewer [not directly promotional but instead provide sharable content that gives value to customer] ~video ads - ads that are filmed and formatted for online use [existing TV ads shared online or custom ads made specifically for the web] ~keys to make a video go viral- (1) address currently trending topic (2) make it enticing (3) make it remarkable [whether its funny/astonishing/scary/shocking or informational your content has to have value for your viewers and it has to give them social capital for spreading them] (4) make it unique (5) make it sharable (6) make it short

affiliate networks

~while some affiliate programs are run by the merchant most merchants opt to use affiliate network to provide technical solutions ~affiliate networks publish terms of affiliate program, provide tracking solutions, report on programs, host creative banners, give commission payment options, support both affiliates and merchants [will have creative assets such as images, banners and text that the affiliate can use] ~networks have many affiliates and merchants signed up to them so they are ideal source for recruiting affiliates if you are merchant or for finding merchants to promote if you are affiliate ~commission override- affiliate networks charge merchant percentage of commission earned by affiliate (there are incentives for networks if they perform well) [this is typically 30% of commission rewarded to affiliate]