Internet and TV Merge - What impact does this have on your marketing?

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

Sony has a new TV that converges with the Internet.  You can surf the Internet and watch your favorite TV episode at the same time on your television screen. Michael Croft, CEO of eSavV Technologies believes the convergence of TV and Internet is setting a strong precedent to businesses about the allocation of their marketing dollars and the future of marketing in general.

"We already know more time is spent on the Internet than TV." Michael explains. "In study after study, results show increasing numbers of people are spending more time each day on the Internet than watching TV.  The Associated Press recently published an article about declining Cable sign-ups in lieu of Internet subscriptions (http://bit.ly/avkrDb). ; I believe there is still a large market for TV as an entertainment medium, but using it as a marketing broadcast medium is becoming a questionable cost for businesses."

Michael and his team at eSavV Technologies study the psychology behind how people use the Internet and implement results of these studies into their website development and the Internet marketing campaigns they employ for their clients.  "Let's analyze the psychology of this advertising shift." Michael continues. "When a person needs your [business] services, he or she most likely searches for them on the Internet.  The sales approach is much different when the services of a business are being sought after, rather than the business broadcasting to an audience where a need may not be established."

Michael was asked how a business can be proactive and brand themselves to an audience before there is a need for their services.  "If you are questioning how to proactively brand your services prior to a need, then you should understand online display advertisements such as PPC or PPM mobile advertisements and social media as well as newsletters, online video, webinars(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_conferencing), podcasts(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcast) and press releases.  Keep in mind also, that these online mediums allow a two-way conversation via comments and discussion boards, and even real-time video or audio streaming that allows a potential customer to contribute to the conversation."
 
"And let's not forget tracking." Michael adds. "Tracking marketing analytics online is more powerful than TV.  With TV advertising, you only know how many households are watching specific networks in a given 'zone'.  You do not know how many people actually saw your TV ad, and how they reacted to it.  With web analytics(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_analytics), you can better gauge how many people saw your ad through impressions, and how many people reacted to it via click-throughs.  You can even trace the click-through using URL tracking and set goals on your ad landing pages, analyze the time spent on those landing pages, and track other pages visited on your website.  You will also know what city, town or country the visitor came from, what browser they used, and even the type of Internet connection."

Research is projecting marketing models that show Internet video will eclipse broadcast TV in 10 years (http://gigaom.com/video/u-s-online-video-viewing-to-eclipse-broadcast-tv-by-2... but Michael believes this will happen sooner.  "Exactly how the convergence of television and Internet impact viewing behavior is yet to be seen.  But the impact on marketing behavior for a business should be predictable.  A business just needs to look at the exponential adoption of social networking sites and the continual increase in web and mobile technology with global reach.  A new era is upon us; it is time for business marketing to be a part of it."