Speaking Sensis

It was interesting to observe the Digital Gurus panel conversation about the role that mobile advertising and social media will play in the foreseeable future at Monday’s Digital Marketing & Media Summit in Melbourne, and to compare this to what’s been said recently at similar forums in Sydney and published in marketing journals. It seems Melbourne’s marketing community is still treading with quite a bit of caution, perhaps waiting to see what others are going to do before going for broke and full integrating mobile and social media into their digital strategies…

A couple of the panellists observed that rightly or wrongly, mobile is still viewed as a bit of a ‘bolt-on’ to traditional marketing strategies. Sensis’ Cheryl Vize and a representative from Google agreed that we’re only just starting to see what mobile can achieve in terms of its ability to target consumers by personal profile and location. A major travel provider said they still a way off viewing mobile as a viable means for booking travel. This is interesting considering research such as the Sensis e-business Report based released in August revealed that 31% of male mobile users and 26% of female mobile users are accessing the internet on their mobiles and 41% use it to look for information on products and services and 25% have used it for banking. So it seems (and Google made this point) that mobile has a growing role to play where functionality and utility meet the consumer. Sure there’s a role for brand campaigns on mobile, but there’s also a massive opportunity to make services available via the most convenient and personal medium around. Perhaps major service providers just need convincing that device functionality can offer their consumers an optimal user experience…hopefully their digital agencies were listening!

On the social media front, key players in the travel and health insurance industry are realistic in their views that consumers don’t want to be their ‘friends’, but there’s a growing trend towards communities of people wanting to talk about travel and healthcare/insurance matters…so by monitoring this activity, and perhaps even setting up the infrastructure for discussion forums etc, brands can benefit by learning from their comments in order to better understand their consumers’ wants and needs.

What about smaller businesses wanting to reach their consumers via their channels? Cheryl said she sees Sensis’ role into the future as collaborating with them to help them understand how all of the different advertising channels, including emerging channels like social media and mobile, can help them and guide them through the maze of options.

As everyone kept coming back to over the course of the day, it’s not about jumping on the latest trend for the sake of it. Any marketing strategy needs to start with an understanding of who your consumers are and where they are looking.

The AIMIA Digital Summit in Sydney last week included presentations from the likes of BBC, Facebook, Viocorp and Microsoft, research presentations from the Internet Advertising Bureau, Nielsen Online and Research International and case studies from Aussie, Witchery Holdings and Tourism Queensland. To sum up some of the key themes that emerged over the two days… online usage is flattening out but continuing to grow and mobile internet usage is on the up. Companies like Aussie and Witchery Holdings now attribute a significant proportion of their revenue to online retailing.

But, 97% of Australian retail sales are still occurring offline. This highlights the importance of local search services like Yellow Pages, which provide the link between online purchase research and the bricks and mortar supplier.

Jonathon Stinton from Research International explained that with so many channels at the disposal of the consumer and the advertiser, it’s getting harder and harder to determine what the key influencers are over a purchase decision. He calls this the “Twilight Zone of information”. So what are influencers as far as we can tell? Consumers are strongly relying on the web to research retail buying decisions and social media is having a minor but growing impact on this phase of the purchase cycle. With the phenomenal rise in social media traffic, brands want a piece of the action and are exploring ways to tap into this and develop relationships with consumers.

So what should an advertising and media company take away from this? We need to be focused on providing choice to both buyers and sellers – and hence our multichannel strategy. With digital such a major part of many Australians’ search repertoire, Sensis needs to provide the most relevant online and mobile local search experiences possible to bring buyers and sellers together. Speaking on the closing panel, Sensis’ GM of Digital Development Cheryl Vize said this is why Sensis is so proud of innovations like the Yellow iPhone app and why we’re absolutely determined to keep “raising the digital bar”.

One thing seems clearer than ever: there may be no crystal ball, but it’s never been as important as it is now for a business to get the magnifying glass out and really examine the DNA of its target market and what media they are consuming where, when and for what purpose in order to determine how to get the best cut-through.

Now you can sign into Facebook on Citysearch and become a trusted reviewer for us and all your friends!

We’re changing the way we do things on Citysearch by working a little closer with Facebook.

Thanks to Facebook Connect, you can now login to Facebook via Citysearch when you post a user review. Once you’ve logged in, your Facebook avatar (that’s your profile pic) will appear on Citysearch next to your comment. At the same time, you will be given the option to publish a note to your newsfeed that you’ve commented.

For example, say you’ve commented on our ‘Hey Hey’ article, you also have the option to tell your friends to read what you’ve said – ie, “Anyone who thinks the Hey Hey Skit was fine is so far from reality that they probably think Graham Kennedy still hosts a show with Bert – and that’s just for starters! Click thru to read my comments in full!” Once you’ve commented on your newsfeed your friends can ‘Like’, ‘Comment’ or click-thru to read your review. It’s all about the conversation!

With statistics* claiming that 78% of people trust the recommendations of consumers foremost, (that’s you), never before have your opinions carried so much weight or mattered so much. Given it’s our mission to recommend the best entertainment and lifestyle options on offer in Australia, we think opening things up to our users to add their voice  – whether they agree or disagree- is pretty important, and adding to our credibility.

And once you’ve posted your review, whether it’s your insight into good-value restaurants, hard-to-find bars, new wave clubs, must-see movie blockbusters, intelligent TV, emerging and dinosaur bands on tour or cutting edge arts and cultural events (and we use that term loosely to include AFL and NRL and plenty more), all your friends can agree or disagree – or is that agree to disagree?

These changes are great news for Facebook users who are getting a little tired of sending hugs and pokes or completing What species of bird are you? quizzes by providing you with real content to talk about. And it’s good for us because we get to hear it like it really is, and best of all, we all get to participate in the conversation across a very big audience.

So if you’re the next Margaret or David, Molly Meldrum or maybe even a Richard Wilkins (see, there’s a whole world of opportunity out there for some fresh opinions and talent), say it on Citysearch, boost your profile and kick start your reviewing career today!

* Nielsen ‘Trust in Advertising’ Report October, 2007

In his April speech “The Rise of Social Media“, Sensis CEO Bruce Akhurst commented on the US mobile takeaway business – Kogi BBQ – and their success in using Twitter to keep customers in touch with where their vans would be.Bruce commented that Kogi BBQ had acquired 15,000 Twitter followers in its short life.

Well, I happened across Kogi BBQ’s Twitter page the other day. Turns out their band of followers has more than doubled – to over 36,600 – in just three months.

Ahhh… the tweet smell of success.

You may know Sensis as the company many Australians turn to when they’re searching for businesses, people or places.

But searching for celebs? Searching for movies? Searching for music festival lineups or other stuff to do, see and eat?

Welcome to the star-studded world of Citysearch®.

In the past year, Citysearch® has made the transition to a true lifestyle destination. The new site includes video, news, opinions and all sorts of other fresh and dynamic content: everything from celebrity news and the top five scary movies to user reviews and a whole lot more.

And what better way to break up the strategic discussions that occur on this blog than the occasional Citysearch® video.

So here’s a couple to get you started.

As our recent sojourn on the red carpet at this year’s Logies shows, Australia’s showbiz glitterati were only too happy to talk to Citysearch®. Check out Danielle Horan (me!) chatting with Carson, Rove, Sarah Murdoch, Jason Coleman and many more (even Harold from Neighbours!).

And here’s our hard-hitting interview with the media-shy Scooby Doo.

As part two of his ‘The Age of Engagement’ series, Bruce Akhurst shares his thoughts on the rise of social media and what it could mean for marketers and the media.

Want to know about the US food van business that has built a huge following using Twitter? Or the toy company that used advice from its fans to create a truly innovative product development processes? Or the coffee chain that asked its customers for ideas and ended up with 70,000 of them in just one year?

Welcome to the extraordinary world of social media. The use of social networking sites have grown at extraordinary rates. Did you know that two thirds of Australian teenagers now use Facebook, YouTube or MySpace every month? (1)

But, in reality, these networks are just the beginning of the social media landscape.

In this presentation, Bruce takes a look at the world of social media and concludes that it is a game-changer on a par with the launch of television. It provides the potential for small businesses to access serious online technologies. And it can get companies and consumers not just talking with (instead of at) each other, but actually working together to build things that ultimately benefit them both.

(1) Roy Morgan Single Source Australia, base: Australians 14+

Today, Sensis CEO Bruce Akhurst spoke at an American Chamber of Commerce luncheon on what he describes as The Age of Engagement.

Digital media isn’t merely cannibalising traditional media. It’s giving marketers new tools to work with and the ability to build deep, valuable relationships with customers.

The first presentation in this series looks at how local search is helping marketers support consumer purchase decisions in exciting new ways. And how the next generation of local search is being driven by the mobile phone.

The second presentation looks at social media. Be sure to check back as this presentation will be uploaded shortly.

Times might be tough in the media sector today, but there’s a lot about the future to be excited about.

This week, Bruce Akhurst, the CEO of Sensis, will be sharing his thoughts on the future in a two-part presentation: The Age of Engagement.

The first part of his speech – covering the rise of local search – will be delivered at an American Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Sydney this Thursday, 23 April.

And, in a departure from the norm, part two of this presentation, which covers the rise of social media will be delivered using – what else – social media!

So, pop back to the Speaking Sensis blog this Friday, 24 April. You’ll be able to view both of Bruce’s speeches.

My last couple of entries have looked back on 2008.’s

Now it’s time to turn from past to future, with eight trends for 2009.

It’s a testing time for the media sector today. But despite the impacts of the economic downturn, there’s a lot to be optimistic about. The key will be focusing on customer needs and listening to what your customers are saying to you.

Which is why we’ve dubbed 2009 ‘the year of the customer’.

Have a read and tell us what you think. Do you agree… or not? What do you think this year’s hot spots will be and why?

Mobiles make mainstream

Mobile advertising has been promising big things for years. Now it’s delivering and, this year, mobile advertising will make the mainstream.

I could spend hours talking about the unique capabilities mobiles offer marketers (and I will do soon), but, for now, let’s talk numbers.

From January 08 to January 09, traffic to Sensis Mobile sites grew on average 12% A MONTH . Mobile now represents 8% of Sensis’ total Australian digital traffic – and it’s growing fast(1) .

And, according to MediaSmart (Sensis’ digital display advertising business), the uptake of mobile display campaigns is currently running at almost three times the rate it did last year.

Think mobile advertising is a way off? Think again.

Integration

The marketing challenges created by fragmentation (people spreading their media consumption) has been a hot topic for years.

In 2009, we’ll turn our attention from the problem to the solution – integration, multi-channel, cross-platform or whatever you choose to call it.

Increasingly, media companies will bundle different media into multi-brand, multi-product networks. This way, advertisers can access a larger base of consumers with a single purchase and manage their media strategy in a co-ordinated way.

Sensis has been executing on this for a while through our Yellow Pages® print, online, voice, mobile and sat nav network. We”re also seeing strong traction for cross platform advertising in the activities of a number of major media players, including the Mitchell Communication Group’’s cross-platform media negotiations, which received considerable media coverage late last year.

Expect integrated campaigns to steadily become the norm.

Syndication

Okay. So, major media providers are increasingly enabling cross-platform advertising. But what about the web itself? After all, it isn’t just one platform, it’s millions. About 108 million at best guess(2). How can you possibly reach out across such a diverse landscape?

In the past, going online meant having a web site and not much more. This year will see more marketers stepping outside their web sites to create syndicated content that windows that reach out right across the web.

Today, advertisers are increasingly using blog, video and even Powerpoint networks like LiveJournal, Wordpress, YouTube and Slideshare to generate and deliver content. They’re using a blinding array of sharing and syndication tools to spread that content everywhere. And the whole lot is search engine optimised, including their Yellow Pages® and White Pages® listings.

The end result is an easy to manage content store streaming content out to a whole mass of proprietary and public sites. You’re heavily increasing potential reach and enabling a whole range of different opportunities, like the ability for people to discuss, share or subscribe to your content.

No doubt about it, there’s more work in this than the old model. But the spin-offs are potentially huge, which is why you‘ll see far more syndication occurring in the future.

Social Media

While we’re on the subject, there’s no doubt that social media is the hot topic right now.

And it’s likely to stay that way. YouTube and Facebook usage continues to grow at almost obscene rates. According to Roy Morgan, over 5.5m Australians used these two sites every month in the September quarter last year – up 1.8m on the previous year(3).

Meanwhile, Coca Cola’s Facebook page now has over 3 million fans !(4)

So social media is a big potential opportunity. But how do you unlock it?

The exciting thing about social media this year won’t just be its growth. It will be the fact that marketers will work out how to use it.

Engagement versus eyeballs

But, to do that, there’ll need to be a major (and very welcome) shift in how we perceive the role of marketing.

Will marketers get value out of social media by using it as another way of shoving brands in people’s faces?

No. They’ll drive value by using social (and other) media to genuinely engage people in conversations and learn from their views. They’ll use media as a channel to provide service – not just taglines – to consumers. They’ll begin sharing, rather than just promoting, their brands and they’ll use media to go right to the source: seeking consumer views on everything from product development to customer service to community relations.

Make no mistake. This is a quantum shift. As a result, brand awareness will start giving way to brand ownership and the role marketing plays in the business will change forever.

Accountability

Here’s a disturbing irony. While digital media is touted as highly accountable, a lack of accountability is still seen as the greatest roadblock by online advertisers. For example, a 2007 McKinsey survey(5) found that over 50% of digital advertisers nominated “insufficient metrics to measure impact” as a barrier to adoption.

The IAB is currently undertaking a much welcomed revision of online measurement guidelines and industry standardisation.

Let’s hope the many issues confronting online measurement can be resolved, including the ability to align online metrics with other media and the ability to measure the rapidly growing mobile landscape in a standardised way.

Of course, accountability doesn’t apply solely to online. Traditional media need to become more transparent about ROI as well. One example of how Sensis is following through with this is our Yellow Pages® metered ads. Unique phone numbers are used on Yellow Pages® ads and then monitored. In this way, the advertiser can see exactly how many calls their ad is generating.

Advertisers have been demanding accountability for some time now. Over the next year, you’ll start to see media providers – both online and offline – start to really deliver it.

Tough times

So there’s a lot of exciting things going on today. But you can’t realistically talk about 2009 without mentioning the global downturn and it’s impact on media.

In Australia, the Sensis Business Index and Sensis Consumer Report are reflecting global trends by finding the lowest levels of consumer and business confidence in their history.

This declining confidence has had a sobering impact on advertising and media.

Almost every major Australian media business is staring at falling revenue, although it’s pleasing for us that Sensis has been a notable exception.

And even the major dot.com high flyers are experiencing either curbed growth or revenue declines.

There is a feeling that things will improve for the industry in 2010, although recent downward revisions in forecasts from various analysts suggest we may not yet be at the bottom of this cycle.

The year of the customer

And this leads me to the final trend. 2009 will be the year of the customer.

Over the last few years, the industry has been beset by discussions about systemic changes. Is traditional giving way to digital? Are advertising business models changing?

These discussions, while vital, have tended to divert the industry’s attention away from the most fundamental and vital question of all – are we delivering what our customers (both consumers and advertisers) want?

Whether they’re traditional, digital or both, the companies that survive and thrive through this downturn will all have one thing in common.

They’ll be focused unerringly on the needs of their customers.

1: Omniture. Visits to Sensis sites. January 2008 to January 2009.
2: www.domaintools.com
3: Roy Morgan Single Source Australia. October 2007 to September 2008. Base Australians 14+.
4: Facebook
5: How Companies are Marketing Online – A McKinsey Global Survey. September 2007.