Brexit Humor

Are you sick of hearing about the U.S. Presidential election?

How about a little humor from the other side of the pond?

Best one I've heard/read about the recent vote by Great Britain to leave the European Union:

An Englishman, a Scotsman, & an Irishman go to a bar.  They all had to leave because the Englishman wanted to go.

Ha!

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Split Testing for your Content Marketing

The folks over at CMO.com have a great little read on how to optimize your content marketing.

Familar with A/B Testing?  You should be as I've written extensively about it in these pages.

Here is the story:

http://www.cmo.com/opinion/articles/2016/6/1/5-ab-tests-you-should-try-to-grow-your-content-conversions.html

Here is a snippet from the piece:

With 78% of CMOs seeing custom content as the future of marketing and more than 90% of marketers using content marketing, you’re in good company.

In fact, according to DemandMetric, marketers now spend more than 25% of their budgets on content marketing. Clearly, marketers are putting a lot of effort into creating content to help brands get found online and engage with their audiences. Those efforts get a handsome return--since for every dollar spent, content marketing generates, on average, three times as many leads as traditional marketing.

But how do you guarantee that your content is conversion optimized? The short answer is that you don’t.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Apps: Slim in the Cloud or Large on the Phone?

Great little read over on Mobile Commerce Daily.

Moving data "to the cloud" is all the rage but there are advantages and disadvantages.

I had one client overseas with a very unreliable phone network for the country.  The use case they provided was limited, brief coverage that couldn't be relied upon.  They needed bursts of updates and a heavy package of data on the phone.  The idea of cloud based data just wouldn't work for them given their country's infrastructure.

This article is right in line with that scenario.  Read on:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/shopping-apps-shedding-space-run-risk-of-inhibiting-experience

Here is a snippet from the article:

Retailers with mobile applications that take up a significant amount of space on smartphones can mitigate the problem by moving features to the cloud and using eight-bit images, but larger apps with unique functionality may have an edge.

Walgreen’s is the latest example of a retailer slimming down its app to save room on consumers’ smartphones, which can significantly reduce the risk of being the first to go when users run out of space, although the benefits of doing so may be moot in a few years. Retailers that are looking into slimming down should be careful not to do so in a manner that inhibits the user experience, as those with beneficial features that stand out from the competition can be successful despite a larger app size.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

The Anti-Beacon News

Great little story highlighting the shortfalls of beacons and the attempt to micro-target customers.

1 in 3 will never use them.  Never.

Read on:

http://www.businessinsider.com/1-in-3-shoppers-will-never-use-beacons-in-stores-2016-6

Here is a snippet from the piece;

Location-based marketing and push notifications are starting to infiltrate mainstream retail as more merchants adopt beacon technology.

These beacons are small, inexpensive pieces of hardware that often use Bluetooth to activate specific apps on users' smartphones that run in the background and then send push notifications to customers' locked screens as they shop in the store. Retailers use this technology because it helps them accurately target shoppers based on their interests and purchase history.

But shoppers are still wary of this technology because of concerns about data and privacy.

This aligns with my personal, though unscientific, research on the subject.  Some folks will not opt in to yielding their privacy.  Never. I understand and am sympathetic.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

SnapChat as a $1B Company and LinkedIn at $26B

Not too much amusing about a company valued with a 'B' in the number.  Pretty huge stuff.

Read on:

http://www.recode.net/2016/6/14/11926704/snapchat-advertising-api

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Snapchat made a bunch of advertising announcements Monday via a feature story in AdWeek. The two most important elements of the company’s strategy, outlined below, paint a clear picture for how Snapchat plans to grow.

Social media continues to overperform the expectations I used to have, including the $26B purchase of LinkedIn by Microsoft.  Not underestimating any of it any more.

Here is the LinkedIn news:

http://www.recode.net/2016/6/13/11920416/linkedin-acquisition-microsoft-reasons

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Apple WWDC Underwhelms

Another Apple event underwhelms. Me too?  Yeap.

Not too surprising.  Seems the innovation edge is on pause at Apple right now.

Read more:

http://thenextweb.com/apple/2016/06/13/wwdc-apple-disguises-fun-innovation/

Here is a snippet from the piece:

This year’s keynote felt like an afterthought, full of announcement for features all too familiar to many of us who regularly pay attention the the tech industry. Try as it might to spin them as new, Apple’s announcements this year were just a bunch of “me too” moves inspired by competitors and popular apps.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Giant Eagle Retailer Takes off with MyWebGrocer

Omnichannel retailing done right?

Maybe.

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Supermarket chain Giant Eagle is taking a bigger stance on mobile and digital to create a commerce-driven omnichannel experience that features curbside pickup and shopping list management.

Giant Eagle is equipping its shoppers at local store locations with mobile and digital capabilities to better serve customers in a streamlined, omnichannel fashion. The new push will include the mobile version of its print circular, platform for online ordering and curbside pickup and digitized shopping lists.

Here is the story:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/giant-eagle-soars-on-mobile-digital-experiences-in-omnichannel-shopping-creation

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

CurrentC App Shutting Down June 28

What is the CurrentC app?

Yeap.

You aren't the only one asking as this thing didn't get off the ground anyplace but Columbus, OH.

Read more:

http://www.digitaltransactions.net/news/story/Following-Its-Decision-to-Put-off-a-Rollout_-MCX-to-Shut-Down-Its-CurrentC-Pilot-on-June-28

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant