New report from GroupM and comScore indicates that search engine marketing and social media combined has a huge impact on consumers’ purchasing decision online. It’s worth reading the entire report to understand how SEO and social are interdependent in driving conversion rates. GroupM and comScore looked at consumer behavior associated with purchase decisions in the electronics/telecommunications and consumer packaged goods categories. While a whopping 86 percent of consumers say search engines are very important in their buying process, social media plays an equally critical role in influencing their decision.

Forty percent of consumers who use search in their path to purchase are motivated to use social media to further their decision making process.

More than a quarter of those surveyed (28 percent) said sites such as YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter help them learn about new brands and products.

Thirty percent said they used social media to eliminate brands from contention.

Two most important influentials in social media affecting purchases are user reviews and category blogs, rather than Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Read more at www.livingstonbuzz.com

One of the most common predictions is the growth of online advertising spend over the next however-many years. It’s the prediction that keeps the engine turning and the machine moving forward. After all, if there is no advertising then why are we doing this whole Internet and mobile thing anyway? Are we just trying to make life better for people? C’mon man!

One metric that no one in the marketing industry likes to talk about is just how accepted and effective online ads are. Well, I take that back. If the study says that these ads are a good thing then it’s presented as common sense and logic but if you see the kind of numbers that AdAge produced through a study done by Ipsos Observer, then the industry will look for the closest rug to sweep this one under. Emarketer presents these findings.

It’s safe to say that most people don’t like ads in general. They like to be entertained by them but not interrupted by them. They tolerate them but when they can watch a show or an event with limited commercial interruption or no ads at all they are quickly reminded how nice it is to just be able to take in some content without taking in unsolicited pitches.

So while it is never a good idea to draw strong conclusions from one piece of research, I always pay more attention to studies that find things to be less than perfect in the marketing world. This study does that with mobile and social ads (in other words, the future of the online space, right?) being the least liked ads across all media.

Apparently, just because everyone is starting to become mobile it doesn’t mean everyone wants to be hawked in the mobile environment. Face it, ads are intrusive on a small screen in that they take up valuable real estate or, even worse, they delay the ability to get information quickly that is the most appealing aspect of the mobile experience.

What do these attitudes by consumers actually mean for the Internet of the future? Like most things, it depends. It depends on just what people will be willing to ingest with regard to marketing messages in the mobile space. I think it will create a need for marketers to be less ad oriented and more “ad in the form of content” focused. Advertising will need to be useful rather than just “in the way” in this new, advertising real estate deprived, environment. Read more at www.marketingpilgrim.com

We’ve covered my general Marketing and Social Media checkup lists for the new year.  Today, let’s look at optimizing your hub, for those of you smart enough to use WordPress as your blog/website platform.  Out of the box, WordPress is powerful–but not complete. The following plugins are important for every website built on WordPress. Read more at websuccessdiva.com

So I wanted to update that post for 2011, with a bit more information, and greater clarity around the numbers. These figures come from rates shared with me by fellow consultants and agencies that specialize in social media marketing, in addition to my own research, as well as what I charge for similar services.   Last year I only included ranges for each service, this year I’ve added a Most Charge distinction to give everyone a greater idea of what they will probably pay.  I’ve also added a few more services, such as training workshops, speaking, hourly consulting rates, and even ghostwriting fees (yes companies pay for this).

When you contact a consultant or agency, they should be asking you questions as well.  They should want to know why you want to use social media, what are you trying to accomplish.  If they try to give you prices without asking you questions, that is a red flag.  They really can’t give you prices until they know more about your company, your resources, and what you are wanting to accomplish. Read more at mackcollier.com

Small businesses marketing locally have unprecedented opportunities in the digital world, thanks to the localization of Social Media and SEO. Success is not limited to budget or resources but to leveraging the latest local marketing tools:  Places.   Google Places present opportunities for small businesses to increase visibility based on proximity, mobility and social SEO. Today we take a look at Google Places.

Google Places is an ideal tool for local marketing including all of the major features for social customers–geo-location based, reviews and recommendations, connected sharing, and mobile based.  Delving further into the local marketing space, Google’s HotPot has taken them into the social recommendations sphere–more opportunity for your small business.

Take the time to invest in your Google Places listing and you will reap the rewards. When  you’ve tackled this, head on over to learn about the small business marketing opportunities of Facebook Places.  While you’re at it, be sure to check out an incredible resource to discover Local Search Ranking Factors, to help you in all your local marketing efforts. Read more at websuccessdiva.com