Market research firm comScore recently reported that customers in the financial industry are happier now than they were at this time last year. Effective internet marketing campaigns and greater web capability are the primary factors behind this improved reputation, according to comScore. Consumers are using mobile apps and online banking to manage their finances more than ever ... [more]

The "power user" has come to be the Holy Grail of engagement for businesses looking to boost their social media marketing. According to a report from Pew Internet Research, power users typically account for about one-quarter of all Facebook accounts and are ideal targets for businesses since they are the fans most likely to share content. The report suggests there are ample opportunities ... [more]

A report from market research firm comScore found that more than 47 percent of mobile phone owners in the United States accessed the web from their devices in the final three months of 2011. The figure represents a 4.6 percent increase from the previous three months, when 42.9 percent accessed mobile browsers and internet marketers should take note that their on-the-go audiences ... [more]

Twitter marketing is increasingly mainstream, and businesses using the platform need to do more to ensure that their social media content stands out. According to a study from researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Georgia Tech entitled Who Gives a Tweet, just one-third of Tweets have relevance to followers. While Who Gives a Tweet ... [more]

A study from the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth's Center for Marketing Research found that social media marketing campaigns have improved lead generation and web traffic for a majority of the businesses using the channel and investments are rising, accordingly. Eighty-eight percent of businesses said they have increased their web traffic as a direct result of social media ... [more]

A report from Bazaarvoice found that more than half of Millennials consider online content created by other users before recommendations from family, friends or colleagues. Fifty-one percent said the presence of reviews or other user-generated content on a website helps them get a better understanding of a product or service's true value. Aside from reviews, Millennials' shopping ... [more]

On his Google+ page, unofficial Google statistician Paul Allen said that the company has surpassed 100 million users just one month after he reported that Google+ has 62 million users. Although Search plus Your World and Google privacy updates have sparked some controversy, the growth of Google+ speaks for itself - and search and social media marketers should take note. According ... [more]

A report from Fleishman-Hillard and Hearst found that Millennial women are ideal brand advocates, as they are likely to broadcast positive shopping experiences they have across the web. Moreover, internet marketers must remember the growth of forums for user-generated content places an especially high premium on good service, since Millennial women are likely to discuss negative ... [more]

According to a report from Ehrenherg-Bass, just 1 percent of fans of top brands engage with these companies on Facebook. Despite fans' opt-in exposure to social media marketing content, many users ignore the posts from organizations. While these numbers are low, Ehrenberg-Bass said that this represents a positive trend for the industry. Although such a small percentage of fans ... [more]

A report from Valpak and the Cox Media Group found that businesses are optimistic about 2012, and improved internet marketing is the cause. According to the study, companies believe that the web provides the best opportunities to boost sales, with search engine optimization coming out on top. It seems as though companies will use multi-channel campaigns to reach prospects on several ... [more]