I recently returned from Orlando, Florida after participating in the IRCE event, which focused on Web Design, Site Usability and Mobile Commerce. The Internet Retailer shows are always thought provoking and draw retailers from all sizes, industries and geographic locations. MoreVisibility was proud to be an exhibitor on the trade show floor, as well as part of an Elite group of consultants invited to provide individual website critiques and design consults to attendees.
After spending time networking and meeting with many advertisers at the show, here is what was being talked about most:
Data – big data, small data, integrated data, personalized or meaningful data … you name it, if it included the word “data” it was being discussed. Most advertisers realize the need and have a demand for one centralized dashboard that can accumulate many data points (sources) into one location. Thankfully (and finally!) it seems almost all advertisers see web analytics as required. So now it’s more focused on how to make the most of that information, through custom integration and personalized reporting. As a Google Analytics Certified Partner – with experience on these kinds of projects, we couldn’t be happier about this trend.
Mobile – the discussion has changed here also from WHY to HOW. Etailers were clamoring to know the best way to capitalize on mobile search traffic and visitors. Many were pursuing Responsive Design, while others were considering how an App could fit into their business model and generate ROI. At this point, it is tough to segment mobile into its own digital marketing category, since it crosses so many other service lines: Design, Development, Advertising, Social Media, etc. The moral to this story is that Mobile should be integrated in every web decision or digital discussion in your company.
Usability – Build it and they will buy … Well, only if the website is easy to navigate and there are no obstacles to convert! Many advertisers, and exhibitors, were focused on how to improve their sites’ User Experience. First, I highly recommend you define who your audience is, as that’s the only sound way to then define the path they should take and the content you should offer. Thereafter, testing is a necessity. There are several companies out there that offer this as a service. The fine folks at Optimizely were our booth neighbors in the Exhibit Hall and they provide a valuable solution for this.
Look for MoreVisibility at our future Digital Marketing Conferences and Events!
