Special Reports
This free, 12-page briefing contains a write-up of an E-consultancy roundtable on Paid Search (registration required).
The document contains the following:
-) Overview of UK market (including market valuation and trends)
-) A write-up of the key points emerging from the discussion
-) New statistics
-) Useful resources
Topics discussed included:
-) Effect of Google's brand bidding policy change
-) Landing page optimisation
-) Digital asset optimisation and new search engine features
-) Google Suggest's impact on search behaviour
-) Bidding strategies
-) Impact of economic downturn
-) Impact of end of best practice funding
Attendees included representatives from the following companies: Efficient Frontier, GE Money, Guava, HSBC, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Net Media Planet, Ordnance Survey, Pentland, Post Office, Ptarmigan Media, Steak Media, The Search Works, VFC and WebTrends.
This free, 11-page briefing contains a write-up of an E-consultancy roundtable on Affiliate Marketing (registration required).
The document contains the following:
-) Overview of UK market (including market valuation and trends)
-) A write-up of the key points emerging from the discussion
-) New statistics
-) Useful resources
Topics discussed included:
-) Affiliate brand-bidding approaches after Google's policy change
-) Impact of Google Affiliate Network
-) LineBreak
-) Growth in new affiliate channels
-) Content creation
-) Policing affiliates
-) Future technologies and services
-) Attribution of commissions
Attendees included representatives from the following organisations: Affililate Window, AXA-PPP, HSBC, IVIS, Lastminute.com, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Ordnance Survey, Post Office, TheTrainLine.com and VFC.
This free, 12-page briefing contains a write-up of an E-consultancy roundtable on Measurement, Analytics and Optimisation (registration required).
The document contains the following:
-) Overview of marketplace (including valuation and trends)
-) A summary of the discussion
-) Relevant statistics
-) Resources and links
Topics discussed included:
-) Benefits and feasibility of an all-encompassing solution
-) Greater convergence between online and offline data
-) Multivariate testing and optimisation
-) Web 2.0 and mobile
-) Tagging
-) Privacy settings
-) Measuring social media
Attendees included representatives from the following organisations: Cancer Research, Fidelity, GE, IPC, Liverpool Victoria, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Mars Drinks, Maxymiser, Pentland, Omniture, Optimost, RedEye, Rightmove, T-mobile, VFC and WebTrends.
Innovation Report - E-consultancy, E-consultancy, September 2008
Here at E-consultancy, we are often asked about what is original and pioneering in the world of e-commerce and online marketing.
As a consequence of these frequent requests, we decided to produce a report which is dedicated to innovate marketing in the digital world.
This report is a distillation of ideas and suggestions provided by digital marketing experts as well as innovative developments spotted by the E-consultancy content team.
The techniques, tactics and companies cited in this report are divided into the following sections:
-) Affiliate marketing
-) Email marketing
-) Online advertising
-) Multichannel marketing
-) Online customer service
-) Online PR
-) Social media and communities
-) Search marketing
-) Usability and user experience
-) Web analytics and optimisation
-) Business models
This report will be updated on a regular basis. We are conscious that there is plenty of innovation out there which has not come to our attention. If you do feel that there are other examples that should be included then please contact us.
Please see a separate page on our website for information about our Innovation Awards.
Download a free copy of the SAMPLE below to learn more and to see examples.
The guide is primarily focused on the UK search market, with profiles of 31 leading agencies operating in the UK.
It covers both search engine optimisation (aka SEO, organic or natural search) and paid search (aka PPC, paid listings, or pay-per-click).
The guide also provides detail on the issues and trends affecting this sector, as well as advice about how to find the right agency.
The report starts with a look at trends in the marketplace, as well as our analyst forecasts for SEO and PPC spending in 2008.
Trends within this market include:
- Economic worries increase scrutiny on search ad performance.
- New patterns of search behaviour challenge search marketers.
- Complexity of search marketing increases as sector matures.
- Google continues to dominate industry.
The 31 suppliers profiled are:
Barracuda Digital, Bigmouthmedia, Browser Media, ClickThrough Marketing, DBD Media, dgmSearchLab, eConversions, Efficient Frontier, Epiphany Solutions, Greenlight, Guava, High Position, iCrossing, I Spy Search, Latitude, Leapfrogg, MediaCo, Net Media Planet, NetBooster, Network Intellect, Optimize, Platform-A, Propellernet, Receptional, Site Visibility, Steak Media, Summit Media, UK Web Media, VCCP Search, WebCertain.
You can download the free sample to see the full list of contents.
It is aimed at marketers looking to outsource the management of SEO or PPC campaigns, or to review their existing agency relationships.
The guide is aimed at companies who are investigating the market for email service providers, with profiles of 23 leading UK suppliers.
The guide also provides detail on the issues and trends affecting this sector, as well as guidance about how to select the right platform.
Like all our buyer's guides, the report starts with a look at trends in the marketplace, as well as our analyst forecasts for the size and growth of the email platforms market in 2008.
Trends in email marketing include:
- Companies increase their focus on email marketing as it becomes more integrated within the marketing mix.
- Better understanding of ROI leads to increased investment.
- Credit crunch and worsening economy increases the importance of retention marketing.
- Continued polarisation of low-cost and value-adding ESPs.
- Savvy company marketers turn their attention to building and improving lists.
- Companies seek to learn more about customers to make messages more relevant.
The 23 suppliers profiled are:
Acxiom, Adestra, Communicator Corp, CommuniGator, dotMailer, eCircle, e-Dialog, Emailcenter, Emailvision, Epsilon, ExactTarget, Experian CheetahMail, Lyris, Neolane, Newsweaver, Pure, RedEye e-Relationship Marketing, Responsys, Shift Click, Silverpop, smartFOCUS, SpinnakerPro and StrongMail.
You can download the free sample to see the full list of contents.
Free to registered users, this guide is a starting point for those who want to learn more about e-commerce and understand how it can make a difference for their business.
You can use the guide to discover what e-commerce is all about: how it works, how to manage it, what pitfalls you need to avoid and why an investment in it can be a very smart move. But view it as a jumping-off point. Other reports we have published go into much more detail about e-commerce.
This research, produced by E-consultancy and sponsored by specialist affiliate marketing agency R.O.EYE, is based on a survey of more than 250 merchants and 150 agencies carried out in July 2008.
The report, which compares many of the findings with similar research carried out in 2007, shows that Affiliate Marketing is still a very cost effective channel for merchants.
However, it also reveals that budgets invested in affiliate activity and the average proportion of online sales derived from this channel have decreased over the last 12 months.
The report findings are divided into the following sections:
-) Budget and Sales
-) Resourcing, Agencies and Networks
-) Effectiveness and Measurement
-) Issues, Challenges and Trends
Highlights from the findings include:
-) The proportion of merchants saying that affiliate marketing drives high volume has decreased from 26% in 2007 to 15% in 2008. The average proportion of online sales credited to affiliate activity has decreased from 16% to 12% over the same time period.
-) A third of merchants (34%) say that five or fewer affiliates are driving 80% of their affiliate sales or sign-ups.
-) The most valuable affiliates - as a group - are SEO / content publishers, deemed to be driving a major contribution by 42% of merchants.
The Online Shopping and Credit Crunch Survey Report, free to E-consultancy users, sheds light on the impact that the worsening economic climate is having on online spending.
Produced by E-consultancy in association with immediate future and Logan Tod, the survey has made it clear that digital commerce will be less seriously affected by the deteriorating situation than commerce generally.
Almost two thirds of respondents (65%) said that economic problems would affect their spending generally. However, 56% of consumers said their online spending would either not be affected, or that they would actually increase their online purchases.
The research, based on a survey of more than 1,300 UK adults, shows that the credit crunch, falling house prices and worsening economic conditions will result in online consumers researching purchases more carefully.
A large proportion of consumers are turning to comparison engines and user reviews to make the most informed purchasing decisions and to get the best value. The findings - for the areas listed below - are broken down by gender, age and region.
-) Frequency of online purchases
-) Effects of economy on spending habits
-) How consumers find the best deals
-) Effect of online reviews
-) Consumer searching habits
-) Effect of the economy on online spending
-) Influences on purchase decisions
-) Purchase recommendations
-) User reviews and participation
-) Influences on purchase decisions
Author: Aliya Zaidi, Michelle Goodall and Linus Gregoriadis
Pages: 142 pages
Structure: Market trends and issues; tips and pitfalls; 16 profiles of suppliers offering technology and services relating to digital reputation monitoring.
This buyer's guide has been written for those who are looking for technology and services relating to online reputation monitoring, with profiles of 16 leading suppliers.
The guide also provides detail on the issues and trends relating to social media and "buzz" monitoring, as well as containing tips and pitfalls for companies looking for the most suitable supplier.
Like all our buyer's guides, the report starts with a look at trends in the marketplace.
Trends in this sector, covered in this report, include:
- Proliferation of content and social media means technology holds the key to online brand monitoring.
- Free tools become more widely available but vendors seek to add value to technology through human interpretation.
- Companies seek to harness power of social media to improve products, services and perceptions of brand.
- Importance of measurement and push for industry standards.
The 16 suppliers profiled are:
Asomo, Attentio, Brandwatch, CyberAlert, Cymfony, FindAgent, iCrossing, Market Sentinel, Nielsen Online, Onalytica, Radian6, RepuMetrix, Reputica, StrategyEye, Techrigy, Trackur.
You can download the free sample to see the full list of contents.
A comprehensive compilation of internet statistics and online market research with data, facts, charts, and figures.
Our latest version contains numerous updates including new data on social media, video-on-demand, use of operating systems and mobile internet advertising.
The guide has been collated from information available to the public, which we have aggregated together in one place to help you quickly find the internet statistics you need, to help make your pitch or internal report up to date.
Other recent updates include online ad spend, podcasts, online customer service and social networks
There are all sorts of internet statistics which you can slot into your next presentation, report or client pitch.
The sections include the following:
1. Usage and Demographics
2. E-commerce
3. Online Marketing
4. Multi-Channel Marketing / Commerce
5. Site Performance and User Technology
6. Mobile – UK Market
7. Interactive TV – UK Market
There are many sub-sections, to provide all the detail you need. Section 1 is sub-divided as follows:
1.1 Global Reach / Penetration of Interactive Services
1.1.1 Internet penetration levels by country
1.1.2 2004 e-readiness top 10 rankings
1.2. UK Reach / Penetration of Interactive Services
1.2.1 Internet access by UK region
1.3 Media Consumption Figures – Internet and Other Media
1.3.1 Consumption time by medium
1.3.2 TV and the internet
1.3.3 Radio and the internet
1.3.4 Print and the internet
1.4 Broadband Adoption
1.4.1 Levels of UK connectivity
1.4.2 Broadband adoption / penetration
1.4.3 Broadband’s affect on E-commerce
1.5 Usage Patterns by Location of Usage
1.5.1 Home
1.5.2 Work / Business
1.5.3 Schools
1.5.4 Other / Internet cafés
1.6 Age and Gender Usage Variations
1.7 What Users are Doing and Looking at Online
1.7.1 What European users are going online for
1.7.2 What UK users are going online for
1.7.3 Use of streaming
1.7.4 User-generated content
1.8 Accessibility
A sample is available below with various internet statistics included, as well as a full table of contents.
As the importance of digital media in influencing and supporting purchase continues to increase dramatically, companies face many new management challenges to integrate e-commerce and digital marketing into their marketing activities.
E-consultancy commissioned this interview and survey-based research to assess a range of medium to large UK organisations for the following:
-) Common issues and challenges faced by managers responsible for integrating digital channels into their marketing and business operations.
-) Different strategies and best practice approaches to meet these challenges.
-) Practical solutions to these challenges.
-) Diagnostic tools to assess capabilities and to identify a plan for improvement.
This report, which is based on a survey of more than 100 senior digital marketers, is a follow-up to the Managing an E-commerce Team report we published in 2005.
As with our 2005 report, the lead author of this guide is Dr Dave Chaffey, a specialist internet marketing trainer and consultant who has worked with a range of well-known organisations including BP, HSBC and Siebel Systems.
The report is divided into three main parts:
-) Introduction to digital marketing strategy
-) Key digital strategy components
-) Approaches to digital marketing governance in organisations
This guide will provide you with around 50 recommendations on best practice approaches to developing digital marketing strategies and 50 practical tips.
It also contains many frameworks for diagnosing current digital channel management processes including 65 figures and 13 tables.
This report is designed for senior digital marketers and strategists. It is also intended to inform non-digital marketing specialists such as senior managers who want to learn more about integrating e-commerce into an organisation.
Agencies can also benefit from this report because it will help them understand the challenges faced by their clients.
Check out our other Best Practice Guides, which cover topics like SEO, Paid Search, Online Retail and Web Design.
We also have a report on Web Project Management that contains plenty of guidelines to help you deliver projects on time and on budget.
This is a free 9-page briefing based on E-consultancy's 2008 roundtable about Online Customer Service (registration required).
The document contains the following:
-) Overview of market trends
-) A write-up of the key points emerging from the discussion
-) New statistics
-) Useful resources
Topics discussed included:
-) When and how to deploy online customer service tools
-) Multi-channel customer service
-) User-generated content as customer service tool
Attendees included representatives from the following organisations: Clicktools, Creative Virtual, Direct Response, Figleaves, Instant Service, Lloyds TSB, O2, RBS, Royal Mail, Signet, Synthetix, T-Mobile, Transversal and Vodafone.
The Digital Agency Rate Card Survey is based on a survey of more than 300 UK digital agencies carried out in 2008.
The principal objective of this E-consultancy research is to show what UK digital agencies charge for different types of skills and levels of seniority, and to understand how and why rates may vary, for example by size of company.
The survey will help you benchmark day rates for around 50 individual job roles including positions such as SEO consultant, online marketing manager, head of media and information architect.
We are confident that this report provides real practical value both for those working client-side who want to understand what the going rate is for different services, and also for agencies who want to benchmark their own fees.
The report also contains sections on business confidence and projected turnover increases which have once again enabled us to provide top-line data about the health of the industry.
The report findings contain overall averages for the following types of agency job role, with a further breakdown of the day rate average by size of agency:
-) Director / Partner
-) Commercial / Strategic
-) Project / Account Management
-) Creative
-) Content, Usability and Accessibility
-) Technical
-) Media Planning and Buying
-) Online Marketing, eCRM and Market Research
-) Affiliate Marketing, Email Marketing and Web Analytics
-) Search Engine Marketing
-) Testing/Quality Assurance and Training
Highlights include:
-) Digital agencies report that daily charge-out rates have gone up by an average of 17% in the last two years (since 2006). The biggest increases have come from the smallest agencies (i.e. those with a projected 2008 turnover of less than £300,000).
-) 90% of agencies surveyed said that they were “quite” or “very” optimistic about the future of their business over the next 12 months.
-) Almost 30% of agencies were founded more than ten years ago, demonstrating the increasing maturity of the digital marketplace.
-) The proportion of agencies expecting to earn more than £3 million in revenue in the current year has increased dramatically from 10% in 2005 to 24% in 2008.
-) The availability of rate cards, both for internal use by agencies and for clients, has substantially increased since 2005.
A free sample of the report is available (below) to learn more about the contents and structure of the report.
E-consultancy's Usability and Accessibility Buyer’s Guide 2008 is aimed at companies who are interested in researching the usability and accessibility markets and the leading providers of services.
The report contains information about market trends and advice about how to find the right supplier. There is also guidance about pricing models and costs, and a SWOT analysis to build your understanding of this sector.
The buyer's guide contains 24 detailed profiles of suppliers with accompanying market positioning charts for each company.
The agencies / consultancies profiled are:
AbilityNet
Amberlight
Bunnyfoot
CADinteractive
Clearleft
cxpartners
Elemental Creative
Experience Solutions
fhios
Flow Interactive
Foolproof
Foviance
Human Factors Europe
Nomensa
RedEye Optimum.web
Serco Usabilty Services
Simple Usabilty
System Concepts
The Usability Lab
UsabilityWorks
Userfocus
User Vision
Webcredible
Web Usability Partnership (WUP)
Trends within this market include:
-) Increased competition in online marketing drives investment in usability.
-) Awareness of the importance of usability moves beyond the web.
More organisations embrace user-centred design.
-) Accessibility becomes 'hygiene factor' rather than separate discipline.
This is a free 12-page briefing based on E-consultancy's May 2008 roundtable about Social Media (registration required).
The document contains the following:
-) Overview of market trends
-) A write-up of the key points emerging from the discussion
-) New statistics
-) Useful resources
Topics discussed included:
-) What's new about social media?
-) Risks, rewards and best practice
-) Social media measurement and budget allocation
Attendees included representatives from the following organisations: Camelot, COI, Dell, E-consultancy, Guava, Harvest Digital, Mars, Microsoft, NixonMcInnes, Qube Media, RBI, Signet, Vodafone.
Paid Search Marketing (aka PPC / pay-per-click) networks such as Google Adwords and Yahoo Search Marketing are becoming increasingly complex to optimise, and it isn’t getting any easier.
Many billions are spent around the world by advertisers seeking to maximise search engine visibility, but when your competitors have deeper pockets than you how can you possibly compete? And where do you start?
You start here, that’s where.
Our Paid Search Marketing (PPC) Best Practice Guide will help beginners and experts implement and execute PPC strategies to maximise return on investment.
Compiled over a matter of months and peer reviewed by PPC experts, the guide is comprehensive (250+ pages) and covers all aspects of paid search. We think it is an incredible resource for internet marketing teams, agencies, paid search consultants and strategists.
Key Sections:
Part 1. Planning For Paid Search Marketing
Part 2. Targeting With Paid Search Marketing
Part 3. Budget And Bid Management For Paid Search
Part 4. Creative, Testing And Optimisation For Paid Search Marketing
Part 5. Communications Integration For Paid Search
Part 6. Appendices For Paid Search Marketing Best Practice Guide
Key features of our guides:
Comprehensive – covers all aspects needed for success in one place but also referencing other in-depth sources in different portals, forums, blogs, whitepapers and books.
Accessible – content will be chunked to help readers navigate to and assimilate relevant content.
In-depth – Cover topics in sufficient depth to successfully implement suggestions.
Practical – explain how to implement techniques and describe success factors that can be applied straightaway.
Improvement focused – will explain how to revise existing approaches through evaluation of current approach, refining strategy and then implementing an improved approach.
Leading edge – incorporating the latest best-practice advice and regularly updated to stay current with new additions clearly highlighted.
What the experts said:
“Many companies waste money on Paid Search. Paid Search is not media buying and is closer to Organic Search than many realise. E-consultancy’s Best Practice Guide educates the reader on successful bid strategies, tracking, landing page optimisation and helps brands pick the best Search Marketing agency for their needs.” - Andrew Girdwood, Head of Technical Search, bigmouthmedia - the full search agency.
“As ever a fantastically comprehensive approach and a really valuable piece of work for anyone wanting to get involved in search marketing or making sure they are covering the bases.” – Oliver Newton, i-level
“A very comprehensive resource for any online marketer looking to get their head around the the ins and outs of developing and implementing an integrated PPC strategy.” – Damon Lightley, Site Visibility
“An excellent guide that is an absolute must-read for anybody wishing to understand best practice Pay per Click advertising. Setting up a basic campaign is relatively straightforward but this guide and is packed full of jargon-free tips and illustrated examples that will help all novice advertisers. More importantly though, it goes well beyond the basics. It explains the importance and outlines the process of developing, and implementing, a PPC strategy for the more sophisticated and complex campaigns that are required in many competitive markets these days.” – Mike Rogers, Optimize Search Engine Marketing
“Another fantastic piece of work, following on from the SEO best practice guide. This document is incredibly comprehensive and offers a level of detail that I have not seen before. While some may say that it threatens the work we do, as an agency, I would happily give a copy to all our clients as it helps demonstrate the principles of what we do and justifies the fees we charge for managing paid search campaigns. Extremely worthwhile read.” – Joe Friedlein, Browser Media
Subscribers (£149 upwards) can download it immediately.
This free 11-page briefing is a summary of an E-consultancy roundtable on User Experience held in May 2008 (registration required).
The document contains the following:
-) Overview of market trends
-) A write-up of the key points emerging from the discussion
-) New statistics
-) Useful resources
Topics discussed included:
-) Impact of Web 2.0 technologies and functionality
-) Multi-variate testing and behavioural targeting
-) Bureaucratic challenges and solutions
-) Measurement and metrics
-) Accessibility
Attendees included representatives from the following organisations: Clicktools, COI, E-consultancy, Foolproof, Foviance, Global Reviews, Legal and General, Maxymiser, OptimumWeb, Realeyes.it, RedWeb, Signet and Web Usability Partnership
This free, 12-page briefing contains a write-up of an E-consultancy roundtable on Search Engine Optimisation (registration required).
The document contains the following:
-) Overview of UK market (including market valuation and trends)
-) A write-up of the key points emerging from the discussion
-) New statistics
-) Useful resources
Topics discussed included:
-) The Search Engine Marketplace
-) SEO Techniques
-) Link-building
-) Search Engines Changes and Developments
Attendees included representatives from the following organisations: Abbey, Camelot, COI, Convera, Dell, Greenlight, Guava, Legal and General, Mars, Nare, Post Office, Propellernet, Red Interactive, Signet, T-Mobile, The Search Works.
This buyer's guide is aimed at those who are investigating the market for online advertising networks, with profiles of 28 leading networks.
This comprehensive report is particularly relevant for publishers, advertisers and media agencies who are interested in both display online advertising generally and networks and exchanges more specifically.
This report includes a valuation of the ad networks sector, a SWOT analysis and, like all our buyer's guides, the report also examines trends in the marketplace as well as guidance about how to select the most appropriate network or networks.
Trends in the ad networks market, covered in this report, include:
- Networks take larger slice of display advertising pie.
- Publisher-driven networks add to competition.
- Offerings broaden to provide one-shop-stop networks.
- Brands exploit behavioural targeting to increase RoI.
- Advertiser concerns increase despite increased regulation.
- Ad exchanges yet to gain traction among networks.
The 28 networks profiled are:
24-7 Real Media, AD2ONE, Adconion, Adknowledge, AdLINK Media, ad pepper, Adsmart, Advertising.com, Adviva, Burst Media, Casale Media, dgm, DRIVEpm, .Fox, Indoor Media, Media Initiatives Group, NebuAd, Oridian, Phorm (exchange), Sky Digital Media, Tacoda, TradeDoubler, Tribal Fusion, Unanimis, Utarget.Fox, ValueClick Media, Wunderloop Connect (exchange) and The Yahoo Network.
You can download the free sample to see the full list of contents.
Paid Search Marketing: A Beginner's Guide
The UK Search Engine Marketing Report 2008, carried out in association with search agency Guava, contains a comprehensive analysis of the UK Search environment.
The 55-page report, covering both Search Engine Optimisation and Paid Search, is based on an online survey of more than 1,000 respondents in February and March 2008.
The research follows on from a similar study in 2007, enabling year-on-year comparisons around what is happening in the fast-evolving search marketplace from the perspective of both client-side advertisers and agencies.
The report findings are divided into the following sections:
-) Type of Search Activity and Search Services
-) Search Budgets
-) Objectives and Effectiveness
-) Search Engines
-) Search Problems and Issues.
Highlights include:
-) Since 2007, the proportion of companies conducting paid search and SEO exclusively in-house has declined. Correspondingly, the proportion of companies using an agency for both disciplines has gone up.
-) There has been a significant increase in the proportion of companies calling upon agencies to help them with landing page development.
-) 9% of companies surveyed are spending more than £1 million annually on paid search. One in six companies surveyed is spending at least £50,000 annually on SEO every year.
-) Some 86% of responding organisations are paying to appear on Google's sponsored listings. The proportion of advertisers using Yahoo!'s platform has climbed from 45% to 49%..
-) Since 2007, there has been a big drop in the proportion of respondents citing lack of internal resource as a major barrier
This buyer's guide is aimed at those who are investigating the market for comparison engines, with profiles of 16 leading comparison websites.
The guide also provides detail on the issues and trends affecting this sector, as well as containing tips and pitfalls for merchants about how to maximise their returns from this channel.
The report is relevant for a range of sectors including retail, financial services, travel and utilities.
Like all our buyer's guides, the report starts with a look at trends in the marketplace.
Trends in the comparison engines market, covered in this report, include:
- Comparison engines respond to challenges and remain upbeat as sector matures.
- Consumers and merchants call for greater transparency and industry standards.
- Comparison sites branch out into new sectors and reposition themselves as shopping portals.
- Innovate or die: competition and threat of new entrants increases need for differentiation.
- Integration of Web 2.0 technologies and emergence of social shopping.
The 16 shopping comparison sites and aggregators profiled are:
Cheapflights, Ciao, Gocompare, Genie Group, Kayak, Kelkoo, Moneysupermarket, Motley Fool, MSN Shopping, Pangora, PriceGrabber, PriceRunner, Shop.com, Shopping.com, Shopzilla and uSwitch.
Web Analytics: A Beginner's Guide
The Ireland Search Engine Marketing Report 2008 has been produced by E-consultancy in partnership with ICAN and its research partners Cybercom, Interactive Return and RingJohn.
This report is based on a survey of digital marketers and interviews with leading agencies and advertisers based in Ireland.
The research has been supported by the Irish Internet Association (IIA) and the Irish Direct Marketing Association (IDMA).
It looks at how advertisers are approaching search engine marketing and how much they are spending, as well as containing an assessment of the marketplace.
The report findings are divided into the following sections:
-) Budgets
-) Objectives and effectiveness
-) Search engines
-) Search problems and issues
-) Market overview
The 42-page report also contains a section on market valuation and a discussion of market trends and barriers to digital marketing growth.
Highlights from the findings include:
-) The market for paid search marketing in Ireland was worth an estimated €34 million in 2007 and this figure will grow to €53 million by the end of 2008.
-) Search engine marketing commands the largest proportion of online marketing budget, with an average of 40% going to search.
-) Internet marketers in Ireland rate SEO and paid search as the best digital channels for return on investment.
-) Some 98% of search marketers in Ireland are paying to advertise on Google compared to only 38% for its closest rival Yahoo.
Web Analytics: A Beginner's Guide
Usability and User Experience: A Beginner's Guide
The second annual Email Marketing Industry Census, sponsored by Adestra, is based on the largest UK survey of email marketers.
The census looks at the amount and type of email marketing carried out by organisations, the way that email marketing is conducted and issues affecting the industry such as deliverability.
The report findings are divided into the following sections:
-) Approach to Email Marketing
-) Extent of Email Marketing Activity, Budget and Return on Investment.
-) Email Practices
-) Issues and Barriers to Effective Email Marketing.
The 52-page 2008 census report contains three pages of new recommendations to help organisations make the best use of email.
Highlights from the findings include:
-) Email's share of the digital marketing budget has gone up from an average of 19% in 2007 to 23% in 2008.
-) Almost two thirds of company respondents (63%) rate email as either "excellent" or "good" for return on investment.
-) 57% of email marketers say their organisations undertake regular list cleansing.
-) The majority of organisations are not systematically sending out email based on triggers such as abandoned shopping carts and date notifications.
You can download a sample of the report (below) to learn more.
This free, 16-page briefing contains a write-up of an E-consultancy roundtable on Measurement, Analytics and Optimisation (registration required).
The document contains the following:
-) Overview of marketplace (including valuation and trends)
-) A summary of the discussion
-) Relevant statistics
-) Resources and links
Topics discussed included:
-) Strategic approach and integration
-) Overcoming barriers: lack of senior buy-in and IT blockages
-) Personalisation and segmentation
-) Back-to-basics
-) Optimisation
-) Multi-channel approach
-) Privacy
Attendees included representatives from the following organisations: Argos, AXA-PPP, BT, Camelot, Estee Lauder, House of Fraser, Informa, Lynchpin, Maxymiser, Omniture, Optimost, Propertyfinder, Signet, Vodafone, WebTrends.
This buyer's guide is primarily aimed at merchants (i.e. advertisers) and publishers who are investigating the market for affiliate marketing, with profiles of 17 leading networks.
The guide also provides detail on the issues and trends affecting this £3 billion sector, as well as guidance about how to select the right network. Its focus is the UK market but most of the issues are of universal relevance.
Like all our buyer's guides, the report starts with a look at trends in the marketplace. It also contains our market valuation for 2007.
Trends in affiliate marketing, covered in this report, include:
- Blue chips and SMEs continue to invest as sector matures.
- Cashback sites gain ground while paid search affiliates decline.
- More merchants, networks and affiliates grasp the importance of communication.
- Agencies play increasingly important role in affiliate marketing.
The 17 networks profiled are: Advertising.com, AffiliateFuture, Affiliate Marketing UK, Affiliate Window, affilinet UK, Brand Conversions, buy.at, Clash-Media, clixGalore, Commission Junction, dgmAffiliates, Online Media Group (OMG), Paid On Results, Stream:20, TradeDoubler, Webgains, Zanox.
You can download the free sample to see the full list of contents.
Who Is This Guide For?
It is primarily aimed at merchants and affiliates, but should also be of interest to agencies, networks and others who are interested in affiliate marketing such as journalists and analysts.
This buyer's guide is aimed at both publishers and advertisers who are investigating the market for ad serving platforms, with profiles of 11 leading suppliers.
The guide also provides detail on the issues and trends affecting this sector, as well as guidance about how to select the right technology platform.
Like all our buyer's guides, the report starts with a look at trends in the marketplace.
Trends in the ad serving market include:
- Strength of online advertising drives demand for ad serving technology.
- Acquisitions increase potential for integrated solutions, but sector consolidation raises concerns about data privacy and effect on competition.
- Behavioural targeting enables publishers to optimise inventory.
- Advertisers continue to push for improved measurement and planning tools.
- Publishers seek enhanced optimisation functionality.</Quote>
The 11 suppliers profiled are: 24-7 Real Media, Adify, ADTECH, Atlas, DoubleClick, Facilitate Digital, Mediaplex, OpenX, PositiveFeedback, RedEye, TradeDoubler.
You can download the free sample to see the full list of contents.
Who Is This Guide For?
It is primarily aimed at publishers, agencies and advertisers who are looking for an ad serving platform or reviewing their existing capability. It is also relevant for others, including vendors and analysts, who want to research this market.
The Vertical Search Report, carried out in partnership with Convera, is based on an online survey of more than 500 media and internet professionals carried out in October and November 2007.
This research examines the current and potential role of vertical search, with a focus on industry-specific search engines and B2B websites.
It is relevant for those who are interested in how people are using different types of search engine for work-related searches, and particularly for specialist publishers and advertisers wishing to understand more about this topic.
Highlights from the findings include:
-) Publishers need to react quickly to major changes in the digital environment in order to maintain and increase their market share and visibility. Some 80% of internet professionals are already using industry or sector-specific RSS feeds, and more than half of them (54%) have personalised homepages.
-) The overwhelming majority (93%) of those surveyed say that they would be ‘very likely’ or ‘quite likely’ to use a search engine that focused on serving their specific business and work needs.
-) Professionals are typically happy with the results they are getting from Google and other popular search engines but recognise that vertical search engines can offer advantages. More than half of respondents (53%) say that faster access to desired information is a ‘major benefit’ of vertical search.
-) Online revenue streams for publishers are typically increasing while offline revenues are decreasing, highlighting the need for site owners to facilitate and manage this transition to digital.
The report findings are divided into the following sections:
-) Work-related internet searches
-) Effectiveness of search
-) RSS feeds, widgets and search toolbars
-) The publisher perspective
-) The advertiser perspective
The Second Annual Customer Engagement Report, carried out in partnership with cScape, is based on an online survey of more than 1,000 respondents.
It is essential reading for companies who are trying to understand how they should - and could be - interacting with customers in the digital environment.
As well as outlining the survey findings, this 57-page document also contains expert analysis and comment from various digital marketing and web analytics experts, including Jim Sterne, Avinash Kaushik and Dave Chaffey.
This report is a follow-up to the 2007 Customer Engagement Report which was published at the end of 2006.
-) More than three quarters of company respondents say that the importance of online customer engagement to their organisations has increased in the last 12 months.
-) The most frequently cited benefits for companies implementing customer engagement initiatives are 'improved customer loyalty' and 'increased revenue'.
-) More than half of respondents say their companies are either using or planning to use web-based widgets to engage with their customers more effectively.
-) Around two thirds of respondents say the mobile channel will be 'essential' or 'important' for customer engagement in the next three years.
The report findings are divided into the following sections:
-) Importance and benefits of customer engagement
-) New engagement strategies
-) Measurement and research
-) Barriers to success
This buyer's guide is aimed at companies who are investigating the market for web analytics providers with profiles of 20 leading UK suppliers.
The guide also provides detail on the issues and trends affecting this sector, as well as guidance about how to select the right technology.
Like all our buyer's guides, the report starts with a look at trends in the marketplace, as well as our analyst forecasts for the size and growth of the web analytics market in 2007.
Trends in web analytics include:
- Web analytics takes more central role in business decision-making as marketers get better at extracting useful and actionable information.
- Google Analytics continues to drive awareness as SMEs and blue chips reap benefits of free tool.
- A lack of education and resourcing continues to hold back sector even though people matter even more than technology.
- Changing metrics create challenges for industry as marketers seek to measure 'events' rather than page impressions.
The 20 suppliers profiled are:
ClickTracks, Coremetrics, DC Storm, eVisit Analyst, Google Analytics, IndexTools, Lynchpin Analytics, Marketwave, Nedstat, The Nielsen Company, Omniture, RedEye, Site Intelligence, Speed-Trap, Unica, Visual Sciences, WebAbacus, WebtraffIQ, WebTrends and WiredMinds.
This is a free 9-page briefing based on E-consultancy's 2007 roundtable about Persuasion Marketing (registration required).
The document contains the following:
-) A write-up of the key points emerging from the discussion
-) Useful resources and white papers
Topics discussed included:
-) What is Persuasion Marketing?
-) Different personality profiles and needs
-) Who owns Persuasion Marketing?
-) Approaches and tools
Attendees included representatives from the following organisations: Bazaarvoice, Bunnyfoot, Conchango, cScape, Dell, Legal and General, Lighthouse Experience Group, Lloyds TSB, Mars Drinks, Maxymiser, National Express, Nedstat, Neo@Ogilvy, Omniture (Touch Clarity), Signet and Sinclair Experience.
This is a free 12-page briefing based on an E-consultancy roundtable about Email Marketing which was held in 2007 (registration required).
The document contains the following:
-) A write-up of the key points emerging from the discussion
-) Summary of market trends
-) New statistics
-) Useful resources
Topics discussed included:
-) Customer data and integration
-) Delivery and reputation management
-) Other challenges and issues
Attendees included representatives from the following organisations: CT Shirts, e-Dialog, ExactTarget, National Savings and Investments, Neolane, RedEye and Prudential.
This briefing is a summary of an E-consultancy roundtable on the Future of B2B Online Marketing held in September 2007 (registered user access).
The document contains a write-up of the discussion and a section on useful resources.
Among the topics discussed were:
-) How different are B2B and B2C?
-) B2C online marketing trends - Impact on B2B online strategy
-) How does the future look?
Attendees included marketers from the following organisations: 3i, BrightTALK, BroadView, BUPA, Canon Europe, Clifford Chance, LBi, Lovells, Mars Drinks, Metia, PwC, Simplyhealth, Sony Europe, UBS.
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This comprehensive SEO Best Practice Guide will help you understand search marketing like never before! At over 200 pages, it contains everything you need to know about search engine optimization, whether you work for an in-house client team or for an agency.
The SEO Best Practice Guide is invaluable for anybody working in internet marketing, or looking to appoint an SEO agency.
Why you need this guide to SEO…
Only 16% of search engine marketing budget is allocated to organic search. Why? Well, paid-search is easier for marketers to understand, and it is often the lowest hanging fruit for companies new to internet marketing. The trouble is, paid-search costs money each time somebody visits your website, and click costs are rising in many sectors…
Remember that consumers and businesses are increasingly using Google, Yahoo and MSN to search for products, services and brands. You need a high level of visibility, especially for brand-related searches.
Search engines power many internet journeys that culminate in a lead or sale, and top organic listings generate much more traffic than the top sponsored listings, regardless of how much you pay per click.
For these reasons, and many others, we think you need to start focusing on organic search. We created this guide to provide you with a one-stop shop for SEO tips and SEO tools.
Time to rethink your search marketing strategy?
What lurks within…?
Far too much to talk about here, but some of the highlights include:
Introduction to search engine marketing
Table of SEO tools
Key recommendations on how to optimize your website for search engines
Dozens of tips and recommendations to help you climb the search ladder
Examples of what works and what doesn’t
Lots of comment on ethical SEO vs unethical SEO
Full and frank discussion of black, white and murky grey techniques
Links to some of the best SEO resources on the web
SEO glossary
Appendix
What the industry pros are saying about the guide…
“It’s very good and comprehensive. I was impressed with the level of detail in this guide. It reminded me about some things that I need to do!"
Adrian Land, Online Marketing Manager, Holiday-rentals.com
"An excellent guide to search engine optimization - thorough and well balanced."
Anna-Louise Marsh-Rees, LloydsTSB
“Once again a superb piece of work from E-consultancy.com - clearly shedding light on the ‘dark art’ of SEO. As always, E-consultancy prove themselves to be an invaluable resource for all things e-related”
Alun Williams, Head of E-commerce, First Choice
“E-consultancy's SEO Best Practice Guide avoids the page-filling fluff that often surrounds Best Practice publications, focussing on those all-important hot-topics in search. Crucially they cover both paid search and organic, and offer a numerical temperature chart for importance of specific SEO/PPC issues. We'd recommend it to anyone planning a search campaign.”
Steve Leach, CEO, Bigmouthmedia - The Full Search Agency
“For a long time Search Engine Optimization has been viewed as a one of the "dark arts" of online marketing shrowded in mystery and very much the realm of specialist agencies. We have found that much of what is required is a matter of following best practice guidelines. E-consultancy has put together one of the most comprehensive guides to SEO best practice we have seen yet.”
Mario Muttenthaler, Online Marketing Manager, NET-A-PORTER.COM
“Another excellent guide from E-consultancy.com containing a wealth of information that is well-structured and accessible to traditional marketers as well as those who already have online experience, but may have gaps in their knowledge. Not only will this guide give you a comprehensive blueprint for developing your SEO strategy but it will save you months of research. Highly recommended.”
Ken McGaffin, Chief Marketing Officer, Wordtracker.com
“E-consultancy have produced a comprehensive, educational and incredibly valuable report into the highly debated arena of organic search. This report puts paid to the perception that the discipline is a "black art" and highlights the best practice considerations of a successful search campaign and is a must read for anyone involved in today’s online environment.”
Caroline McGuckian, Media Director, Wheel
Who is this guide aimed at?
If you work in any one of these positions then this SEO guide will add various feathers to your cap…
CEO / CTO / COO
Marketing director / manager
Internet entrepreneur
E-commerce director
Internet marketing manager
Strategists
Web developer / designer
Production manager
Account manager
Copywriter
What you should do next…
If you are an existing subscriber then you can download the guide. We have new IP-based tracking technology embedded in the guide so no sharing!
If you do not yet use E-consultancy, then you can either download the guide for £99+VAT or subscribe to access this and other reports.
There are three subscription options:
‘individual’ (strictly limited to one person, no password sharing)
‘Gold’ (very popular with smaller agencies)
‘corporate’ (multiuser access for major internet teams, plus free events and other benefits).
Please choose the most suitable or contact us (info@e-consultancy.com / 0207 6814052) if you need help.
What you will need to proceed…
Credit or debit card
Email address
Cushion/s
Supply of sugary drinks
Peace and quiet
Notepad
Internet connectivity
The guide is aimed at companies who are investigating the market for email service providers, with profiles of 27 leading UK suppliers.
The guide also provides detail on the issues and trends affecting this sector, as well as guidance about how to select the right platform.
Like all our buyer's guides, the report starts with a look at trends in the marketplace, as well as our analyst forecasts for the size and growth of the email platforms market in 2007.
Trends in email marketing include:
-Marketplace competition drives innovation and strategic services.
- Greater understanding of best practice in relevant, targeted communication.
-Email becomes integral part of the broader marketing mix.
The 27 suppliers profiled are:
Acxiom, Adestra, Alterian, CheetahMail, Communicator Corp, CommuniGator, dotMailer, eCircle, e-Dialog, Emailcenter, Email Reaction, Emailvision, Envoy Messenger, Epsilon, ExactTarget, Frontwire, Lyris, Mediaplex, Neolane, Newsweaver, Premier Global Services, Pure, Responsys, Silverpop, SpinnakerPro, StrongMail and United MailSolutions.
The guide is aimed at companies who are investigating the e-commerce platforms market, with profiles of 20 leading UK vendors.
The guide also provides detail on the issues and trends affecting this sector, as well as plenty of advice about how to select the right platform.
Like all our buyer's guides, the report starts with a look at trends in the marketplace, as well as our analyst forecasts for the size and growth of the e-commerce solutions market in 2007.
Trends within e-commerce include:
- Major retailers drive e-commerce forward with new and re-vamped websites.
- Buyers seek marketing-led platforms and better user experience.
- Online retailers seek to bring together best-of-breed components.
- Multi-channel firms strive for integrated approach.
- Retailers tap into 'social commerce' to increase sales.
The 20 suppliers profiled are:
Actinic, ATG, CommerceNow, e-InBusiness, Ekm Systems, Emojo, ePages, Fresca, hybris, IBM (WebSphere), LavaSuite, Magicalia, Maginus, Moneyspyder, Pindar Screen Pages, Shopcreator, Snow Valley, Summit Media, Truition and Venda.
The guide is primariliy aimed at organisations who are looking for e-commerce platforms or reviewing their existing capability. It is also relevant for others, including vendors and analysts, who want to research market.
This is a free 11-page briefing based on E-consultancy's 2007 roundtable about Social Media (registration required).
The document contains the following:
-) Trends in social media
-) A write-up of the key points emerging from the discussion
-) New statistics
-) Useful resources and white papers
Topics discussed included:
-) What is new about social media?
-) How should brands engage?
-) Leveraging social networks
-) Social media as a search tactic
Attendees included representatives from the following organisations: COI, Conchango, Epiphany Solutions, Immediate Future, Nixon McInnes, Orange, Post Office, RBI and Yahoo!.
This is a free 11-page briefing based on E-consultancy's summer 2007 roundtable about Online PR (registration required).
The document contains the following:
-) Trends in Online PR
-) A write-up of the key points emerging from the discussion
-) New statistics
-) Useful resources and white papers
Topics discussed included:
-) Identifying online influencers
-) How and when should brands participate online?
-) Measurement of online PR benefits and success
-) Who owns online PR and pays for it?
Attendees included representatives from the following companies: BA Holidays, Barracuda Digital, Clicktools, Headstream PR, IPC, Lawton Communications, Lexis PR, Nixon McInnes, RBI and RBS.
This 9-page briefing, available for free, is a summary of an E-consultancy roundtable on User Experience held in July 2007(registration required).
The document contains a summary of the discussion, an overview of the marketplace, plus the latest statistics and a section on useful resources.
Topics and questions discussed included: user experience - 'the bigger picture'; incremental changes or 'start-from-scratch' approach?; learning from Facebook; is accessibility falling off the agenda?
Attendees included representatives from the following organisations: BP, Bunnyfoot, Clicktools, Conchango, Foolproof, FT.com, Global Business Networking, Global Reviews, Human Factors, LBi, Lloyds TSB, MySpace, speed-trap, Ted Baker and T-Mobile.
The internet is a perfect medium for fundraising: a real no-brainer. When it comes to charity marketing, online is an efficient way of reaching the masses.
The trouble is, most charities aren't fully optimising their web potential, so with the help of iConcertina, we decided to take a close look at the state of play, to help charities figure out where to go from here.
This Charity Website Benchmarks report analyses and evaluates 110 websites belonging to online charities in the UK, measuring them against a range of metrics.
We selected these criteria (and all the sub-criteria for each category) on the basis of their applicability to charity websites, and on their added value in terms of productivity. We have summarised the benchmark criteria in the body of this report.
• Usability – is the site easy to use?
• Accessibility – can everyone access the site?
• Communication – can users communicate with the charity and each other?
• Transparency – is the charity open with its information?
• Responsiveness – are giving, volunteering, fundraising, and corporate involvement encouraged and supported?
• Housekeeping – does the charity put search engine optimisation (SEO) into practice and does the site support and work in harmony with social networking sites?
Well worth a read if you operate a website for a charity, or are part of an internet marketing team that is focused on driving fundraising activities online. It is also useful for any agencies or consultants working in the charities sector.
Looking for the right balance between customer expectation and the retailer's own need to complete a transaction?
This special report about the online retail checkout process takes a detailed look at how e-commerce sites can reduce abandonment rates, using real-life examples from top etailer sites (including Amazon, Argos, John Lewis and Tesco).
Problems with the checkout process remain the biggest single source of revenue loss for most e-commerce businesses.
The report examines checkout best practice in the context of the overall customer journey, drawing on Dr Baxter's expertise in both design and psychology.
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E-consultancy's Usability and Accessibility Buyer’s Guide 2007 is aimed at companies who are interested in researching the usability and accessibility markets and the leading providers of services.
The report contains information about market trends and advice about how to find the right supplier. There is also information about pricing models and costs, and a SWOT analysis to build your understanding of this sector.
The buyer's guide contains 23 detailed profiles of suppliers with accompanying market positioning charts for each company.
The agencies / consultancies profiled are:
AbilityNet
Amberlight
Bunnyfoot
CADinteractive
Clearleft
Effortmark
Elemental Creative
fhios
Flow Interactive
Foolproof
Foviance
Human Factors Europe
Nomensa
Optimum.web
Serco Usabilty Services
System Concepts
The Usability Lab
Usability by Design
UsabilityWorks
User Vision
Userfocus
Webcredible
Web Usability Partnership
Trends within this market include:
-) Increased competition in online marketing drives investment in usability.
-) Awareness of the importance of usability moves beyond the web.
-) More organisations embrace user-centred design.
-) Accessibility becomes 'hygiene factor' rather than separate discipline.
-) Greater competition impacts on pricing.
This is a free 10-page briefing based on an E-consultancy roundtable about Mobile Marketing held in 2007 (registration required).
The document contains the following:
-) A write-up of the key points emerging from the discussion
-) Summary of market trends
-) New statistics
-) Useful resources
Topics discussed included:
-) Best practice and case studies
-) Maturity of mobile marketing and role in multi-channel mix
-) Consumer use of mobile internet
-) Mobile search
-) Spam and bad practice
Attendees included representatives from the following companies: E-consultancy, Incentivated, Kodime, New Media Edge and Sponge.
Web Design Best Practice Guide
This is a free 10-page briefing based on an E-consultancy roundtable about Email Marketing held in 2007 (registration required).
The document contains the following:
-) A write-up of the key points emerging from the discussion
-) Summary of market trends
-) New statistics
-) Useful resources
Topics discussed included:
-) Response rates, deliverability and unsubscribes
-) Customer data and integration
-) Fully managed service, ASP or in-house system?
Attendees included representatives from the following organisations: Cheetahmail, CommuniGator, CT Shirts, e-dialog, Epsilon, Legal and General, Prudential, Signet, Silverpop, Time Magazine.
This is a free 11-page briefing based on an E-consultancy roundtable about Online Media Planning and Buying held in 2007 (registration required).
The document contains the following:
-) A Market Overview, including market trends and valuation
-) A write-up of the Key Points emerging from the discussion
-) New statistics
-) Useful resources
Topics discussed included:
-) Best practice, research and measurement
-) Resources
-) Online video advertising
-) Online ad networks
Attendees included representatives from the following companies: Advertising.com, Blue Barracuda, COI, Deloitte, DNA, E-consultancy and Lloyds TSB.
Web Project Management: Best Practice Guidelines
The practices behind successful web projects.
This is a free 9-page briefing based on an E-consultancy roundtable about Web Analytics held in March 2007 (registration required).
The document contains the following:
-) An overview of the UK market (including market valuation and trends)
-) A write-up of the key points emerging from the discussion
-) New statistics
-) Useful resources
Topics discussed included:
-) E-consultancy as a brief case study
-) Move from web data to customer data
-) Driving actions and improving ROI
-) Budget and resource allocation
Attendees included representatives from the following companies: Blue Latitude, British Council, Fidelity, Lloyds TSB, Nedstat, RBI, Scientific Computers, Signet.
What's the business case for web analytics? Our web analytics business case is a 21-page examination of how usability testing and evaluation can work for your company.
What's the business case for usability? Our Usability & User Experience business case is an 18-page examination of how usability testing and evaluation can work for your company.
What's the business case for paid search marketing? Our PPC business case is a 25-page examination of how search engine marketing can work for your company.
What's the business case for email marketing? Our email marketing business case is an 18-page examination of how email marketing can work for your company.
RFP template for web analytics suppliers. How to write a request for proposal.
RFP template for natural search (SEO) marketing suppliers. How to write a request for proposal.
RFP template for email marketing suppliers. How to write a request for proposal.
RFP template for affiliate marketing networks. How to write a request for proposal.
What's the business case for affiliate marketing? Our affiliate marketing business case is an 18-page examination of how affiliate marketing can work for your company.
The UK Search Engine Marketing Report 2007, carried out in association with search agency Neutralize (*\*), contains a comprehensive analysis of the UK Search environment.
The 64-page report, covering both Search Engine Optimisation and Paid Search, is based on an online survey of more than 700 respondents in March 2007.
The report findings are divided into the following sections:
-) Type of Search Activity and Search Services
-) Search Budget
-) Objectives and Effectiveness
-) Search Engines
-) Search Problems and Issues.
Highlights include:
-) Just under half of respondents (48%) said that their companies carry out paid search exclusively in-house. Some 57% of companies do SEO exclusively in-house.
-) On average, company respondents say that they spend 32% of their total marketing budget on online marketing. On average, they spend a third of their online marketing budget on Search (32%).
-) Overall, respondents believe that SEO is more important than PPC in terms of impact on brand.
-) Google is viewed as the best search engine across a range of criteria. However, half of respondents believe that Google has an unhealthy dominance of the UK search marketplace.
-) According to company respondents, lack of internal resource is the biggest problem preventing success for both Paid Search and SEO
Some of the most important findings are also broken down by sector, enabling useful benchmarking by industry (for financial services, publishing, retail and travel).
Download a copy of the report (below) to learn more.
A free sample is available for those who want more details about what is in the report.
This is a free 12-page briefing based on an E-consultancy roundtable about Paid Search held in March 2007 (registration required).
The document contains the following:
-) An overview of the UK market (including market valuation and trends).
-) A write-up of the key points emerging from the discussion.
-) New statistics.
-) Useful resources.
Topics discussed included:
-) Yahoo!'s launch of Panama platform
-) Landing page optimisation
-) Bid management technology
-) Quality of traffic on content networks
-) Budget allocation and resourcing
Attendees included representatives from the following companies: Argos, BAA, DoubleClick, eConversions, I-Spy, John Lewis, Net-A-Porter, Signet and Steak Media.
This free, 11-page briefing is a summary of an E-consultancy roundtable on Affiliate Marketing (registration required).
The document contains a summary of the discussion, an overview of the affiliate marketplace, plus a section on useful resources.
Topics discussed included: Policies and Policing; Improving Affiliate Performance; Effects of Google Algorithm Changes; Budget Allocation.
Attendees included representatives from the following organisations: BCA, Christian Aid, Commission Junction, DoubleClick, Findmethebestprice.co.uk, Hertz, OMG, Orange and TradeDoubler.
This free, 9-page briefing is a summary of an E-consultancy roundtable on Search Engine Optimisation (registration required).
The document contains a summary of the discussion, an overview of the SEO marketplace, plus a section on useful resources.
Topics discussed included: SEO Developments; Social Media Optimisation; The Future of Aggregators; SEO Challenges.
Attendees included representatives from the following organisations: BAA, Bigmouthmedia, CT Shirts, DoubleClick, Fullsix, Neutralize, Lloyds TSB and Trinity Mirror.
The Email Marketing Industry Census, sponsored by Adestra, provides an insightful overview of a channel which continues to be perhaps the most vital tool in the online marketer's armoury.
This report follows a survey of more than 500 company and agency respondents which we believe makes it the most comprehensive UK-based study of its kind.
The census looked at the amount and type of emailing carried out by organisations, the way that email marketing is conducted and the extent to which success in this channel is being measured.
The report findings are divided into the following sections:
-) In-house or Email Service Provider? (Approach to Email Marketing and Services / Functionality being used.
-) Extent of Email Marketing Activity, Budget and Return on Investment.
-) Issues and Barriers.
The 38-page census report also contains several pages of recommendations help organisations make the best use of email.
Highlights from the findings include:
-) On average, companies are spending a fifth of their online marketing budget on Email Marketing (second only to website spend).
-) 81% of email marketers say they are not using email marketing as effectively as they could.
-) Almost half of email marketers surveyed do not know what their company's Return on Investment from Email Marketing is.
Download a copy of the report (below) to learn more.
This free 11-page briefing is a summary of an E-consultancy roundtable on Online Customer Service and Online Surveys (registration required).
The document contains a summary of the discussion, an overview of the marketplace for both markets, plus the latest statistics and a section on useful resources.
Topics discussed included: What is the Best Channel to Serve Customer?, Measuring Customer Experience and Virtual Agents.
Attendees included representatives from the following organisations: Aardvark Media, Bradford and Bingley, British Council, Clicktools, Creative Virtual, Datalateral, Fidelity, House of Fraser, Legal and General, NET-A-PORTER, Rocketseed and Synthetix.
Editor's note: the Online Advertising Networks Buyer's Guide 2008 is now available.
Online Advertising Networks are proving to be an increasingly attractive proposition for brands who want to broaden their reach and increase the diversity of their advertising beyond the major portals.
With a focus on the UK marketplace, our 182-page Ad Networks Buyer’s Guide contains a wealth of information about this fast-growing online sector and includes profiles of 21 leading UK ad networks.
Whether for branding or acquisition campaigns, networks are recognised as having a significant role to play as evidenced by the doubling in size of this sector since our previous buyer's guide in 2005.
This is the perfect starting place for publishers, advertisers, media buyers and agencies to quickly research a variety of networks while also learning about this quickly evolving sector.
There is information on the latest Ad Networks market trends including a SWOT analysis and tips to help you evaluate the suitability of networks to your requirements.
The 21 UK-based networks we have profiled are:
24/7 Real Media
Accelerator-Media
ad 2-one
ad pepper
AdLINK
Adsmart
Advertising.com
Adviva
BlueLithium
Burst Media
Casale Media
eType
Fuel
MediaBrokers
Media Run
Migration Marketing
Sky Media
TradeDoubler
Tribal Fusion
Unanimis
vcmedia
Headline trends within this market include:
• Formation of industry body IASH welcomed as advertisers push for greater transparency.
• Behavioural targeting increases ad networks' effectiveness.
• Squeeze on margins prompts trend towards consolidation.
• Auction model set to drive efficiency in buying and selling.
• Ad networks develop as 'long tail' marketing vehicles.
A network matrix is also included, so you can quickly identify the networks that offer the services you need.
Buyer’s Guides cost £99 individually or are free to subscribers, from £149 per year. Subscribers have access to *all* of our reports. Our popular £249 per year ‘All-in-One’ Gold package includes an individual subscription, an enhanced listing, a job listing and unlimited online press release distribution.
*A sample is available below for non-subscribers. Check it out!
This 10-page briefing is a summary of an E-consultancy roundtable on affiliate marketing (free access).
The document contains a write-up of the discussion, an overview of UK affiliate marketing, the latest e-commerce statistics and a section on useful resources.
Among the topics discussed were: Brand-bidding; Landing Pages; Merchant-affiliate collaboration and communication; Integrated Campaigns; Hybrid Deals.
Attendees included internet marketing experts from the following organisations: Argos, Alliance & Leicester, Aviva, BCA, Commission Junction, Dell, eConversions, Incubeta, Mylistforsanta.com, Ticketmaster and TradeDoubler.
This 10-page briefing is a summary of an E-consultancy roundtable on email marketing (free access).
The document contains a write-up of the discussion, an overview of the UK email market, the latest statistics and a section on useful resources.
Among the topics discussed were: measuring effectiveness of campaigns, list re-engagement, importance of email hierarchy, newsletters, deliverability and future trends.
Attendees included internet marketing experts from the following organisations: Argos, Alchemy Worx, CheetahMail, e-Dialog, ExactTarget, Fidelity, MCC, RedEye, Rocketseed and Signet.
E-consultancy's Affiliate Marketing Networks Buyer's Guide (2006) is essential reading for any company looking to implement or to improve an affiliate strategy, or for anyone that needs to research UK affiliate networks.
The 179-page affiliate marketing guide is the third produced by E-consultancy, which first commissioned research into the sector in 2004.
Our market research suggests that the UK affiliate marketing sector will be worth more than £2 billion in 2006, with 60% growth this year.
The guide contains the usual mix of market research and sector growth forecasts, a SWOT analysis (to give you a better understanding of issues relating to affiliate marketing) and practical advice on how to choose a network.
There is also insight from key industry players, a vendor matrix to help you quickly shortlist affiliate partners, and 18 in-depth profiles of affiliate networks, so you can quickly get the inside track and kickstart your campaign.
The affiliate networks profiled are:
Advertising.com
AffiliateFuture
Affiliate Marketing UK
Affiliate Window
affilinet UK
Brand Conversions
Buy.at
Clash-Media
Commission Junction
DGM Affiliates
Online Media Group (OMG)
Paid On Results
PrimeQ
Silvertap
Smart Quotes
TradeDoubler
Webgains
Zanox
Download the free sample below which contains the full table of contents, introduction and market summary for the affiliate solution providers profiled.
The padlocked version underneath is the full 179-page guide, available for £99 or free to subscribers (you can subscribe for another £50 to access to all of our exclusive publications for one year).
Our latest Email Marketing Platforms Buyer’s Guide is essential reading for companies that send out (or are planning to send out) regular emails, whether for transactional purposes or to help boost acquisition, retention or brand loyalty.
The guide contains information about the latest email marketing trends and 24 vendor profiles from suppliers that E-consultancy believes are UK market leaders
Plenty has been happening in the market since our 2005 Email Marketing Buyer’s Guide.
The 233-page report also features a SWOT analysis for the sector, market research and growth forecasts as well as tips to help you find the right email services provider.
Trends within this market include:
• Increased understanding about the return on investment benefits of effective email.
• Greater take-up of more strategic services over and above broadcast of email, such as campaign optimisation and behavioural response marketing.
• More widespread take-up of best-practice email marketing as industry matures. Relevant and targeted email is becoming a reality.
• Greater sophistication in terms of integrating email marketing within the wider marketing mix.
• Increased use of RSS and mobile as complimentary communication channels.
Suppliers Profiled
The 24 suppliers profiled are:
• Acxiom Digital
• Adestra
• Bluestreak
• CheetahMail
• The Communicator Corporation
• e-Dialog UK
• Emailcenter UK
• eCircle
• Email Reaction
• Emailvision
• Epsilon Interactive
• ExactTarget
• Frontwire
• IPT
• Lyris
• Mailprofiler
• Mediaplex
• Neolane
• Newsweaver
• Premiere Global Services
• Pure
• Responsys
• Silverpop
• SpinnakerPro
A vendor matrix is also included, so you can quickly identify companies that offer the services you need.
The email services checklist uses the following criteria: Full Service, ASP, Dedicated Server, Off-the-Shelf Software, In-bound, API, Strategy and Campaign Planning, Design and Copywriting, List Provision, Legal Advice, Data Management, Data Cleansing, De-dupe and Validation, Broadcast, Segmentation, Personalisation, Dynamic Content Solutions, Hosting for Images and Micro-sites, Event-triggered Messaging, Sequence Messaging, Web Analytics, Reporting and Real-time Reporting.
If you're looking to make the most of your email marketing then download this 224-page guide. It costs £99 or is free to subscribers.
*** A sample is available below for non-subscribers. Check it out! Remember that £149 buys you individual access to *all* of our reports.
The internet is a perfect medium for fundraising: a real no-brainer. When it comes to charity marketing, online is an efficient way of reaching the masses.
The trouble is, most charities aren't fully optimising their web potential, so with the help of iConcertina, we decided to take a close look at the state of play, to help charities figure out where to go from here.
This Charity Website Benchmarks report analyses and evaluates 110 websites belonging to online charities in the UK, measuring them against a range of metrics such as Usability, Accessibility, Communication, Transparency, Responsiveness and Integration.
We selected these criteria (and all the sub-criteria for each category) on the basis of their applicability to charity websites, and on their added value in terms of productivity. We have summarised the benchmark criteria in the body of this report.
• Usability – is the site easy to use?
• Accessibility – can everyone access the site?
• Communication – can users find what they need?
• Transparency – is the charity open with its information?
• Responsiveness – are donations, legacies and volunteers encouraged?
• Integration – does the site support, and work in harmony with, the charity’s off-site and off-line communications?
• Housekeeping – does the charity own its domain, and put search engine optimisation (SEO) into practice?
Well worth a read if you operate a website for a charity, or are part of an internet marketing team that is focused on driving fundraising activities online. It is also useful for any agencies or consultants working in the charities sector.
Site Search is becoming an increasingly important differentiator for organisations who want to offer the best possible user experience.
The focus of this 90-page guide is the UK Site Search market, including coverage of market trends as well as profiles of the leading vendors.
The vendors offer technology and tools which allow users to seek out and analyse information effectively both on customer-facing websites and company intranets.
It covers vendors who might more commonly be known as eTail/e-commerce search specialists or Enterprise Search players.
Trends within this market include:
- Greater client-side awareness about the commercial benefits of best-of-breed site search, both for revenue and brand-building objectives.
- Increased focus on user experience, including emphasis on search in conjunction with navigation.
- Explosion of content and need for regulatory compliance drives need for more efficient information retrieval.
- Etailers focus on measurement and optimisation to drive incremental improvements.
Headlines:
The UK Site Search market was worth around £20 million in 2005, and will grow by 30% in 2006 to a value of around £26 million by the end of 2006.
What you get for your money:
- Market definition
- Market value and growth
- Market trends
- Return on Investment case
- SWOT analysis (Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats)
- Tips and pitfalls – how to find the right technology
- Profiles
- Market positioning charts
Vendors profiled: Celebros, Endeca, FAST, Fredhopper, ISYS Search Software, Mercado, Tipue.
Notes from a recent roundtable on Shopping Comparison, wh
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