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Another milestone in digital development: the month when online ad revenues overtook broadcast TV for the first time. Latest research from the US shows the shape of things to come in dozens more markets as the media mix continues to evolve.
In the same month 'traditional media' giants continued to build their digital portfolios with Disney buying Maker Studios, the largest channel on YouTube.
- Facebook: Profits triple as mobile now accounts for a staggering 60% of its ad revenue
- Google: Links online and offline behaviour with a new in-store mobile shopping trials
- Amazon: Latest PR activity turns kitchens into shopping carts with a digital wand to scans barcodes at home
Full research, case studies and videos our trainers have selected are on click through. If your team are replanning brand activity mid-year, need inputs for 2015 plans, or training 'top-ups' - simply email us and a digital trainer will be in touch.
Danny Meadows-Klue
President
Digital Training Academy
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US online ad revenues hit a record $42.8bn in 2013 billion, exceeding broadcast TV advertising ($40.1bn) for the first time, according to new data from the IAB. View the IAB webinar here. 11/04/2014 | Full story...
Google AdWords has teamed up with a number of advertisers to test ways to track whether consumers who click on their ads online follow up with in-store purchases, according to a news report. Watch this WSJ report below. 15/04/2014 | Full story...
In one of the biggest global web security risks yet seen, a huge flaw in network protection software may have let hackers steal the user data it's meant to guard, leaving around two thirds of the entire internet (and most of its users) at risk. Watch this video from Bloomberg explaining how the bug works- and what can be done to prevent it. 10/04/2014 | Full story...
Twitter has updated its profile pages, with a new look that resembles its closest rival Facebook, as the newly-listed social network looks to boost user engagement and ad revenue. 09/04/2014 | Full story...
A rise in mobile ad sales helped Facebook triple its profits in the first three months of 2014, with a staggering 59% of ad revenue coming from mobile. 25/04/2014 | Full story...
Facebook is taking new additional steps to improve the quality of what people see in the news feed, clamping down on posts that use underhand 'link-baiting' techniques to entice users to click 'like'. 14/04/2014 | Full story...
Disney has bought YouTube network Maker Studios in a $950m deal that sees the iconic movie studio make a significant step towards a digital future. 01/04/2014 | Full story...
Google Glass is going on general sale in the US for one day only in what could be the biggest test to date of public desire for the wearable computer. Watch this 'Explorer Story' promo video from Google, showing Glass in action. 14/04/2014 | Full story...
Amazon has launched a new barcode scanner device, called 'dash', that lets users scan and orders groceries from the comfort of their kitchen. Watch this promo video showing how the service works below. 08/04/2014 | Full story...
Google is planning to launch Android TV, its latest attempt to break into the living room that will provide a complete platform for media, apps and games, according to a new report. 08/04/2014 | Full story...
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Evian has continued its hugely successful dancing babies series with a new ad featuring Spider-Man, as the new superhero movie hits the cinemas. 10/04/2014 | Full story...
Bangkok-based insurance firm Thai Life used a longform YouTube video to tell a heart-warming tale of an unsung hero who never gets rewarded for his acts of kindness. Or so it seems. 16/04/2014 | Full story...
US Airways has apologised after a pornographic photo was sent from its official Twitter account in response to a customer complaint. 16/04/2014 | Full story...
A hashtag campaign started by the New York City Police Department has backfired after being inundated with photos of police brutality submitted via Twitter. 24/04/2014 | Full story...
Taco Bell has premiered its newest Doritos Loco Taco on with a short movie on Snapchat, marking a first for the self-destructing chat app. 22/04/2014 | Full story...
This emotionally affecting video from Save The Children aims to raise awareness of the impact that three years of civil war has had on children in Syria, by bringing the conflict closer to home for Western viewers - getting 28m YouTube views as a result. 02/04/2014 | Full story...
April Fool's Day has become a major event in the digital calendar, with many brands and media owners creating elaborate pranks to show off their funny side (and get plenty of social media shares and column inches in the process). We've put together some of the best hoaxes from this year's batch for your viewing pleasure... 01/04/2014 | Full story...
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www.DigitalStrategyConsulting.com/intelligence/online-advertising
Universal ad metrics have long been an issue for marketers, but this month saw the IAB finally agree on a standard definition of an ad impression: a 1 second glimpse of half the message online. Whether this will lead to more less waste and more returns on marketing investment depends on how this is policed. This month we also look at some of the key challenges for marketing departments- from the new issues facing CMOs to how the relationships between agencies and clients are changing.
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www.DigitalStrategyConsulting.com/intelligence/search-engine-marketing
Google placed further restrictions on its keyword reporting this month, this time on its paid AdWords campaigns. On third party search platforms, it will be impossible to identify precisely which search phrases are driving clicks and conversions. But all is not lost, and we look at the best workarounds for marketers tracking the success of reaching those vital paid search keyphrases. The shift to mobile search was also evident this month, with Google adding links to apps in AdWords ads for the first time. Meanwhile, proof that search technology is getting much smarter, with Google Bots passing the human test set by Captcha puzzles.
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www.DigitalStrategyConsulting.com/intelligence/facebook-marketing
Following its $19bn purchase of WhatsApp, Facebook bought out its own chat app this month that acts as a separate service from its main app- further evidence that the social media giant is putting most of its efforts into the next generation of mobile users that are ditching SMS in droves. Another controversial mobile feature saw Facebook add local tracking tools, showing users the (rough) location of nearby friends. Cool or creepy? You decide.
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Facebook's ad business has continued to grow with click through rate (CTR) and ad impressions increasing by double-digits quarter-over-quarter, at 20% and 41% respectively, according to new research looking into global social media ad trends. 24/04/2014 | Full story...
Twitter has bought two social TV firms as it looks to build upon its links with real-time TV events, giving the social network more clout with broadcasters and advertisers. 02/04/2014 | Full story...
Vine, Twitter's six second video platform, has expanded into mobile messaging as the trend for chat apps such as WhatsApp and SnapChat continues to grow. 04/04/2014 | Full story...
More top Facebook stories from this month:
- Facebook planning 'e-money' banking service?
- Google outbids Facebook for fleet of Wi-Fi drones
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www.DigitalStrategyConsulting.com/intelligence/mobile-marketing
Microsoft finally completed its acquisition of Nokia this month- but is the end for Nokia as a brand? Reports that 'Microsoft Mobile' could be the new name for Nokia came as the software giant announced its long-awaited entry into the Internet of Things with 'Windows for Devices'. Meanwhile Samsung also expanded on its plans for its Android-less phones, operating on its own Tizen brand that already exist on its smartwatches.
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This chart shows the total mobile ad spend growth between H1 2012 and H1 2013 across four countries. This category saw massive growth across all regions, but Australia saw a growth of 170%. New Zealand, which saw the greatest growth in total digital ad revenue saw the lowest increase in mobile ad spend with 73%. 08/04/2014 | Full story...
The Nokia brand could be obsolete by the end of this year, as Microsoft's takeover of the iconic mobile maker nears completion. 22/04/2014 | Full story...
Samsung plans to launch an Android Wear smartwatch alongside its Gear range, with addition plans to launch an 'Android-less' smartphone running on its own Tizen operating system. 17/04/2014 | Full story...
Microsoft is set to launch a version of Windows aimed at the emerging Internet of Things movement, uniting connected devices such as appliances, sensors, and wearables under the Windows brand of operating systems. 03/04/2014 | Full story...
More top mobile stories from this month:
- Wearable tech taking off? Samsung sells out of Gear Fit Smartwatches
- Google plans $50 'modular' smartphone for January 2015 release
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www.DigitalStrategyConsulting.com/intelligence/content-marketing
We all know YouTube users are just teenage cat
obsessives that are cynical about brands, right? Apparently not, as new research uncovers its average user is older and more likely to watch DIY videos and engage with brands than spend their time searching for skateboarding dogs and trolling the comment section. This month we also look at the rise of music streaming service Bloom, after it ran afoul of Apple's iAds for competing too closely with iTunes (which Bloom sees as a huge complement and PR boost).
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This chart shows the total video ad spend growth between H1 2012 and H1 2013 across four countries. The US saw an increase in digital video ad revenue of 85%, exceeding its closest New Zealand by 33%. the data also shows that Australia saw the lowest growth in digital video ad revenue with 20%. 08/04/2014 | Full story...
Just who is a typical UK YouTuber? Nearly one-fifth of those watching YouTube are watching less TV according to new research looking into the top myths and realities of users of the video sharing platform. 23/04/2014 | Full story...
Streaming service Bloom.fm has claimed that Apple has unfairly blocked it from its iAd advertising platform, suggesting it is now seen as a rival to iTunes. 14/04/2014 | Full story...
Amazon is introducing a set top box that allows streaming of online video content in a bid to rival than other streaming services such as Apple TV and Google Chromecast. 03/04/2014 | Full story...
More top multimedia content stories from this month:
- Yahoo to make own web TV shows
- F**k. That's Delicious: Vice debuts youth food web channel 'Munchies'
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This chart shows the breakdown of time spent on smartphones in the US. 86% of users time Is spent using apps with the remaining 14% of time taken up by browsers. Gaming is the number one time consumer with 32%. 28/04/2014 | Full story...
Apple's App store still leads the way in terms of global revenue, but Google's Play Store is catching up, according to new research 16/04/2014 | Full story...
Games with price drops that are featured on the Apple App Store grow revenue by an average of 437% in 7 days, according to new research. 07/04/2014 | Full story...
To promote its latest digital espionage game Watch Dogs, Ubisoft has launched a site that scrapes publicly available information from Facebook to show users how much of their data is in the public domain... and how it could be exploited. Watch this trailer showing how the tool works below. 23/04/2014 | Full story...
More top gaming stories from this month:
- Elder Scrolls goes online: The new World of Warcraft? (infographic)
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This chart shows the % of UK consumers' likelihood to purchase a new product when it is recommended by different sources. Recommendations from friends and family are the most effective in convincing UK consumers to purchase products with 68% of those surveyed making a purchase after a recommendation. 28/04/2014 | Full story...
Mobile shoppers in Europe are set to spend £19.8 billion in 2014, almost twice as much as last year's spend of £10.7 billion according to new research. 11/04/2014 | Full story...
Tesco plans to increased sales at its UK business through online shopping, rather than bricks and mortar, as it announced a 3.6% drop in trading profit to £2.2bn last week. 22/04/2014 | Full story...
60% of UK consumers shop online every week, with over half preferring to complete purchases while in bed via laptop or tablet, according to a new poll. 22/04/2014 | Full story...
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www.DigitalStrategyConsulting.com/intelligence/digital-marketing-regulation
Political intrigue surrounded the firing of Vkontakte's founder this month amid the fall out of the Ukraine crisis. Meanwhile, Google was forced to admit the emails are scanned for ad targeting purposes, and high speed internet roll out in Somalia has caused a major culture shock as Mogadishu residents adjust to life in the digital fast lane- a sign of things to come across developing markets.
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