Category: Writing

https://wordtothewise.com/2020/03/authentication-at-office365/

This is a followup from a post a few weeks ago about authentication changes at Office365. We have some more clarity on what is going on there. This is all best information we have right now.

Microsoft is now requiring authentication to match the visible from address in order to reach the inbox at Office365. That means, either the SPF domain or the DKIM domain must align (in the DMARC sense) to the visible from domain. Simply, that means that the visible from and the signing domain must be identical or one must be a subdomain of the other.

The reason they’re doing this is to protect their users from forged emails. I can’t fault them for this at all. Many of their customers are SMBs. These businesses are targets for wire fraud, to the tune of tens of billions of dollars. In fact, one of the other companies my bookkeeper worked for in CA almost got roped in by this fraud back in 2016 or so.

Microsoft has always been looking for ways to validate the visible from address. That’s a big part of their push for SenderID, which suffered really poor uptake. This is leveraging the philosophy of DMARC and the improvement in support for authentication technology that’s developed over the last 15 years.

Adapting to this will be challenging for some ESPs, particularly those that service the SMB market. At many of these companies, handling technical issues is often handled by employees who manage technology as a small part of their job. Thus, there is a steep learning curve when trying to deploy new technology. Others have consultants or outsourced technology, many of whom are great at handling internal Windows networks and hardware, but don’t really get the intricacies of email authentication.

I see this as somewhat akin to Yahoo deploying DMARC p=reject. That was a significant and email breaking change implemented by Yahoo in response to specific security issues. This made it clear to other consumer mail providers, email intermediaries and receivers that DMARC was something they’d have to adapt to. That adaptation was neither easy nor cost free. But it did force a change in how ESPs were doing business.

Here, we have Office365 making a decision that is significant and email breaking, even for some of their customers. It may be that longer term we see other consumer webmail providers starting to tighten down their requirements for alignment even in the absence of a DMARC record. I don’t think it’s that unreasonable, ESPs have had 6 years to build the infrastructure to manage this.

The takeaway here is that if your customers are having problems getting mail into Office365, one of your first troubleshooting steps should be to ensure that authentication aligns with the visible from address. If it doesn’t fix that first. Of course, alignment is not magic wand into the inbox. If your content is spammy or your reputation is poor, your mail will go to the bulk folder.

https://econsultancy.com/the-best-digital-marketing-stats-weve-seen-this-week-72/

This time we’ll be covering fake reviews, political campaigns, TV advertising and more. If that’s not enough, head on over to the Internet Statistics Database.

72% of global consumers demand better standards to tackle fake reviews

 A study from Bazaarvoice claims that 72% of consumers from the US, UK, France, Germany and Australia believe that stricter procedures should be put in place to tackle fake reviews posted on retail websites.

The most popular rule that respondents said they’d like enforced is that only verified customers should be permitted to post reviews (43%). Requiring shoppers to try and test products before launch, as well as daily assessment of the reviews posted to a brands’ website, came in second and third place with 38% and 34% approval respectively.

Participants from the UK believe that a fine of 12% of total revenue would be the most fitting penalty for brands who breach these standards, but this may not be as severe when compared to the sales lost through lack of trust if reviews are thought to be fake or otherwise manipulated. Indeed, further results showed that 48% of UK consumers would not buy a product online if they suspected foul play, and 43% said that their trust in the brand would be lost. As a result, a significant 78% claimed that they would stop purchasing from a brand after they were deemed untrustworthy.

The top triggers for consumers when trying to spot suspicious reviews were identified as similar phrasing across multiple posts, as well as too many 5-star ratings.

Ratings and Reviews Best Practice Guide

42% of UK adults are getting coronavirus information from social media platforms

Recent data published by Brandwatch suggests that as many as 42% of the British public continue to obtain coronavirus information from social media platforms.

The findings, collated from the responses of more than 2000 UK adults, showed that while the majority (69%) use news outlets, there remains a worryingly large proportion that rely on social platforms for updates on the virus.

Earlier this month, Facebook, Google and Twitter announced that they were working with the World Health Organisation to crack down on the spread of misinformation about the outbreak by removing posts promoting conspiracy theories and false cures. However, the deluge of recent activity on these platforms has proven almost impossible to control, despite the platforms’ best efforts to point people in the direction of correct and accurate information.

It is therefore difficult to tell how much of this coronavirus content is factual vs. conjecture. Then again, it is important to note that although much more reliable than uncorroborated Twitter commentary, some news outlets may also be dubiously trustworthy.

Additional results from the study claimed that nearly a quarter of respondents received updates from friends and family, thereby making room for further levels of speculation and rumour. In contrast, just 16% said that healthcare professionals were one of their sources for updates and advice, ranking as the least used information resource of all categories measured in the survey.

Coronavirus: how travel and hospitality brands should respond

72% of Americans believe that no personal data should be shared with political campaigns looking to target voters online

72% of Americans believe that no personal data should be shared with political campaigns looking to target voters online, according to analytics brand Gallup.

Interestingly, this view is shared evenly amongst those of differing political allegiance in the US, with 69% of Democrats, 72% of independents and 75% of Republicans all in agreement.

A fifth of those surveyed felt it was appropriate for campaigns to be able to view basic information about internet users such as their age, gender and zip code, but remain limited to these broad categories to protect privacy. Just 7% were happy to disclose any available online information about themselves, including very specified data.

It also appears that the American public would prefer to receive information about those targeting them than to disclose anything about themselves. Fifty-nine percent stated that it should be compulsory for websites to reveal the source of political ads, including who had paid for it, the amount spent on the campaign and its intended target audience. This would certainly improve transparency, as well as accountability if an ad was proven to be deceptive or factually incorrect.

Meanwhile, one in five thought that no political ads should be shown on websites at any time, in order to stop political parties targeting voters online.

48% of British adults think that female objectification in advertising is unchanged or worse than it was five years ago

A YouGov study published on International Women’s Day has revealed that 48% of British adults think that female objectification in advertising is unchanged or worse than it was five years ago.

Troublingly, the largest proportion of respondents – 36% – claim that objectification has remained the same as it was in 2015. Furthermore, of those who believe the situation has improved over this time period, a tiny 7% said that women were ‘much less’ objectified, while 29% said ‘a little less’.

Views are more upbeat when it comes to overall female representation in advertising, as almost half claim that they have seen women portrayed more positively than they were five years ago – although it is worth noting that just 7% said this was a ‘much more’ positive change (as opposed to a slight change).

It appears, however, that the greatest transformation is being seen in the representation of women from ethnic minority groups. Sixty-five percent stated that they had observed either ‘a little’ or ‘much more’ representation of this group compared to 2015, which although isn’t necessarily an overwhelming majority seems to be a much bigger step in the right direction.

The results from these three surveys suggest that consumers aren’t noticing really powerful positive change in the way women are portrayed in advertising; instead they are observing mostly small changes over prolonged periods of time. As a result, marketers must improve their efforts to convince them that they are treating the issue with the upmost importance.

18 smart women in SEO to follow on Twitter

36% of Gen X find new brands through TV advertising

36% of Gen X are exposed to new brands through TV advertising, according to data from GlobalWebIndex.

Known as the ‘forgotten generation’, and sandwiched between baby boomers and millennials, the study has shed light on the way in which people born between 1964 and 1982 use different types of media and are therefore exposed to brand advertising.

Despite the growing popularity of streaming services, Gen X continue to watch linear TV channels for an average of 2 hours a day – 23 minutes longer than millennials and 45 minutes longer than Gen Z do. As a result, their exposure to traditional TV advertising is heightened compared to that of the generations that come after them, but second to that of baby boomers (42% of which find new brands through TV).

While Gen X are slowly adopting a more digital approach when it comes to watching TV, only a quarter of them watch via online streaming services on mobile devices, instead preferring to watch on TV sets they grew accustomed to in their youth (34%).

However, this isn’t to say that Gen X are shying away from technology. One in six state that they are constantly connected to online platforms, and they spend around two hours on average on social media each day – a figure which is gradually rising.

This data proves that marketers should target the Gen X audience using a wide variety of channels to reflect their technology use, rather than a digital-first approach adopted for their counterparts in younger generations.

Retailers see a 42.2% year-on-year rise in app downloads during Cyber Week

A report from Poq Commerce states that retailers saw a 42.2% year-on-year increase in app downloads during Cyber Week 2019. The most downloads were recorded during the 24 hours covering Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) which fell on 29^th November last year.

This rapid rise in app downloads echoes changes in consumer shopping behaviour whereby many prefer to keep updated with the early holiday sales via mobile devices, aided by push notifications and so on.

Graph via Poq Commerce

The study measured a total of 387,000 hours spent by users on retail apps on Black Friday alone. Consumers were also 16% quicker than usual to add an item to their shopping basket during Cyber Week, proving a higher intent to purchase than any other week during the year. Perhaps unsurprisingly, retailers found that using the word ‘deal’ in app push notifications sparked the most engagement and sales compared to using alternative copy.

Meanwhile, there was a 33.3% increase in shopping app downloads (YoY) over the whole of Q4 2019, which covers a range of shopping events including Cyber Week, Christmas shopping and Boxing Day sales, all of which contribute to a higher sales volume and spend over this period.

It is predicted that shopping apps will make up 25% of all online traffic for retailers that have one by the end of 2020.

The post The best digital marketing stats we’ve seen this week appeared first on Econsultancy.

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/markgrow/~3/bCI-FxB9MMM/

Today is one of the strangest days of my life. I woke up and I have no scheduled work … for months. I am looking at an empty void in my schedule, perhaps for the first time since I was 15 years old.

As a speaker, consultant, and educator, I knew I was vulnerable to a recession and I’m prepared. But I could have never imagined — even in a recession — that ALL of my work, speaking, and even university teaching could be canceled for months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

I even had to cancel my May marketing Uprising retreat, which was a punch to the gut because it is my favorite thing to do.

For some perspective on the pace of my life, I never put my suitcase away. My career is so busy, I simply leave it out and re-load it every week. This morning, I put my suitcase away. And I don’t know when it will come back out.

That is more than symbolic. It is significant.

I’m realizing that the psychological and emotional challenges of this impending isolation will be as great, or greater, than the financial burdens.

What happens when you suddenly and dramatically look into a long, dark, extended void in your professional life?

The psychological strains of the void

First, I have many positives right now.

• Many people will be challenged by working from home, but I’m accustomed to it and I have a comfortable workspace.
• As I wrote previously, I have a work plan. Even though my “paid” work has dried up, I will have plenty of tasks to catch up on.
• I live in the country on a lake. So, there are worse places to be isolated. And I’m married, so I’m not alone.

Compared to many, many others — especially in the speaking industry — I realize how fortunate I am!

But this does not excuse me from the specter of psychological depression. I am working through significant trauma and I need to be aware of the implications of this void.

What happens when you’re going a hundred miles an hour and it drops to zero … into the distant future?

For me, I think the challenges are purpose, isolation, and structure.

Purpose

The difference in my situation is that I’m not merely working from home now. Nearly every professional activity that keeps me going has evaporated. I have no scheduled work and I have no professional purpose at this moment.

My core mission is teaching people — through classes, workshops, consulting, and speeches — and if the teaching is gone, it feels like my purpose is gone, at least on this day.

Even my writing routine has been upended. The topics I love to think and write about — marketing ideas and strategy — seem insignificant at this moment.

I think this is the number one challenge as I look into the void — find a purpose that drives me to get up and motivated every day. I am still processing this, but the solution will probably be working on a new book. I’ve had an idea for a while now and this is an opportunity to push it forward and open some new doors.

It will take me a few days to re-orient and I’ll allow myself time to ease into a new view of work and a purpose that is somewhat different than it was last week.

Isolation

I’m a person who thrives on deep discussions and big ideas. The very best part of my professional life is sharing a meal with a smart friend and solving the problems of the world.

Today, I was supposed to be visiting with one of these big-thinking friends in Nevada. But he cares for an elderly parent and was concerned that having me visit could bring the virus into the house. It seemed risky to have me visit. So, I flew home instead.

I’m realizing that for the next few weeks and months, I’m not just off the road, I’ll probably be sequestered. I’m determined to have more phone/Skype conversations with friends and colleagues but it’s not the same as lingering over coffee or visiting a friend.

I can’t envision a replacement for this. I may go stir crazy!

Structure

The structure of my professional life is determined by the next challenge. Every week, I’m looking ahead and preparing for the next event, client, or class. Prepare, prepare, prepare.

As of today, I have no structure to my worklife. There is nothing to prepare for next week or even next month.

I’ll have to impose structure and routine or I think my life could dissolve into frustration and endless distractions.

So, I am literally going to block out time during the week and schedule:

• Exercise
• Writing
• Phone conversations
• New projects and partnerships
• Reading
• Hobbies

I’m pretty good at sticking to a schedule so I’m optimistic about this, even if my schedule is self-imposed!

I know many of you are facing similar issues and I thought that by revealing my thoughts we could open a conversation on the psychological impact of what’s ahead.

What’s happening in your world and how are you coping?

Mark Schaefer is the chief blogger for this site, executive director of Schaefer Marketing Solutions, and the author of several best-selling digital marketing books. He is an acclaimed keynote speaker, college educator, and business consultant.  The Marketing Companion podcast is among the top business podcasts in the world. Contact Mark to have him speak to your company event or conference soon.

The post Looking into the void appeared first on Schaefer Marketing Solutions: We Help Businesses {grow}.

https://econsultancy.com/the-best-digital-marketing-stats-weve-seen-this-week-72/

This time we’ll be covering fake reviews, political campaigns, TV advertising and more. If that’s not enough, head on over to the Internet Statistics Database.

72% of global consumers demand better standards to tackle fake reviews

 A study from Bazaarvoice claims that 72% of consumers from the US, UK, France, Germany and Australia believe that stricter procedures should be put in place to tackle fake reviews posted on retail websites.

The most popular rule that respondents said they’d like enforced is that only verified customers should be permitted to post reviews (43%). Requiring shoppers to try and test products before launch, as well as daily assessment of the reviews posted to a brands’ website, came in second and third place with 38% and 34% approval respectively.

Participants from the UK believe that a fine of 12% of total revenue would be the most fitting penalty for brands who breach these standards, but this may not be as severe when compared to the sales lost through lack of trust if reviews are thought to be fake or otherwise manipulated. Indeed, further results showed that 48% of UK consumers would not buy a product online if they suspected foul play, and 43% said that their trust in the brand would be lost. As a result, a significant 78% claimed that they would stop purchasing from a brand after they were deemed untrustworthy.

The top triggers for consumers when trying to spot suspicious reviews were identified as similar phrasing across multiple posts, as well as too many 5-star ratings.

Ratings and Reviews Best Practice Guide

42% of UK adults are getting coronavirus information from social media platforms

Recent data published by Brandwatch suggests that as many as 42% of the British public continue to obtain coronavirus information from social media platforms.

The findings, collated from the responses of more than 2000 UK adults, showed that while the majority (69%) use news outlets, there remains a worryingly large proportion that rely on social platforms for updates on the virus.

Earlier this month, Facebook, Google and Twitter announced that they were working with the World Health Organisation to crack down on the spread of misinformation about the outbreak by removing posts promoting conspiracy theories and false cures. However, the deluge of recent activity on these platforms has proven almost impossible to control, despite the platforms’ best efforts to point people in the direction of correct and accurate information.

It is therefore difficult to tell how much of this coronavirus content is factual vs. conjecture. Then again, it is important to note that although much more reliable than uncorroborated Twitter commentary, some news outlets may also be dubiously trustworthy.

Additional results from the study claimed that nearly a quarter of respondents received updates from friends and family, thereby making room for further levels of speculation and rumour. In contrast, just 16% said that healthcare professionals were one of their sources for updates and advice, ranking as the least used information resource of all categories measured in the survey.

Coronavirus: how travel and hospitality brands should respond

72% of Americans believe that no personal data should be shared with political campaigns looking to target voters online

72% of Americans believe that no personal data should be shared with political campaigns looking to target voters online, according to analytics brand Gallup.

Interestingly, this view is shared evenly amongst those of differing political allegiance in the US, with 69% of Democrats, 72% of independents and 75% of Republicans all in agreement.

A fifth of those surveyed felt it was appropriate for campaigns to be able to view basic information about internet users such as their age, gender and zip code, but remain limited to these broad categories to protect privacy. Just 7% were happy to disclose any available online information about themselves, including very specified data.

It also appears that the American public would prefer to receive information about those targeting them than to disclose anything about themselves. Fifty-nine percent stated that it should be compulsory for websites to reveal the source of political ads, including who had paid for it, the amount spent on the campaign and its intended target audience. This would certainly improve transparency, as well as accountability if an ad was proven to be deceptive or factually incorrect.

Meanwhile, one in five thought that no political ads should be shown on websites at any time, in order to stop political parties targeting voters online.

48% of British adults think that female objectification in advertising is unchanged or worse than it was five years ago

A YouGov study published on International Women’s Day has revealed that 48% of British adults think that female objectification in advertising is unchanged or worse than it was five years ago.

Troublingly, the largest proportion of respondents – 36% – claim that objectification has remained the same as it was in 2015. Furthermore, of those who believe the situation has improved over this time period, a tiny 7% said that women were ‘much less’ objectified, while 29% said ‘a little less’.

Views are more upbeat when it comes to overall female representation in advertising, as almost half claim that they have seen women portrayed more positively than they were five years ago – although it is worth noting that just 7% said this was a ‘much more’ positive change (as opposed to a slight change).

It appears, however, that the greatest transformation is being seen in the representation of women from ethnic minority groups. Sixty-five percent stated that they had observed either ‘a little’ or ‘much more’ representation of this group compared to 2015, which although isn’t necessarily an overwhelming majority seems to be a much bigger step in the right direction.

The results from these three surveys suggest that consumers aren’t noticing really powerful positive change in the way women are portrayed in advertising; instead they are observing mostly small changes over prolonged periods of time. As a result, marketers must improve their efforts to convince them that they are treating the issue with the upmost importance.

18 smart women in SEO to follow on Twitter

36% of Gen X find new brands through TV advertising

36% of Gen X are exposed to new brands through TV advertising, according to data from GlobalWebIndex.

Known as the ‘forgotten generation’, and sandwiched between baby boomers and millennials, the study has shed light on the way in which people born between 1964 and 1982 use different types of media and are therefore exposed to brand advertising.

Despite the growing popularity of streaming services, Gen X continue to watch linear TV channels for an average of 2 hours a day – 23 minutes longer than millennials and 45 minutes longer than Gen Z do. As a result, their exposure to traditional TV advertising is heightened compared to that of the generations that come after them, but second to that of baby boomers (42% of which find new brands through TV).

While Gen X are slowly adopting a more digital approach when it comes to watching TV, only a quarter of them watch via online streaming services on mobile devices, instead preferring to watch on TV sets they grew accustomed to in their youth (34%).

However, this isn’t to say that Gen X are shying away from technology. One in six state that they are constantly connected to online platforms, and they spend around two hours on average on social media each day – a figure which is gradually rising.

This data proves that marketers should target the Gen X audience using a wide variety of channels to reflect their technology use, rather than a digital-first approach adopted for their counterparts in younger generations.

Retailers see a 42.2% year-on-year rise in app downloads during Cyber Week

A report from Poq Commerce states that retailers saw a 42.2% year-on-year increase in app downloads during Cyber Week 2019. The most downloads were recorded during the 24 hours covering Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) which fell on 29^th November last year.

This rapid rise in app downloads echoes changes in consumer shopping behaviour whereby many prefer to keep updated with the early holiday sales via mobile devices, aided by push notifications and so on.

Graph via Poq Commerce

The study measured a total of 387,000 hours spent by users on retail apps on Black Friday alone. Consumers were also 16% quicker than usual to add an item to their shopping basket during Cyber Week, proving a higher intent to purchase than any other week during the year. Perhaps unsurprisingly, retailers found that using the word ‘deal’ in app push notifications sparked the most engagement and sales compared to using alternative copy.

Meanwhile, there was a 33.3% increase in shopping app downloads (YoY) over the whole of Q4 2019, which covers a range of shopping events including Cyber Week, Christmas shopping and Boxing Day sales, all of which contribute to a higher sales volume and spend over this period.

It is predicted that shopping apps will make up 25% of all online traffic for retailers that have one by the end of 2020.

The post The best digital marketing stats we’ve seen this week appeared first on Econsultancy.

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OnlineMarketingSEOBlog/~3/KDRlEZtrW0g/

B2B Companies See Purpose As A Path to Success
Some 82 percent of B2B executives see companies with purpose having more success than those without, with 86 percent saying that purpose is important to their business — two of the insights contained in a recently-released B2B brand purpose survey. MarketingCharts

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wdZG8qJE5A&w=560&h=315]

Content Consumption and Production Trends for B2B Marketers
Creating brand awareness, educating audiences, and building credibility and trust are the three top B2B content marketing goals, according to a new report on content consumption and production trends. Blog posts, customer testimonials and reviews, and whitepapers were the most effective methods for moving prospects along the sales funnel, the report revealed. Chief Marketer

Twitter starts testing its own version of Stories, called ‘Fleets,’ which disappear after 24 hours
Twitter has begun testing its take on Story-format tweets, which it has dubbed “fleets” for the fleeting ephemeral element. If rolled out to the platform’s full user-base, fleets could provide new options for marketers. TechCrunch

Gen Z relies on influencers for purchase decisions, Kantar says
People in the Gen Z demographic place the most weight on influencers when it comes to making purchasing decisions, with 44 percent buying based on a social influencer’s recommendation — notably higher than the 26 percent of the general population, according to a recently-released consumer study. Mobile Marketer

Reddit Launches Prominent New ‘Trending Takeover’ Ad Units
Social news aggregator and discussion platform Reddit has rolled out its most visible advertising format to date, with “Trending Takeover” 24-hour campaigns that offer prime exposure, offering a new option for marketers, while some of the firm’s users predict a Redditor backlash. Social Media Today

Gen Z’s Favorite Social-Media Platform? None Of The Above
Despite using social media more than any other demographic, Gen Z is most at home not on traditional mainstream platforms but on gaming platforms. With 90 percent of the demographic being gamers, gaming platforms serve roles similar to those social media does for the general population, according to a newly-released Kantar study of interest to digital marketers. MediaPost

Apple now allows push notification advertising, updates dating app review guidelines and more
Apple has made changes that allow app publishers to send push notification ads and promotional content to users who choose to opt-in, a move that has given marketers their first opportunity to utilize push-based ads to users of Apple’s iPhone and iPad devices, the firm recently announced. 9 to 5 Mac

Majority of consumers want standards and tougher action against review fraud
Most consumers say that they would like to see more done to combat fake reviews, including new industry standards to fight online review fraud, according to newly-released survey data which also shows that 82 percent won’t buy from a brand they’ve lost trust in. Marketing Land

YouTube Analytics Now Lets Creators Compare Metrics Side-by-Side
Google’s YouTube has unveiled a slew of new analytics features aimed at providing easier side-by-side metrics comparisons, including timelines that can show views alongside comments and other details, the search and video giant recently announced. Search Engine Journal

ANA Finds Serious Problem: Marketing Students Just Wanna Have Fun
New entrants into the advertising industry are less likely to lean towards the quantitative and analytical side of marketing and more likely to embrace its creative and fun areas, according to newly-released survey data from the Association of National Advertisers ANA Education Foundation (AEF). MediaPost

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE:

A lighthearted look at managing uncertainty by Marketoonist Tom Fishburne — Marketoonist

Twitch streamers make thousands by literally just sleeping — Ars Technica

TOPRANK MARKETING & CLIENTS IN THE NEWS:

• Lee Odden — Building trust with influencers and buyers: Influencer marketing in 2020 with Lee Odden — Ai Addyson-Zhang
• Lee Odden — Bra att veta om B2B influencer marketing 2020 (infograf) [In Swedish] — Pontus Staunstrup

Do you have your own top B2B content marketing or digital advertising stories from the past week? Please let us know in the comments below.

Thank you for joining us, and we hope that you’ll come back again next Friday for a new array of the most relevant B2B and digital marketing industry news. In the meantime, you can follow us at @toprank on Twitter for even more timely daily news. Also, don’t miss the full video summary on our TopRank Marketing TV YouTube Channel.

The post Digital Marketing News: B2B Purpose & Brand Awareness Studies, Twitter Tests Fleets, Gen Z Turns to Influencers, & Apple’s New Push Ads appeared first on Online Marketing Blog – TopRank®.

https://econsultancy.com/the-best-digital-marketing-stats-weve-seen-this-week-72/

This time we’ll be covering fake reviews, political campaigns, TV advertising and more. If that’s not enough, head on over to the Internet Statistics Database.

72% of global consumers demand better standards to tackle fake reviews

 A study from Bazaarvoice claims that 72% of consumers from the US, UK, France, Germany and Australia believe that stricter procedures should be put in place to tackle fake reviews posted on retail websites.

The most popular rule that respondents said they’d like enforced is that only verified customers should be permitted to post reviews (43%). Requiring shoppers to try and test products before launch, as well as daily assessment of the reviews posted to a brands’ website, came in second and third place with 38% and 34% approval respectively.

Participants from the UK believe that a fine of 12% of total revenue would be the most fitting penalty for brands who breach these standards, but this may not be as severe when compared to the sales lost through lack of trust if reviews are thought to be fake or otherwise manipulated. Indeed, further results showed that 48% of UK consumers would not buy a product online if they suspected foul play, and 43% said that their trust in the brand would be lost. As a result, a significant 78% claimed that they would stop purchasing from a brand after they were deemed untrustworthy.

The top triggers for consumers when trying to spot suspicious reviews were identified as similar phrasing across multiple posts, as well as too many 5-star ratings.

Ratings and Reviews Best Practice Guide

42% of UK adults are getting coronavirus information from social media platforms

Recent data published by Brandwatch suggests that as many as 42% of the British public continue to obtain coronavirus information from social media platforms.

The findings, collated from the responses of more than 2000 UK adults, showed that while the majority (69%) use news outlets, there remains a worryingly large proportion that rely on social platforms for updates on the virus.

Earlier this month, Facebook, Google and Twitter announced that they were working with the World Health Organisation to crack down on the spread of misinformation about the outbreak by removing posts promoting conspiracy theories and false cures. However, the deluge of recent activity on these platforms has proven almost impossible to control, despite the platforms’ best efforts to point people in the direction of correct and accurate information.

It is therefore difficult to tell how much of this coronavirus content is factual vs. conjecture. Then again, it is important to note that although much more reliable than uncorroborated Twitter commentary, some news outlets may also be dubiously trustworthy.

Additional results from the study claimed that nearly a quarter of respondents received updates from friends and family, thereby making room for further levels of speculation and rumour. In contrast, just 16% said that healthcare professionals were one of their sources for updates and advice, ranking as the least used information resource of all categories measured in the survey.

Coronavirus: how travel and hospitality brands should respond

72% of Americans believe that no personal data should be shared with political campaigns looking to target voters online

72% of Americans believe that no personal data should be shared with political campaigns looking to target voters online, according to analytics brand Gallup.

Interestingly, this view is shared evenly amongst those of differing political allegiance in the US, with 69% of Democrats, 72% of independents and 75% of Republicans all in agreement.

A fifth of those surveyed felt it was appropriate for campaigns to be able to view basic information about internet users such as their age, gender and zip code, but remain limited to these broad categories to protect privacy. Just 7% were happy to disclose any available online information about themselves, including very specified data.

It also appears that the American public would prefer to receive information about those targeting them than to disclose anything about themselves. Fifty-nine percent stated that it should be compulsory for websites to reveal the source of political ads, including who had paid for it, the amount spent on the campaign and its intended target audience. This would certainly improve transparency, as well as accountability if an ad was proven to be deceptive or factually incorrect.

Meanwhile, one in five thought that no political ads should be shown on websites at any time, in order to stop political parties targeting voters online.

48% of British adults think that female objectification in advertising is unchanged or worse than it was five years ago

A YouGov study published on International Women’s Day has revealed that 48% of British adults think that female objectification in advertising is unchanged or worse than it was five years ago.

Troublingly, the largest proportion of respondents – 36% – claim that objectification has remained the same as it was in 2015. Furthermore, of those who believe the situation has improved over this time period, a tiny 7% said that women were ‘much less’ objectified, while 29% said ‘a little less’.

Views are more upbeat when it comes to overall female representation in advertising, as almost half claim that they have seen women portrayed more positively than they were five years ago – although it is worth noting that just 7% said this was a ‘much more’ positive change (as opposed to a slight change).

It appears, however, that the greatest transformation is being seen in the representation of women from ethnic minority groups. Sixty-five percent stated that they had observed either ‘a little’ or ‘much more’ representation of this group compared to 2015, which although isn’t necessarily an overwhelming majority seems to be a much bigger step in the right direction.

The results from these three surveys suggest that consumers aren’t noticing really powerful positive change in the way women are portrayed in advertising; instead they are observing mostly small changes over prolonged periods of time. As a result, marketers must improve their efforts to convince them that they are treating the issue with the upmost importance.

18 smart women in SEO to follow on Twitter

36% of Gen X find new brands through TV advertising

36% of Gen X are exposed to new brands through TV advertising, according to data from GlobalWebIndex.

Known as the ‘forgotten generation’, and sandwiched between baby boomers and millennials, the study has shed light on the way in which people born between 1964 and 1982 use different types of media and are therefore exposed to brand advertising.

Despite the growing popularity of streaming services, Gen X continue to watch linear TV channels for an average of 2 hours a day – 23 minutes longer than millennials and 45 minutes longer than Gen Z do. As a result, their exposure to traditional TV advertising is heightened compared to that of the generations that come after them, but second to that of baby boomers (42% of which find new brands through TV).

While Gen X are slowly adopting a more digital approach when it comes to watching TV, only a quarter of them watch via online streaming services on mobile devices, instead preferring to watch on TV sets they grew accustomed to in their youth (34%).

However, this isn’t to say that Gen X are shying away from technology. One in six state that they are constantly connected to online platforms, and they spend around two hours on average on social media each day – a figure which is gradually rising.

This data proves that marketers should target the Gen X audience using a wide variety of channels to reflect their technology use, rather than a digital-first approach adopted for their counterparts in younger generations.

Retailers see a 42.2% year-on-year rise in app downloads during Cyber Week

A report from Poq Commerce states that retailers saw a 42.2% year-on-year increase in app downloads during Cyber Week 2019. The most downloads were recorded during the 24 hours covering Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) which fell on 29^th November last year.

This rapid rise in app downloads echoes changes in consumer shopping behaviour whereby many prefer to keep updated with the early holiday sales via mobile devices, aided by push notifications and so on.

Graph via Poq Commerce

The study measured a total of 387,000 hours spent by users on retail apps on Black Friday alone. Consumers were also 16% quicker than usual to add an item to their shopping basket during Cyber Week, proving a higher intent to purchase than any other week during the year. Perhaps unsurprisingly, retailers found that using the word ‘deal’ in app push notifications sparked the most engagement and sales compared to using alternative copy.

Meanwhile, there was a 33.3% increase in shopping app downloads (YoY) over the whole of Q4 2019, which covers a range of shopping events including Cyber Week, Christmas shopping and Boxing Day sales, all of which contribute to a higher sales volume and spend over this period.

It is predicted that shopping apps will make up 25% of all online traffic for retailers that have one by the end of 2020.

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