Digital Strategy on a Shoestring

Skillshare Unit #1Category research

#1 Category ResearchThis is a collection of the best free tools for category research. These will help you uncover trends, cool stuff, old stuff + opportunities for your brand.

Tools in this kit

1.Google Trends 2.Googe Insights3.Pew Internet Reports4.MixRank

5.Tech Crunch6.Peter Kims Wiki 7.Digital Buzz Blog 8.PSFK 9.Webby Awards10.IAB Mixx Awards

Consumer behavior Industry inspira!on

This is the Oscar Mayer. He made bacon and wieners that are adored by many. Bacon is a staple of every brunch menu. The challenge is to get bacon lovers to consider the delicious meat in other meals than brunch.

The brief

How to do category research

Google trendsShows how consumers search for things compared to the entire category. Useful for spotting times + locations where a product is hot.

Google.com/trends

How to use

Points of interest

Oscar Mayer HQ located in Wisconsin

Insights recap1. Bacon over-indexes in meat + seafood

category in holiday periods. 2. However Oscar Mayer misses a massive

opportunity, losing customers to competitors during holiday period.

3. Oscar Mayer has strong regional ties. There could be opportunity to leverage advocates there.

Google InsightsResearch reports + case studies on consumer behavior. Useful to pull stats on how consumers use search, social, mobile + display ads.

Google.com/think

How to useFilter by marketing

objective, industry or specific execution.

Browse reports on how to grow loyalty + influence

consideration

1. Social networks are made up of ‘joiners’(83%), ‘sharers’(15.4%) + ‘advocates’(1.5%)

2. More is less: Fan pages with a higher population of advocates yield 234% more earned media than those with more joiners

3. Use opportunities to stimulate interaction with brands through with

Insights recap

Pew Internet PewInternet.orgUnbiased, non-profit research on how Americans use the Internet. Focuses on the social impact of Internet usage. Good for stats.

How to useSearch hundred of reports for consumer behavior + attitudes online.

What people do online:

1. Search is the most common activity for finding product information.

2. People use search engines over Wikipedia for research.

3. Email is a key activity online. Should assess how Oscar Mayer use email marketing.

Insights recap

MIXRANKShows how other brands are advertising across Google Ad Network. Includes the keywords, copy and design they use + how effective they are. Helps to identify tweaks of wording/images + sources can increase your own clickthrough rates

MixRank.com

How to useBrowse by

subcategories

Spam target recipe solutions for fun family

meal times

Applegate buy ad space on on sites with an organic, natural whole food focus

Tyson play on convenience with speedy cooking time

+ where to buy products

Insights recap1. Meat eaters are receptive to messages

of convenience + efficiency in cooking time

2. Areas of interest in meat include how to use at meal times + how to store produce.

Industry Inspira!on

Examples of work within the industry helps to draw inspiration for creative teams + explain concepts to clients in the ideation process.

Two best sources: digital award case studies + creative industry news

Digital AwardsIAB Mixx Awards

Recognizes creative digital executions in advertising. Winners galleries + case studies are available back to 2008.

iab.net.mixxawards/gallery2012The Webby Awards

Provides case studies for excellence in 5 areas of websites, advertising, film + video, mobile, and social.

winners.webbyawards.com/2013

Industry news

Digital Buzz BlogPSFK Peter Kim Wiki

News, case studies and campaigns in digital, social, mobile and interactive experiential ideas.

Creative digital executions. News source dedicated to creative business + butting edge executions.

Tech Crunch

Digital innovation in the category through new start-ups. Stakeholder values via recent funding.

Curated list of good social media marketing campaigns.

What to do nowPlay with these tools to come up with 5

insights for the category that Reddit* exists in. Suggested categories are

online media or consumer web. * or pick a brand you are

already working on

Ask any questions through the community section of class or on twitter @amberhorsburgh.

Then begin the next unit: Tools For Competitor Research

What to do next