iAmDigital - Marketing. Innovation. Technology.

It's crazy that Amazon Alexa and Google Home still seem kinda new to many, the reality is though, voice technology dates back to the 1950s. However, it hasn’t been until the early part of the twenty-first century that we have really seen voice technology come into its own with huge leaps in computing power, vast amounts of data, advancements in AI and machine learning and investments from large enterprises. New innovative uses for voice-activated technology are seemingly ensuring a strong case for incorporating it in digital strategies. Being such a frictionless form of tech and improving all the time, it’s not hard to see why.  What do we mean by voice marketing? So, we know Alexa, Google Home, Siri, Cortana and their siblings have become everyday technology in the last few years, but voice marketing is about understanding how consumers use them. Currently, 50% of online searches are made via voice with almost 20% of browsing sessions being screenless! Businesses who want to remai...

Don't have a mobile/responsive site yet? Oops, you stuffed up. April 21, 2015 doesn't only mark 81 years that people have been looking for the famous Loch Ness monster , but more importantly for some business',  it marks the end of you site showing up on Google's mobile search. So if you haven't yet come to the 'mobile party' and optimised your website via either a mobile or responsive site, your website will be harder to find on Google than catching a glimpse of Nessy herself! Starting today, Google expanded their use of 'mobile-friendliness' as a ranking signal . This is an attempt to assist users to find it easier to get relevant, high quality search results that are essentially optimised for their device. They (Google) did give us fair warning on their blog at the start of the year so if you've been caught out, well, you're probably ranking where you should be. Remember this old post from 2012 about where I was pleading wi...

  Isn't it funny how in the online space, the biggest threats typically comes from the most unlikely sources. Coles and Woolworths have been so pre-occupied with holding market share against relatively newcomer Aldi that they may have fallen even further behind, online at least. Cue Kogan Pantry. In a strike of (what initially looks to be) genius, Ruslan Kogan the independent online king of electrical goods, now seems to be moving in on new territory, tackling our pantries! Ok so 'threat' was maybe a little loosely used earlier and though Kogan has promised to offer half price 'pantry' goods in an attempt to save us money at the till, an initial offering of only 600 products isn't really going to do much as far as market share goes. I just love the fact that the likes of Kogan Pantry , Instacart , GroceryRun and co. are managing to shake things up in this space. What does this mean for the industry? Initially, not a great deal, even global gia...

I'm continuously on the look-out for creative ads on YouTube that inspire me not to choose the 'skip ad' option; more so, those that actually get me to click through and be glad I did. New in 2015, SEEK have partnered with Clemenger BBDO (the mob also responsible for MYER's very fresh 2014 ' Find Wonderful ' campaign) to inspire Australians to reflect on their current career and move closer to that, which inspires them. After all, we only spend about 13 years at work...so make it count. Watch the Full SEEK ad The accompanying interactive tool that's been created, displays the key campaign messaging in an interesting way, have a look, it's pretty cool. Launch the SEEK interactive tool It's a tough gig for agencies trying to tailor an already existing ad for YouTube, especially knowing that people typically use those 5 seconds to position their mouse or finger over the 'skip ad' option ready to pounce.  Though this...

In my opinion, educating people about your brand and value proposition at every stage of the marketing experience/funnel, is just as important as conversion, in fact more so. Many B2B and even B2C marketers however, struggle to see past the ' what does this mean for sales'  angle, which is of course the easier measurable to side with. The Funnel In essence 'the funnel' is about: marketing, automation, lead management, demand generation and lastly sales. TOP Attract - to draw potential customers towards you Increased brand awareness Targeted display / banner adverting Delivery of messaging and value proposition (VP) Drive website traffic Educate (brand & VP) MIDDLE Engage & Nurture - a series of communications to help the person know, like, follow and trust you: Drive content engagement Social advertising Boost form conversions & harvesting relevant details Increasing page views & visits Educate (brand & VP) ...

The Dodo didn’t become extinct when food was a plenty, its inability to plan for the future and adapt in an ever evolving world is the reason it is now extinct. If wholesalers don’t stop being so naive about where manufacturing is heading and at least start trying to evolve, they will meet the same fate as the Dodo. In a time where digital offers tracking and efficiencies and can’t be ignored or where 3D printing is becoming cheaper every day and where machines talk to people, people to machines and machines to machines ( M2M ); in a land where internet rules and where we, as customers are getting back the power; wholesalers better shape up or ship out! Customers are more aware of business behaviour when it comes to purchasing. It’s no secret that wholesalers are essentially in the business of making money as a middle man. Though there is nothing wrong with that, we are just asking you – the wholesaler – to offer us something more. Shape the incentives for people who don...

I was on my phone whilst watching TV on a Wednesday night, when my attention was drawn to a commercial that used a quote from one of my favourite films of the 80s, Dead Poet’s Society. Intrigued by the ad, I quickly established it was an ad for a tablet. As I allowed myself to feel inspired by its vibe I thought to myself, " Samsung, you finally got it right!".   Emotions continued to stir, as I quickly spared a thought for the lonely Galaxy tablet I had in my bottom draw at work and the lack of respect I had given it. Then the quote from Walt Whitman begins, as do the chills, I think to myself, " Thank you Samsung",  followed by " What is my verse going to be?". The ad concludes with the following... “... Apple. I should have known. ” I whisper. Considering Samsung spent more than triple what Apple did on advertising in 2013; I would say, Samsung is likely to get there eventually, but will they ever get it as right as this ad? ...

It's amazing just how many professionals struggle to articulate the vision of a proposed project.  Not being able to project the passion, the objective or the reasons for a project can sometimes come down to simply not knowing where to start or just being lazy. Follow these 5 steps and insure you head in the right direction. 1. Establish clear and measurable project goals Too many times, poorly defined business problems become a hindrance in progression. Simply putting pen to paper with a few objectives is always a step in the right direction. This can apply to a project, strategy, department or even a personal vision. 2. Align business and technology goals This can sometimes be the difficult part, as this is where the breakdown in communication comes into play. Aligning business and technology goals may simply be, suggesting the use of existing infrastructure, budget or resources and highlighting the benefits of doing so. A business case doesn't always have to...