CM Comment: Good article in this month's edition of Slot Manager ... especially worth keeping an eye on are the initiatives by slot manufacturers to weave at-home social networking directly with the in-casino game-play experience.
March 1, 2009: summarized from Slot Manager Magazine -- WMS keeps close tabs on what's happening in the social networking space as part of its ongoing research, said Rob Bone, vice president of marketing. WMS' research shows that 70 percent of the gaming demographic has access to the internet, and 90 percent of those people have access to broadband. "Casino people are already online. They're a lot more capable and a lot more knowledgeable about the internet than the average population." The very nature of gaming is changing. While gaming traditionally has been a private, solitary experience, players are embracing new experiences. "Gaming has become more communal, and it's become more social, and it's being enhanced," Bone said. He likened it to the experience at an exciting table game. "The experience is still whether you win or lose, but it's drastically enhanced by the people you meet, and the experiences you share." Social networking is "a way to identify what's important to you and what type of experiences you want to have." One thing Bone stressed was that WMS' goal with its Web strategies is not to compete with customers. "We're trying to give a solution that enhances their brand and extends their brand. We're trying to enhance their ability to connect with their players." Over the next 12 to 24 months, Bone said, the industry will see WMS deliver more games and strategies to help casinos leverage the player experience.
Bally Technologies also is paying close attention to social networking, said Bryan Kelly, Bally vice president of technology. "Clearly Bally is interested in how we can communicate directly to the casino to drive new players to casinos or retain players," Kelly said. "We are interested in that market and how we could help link those sites and those experiences to hopefully drive some new consumers to the floor. As a systems provider to the casino industry we could enable the linking of those sites and those technologies to our CMS, our player tracking system, to help create those bonds," he said. Like Bone, Kelly cited the advent of community-style games. "As the casino industry moves toward community-based gaming, we are working on that effort," he said. Tournaments are a natural for community-style events that are more customized to the players. "The consumer may want to create his own community. I might bring my buddies to the casino and want them to play with me in these community-type events," Kelly said. "Clearly this is happening in the portal-based gaming world, [and] will migrate into the casino gaming world."
Full story at: http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=bnpl4ycab.0.0.o7uw4wcab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Ftinyurl.com%2Fdc3y9c&id=preview
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Harness The Power Of Twitter For Local Marketing
CM Comment: Yes another article on Twitter, but this one is relevant because it references Luxor's use of this service.
March 9, 2009, summarized from Search Engine Land -- The Twitter social networking and micro-blogging service was launched only two years ago, but it's rocketing up in usage numbers quickly, and it seems likely to turn red-hot. Many companies are rapidly cluing into the promotional value, but smaller businesses appear slow to hop on the bandwagon. Here are a few tips on leveraging Twitter to help your locally-oriented business.
As oft pointed-out among search marketers, Twitter links do not pass "link juice"-that is, they don't transfer PageRank value from Twitter to linked-to sites. Even though links in Twitter are not followed, there still could be some small value in real ranking terms, according to the theory that "citations" or "references" appear to sometimes help improve rankings in local search. So, at the very least, it's a good idea to claim a profile in Twitter and link back to your business site. But, the larger value of Twitter to your company may be in terms of audience engagement and as a communication vehicle, if you learn to use Twitter effectively.
If your business is something people seek out frequently, like an entertainment venue or restaurant, then consider monitoring Twitter mentions containing apropos keyword phrases and send replies recommending your place to them. Use Twitter Search for this.
Also, keep a pulse on how many of your types of business are in Twitter. If a user gets inundated with dozens of recommendations from businesses for such a query, they're likely to get irritated.
Here are some tips I have for ways that you might be able to use Twitter to find and engage with customers:
- Send instant coupons. Empty restaurant? Tweet out a small discount offer for the next hour and fill the place up!
- How about Tweet coupons based upon the customer showing you that they've retweeted the offer out to their list of followers? ("Retweeting" = "forwarding" to other Tweeters). This encourages a viral behavior.
- Entertainment venues-tweet out the week's events!
Not to be outdone, the Luxor Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas is tweeting entertainment tix and lodging promo codes. Perhaps they're just slightly edgy/risky in the icon they use for their Twitter profile, though - could it be an actual picture of Brandie, their "Interactive Marketing Ninja," in that revealing bikini?
Full story at: http://tinyurl.com/cueqvy
March 9, 2009, summarized from Search Engine Land -- The Twitter social networking and micro-blogging service was launched only two years ago, but it's rocketing up in usage numbers quickly, and it seems likely to turn red-hot. Many companies are rapidly cluing into the promotional value, but smaller businesses appear slow to hop on the bandwagon. Here are a few tips on leveraging Twitter to help your locally-oriented business.
As oft pointed-out among search marketers, Twitter links do not pass "link juice"-that is, they don't transfer PageRank value from Twitter to linked-to sites. Even though links in Twitter are not followed, there still could be some small value in real ranking terms, according to the theory that "citations" or "references" appear to sometimes help improve rankings in local search. So, at the very least, it's a good idea to claim a profile in Twitter and link back to your business site. But, the larger value of Twitter to your company may be in terms of audience engagement and as a communication vehicle, if you learn to use Twitter effectively.
If your business is something people seek out frequently, like an entertainment venue or restaurant, then consider monitoring Twitter mentions containing apropos keyword phrases and send replies recommending your place to them. Use Twitter Search for this.
Also, keep a pulse on how many of your types of business are in Twitter. If a user gets inundated with dozens of recommendations from businesses for such a query, they're likely to get irritated.
Here are some tips I have for ways that you might be able to use Twitter to find and engage with customers:
- Send instant coupons. Empty restaurant? Tweet out a small discount offer for the next hour and fill the place up!
- How about Tweet coupons based upon the customer showing you that they've retweeted the offer out to their list of followers? ("Retweeting" = "forwarding" to other Tweeters). This encourages a viral behavior.
- Entertainment venues-tweet out the week's events!
Not to be outdone, the Luxor Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas is tweeting entertainment tix and lodging promo codes. Perhaps they're just slightly edgy/risky in the icon they use for their Twitter profile, though - could it be an actual picture of Brandie, their "Interactive Marketing Ninja," in that revealing bikini?
Full story at: http://tinyurl.com/cueqvy
Be It Twittering or Blogging, It's All About Marketing
CM Comment -- Still trying to understand Twitter along with other social networking channels and the role they might eventually play in your marketing mix? Then read on ...
March 12, 2009: summarized from The New York Times -- Passionate New York Jets fan. Keen Knicks fan. Spends hours a day on the social networking sites Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr. Imbued of an entrepreneurial spirit - he even dreams of owning the Jets someday. Gary Vaynerchuk may sound like an all-American boy, but at 33 he is a successful, grown-up businessman who has put his enthusiasms - and his penchant for publicity - to work in achieving 15-fold sales growth in his family's wine business in the last decade, to $60 million.
He rebranded the shop, which was founded by his father, Sasha Vaynerchuk, a Russian immigrant, in Springfield, N.J., as the Wine Library and began online sales in 1997, when he was still in college. Since then he has steadily advanced his Internet-based marketing skills. His sites are tv.winelibrary.com, where his daily webcast, "The Thunder Show," has won a wide following, and garyvaynerchuk.com.
Last December, seeking to enhance sales, he offered free shipping and promoted it three ways. As a result, he said, a direct marketing mailing cost $15,000 and brought in 200 new customers; a billboard ad cost $7,500 and won 300 new customers; and tweeting the promotion on Twitter attracted 1,800 new customers. No wonder he loves the online approach and is in demand as a consultant by businesses as large as Disney and as small as neighborhood hardware stores.
Full story at: http://tinyurl.com/coqhap
March 12, 2009: summarized from The New York Times -- Passionate New York Jets fan. Keen Knicks fan. Spends hours a day on the social networking sites Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr. Imbued of an entrepreneurial spirit - he even dreams of owning the Jets someday. Gary Vaynerchuk may sound like an all-American boy, but at 33 he is a successful, grown-up businessman who has put his enthusiasms - and his penchant for publicity - to work in achieving 15-fold sales growth in his family's wine business in the last decade, to $60 million.
He rebranded the shop, which was founded by his father, Sasha Vaynerchuk, a Russian immigrant, in Springfield, N.J., as the Wine Library and began online sales in 1997, when he was still in college. Since then he has steadily advanced his Internet-based marketing skills. His sites are tv.winelibrary.com, where his daily webcast, "The Thunder Show," has won a wide following, and garyvaynerchuk.com.
Last December, seeking to enhance sales, he offered free shipping and promoted it three ways. As a result, he said, a direct marketing mailing cost $15,000 and brought in 200 new customers; a billboard ad cost $7,500 and won 300 new customers; and tweeting the promotion on Twitter attracted 1,800 new customers. No wonder he loves the online approach and is in demand as a consultant by businesses as large as Disney and as small as neighborhood hardware stores.
Full story at: http://tinyurl.com/coqhap
First Thing, Make Sure Your Team Knows What 'Social Media' Means
CM Comment: Everywhere we hear the buzz about 'social media' yet it often seems that everyone's definition is different. This article suggests some things to consider as you seek to get your marketing team aligned.
March 11, 2009: summarized from vator.tv -- Ready to dip your toes into the expanding pool of social media applications? The space is moving fast, and there are a number of elements to consider.
Make sure you and your team fully understands what social media means. Don't assume you already know everything. I summarize social media as digital communities in which individuals shift fluidly and flexibly between the role of audience and author; it provides a platform for interaction, communication and sharing amongst users with common interests.
Consider alternative metrics. While it's specific to the client objective and function of the application, examples include time spent, invites sent, icons installed, views, posts and traffic spikes during partnerships. Again social media isn't like buying banners on massive reach content sites, so each opportunity is unique and, therefore, each buy will be unique.
Don't view social media only as buying Facebook or MySpace -- the two largest social networking properties in the world. Consider that you are buying an audience, not a social network. It doesn't make sense if you buy social media just because it's social media. If that planner was buying moms, for example, he or she could buy advertising around Circle of Moms, the largest community of moms on Facebook with a membership of 2.2 million. Yes, it's built on Facebook, and therefore it has all of the social and engagement components you'd want. However, at the end of the day, your interest still lies with the moms and what you can talk to them about, not the platform they are communicating on.
If you are considering building a social community and you can't answer these questions don't do it: Do I have great content to provide the user base? Do I have media support to drive traffic? Is there a pre-existing community to partner with that is aligned with my marketing goals? Can this campaign live far longer than my banner campaign for flight dates closer to 90-120 days? If I get an engaged user base, what will I say to them and will I re-market to them if they give me info? Will my traffic and app installs be transparent so I know who my audience is?
Test, test, test. If you have considered buying a sponsorship on a popular iPhone application -- go for it! The clients who get in now will be the first movers and gain the most knowledge, not the ones on the sideline. If you get stuck on the sideline watching your competition zoom by, what do you gain? Can you ever discover alternative ad offerings if you don't test?
Ask your sales rep for help. If you are having trouble selling a concept, an idea or the belief that these new social media platforms are the way to go, look to your sales rep for guidance -- they are there to support you, but they can't help if you don't give them access to a client or your boss.
In 2009, social networking sites will exceed even the loftiest of expectations as it relates to user adoption, traffic, and page views. Don't find yourself wondering "what if?" or "I really wish I could have..." Act now!
Full story at: http://tinyurl.com/cqubzh
March 11, 2009: summarized from vator.tv -- Ready to dip your toes into the expanding pool of social media applications? The space is moving fast, and there are a number of elements to consider.
Make sure you and your team fully understands what social media means. Don't assume you already know everything. I summarize social media as digital communities in which individuals shift fluidly and flexibly between the role of audience and author; it provides a platform for interaction, communication and sharing amongst users with common interests.
Consider alternative metrics. While it's specific to the client objective and function of the application, examples include time spent, invites sent, icons installed, views, posts and traffic spikes during partnerships. Again social media isn't like buying banners on massive reach content sites, so each opportunity is unique and, therefore, each buy will be unique.
Don't view social media only as buying Facebook or MySpace -- the two largest social networking properties in the world. Consider that you are buying an audience, not a social network. It doesn't make sense if you buy social media just because it's social media. If that planner was buying moms, for example, he or she could buy advertising around Circle of Moms, the largest community of moms on Facebook with a membership of 2.2 million. Yes, it's built on Facebook, and therefore it has all of the social and engagement components you'd want. However, at the end of the day, your interest still lies with the moms and what you can talk to them about, not the platform they are communicating on.
If you are considering building a social community and you can't answer these questions don't do it: Do I have great content to provide the user base? Do I have media support to drive traffic? Is there a pre-existing community to partner with that is aligned with my marketing goals? Can this campaign live far longer than my banner campaign for flight dates closer to 90-120 days? If I get an engaged user base, what will I say to them and will I re-market to them if they give me info? Will my traffic and app installs be transparent so I know who my audience is?
Test, test, test. If you have considered buying a sponsorship on a popular iPhone application -- go for it! The clients who get in now will be the first movers and gain the most knowledge, not the ones on the sideline. If you get stuck on the sideline watching your competition zoom by, what do you gain? Can you ever discover alternative ad offerings if you don't test?
Ask your sales rep for help. If you are having trouble selling a concept, an idea or the belief that these new social media platforms are the way to go, look to your sales rep for guidance -- they are there to support you, but they can't help if you don't give them access to a client or your boss.
In 2009, social networking sites will exceed even the loftiest of expectations as it relates to user adoption, traffic, and page views. Don't find yourself wondering "what if?" or "I really wish I could have..." Act now!
Full story at: http://tinyurl.com/cqubzh
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Twitterpated: More and More Mobile Americans Take to Tweeting
CM Comment: Provides a decent sense of Twitter and where its usage fits in today's media environment. Clearly this is not yet a medium for connecting with the casino demographic, but with the way things can change so rapidly it’s worth keeping any eye on.
February 12, 2009: from Pew Research Center -- In the past three years, developments in social networking and Internet applications have begun providing Internet users with more opportunities for sharing short updates about themselves, their lives, and their whereabouts online. Users may post messages about their status, their moods, their location and other tidbits on social networks and blogging sites, or on applications for sending out short messages to networks of friends like Twitter, Yammer and others.
As of December 2008, 11% of online American adults said they used a service like Twitter or another service that allowed them to share updates about themselves or to see the updates of others. Just a few weeks earlier, in November 2008, 9% of Internet users used Twitter or updated their status online and in May 2008, 6% of Internet users responded yes to a slightly different question, where users were asked if they used "Twitter or another ‘microblogging' service to share updates about themselves or to see updates about others."
Of the standalone applications that enable short messaging to a network of friends, Twitter is the most well known. First made available to those online in August 2006, Twitter allows users to send messages, known as "tweets" from a computer or a mobile device like a mobile phone, Blackberry or iPhone. Users of the service are asked to post messages of no more than 140 characters and those messages are delivered to others who have signed up to receive them such as family, friends or colleagues.
Twitter and similar services have been most avidly embraced by young adults. Nearly one-in-five (19%) online adults ages 18 to 24 have ever used Twitter and its ilk, as have 20% of online adults ages 25 to 34. Use of these services drops off steadily after age 35 with 10% of 35-to-44 year-olds and 5% of those ages 45 to 54 using Twitter. The decline is even more stark among older Internet users; 4% of 55-to-64 year-olds and 2% of those age 65 and older use Twitter.
The use of Twitter is highly intertwined with the use of other social media; both blogging and social network use increase the likelihood that an individual also uses Twitter. Adults who use online social networks are much more likely to say that they have used Twitter or some other service to update their status and read the status updates of others. Nearly one quarter (23%) of social network users say they have ever Twittered or used a similar service. In comparison, just 4% of those who do not use social networks have ever used Twitter or updated their status online.
As noted above, Twitter users are overwhelmingly young. However, unlike the majority of other applications with a similarly large percentage of youth, Twitter use is not dominated by the youngest of young adults. Indeed, the median age of a Twitter user is 31. In comparison, the median age of a MySpace user is 27, Facebook user is 26 and LinkedIn user is 40.
Full story at: http://tinyurl.com/dc96tf
February 12, 2009: from Pew Research Center -- In the past three years, developments in social networking and Internet applications have begun providing Internet users with more opportunities for sharing short updates about themselves, their lives, and their whereabouts online. Users may post messages about their status, their moods, their location and other tidbits on social networks and blogging sites, or on applications for sending out short messages to networks of friends like Twitter, Yammer and others.
As of December 2008, 11% of online American adults said they used a service like Twitter or another service that allowed them to share updates about themselves or to see the updates of others. Just a few weeks earlier, in November 2008, 9% of Internet users used Twitter or updated their status online and in May 2008, 6% of Internet users responded yes to a slightly different question, where users were asked if they used "Twitter or another ‘microblogging' service to share updates about themselves or to see updates about others."
Of the standalone applications that enable short messaging to a network of friends, Twitter is the most well known. First made available to those online in August 2006, Twitter allows users to send messages, known as "tweets" from a computer or a mobile device like a mobile phone, Blackberry or iPhone. Users of the service are asked to post messages of no more than 140 characters and those messages are delivered to others who have signed up to receive them such as family, friends or colleagues.
Twitter and similar services have been most avidly embraced by young adults. Nearly one-in-five (19%) online adults ages 18 to 24 have ever used Twitter and its ilk, as have 20% of online adults ages 25 to 34. Use of these services drops off steadily after age 35 with 10% of 35-to-44 year-olds and 5% of those ages 45 to 54 using Twitter. The decline is even more stark among older Internet users; 4% of 55-to-64 year-olds and 2% of those age 65 and older use Twitter.
The use of Twitter is highly intertwined with the use of other social media; both blogging and social network use increase the likelihood that an individual also uses Twitter. Adults who use online social networks are much more likely to say that they have used Twitter or some other service to update their status and read the status updates of others. Nearly one quarter (23%) of social network users say they have ever Twittered or used a similar service. In comparison, just 4% of those who do not use social networks have ever used Twitter or updated their status online.
As noted above, Twitter users are overwhelmingly young. However, unlike the majority of other applications with a similarly large percentage of youth, Twitter use is not dominated by the youngest of young adults. Indeed, the median age of a Twitter user is 31. In comparison, the median age of a MySpace user is 27, Facebook user is 26 and LinkedIn user is 40.
Full story at: http://tinyurl.com/dc96tf
Marketing A Casino During A Recession
February 28, 2009: from Casino Journal -- Most, if not all, sectors will be affected by the economic downturn. Whether it manifests in fluctuating occupancy rates, casino visitors or reservation conversions, the hotel and casino industry will be no exception. To make strategies for optimizing web presence, hotel-casino properties need to be strategic about online marketing plans to ensure they are maximizing every channel the digital space has to offer.
By reevaluating a marketing mix, advertisers can research and isolate components that are no longer effective in times when consumers are hesitant to spend; it can also unearth channels that are better suited to reach users when they are spending more time researching purchases and less time actually making them. Once marketers acquire this information, they can make smart budgetary choices that make the most impact with users. Good news for marketers is that while users may cut back on their spending, they are still active online. eMarketer reported in January that users spend 30 percent of their leisure time online; this number is up from 15 percent last year. This means that marketers still have an opportunity to reach online users-even more than in years past-attract casino visitors, and meet occupancy numbers.
As we all know, it is more expensive to acquire a new customer than to retain one. I urge marketing departments to take a look at their customer relationship management programs (CRM) to make absolutely certain that relationships with existing customers are not neglected. One point that I cannot overemphasize is that in the online space brand evangelists are a companies' greatest asset. By cultivating a relationship with previous guests-creating a more resilient bond-hotel and casinos can generate a base of brand fans that essentially do the job of a marketing team. With social communities, blogs, and review websites, users have a vast amount of online real estate to promote or slander their experiences at your property. Digital marketers need to use this to their advantage as much as possible. Whenever appropriate feature links to guide satisfied users to these sites and encourage their participation. This will help marketers get the most traction out of each interaction and positive user experience without any additional outreach. Peer reviews influential factors during a customer's purchase decision making process, so tapping into this conversation is extremely effective.
By paying attention to how users interact with your web site, how they find you, and where they are in a conversion funnel, sales teams are also in a better position to reassess their efforts to capitalize on inbound leads. When every sale counts, analytics data can illuminate user insights, such as brand affinity or path to purchase.
While not ideal, a recession does force marketers revamp stagnate campaigns and maximize our creative muscles. By optimizing each component of a marketing plan, you can better drive relevant traffic to your Web site. These efforts will ensure that when the economy rebounds, you will have a stronger base of loyal customers and a firmer grasp of what works best to acquire new ones. This solid foundation also will help you execute more extensive or experimental campaigns when budgets loosen and consumers have more to spend.
Full story at: http://tinyurl.com/aowb2j
By reevaluating a marketing mix, advertisers can research and isolate components that are no longer effective in times when consumers are hesitant to spend; it can also unearth channels that are better suited to reach users when they are spending more time researching purchases and less time actually making them. Once marketers acquire this information, they can make smart budgetary choices that make the most impact with users. Good news for marketers is that while users may cut back on their spending, they are still active online. eMarketer reported in January that users spend 30 percent of their leisure time online; this number is up from 15 percent last year. This means that marketers still have an opportunity to reach online users-even more than in years past-attract casino visitors, and meet occupancy numbers.
As we all know, it is more expensive to acquire a new customer than to retain one. I urge marketing departments to take a look at their customer relationship management programs (CRM) to make absolutely certain that relationships with existing customers are not neglected. One point that I cannot overemphasize is that in the online space brand evangelists are a companies' greatest asset. By cultivating a relationship with previous guests-creating a more resilient bond-hotel and casinos can generate a base of brand fans that essentially do the job of a marketing team. With social communities, blogs, and review websites, users have a vast amount of online real estate to promote or slander their experiences at your property. Digital marketers need to use this to their advantage as much as possible. Whenever appropriate feature links to guide satisfied users to these sites and encourage their participation. This will help marketers get the most traction out of each interaction and positive user experience without any additional outreach. Peer reviews influential factors during a customer's purchase decision making process, so tapping into this conversation is extremely effective.
By paying attention to how users interact with your web site, how they find you, and where they are in a conversion funnel, sales teams are also in a better position to reassess their efforts to capitalize on inbound leads. When every sale counts, analytics data can illuminate user insights, such as brand affinity or path to purchase.
While not ideal, a recession does force marketers revamp stagnate campaigns and maximize our creative muscles. By optimizing each component of a marketing plan, you can better drive relevant traffic to your Web site. These efforts will ensure that when the economy rebounds, you will have a stronger base of loyal customers and a firmer grasp of what works best to acquire new ones. This solid foundation also will help you execute more extensive or experimental campaigns when budgets loosen and consumers have more to spend.
Full story at: http://tinyurl.com/aowb2j
Low Engagement?
CM Comment: Maybe Facebook isn't working as an ad platform, but seems like the research suggests positive implications for casino marketing.
Facebook Research Suggest Engagement Is Low
Wednesday, March 4th, 2009: from Marketing Pilgrim -- In an attempt to entice more of its users to engage advertisers, Facebook is planning a re-design of its "Pages." However, new research from The Participatory Marketing Network (PMN) suggests that it may not be the ad format that's the problem, but the platform itself.
According to a study of 220 social network users aged between 18-24, they're just not that interested in ads on social networking sites. 62 percent of Gen Y's have visited a brand or fan page on a social network, but only 48 percent have joined.
The top five reasons for joining a brand or fan group are to "get news or product updates" (67 percent), "view promotions" (64 percent), "view or download music or videos" (41 percent), "submit opinions" (36 percent), and "connect with other customers" (33 percent). While 84 percent noticed ads on social networks, 74 percent say they click infrequently and 36 percent say they don't click on ads at all. Only 19 percent say they find ads on social networks relevant. 51 percent say they'd join a separate social network to manage their brand interactions.
Full story at: http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=hiuvsycab.0.0.o7uw4wcab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Ftinyurl.com%2Fdalno7&id=preview
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