comScore Finds Small Firms Losing Online Market Share

5.6 percent YOY decline recorded in Q2

Before diving in, we should note that the second quarter of this year is well over, and last week, the Dow was way up.  That said, a new report from Hitwise covering the second quarter of this year indicates that things went pretty wrong for small businesses.

Gian Fulgoni, the executive chairman and cofounder of comScore, wrote on the comScore Voices Blog, “In a blog post earlier this year, I wrote about the challenges facing small e-commerce businesses, noting that their share of online spending in Q4 2009 showed a 4.2 point decline versus Q4 2008.  Unfortunately, the situation hasn’t improved since then.  In fact, it’s gotten worse.”

Small businesses actually suffered a 5.6 percent year-over-year decline in the second quarter, according to Fulgoni.  And the below tables illustrate his point.

Later, Fulgoni added, “The market share loss suffered by the smaller retailers corresponds to an absolute sales decline of about 6%.”

Let’s hope things have gotten a lot better since then.

Anyway, Fulgoni did end his blog post with a push for policies that favor small businesses, and perhaps his position will help catch the attention of someone even more important.

EDINBURGH, Scotland, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ — Bigmouthmedia is to conduct a new affiliates survey designed to identify the key issues in affiliate marketing in the current climate.

The digital marketing agency has commissioned the research in a bid to establish firm information about the latest developments and emerging challenges that matter to the sector. Affiliates responding to the survey will be asked for their opinions on a series of issues ranging from networks and tracking technologies to the use of creatives and advertising exchanges.

“Are affiliates most successful when they concentrate on just one niche? Is commission attribution modelling a major threat to the industry? There are many questions hanging over the affiliates industry and we want to know which issues matter most to them,” said Fiona Robertson, head of Affiliates and Performance at bigmouthmedia.

“Our Affiliate partners are extremely important to us. We believe it’s important to know what makes their businesses work, to understand what they think of the digital industry as a whole, and that identifying affiliate opinions on the key issues currently facing the industry is an essential step towards creating greater clarity in the sector.”

The questions include: are affiliates better digital marketers than many of the merchants they work with? Are there too many affiliate networks in the UK? Do networks in the UK have a problem with low quality or fraudulent traffic and does Google want to become the world’s largest affiliate?

The new bigmouthmedia affiliate marketing survey, which closes on October 6th 2010, is open to any affiliate that wishes to participate and receive a free copy of the final research in return, and one lucky winner will also get an additional a prize. Responses from networks, agencies and merchants are not being sought.

About bigmouthmedia

Founded in 1997, bigmouthmedia is Europe‘s largest independent digital marketing agency. With a team of over 200 staff located across 13 offices in 10 countries on 3 continents, the company maximises exposure for major brands online through a variety of fully integrated digital marketing channels: Search engine optimisation, PPC, Online Media Planning, affiliate marketing, Social Networking, Brand Monitoring, Online PR and Web Analytics. Bigmouthmedia also provides up to date daily digital marketing news to ensure clients are fully informed and aware of all industry developments.

SOURCE bigmouthmedia

Article source: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bigmouthmedia-identifying-current-key-affiliate-marketing-issues-103991263.html

Understanding Internet affiliate marketing businesses

by Gene Patterson

There are many misconceptions out there about the affiliate marketing business.  Some of them are a little bit “off” some of them are way “off”.   When trying to understand Internet Affiliate Marketing Business we should first look at two of to most common gross misconceptions.  They are in many ways polar opposites but they define the spectrum of what most people feel about Affiliate Marketing.

♦  It is too tough to get into and only experts make money.

This is not true at all.  It is not hard to get into, you can learn as you go and anyone can make money.  If you learn a few things you can even generate a very nice passive income and a pretty nice living from a couple affiliate marketing attempts.

♦  Internet Marketing is easy and a sure path to riches while doing nothing.

The other extreme and one fostered by people trying to gain access to YOUR money.  If you learn, work hard, have a little luck and work hard again, IM can be a way to make a nice living.  Maybe even “very nice” with a lot of passive incomes going on.  But it is far from instant and easy and there will be no instant riches, only work and effort for eventual success.

♦  Where do I Start?

The first step in an internet Affiliate Marketing Business is Discovering Niche Markets .  You need to find out what you want to sell and then Narrow your Niche  even further.  Once you have an idea what “sort” of product you want to get into you can use Clickbank or a similar product to promote.

♦  What do you promote?

With Affiliate Marketing you are not selling your own stuff.  There is no need to create a real world product or an information product.  All that you need to do is locate what you think people want and try to get them to buy it “thru” you.  You can be an affiliate for a large company like “Amazon” where you might get 5%-10% per sale.  Or you can go thru clickbank which deals with information products and has commission of 50-75%.

♦  Once the “Lead” is sent away you are done

Once they leave your site and reach the ultimate site, there is usually a cookie associated with your affiliate account so if any sale is made within a certain time frame you will get your affiliate credit.  Once the purchase is made you do not have anything to worry about except waiting to collect the money.

♦  Building a site to launch your Affiliate Marketing from

For Affiliate Marketing like any marketing, Content is King ; If you supply your potential customers with  is King; If you supply your potential customers with Quality content  they will likely be more inclined to follow your recommendations.  You sometimes have to give a lot to be really impressive.  You will also need to worry about proper SEO Practices  that can help you to secure a good spot in Google rankings and both  On and Off Site Optimization to make the most of the content that you have

♦  Learning about Link Building and  building and Driving traffic!

Link building and driving traffic to your site are two very important concepts that will need to be grasped.  The more people that come thru your site and the higher you increase your exposure on Google through the use of Link Building the better off you will be.  The better these results are the more ability you will be able to have in the long run for a passive income

♦  Continue to try to grow and thrive

Attack from multiple directions and continue to improve.  The following are all ways to continue to refine and hone your Internet Marketing skills over time.  The more you utilize these various methods and refine your use of them the better your Internet marketing will be:

1) Comment on Forums and Newsgroups

2) Article marketing Blogging

3) Use Social Networks to Drive Traffic

4)  List Build and send out Newletters

5)  Use Metrics to get better

6)  Continue to Refine SEO

7) Analyze your Competition

Use Email Marketing

9) Use Online press Releases

10) Exchange Links

11) Give Quality Service to your Customers

12) Refine the effectiveness of your website(s)

13) Use traditional Snail Mail Marketing

14) Banner advertising

15) Text link advertising

16) Use Web 2.0 to expand your reach

♦  Be persistent and never quit

When the going gets tough, the tough get going!  If Internet Affiliate Marketing was as “easy” as everyone claims then everyone would be doing it.  It takes persistence, dedication and hard work.  Over time these values will prevail and you will be able to make a decent living.  It takes time and effort tough to be a success in the world of Internet Affiliate Marketing.

Article source: http://www.helium.com/items/1966236-understanding-internet-affiliate-marketing-businesses

Affiliate Marketing Programme Set To Break Clickbank Record – Image via CrunchBase

An affiliate marketing programme is all set to break ClickBank’s record for the highest gravity achieved by any product. Gravity is ClickBank’s calculation of how many affiliates have earned a commission by promoting a product. High gravity means that a product is selling outstandingly well for affiliates.

An average gravity will be a single figure number like 1.4, a good product might have a gravity of 15 – 30 – Auto Blog Samurai has an amazingly high gravity of 1,106.06!

The success of this product is seen to be due to the sales video and very strong sales page that are used for its promotion. The smart young lady on the video speaks clearly and with great enthusiasm about how the product works. The clear and dynamic instructions are attracting thousands of people to buy what is currently one of ClickBank’s hottest products.

The Auto Blog Samurai Software Suite is rated as one of the easiest ways to build an online business empire.

Short URL: http://uknewsreporter.co.uk/?p=6660

Article source: http://uknewsreporter.co.uk/affiliate-marketing-programme-set-to-break-clickbank-record/676660/

  September 25, 2010   Advertising News RSS

(PRLEAP.COM) ComTel Managing Director Chris Meehan said the acquisition strengthens the Company’s presence in Australia’s rapidly growing online advertising sector.

“dgm has been operating in the performance-based sector since 2003, offering clients online marketing programs across multiple channels affiliate marketing, search engine optimisation, pay per click advertising and online display,” he said.

The purchase of dgm is in line with ComTel’s strategy of growing and acquiring profitable businesses operating in the digital performance space.

“We selected dgm because of its strong presence in the sector, the quality of its people and customers, its earnings and its growth potential. The growing business delivered $1.4 million in EBITDA in calendar year 2009 before an allocation of overseas parent entity charges.”

ComTel estimates that the equity purchase price payable upon completion will be between A$4.5 and A$5.0 million, and the acquisition is forecast to be earnings accretive in year one.

Managing Director of dgm Craig Ellis said the formation of a performance-based marketing group will give a much-needed boost to the industry, and it was exciting for dgm to be a part of that growth.

“The dgm business model was founded to help clients achieve more customers and sales from their online marketing activities. This is aligned with ComTel’s objectives and signals a bright future for our business and industry,” Mr Ellis said.

Mr Meehan said both entities will continue to operate under their existing brand names, and draw on their combined strengths to offer a broader range of highly targeted advertising strategies.

“Both Empowered and dgm sell performance-based online inventory to Australia’s leading advertising agencies, media buyers, and corporates,” he said. “Our plan is to invest in both businesses and build on their strong market positions so that we capture a greater share of online advertising revenue.

“Currently the performance-based industry accounts for more than 25 per cent of the General and Display advertising category.

“A key driver of growth in this segment is the need among advertisers to measure performance at a time when marketing budgets have come under pressure.

“We are addressing this demand by building or buying digital marketing businesses that deliver campaigns that are optimised for return on investment.”

Mr Meehan said the company would soon rebrand ComTel as Digital Performance Group and that it will continue to pursue strategic acquisition opportunities that are complementary to its current operations.
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About ComTel Corporation Ltd
An ASX listed holding company for businesses that sell targeted and measureable online advertising campaigns that generate online sales, qualified customer leads and increased brand awareness. ComTel’s customers are some of Australia’s leading media buyers, advertising agencies and corporates.

Empowered Communications
Empowered has 500,000 Members sourced via a network of six loyalty websites (each site rewards members in exchange for receiving research or emailed offers). Detailed demographic data is collected from each of its members to enable advertisers to conduct highly targeted, performance-based campaigns. www.empoweredcomms.com.au

dgm Australia
dgm works with Australia’s leading advertisers, web site publishers and agencies to devise and deliver online marketing campaigns across the key areas of search engine marketing, affiliate marketing and display advertising. dgm’s clients have access to sophisticated proprietary technology and are guided by experienced account management and consultancy teams, to achieve high-performing online marketing campaigns that fulfil their business objectives such as more leads, more sales and greater brand awareness. Web: http://www.dgmmarketing.com.au

Performance-based digital marketing
Performance-based digital marketing is a form of online advertising that focuses on customer acquisition and lead generation. Clients pay for targeted advertising campaigns that deliver results through a variety of channels such as website banners, email, social media and SMS.
For further information please contact Chris Meehan, Managing Director on
0407 149 544 or Emma Cullen-Ward, OneProfile Communications, 0414 989 137

Article source: http://www.prleap.com/pr/161494/