Consumer behavior has forced retail and travel brands to stay at the peak of emerging digital advertising trends. Faced with the reality that people are browsing and sometimes making snap purchase decisions online, these industries have developed internet marketing practices to remain ahead of the curve. Companies in other categories should similarly take note of their target audiences’ use of technology and the web, so they can adjust accordingly.
A recent IgnitionOne report found retail and travel companies led the pack for paid advertising spend on tablet and smartphone campaigns during Q2 2013. Retailers increased spend by 130 percent year-over-year, while travel companies dedicated 156 percent more money to promotional programs in 2013 than in 2012.
“Newer channels like mobile advertising and programmatic display are where we are seeing the greatest increases in spend as marketers continue to innovate to reach their audiences,” said Roger Barnette, President of IgnitionOne.
However, brands might be pulling back on paid search advertising as cost-per-click continues to rise, Brafton previously reported. An Adobe report showed marketers have countered cost hikes for the past three months, and factors such as search engine marketing and enhanced campaign switch-overs will continue to drive them forward in the future. This trend could push more companies to reallocate their budgets, dedicating more funds to organic SEO content.
Retail and travel companies’ increased spend on paid search campaigns for mobile might be a sign that they’re investing in long-term strategies for those platforms. PPC campaigns often set a spark and generate immediate wins such as web visibility and keyword progression that pave the way for organic campaigns with a longer shelf life. Once brands determine which content marketing practices are successful, they can repeat those efforts to achieve their traffic, lead generation and conversion goals over time.
