Roundarch,
a leader in digital design and implementation for Fortune 500 companies,
has outlined five digital predictions that it believes marketers must
consider to positively impact the bottom line of small to large
enterprises in 2010 and beyond.
“Advancements in Internet marketing and technology are changing faster
than ever,” said Chris Hogue, engagement director at Roundarch.
“Businesses and consumers learn about new digital features on a daily
basis. The best way to determine which features will provide the best
return on a company’s investment is to have a means of quickly
evaluating new marketing trends against your company’s target market(s).
Once a ‘hit’ is found, marketers need to have campaign platforms in
place that can be leveraged right away. Marketers who achieve the most
success are those who not only stay ahead of what is ‘hot’, but also
have the means to exploit them at a moment’s notice.
“The Roundarch team is constantly developing innovative solutions to
take its clients to the forefront of their industries,” continued Hogue.
“As we enter this new decade, Roundarch has identified several digital
marketing techniques that will ensure the success of just about any
company by allowing them to track, evaluate, and capitalize on new and
mainstream trends.”
Roundarch’s 2010 digital predictions are:
1)
Increased adoption of and demand for m-commerce (mobile
commerce).
The billions of mobile phone customers worldwide create huge
opportunities for the development of m-commerce. 2010 will be the year
of the digital economy with a distinct increase in the adoption of and
the demand for mobile transactions -- banking, ticketing and purchasing.
As proof of the increasing demand, e-Bay reported its users bought more
than 1.5 million items on the service via their mobile phones this past
holiday season – more than ever before.
In 2010, expect to hear more about m-commerce and the benefits of the
digital economy as those companies that implement a mobile payment and
purchasing infrastructure reap the benefits of this new form of exchange.
2)
Expansion of mobile applications, and not just the
smartphone variety.
The Amazon Kindle, the Barnes & Noble Nook and the much discussed Apple
tablet. These products are mobile, but not smartphones. Amazon.com
recently said the Kindle is the company’s top-selling holiday gift of
all time and according to analyst firm In Stat, the demand for e-readers
is not expected to wane. In fact, worldwide e-reader shipments are
expected to grow from almost 1 million units in 2008 to nearly 30
million units by 2013. These new products present an immense opportunity
for marketers to create e-reader-compatible applications and
advertisements.
For these reasons, e-reader applications and advertisements are an
important space for businesses -- one that should not be ignored. When
in doubt, look no further than the closest neighborhood newsstand to
learn how the news media is addressing customer demand for greater
control over where and when they consume content. This consumption is
taking place online and via their mobile devices. With nearly 60,000
eBook titles and an anticipated 30 million e-readers in consumer hands
by 2013, we are sure to see this digital market experience exponential
growth in 2010.
3)
“The cloud” becomes a “household name” as additional
services are moved to this platform.
Cloud computing is no longer just the domain of IT and marketers must
think about how to leverage this platform to better serve their
customers. Thanks to the cloud, many software applications are no longer
confined to the desktop, but rather as services on the Internet that can
be accessed anywhere that there is an Internet connection.
Industries big and small are utilizing cloud computing in first-ever
ways. The automobile industry, for example, is using cloud computing
concepts to create better in-car experiences for their customers.
Electric car maker Tesla Motors is experimenting with a 17-inch
touchscreen display in the cockpit, analogous to a big iPhone on wheels.
The navigation, climate control and radio are all completely digital and
connected to a 3G Internet network, allowing customers to download
applications from the cloud into their cockpit display for whatever they
might want in their car.
With the cloud, marketers’ options are limitless. In 2010, look for
cloud computing to enter the mainstream with possible additions of cloud
insurance providers, cloud brokerages and cloud educators.
4)
More innovative and eco-friendly technology solutions in
K-12 and higher-ed classrooms.
For the K-12 set, NYSTROM and Roundarch have already made available StrataLogica,
an interactive mapping device that allows teachers and students to
compare and contrast high-resolution, age-appropriate map and globe
views side-by-side on a computer screen. Since its November 2009
release, 730 licenses have been sold to school districts across the U.S.
and the number is growing.
In 2010, expect additional solution-based classroom devices, new
technologies to take textbooks beyond text, and the increased adoption
of virtual classrooms made possible by cloud computing.
5)
Behavioral targeting – use it or lose it.
Behavioral targeting uses information collected on an individual's
web-browsing behavior, such as the websites that they have visited or
the searches they have made, to select which advertisements to display
to that individual. In 2010, marketers must increase the adoption of
this practice or risk losing customers.
The near real-time data behavioral targeting provides is a necessity
that marketers will require in order to react quickly to evolving trends
in the global marketplace and positive or negative changes in consumer
sentiment.
For more information about Roundarch predictions and capabilities visit www.roundarch.com
or the company’s blog at http://impost.roundarch.com/.
About Roundarch
Roundarch designs and implements digital experiences for the world’s
largest organizations. Roundarch delivers web sites, rich web
applications, mobile apps, social media applications, digital marketing
campaigns and more for clients such as Avis, A&E, Hershey’s and the US
Air Force. Roundarch’s unique blend of breakthrough user experience
design and enterprise-class technology implementation is perfectly
suited for the most complex problems in the digital space. Roundarch has
offices in Boston, Chicago and New York.
Media Contact:
Paul Buranosky
Roundarch
(312)
529-2564
pburanosky@roundarch.com