Yahoo and NBC Sports Group have announced a broad partnership to collaborate on programming and ad sales. Under the deal, Yahoo will stream select NBC Sports events, including “Sunday Night Football” (which began Sunday night) and the “NHL Game of the Week” as soon as the league's resolves its labor stalemate. Live streams will be powered by the NBC Sports Live Extra video player with TV Everywhere authentication. The agreement also calls for Yahoo and NBC to share on-air and editorial talent, including “Sunday Night” host Bob Costas and Mike Florio of "ProFootball Talk" on NBCSports.com and Yahoo Sports reporter and columnists, such as Dan Wetzel and Adrian Wojnarowski. The joint efforts extend to the creation of original made-for Web video programs that will appear on both Yahoo Sports and NBCSports.com. Both entities will continue to maintain editorial control of their respective newsrooms and digital properties. Yahoo Sports and NBC Sports will also pair to cross-sell ad packages and sponsorship opportunities to clients across various properties: the Rivals.com, NBC Sports Regional Networks, GolfChannel.com, Rotoworld.com and Allisports.com in addition to their respective flagship sites. "Passionate fans need news and analysis about their favorite teams in real time, and they want access to that information no matter where they are,” said Ken Fuchs, vice president of Yahoo Global Media and head of Yahoo Sports and Games. The deal is just the latest high-profile content alliance for Yahoo. Last year, the Web portal aligned with ABC News for news and election coverage, and in June, it struck a partnership with CNBC on business news coverage. A key factor driving the deals is increasing the quantity and quality of video content across the site and attracting premium ad dollars. Yahoo had the second-largest online video audience to Google Sites in October, with 55 million unique viewers who watched more than 496,000 videos. It also had the second-largest audience overall to Google, with nearly 170 million monthly visitors.
Campus Tel Aviv, a Google program in Israel supporting the growth of start-ups, launched Monday to foster innovation in Internet technologies and mobile applications. The program will provide entrepreneurs a hub to develop and test new ideas, as well as Launch Pad, a two-week boot camp about product strategies, measurement tools and technology. The community support from a 1,500-square meter floor in a building won't necessarily provide funding, but rather invest time, resources and facilities. Collaborating partners include The Tel Aviv Angel Group, UpWest Labs, The Junction, The Zell Entrepreneurship Program, DC Elevator, and Meet. Google Israel relations manager developer Amir Shevat and Google new business development manager Eyal Miller will run the incubator devoted to entrepreneurs. The company will encourage innovation in Israel, something the Israeli government has been building on for years. In Israel, the Internet economy contributed 6.4% to the country's gross domestic product in 2009, but analyst firm McKinsey & Company estimates it will reach 8.5% by 2015. Israel is the world’s second-largest center of tech start-ups after Silicon Valley; Shevat points to the stats in a blog post. Aside from search, Google has supported Internet and mobile entrepreneurs in Israel through tech talks, events and hackathons. In early 2000, it helped companies build a technology corridor similar to California's Silicon Valley, where high-tech businesses could explore options. Israel's commercial tech revolution, however, began decades before, in the 1970s. Around that time, prior commercial endeavors focused on orange groves. Building a business is tough in any country. In India, nearly 25% of 379 tech startups launched this year shut down, according to a study from the startup incubator Microsoft Accelerator India, which launched earlier this year.
Mobile video messaging as a marketing tool continues to gain ground, with participation in MMS (multimedia messaging service) and traditional SMS campaigns on iOS and Android devices doubling between April and October. The finding comes from a semiannual study by MMS provider Mogreet analyzing mobile messaging behavior based on data from 1 million subscribers and more than 5,000 campaigns. The company says it handles more than half of MMS messages delivered by businesses to consumers in the U.S. The iPhone and Android smartphones remain the most popular smartphone platforms for messaging. iOS users account for more than half of those opting into MMS and text-messaging campaigns, compared to 34% coming through Android phones. Those levels are up from 23.6%, and 16%, respectively, in April. BlackBerry accounted for 7% of opt-in messaging. Looking at device manufacturers, Apple drove half of commercial MMS and SMS messages, with Samsung a distant second, at 16%, followed by LG (9%), HTC (8%), Motorola (8%) and BlackBerry (5%). “Samsung’s continued presence on this list can, like Apple, can be credited to its new and innovative -- including lower priced options -- product offerings and partnerships with lower cost carriers,” noted the report. Among U.S. wireless carriers, AT&T and Verizon Wireless led the way, accounting for almost 60% of opt-in messaging traffic, down from 89% in April. Gaining at the expense of its larger rivals was Sprint, which increased its share of messaging to 19% from 8%. Unlike AT&T and Verizon, Sprint has maintained its unlimited data plan while adding the iPhone to its device lineup in late 2011. The Summer Olympics and 2012 election cycle also helped to drive messaging activity in the second half of 2012, with particular growth in industry categories including retail, media and entertainment. MMS is generally preferred for driving brand awareness via photos or video, while SMS is used for sponsored alerts. “We expect this trend to continue in 2013,” said Mogreet CEO James Citron, noting that MMS is now supported on 97% of U.S. mobile devices.
Triggered email messages continue to gain favor with consumers, generating higher performance. Those generated from Welcome, Thank You, or Abandoned Shopping Cart rose 10.3% to 2.6% of total email volume in Q3 2012 compared with the year-ago quarter, according to a study released Monday. The Q3 2012 Email Trends and Benchmarks found that non-bounce rates from triggered emails remained consistent at 1.4%, lower than the business-as-usual industry (BAU)metrics. Triggered open rates performed at 75.1% higher than BAU in Q312 -- down from 91% in the year-ago quarter, which saw a lift of 91% for BAU. Triggered click rates rose 115% in Q3 2012, up from 108% a year ago compared with BAU in Q311. Marketers know these clicks lead to research and searches on engines and brand Web sites, although they are not outlined in the study. The study aggregates 6.4 billion emails sent in Q3 to analyze performance trends by industry and message types to better understand how average companies in each category perform. It found the Retail General category triggered open rates at 65% the highest among all industry categories, followed closely by Travel/Hospitality Travel Services at 65% and Consumer Products Pharmaceutical at 59%. Consumer Products took the highest triggered message click rates at 20%, followed by Financial Services at 14% and Consumer Products Pharmaceutical at 11%. Retail Apparel had the highest amount of engaged subscribers, with 37%, though down from 39% in Q212. Business publishing and media followed with 35%, and Travel and Hospitality at 34%. The research found 49% of the average email file had a least one open or click during the 12-month study period. Approximately, 28% of subscribers in an average email file opened or clicked within three months. Some 66% of new subscribers in an average list have no opens or clicks. Throughout the year, 89% of a marketer’s email list had been on file for more than three months. Some 34% of new subscribers remain active once they opt-in to an email program, but new inactive subscribers rose sequentially to 66% in the quarter from 59%. The study suggests that by analyzing mature subscriber behavior, marketers can identify crucial opportunities to make emails click with consumers. In Q312, 51% of longtime subscribers were active in the previous 12 months of which 27% had recently engaged with an email program. Since 49% of these subscribers remained inactive, the study suggests viewing engagement as a strategy, rather than a temporary campaign.
Are mobile and email a match made in heaven? Suggesting as much, new data shows that consumers are significantly more likely to open email on mobile devices -- 37% -- than through Webmail using a browser -- 30%. That’s according to findings from email specialist Return Path, which reports that mobile open share has increased 300% since 2010, and shows no sign of slowing, with four out of 10 emails sent being read on a mobile device. “The data shows a clear opportunity for marketers who take audience device and platform preference into consideration,” said Matt Blumberg, CEO of Return Path. Which sectors are benefiting most from the chemistry between mobile and email? Of all retail, consumer product and real estate emails sent and then opened, about 40% were opened on a mobile device, versus an email desktop client (like Outlook) or through webmail on a browser. The study also found that the type of information being reviewed could impact open rates on mobile devices, as a significant amount of banking-related emails -- 60% -- are still opened on desktops, probably for security reasons. Email users still make most of their online purchases through a desktop computer. Globally, the report also found a variance in mobile usage by region. More Americans open email on mobile devices than their European and South American counterparts. In most regions, Android and iOS dominate the mobile marketplace. Return Path also found that mobile behavior varies depending on the mobile operating system that consumers use. More Apple users are using their devices to open and read email than any other group, with the iPad seeing more growth in email opens when compared to the iPhone. Meanwhile, Windows Mobile saw an 85% increase in email opens since April, although the OS still only comprises 0.3% of all emails opened on a mobile device. "E-mail on Smartphone from Shutterstock"
Developers of apps aimed at children still fail to inform parents about the apps' data collection practices, the Federal Trade Commission said on Monday. "Despite many high-visibility efforts to increase transparency in the mobile marketplace, little or no progress has been made," the FTC said in a new report examining apps for children. The agency will investigate whether app developers are violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, or engaging in unfair or deceptive practices. COPPA bans Web site operators from knowingly gathering personal information from children under 13 without their parents' permission. The report marks the second time this year that the FTC has warned app developers that they potentially violate COPPA by failing to notify parents about data collection. In February, when the FTC issued its prior report, the agency recommended that app developers use "simple and short" disclosures to state what information is collected. The FTC also advised app developers to alert parents if the app with social media allows for targeted advertising. The FTC said on Monday that only a "handful" of app developers were providing concise disclosures. "Most apps failed to provide basic information about what data would be collected from kids, how it would be used, and with whom it would be shared," the report states. "It is clear that more needs to be done in order to provide parents with greater transparency in the mobile app marketplace." For the report, FTC staff examined 200 Android apps and 200 iPhone apps aimed at children. Researchers found that most of the apps (around 60%) transmitted the device's identifier to a developer, ad network, analytics company or other outside party. Fourteen apps also transmitted geolocation data, telephone numbers, or both. Only 20% of the apps provided any information about their privacy practices -- either on a promotional page, developer site or within the app. The report mentioned that one app transmitted device identifiers, geolocation data and phone numbers to "multiple" ad networks -- even though it specifically stated it did not share or sell personal information to third parties, except to government agencies for security purposes. The FTC also said the majority of kids' apps -- 58% -- contained in-app advertising, but only 15% of all apps disclosed that information before they were downloaded. The commission currently is considering whether to update COPPA by banning companies from using behavioral targeting techniques on children younger than 13. Monday's report drew the attention of Reps. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Joe Barton (R-Texas), who co-chair a House privacy caucus. "The FTC’s report clearly reveals that more must be done to arm parents with the most effective tools to protect their children when they are online," they said in a joint statement. "Children's personal information should not be secretly siphoned off by mobile apps without parents' knowledge or permission."
Evan Shumeyko, global director of CRM for OgilvyOne, said Monday that social media is growing, but “email is still a prevalent and dominant platform.” One advantage is that it offers an ability to capture customer data that outpaces the social space. He cited a statistic that 82% of people are comfortable sharing personal information over email. “To me that is your competitive advantage,” Shumeyko told email marketers in a keynote address at the MediaPost Email Insider Summit. “That sharing of information via email is a powerful, powerful moment that you can exploit, and it’s something that your peers in social do not have,” he added. With social, Shumeyko spoke about a Customer Spring (playing off Arab Spring), where customers have a major influence on brand perception. Social is “more than a buzzword for consumers because they now have the ability to control the conversation,” he said. Brands are focused on building Facebook likes and Twitter followers, which is a solid strategy for constructing customer relationships in the present, rather than future alliances. Shumeyko said that with his CRM role, he is interested in “active listening across channels,” where interaction with a customer may occur on the phone, but also via email with the same core message. That allows people to feel as if “you are really truly dealing with an intelligent being, not just a series of one-off touches.” Relevant content or personalization is critical, he said, because that can help drive “earned” media, which is the most valuable among earned, paid and owned media. “That is that word of mouth, that one-to-one peer recommendation,” he said.
PARK CITY, Utah – Email marketers constantly debate how often to send email to potential or current customers. Business interests are different across categories, but it’s clear that discussion is not going away, even in a world of in-box bombardment. LivingSocial.com’s Adam Lovallo, head of user acquisition, said if his company sent out 50% less email, revenues would decline 50%. Speaking at the MediaPost Email Insider Summit, Lovallo said he's “100% on the frequency bandwagon.” His company might still have runway to send out more messages. “It's primarily a frequency game; we've actually been too conservative on that front over the last year or two,” he said. He did point out that LivingSocial has different customer relationships than others, having established a “premise that we will email you frequently, and people are accepting of that. It may be very different than if I were working at Amazon and I maybe don’t want to send 30 to 40 emails a month.” Lovallo said third-party data and “algorithmic work we’re doing to infer preferences” will “improve that -- it’ll make it marginally more efficient,” but heavy email loads are likely to continue. Joining Lovallo on a panel was Dell’s Adrian Olvera, global consumer & SMB CRM business development manager, who suggested more mail doesn’t necessarily lead to more conversions. “What we’ve seen overall is if we send five emails a month to a single customer, it’s just as much revenue, it’s just as much engagement, from eight or nine,” he said. Nicole Delma, who works with The Huffington Post, said: “There is something that’s not necessarily being measured that comes down to brand value … if you mail more, there can be a detrimental effect.” Hewlett-Packard's Daryl Nielson, worldwide email manager, offered a "more mail" stance. He said recently a European office was focusing heavily on reaching an audience that was “active,” but that accounted for only about 20% of the audience that should have been receiving mail. “Frequency sometimes turns people off. You’ve got to have somewhat of a frequency there or you lose your audience,” he said. “It’s just like we’ve wasted millions of contacts out there by those decisions on just focusing on those engaged or active.”
Consumer Reports spin-off magazine ShopSmart says it loaded up hundreds of sites and apps in order to find the most useful tools for consumers this holiday. Published in the January issue, the “Best Shopping Sites and Apps of the Year singled out five mobile downloads as exceptional. The five app winners were: CardStar, a loyalty card organizer Grocery Store Coupon Shopper coupon and special matching app RetailMeNot, the mobile iteration of the popular Web coupon finder ShopKick, the app that rewards use and works directly with retailers for in-store deals Walgreen’s, the drugstore’s app that can refill prescriptions and set medication reminders as well as access coupons and loyalty cards On the Web, ShopSmart cited CouponBlender.com, HandbagHeaven.com, MyGroceryDeals.com, TechBargains.com and TheBudgetBabe.com as exceptional resources.