Mobile phone users go online to socialize and conduct business, not to research

Some campaigns require an attentive audience that is willing to take the time to learn and study it; therefore, not all media fits within that specification.

At the conclusion of 2009’s fourth quarter, 234 million United States citizens, who are 13 years old or older, have used a mobile device. Due to the increasing mass appeal of mobile devices, new research has emerged studying the habits of such users. The Public Relations Agency Ruder Finn recently released the findings of a new survey which investigated mobile phone users’ intentions when using the mobile Internet.

According to the Center for Research Media, survey results show that the typical mobile phone user is not interested in using his/her device for educational or creative expression purposes. Mobile phone users do not want to commit the time it takes to learn or research.

In fact, 91% of mobile users access the Internet for social reasons like instant messaging, forwarding e-mails, content and photos, post comments on social networking sites, and connect to people on such sites. The survey showed that only 79% of traditional phone users go online for the same reasons. Results indicate that mobile phone users are more likely to go online to conduct business over traditional users. One reason is that he/she can conduct business in real time.

Some campaigns require an attentive audience that is willing to take the time to learn and study it; therefore, not all media fits within that specification. Mobile phone devices can be a great asset in approaching an immediate response target audience but not when a drawn out decision is needed.

Be sure to visit Ruth Burke & Associates’ blog to find the latest in media news and receive helpful tips to make your advertising campaign successful...

Local newspaper websites garner more trust than other local websites

If aligning your campaign with a trustworthy news outlet is a main strategy, it can be helpful to know where the public places his or her trust.

According to an article by MediaPost, the Newspaper Association of America recently commissioned the company comScore to conduct a survey to determine the most trusted online websites for local news.

Results of the 3,050 person poll show that newspaper websites are the most-visited and most-trusted destination for local online news.

In fact, 57% of those surveyed go there first over other local online sites available like TV news sites. Among the respondents that were college-educated, the percentage rose to 60%. Likewise, 63% of those surveyed from well-to-do households preferred local newspaper sites.

If aligning your campaign with a trustworthy news outlet is a main strategy, it can be helpful to know where the public places his or her trust. Online advertising revenues only account for 10% of a newspapers’ total advertising income; therefore, a mix of a healthy online and print schedule can maximize your exposure to all newspaper audiences.

Be sure to visit Ruth Burke & Associates’ blog to find the latest in media news and receive helpful tips to make your advertising campaign successful...

2009 marked double-digit decline in US ad spending

When an economy attempts to ascend from a recent and ongoing recession, ad spending can be one of the first budgets cut substantially.

MediaPost reported the Nielsen Co. study on the United States advertising spending for 2009 has been released. On average, 2009 ad spending was down 9% compared to 2008.

Research shows that only three of the 19 media platforms had any substantial gain from 2008. These categories are Cable TV with 14.8% growth, free-standing insert coupons with 11.5% growth, and the biggest growth came from Spanish-language Cable TV with 32.2%. Coming in fourth was internet advertising which stayed relatively the same with only a 0.1% gain.

The rest of the 19 categories declined in spending; in fact, some had double-digit percentage drops. Some of the biggest plummets included local magazines with 23.9%, Business to Business with 32.7%, and the largest drop came from local Sunday supplements with 44.9%. Even spot TV in the top 100 markets saw a 16.1% plunge in ad spending in 2009.

When an economy attempts to ascend from a recent and ongoing recession, ad spending can be one of the first budgets cut substantially. It is business savvy to keep updated with how the market is trending. If budgets are trending towards Cable TV, Spanish-language Cable TV, and free-standing insert coupons, it could be to the campaign’s benefit to see if the target audience is in front of any of this prospering media.

Be sure to visit Ruth Burke & Associates’ blog to find the latest in media news and receive helpful tips to make your advertising campaign successful...

Partner Spotlight: Sarah Malone

How does the heavy media user impact my advertising media planning?

When looking at mass media, it's important to note the heavy users of a particular media account for a larger percentage of gross ad impressions delivered. According to Scarborough research, heavy users are defined as the following: Heavy television viewers watched 34+ hours per week, heavy radio listeners listened to 15+ hours of radio per week, heavy internet usage is 10+ hours per week and heavy outdoor consumption is 250+ miles per week on the road. Heavy users of a medium are those in the top 20% of total users and account for the majority of impressions delivered by an advertising schedule. For example, Arbitron research shows that the top 20% of outdoor consumers account for 59% of impressions.

To have a clearer understanding of where media dollars are having an effect, we must examine the heavy users of each medium. Distinct demographic profiles are evident when examining heavy users by medium. Based on Scarborough research, outdoor advertising delivers a high concentration of men, middle-aged people and upper income households. Television delivers a higher concentration of women, middle income and older people. Radio heavy listeners are gender-balanced, middle-aged and middle to upper income. Heavy users of the internet are male, young and upper income.

Looking merely at the total reach of a medium is not the most effective way to weight a media buy for maximum return and efficiency. Understanding who heavy users are can help provide a picture of the people reached most and can be useful for budget allocation.

Be sure to visit Ruth Burke & Associates’ blog to find the latest in media news and receive helpful tips to make your advertising campaign successful...