Shop and travel smarter with Google Maps 6.7 for Android – now with Google Offers and indoor walking directions
I found this great article over at Google Lat Long Blog on Social Marketing and I wanted to share some of the points with you. A way to locate Google Offers in Google Maps for Android is now being launched only in the U.S. Great deals can be seen with just a tap on “Maps” and then “Offers.” Some Google Offers are for free and to redeem instantly, just press “Use now” or “Save for Later” for future use.
Since the launching of indoor maps in the U.S. and Japan in Google Maps for Android last November, floor plans of businesses were added to Google Maps Floor Plans. And the launching of indoor walking directions provides direction to a building’s front door and those doors of places you intend to visit.
Google Business Photos provide 360-degree panoramic view of the interior picture of a business firm as well as its exterior view using Street View Technologies, which can be accessed by pressing “See Inside” section on the Place page of select businesses.
Google Maps 6.7 for Android can be downloaded from Google Play, and can be used to locate and discover places to eat, shop and play.
Read more at Shop and travel smarter with Google Maps 6.7 for Android – now with Google Offers and indoor walking directions
comScore Reports $44.3 Billion in Q1 2012 U.S. Retail E-Commerce Spending, Up 17 Percent vs. Year Ago
News on Social Marketing, according to comScore, Q1 2012 U.S. retail e-commerce sales estimates of comScore, Inc reveals that $44.3 billion was spent on online retail for the quarter, 17% higher than last year. This is the tenth consecutive quarter of positive year and the sixth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth.
In the first quarter of this year, there is a rise in retail e-commerce compared 2007. With the sluggish pace of economic recovery, switching to e-commerce seemed to be growing fast. Since E-commerce encountered critical mass, monitoring sales trends by category is important to properly determine its impact to e-commerce.
Digital Content & Subscriptions, Computer Software, Consumer Electronics, Jewelry & Watches and Event Tickets are the top-performing online product categories with 17% increase compared to last year. Among tablet owners, 38% purchased devices, apparel as the most popular category.
Gian Fulgoni and Andrew Lipsman, VP of Industry Analysis invite everyone in their presentation on the update of the state of the U.S. online retail economy through Q1 2012 in a live webinar on Thursday, May 17 from 2-3 p.m. EST / 1-2 p.m. CST / 11-12 p.m. PST. Topics on retail “showrooming” and shopping behavior on tablets will be discussed.
Read more at comScore Reports $44.3 Billion in Q1 2012 U.S. Retail E-Commerce Spending, Up 17 Percent vs. Year Ago
Social Media’s Influence to Consumers
News on Social Marketing, according to Brafton News, According to the study from Market Force, social media activity has almost the same influence on consumers as their friends’ recommendations. Eighty one percent said, their friends’ advice whether in person or on social networks, directly influenced their purchase decisions, while 78% said that a company’s social content also influences purchases.
With more than 12,000 consumers surveyed in the United States and the United Kingdom, Market Force found the influence of social media as pervasive in each country. 95% of respondents from the U.S. said they have a Facebook account and 62% have Twitter accounts.
Each of these figures is smaller In the U.K., but no exact figure was revealed except that 14% do not use social media at all.
Companies that offer discounts and other incentives were liked by 75% of the respondents while seventy percent said they follow businesses that share information about their companies. 28% share with their friend’s social content from their favorite brands.
However, according to Brafton’s latest report, 75% of companies who ignore their prospects and customers on social networks, missed conversion opportunities.
Read more at Study: Branded social content influences 78 percent of consumers
Other Social Marketing Articles of Interest
Most marketers fail to integrate social media marketing into brand building