Lead generation via social media is a tricky task. Not only is the process of turning fans and followers into dollars difficult, major social networks offer limited data, which makes it hard to show off the lead-generation value of the channel. SocialEngine, a white-label software provider that enables brands to build their own social networks, […]

Google’s stranglehold on the desktop-based search market is nothing compared to its mobile search dominance. The search giant claimed 91 percent of the global mobile search market last year, according to IDC. Also, while 47 percent of search is the desktop ad market, it comprises 70 percent of the mobile ad market, which seems to […]

Square, the mobile payments company, has signed a lease for its new headquarters in the Mid-Market neighborhood of San Francisco, a block away from Twitter. The company moved into its first office back in December 2009, when it had just 10 employees. Now Square has more than 400 employees and plans to have 1,000 people […]

This profile of Bernard van Stekelenburg, Groupon’s vice president of international human resources, reveals his surprising acceptance of his role at the daily-deals giant. It also offers a glimpse into what the company is trying to achieve from an HR standpoint. This includes the establishment of a nine-box “talent matrix,” which ranks performance and potential. […]

According to Spotzot, a location-based advertising startup that tracks the activities of mobile shoppers, found that the top shopper interest categories for more than 1,000 retail chains are: 1) women’s shoes; 2) mobile and tablets; 3) face and skin care products; 4) handbags; and 5) laptops and desktops. Spotzot also found that 8 out of […]

Engagement for brands on Facebook surged during the past year, according to Adobe’s “Q3 2012 Global Digital Advertising Update.” Not surprisingly, mobile users accounted for a significant portion of Facebook engagement. Marketers are probably aware of the need to focus more on social engagement, but this report is a stark reminder of just how important […]

Last week, the FTC held a one-day summit about robocalls called “Robocalls: All the Rage.” One of the day’s sessions covered the basics of robocalls, which are summarized in the infographic below. The infographic, which is embedded below, is separated into four sections: technology, geography, the phone call and the money. Consumers can use this […]

Take it from English poet John Donne (sort of): No marketing channel is an island. This search engine marketing manager has posted a reminder that marketing isn’t about independent activities. He says, “paid search (and every other marketing channel) are uniquely dependent on each other and in order for the marketing effort to succeed, the […]

According to MarketLive, 21 percent of online buyers in the U.S. plan to purchase holiday gifts with their mobile devices this year, a large increase from the 11 percent who planned to do the same last year. The survey also found that 42 percent of online shoppers will check for sales and specials via their […]

There’s been plenty of attention given to mobile payments recently, but traction with consumers is yet to be seen. The benefits of mobile payments for technology companies and merchants are clear enough: they fit into advertising and deals businesses, and they can allow merchants to avoid interchange fees that credit card companies charge them, for […]