Two seemingly unrelated stories have emerged this week which will have significant impact on the way businesses advertise across the internet. Both in their own way are great news for advertisers and when acted upon can significantly increase return on investment.
Google to detect what TV show you are viewing when searching on the web?
The first news item comes from the internet giant Google They have some of the smartest developers on the planet and are constantly looking for innovative ways to maintain their dominance. They already own thousands of patents and the newest one sounds like something lifted straight from Big Brother.
The patent was originally filed in June 2011 and was granted last week on 16th September 2014. The full title is:
‘System and method for enhancing user search results by determining a television program currently being displayed in proximity to an electronic device’.
In a nutshell the patent allows for technology to monitor the television programs we watch to bring more relevant results for our search engine enquiries.
The abstract for the patent gives a little clearer insight:
‘A computer implemented method for using search queries related to television programs. A server receives a user’s search query from an electronic device. The server then determines, in accordance with the search query and television program related information for television programs available at a location associated with the electronic device during a specific time window, a television program currently being displayed in proximity to the electronic device, wherein the television program related information includes program descriptions for a plurality of television programs being broadcast for the associated location’.
So, how will Google know what we are watching?
The implications are truly mind blowing. This will technology will allow for pin point search engine results based not only on the search terms but then amplified by the programs we are watching on the same subject!
Imagine entering a search term for ‘Holidays in Spain’. Google would normally return a selection of holidays featuring all the mainland and islands. But now, because we have been watching a travel program on the pristine beaches of Ibiza it shows more results for that particular island!
There is bound to be some more ground breaking technology on the way. But right now, the ‘Siri’ app on Android phones can identify television programs just by listening as the Shazam app, first released back in 2009, identified music. Add to that the Chromecast dongle which streams programs straight from your PC to your HD television and you see that Google has access to a mass of information already.
What else is new this month?
Let’s move on to the other technology giant, Apple. The iconic iPhone was first launched in June 2007. Apple has always been consistent in keeping the handset a standard size despite the various upgrades and has been a trademark in the unique branding.
That has now all changed with the release of the new mobile phones iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. Whether by popular demand or to keep pace with rival innovation, the new phones offer a choice of 4.7 or 5.5 inch screens.
How does the large screen affect mobile advertising?
Well in the past advertisers had only to produce ads to fit PC screens. Now, with the proliferation of smart phones, tablets, laptops and larger screen devices, particular attention has to be paid to the ad format itself.
Varying devices and screen sizes call for multiple ad variations to ensure proper display. Images, text, layout and calls to action buttons all have to be optimised accordingly.
The better the user experience, the more likely the consumer is to engage with the advert. The attention span of the average consumer is diminishingly all the time and ads which display poorly and need to be pinched, pulled, pushed and scrolled have horrendous conversion rates.
There has always been a need to continually test adverts to maximise consumer interaction but this is now amplified exponentially with the advent of so many varying screen formats.
You also need to factor in the habits of the users for each device to gain the highest possible returns against ad spend.
What makes Apple different?
Taking Apple as an example, each iPhone release brings an immediate sales spike from early adopters. It is not unusual to see ardent Apple fanatics queueing for days to secure the newest phone. Typically, the average iPhone user is more technically minded that users of other brands. The most technically astute are those who must have the newest handsets.
In terms of mobile advertising, the market segment for new model iPhone users are least likely to respond to ads. Owners of older model iPhones however are a far better bet for productive advertising; reach and response and should be more targeted in any campaign. Here at Jungle we help our clients maximise ROI from mobile advertising campaigns by helping them to further understand the habits of their target demographic.
So, two stories which change the online advertising marketplace again but this time for the better.
Google shows us that the ability to laser target prospects and receive heightened marketing returns is available already but getting more precise the time.
Apple remind us that our potential audiences should be hyper targeted to the finest degree to maximise response and return.
This article is brought to you by Jungle Associates Ltd. A leading SEO agency in Manchester, constantly in touch with the latest innovations to provide maximum returns for their clients. Their core business is helping businesses across all verticals to penetrate and dominate their sector on the internet. A web marketing agency with a difference, using all the latest technology and past experience to achieve outstand results in the digital world.
