Social Takes the Lead and The Rise of Amazon

by Shane O’Neill, Vice President

According to the 2018 State of Digital Advertising report, Social Media has become the #1 digital marketing medium. On the rise is Amazon, who is planting their flag as the e-commerce giant…but opportunities for the local retailer are available, although many are unaware.

Social Takes the Lead

Social Media has become the most popular form of digital advertising with 90% of advertisers investing in the medium. This is a notable difference between the other top digital platforms, YouTube/Google Display at 78% and Paid Search at 76%. In fact, it dominates digital marketing budgets with advertisers, dedicating nearly 30% of their marketing dollars to Social Media. Yes, Facebook is still King with 41.3% of the allocation and Instagram at a distant second at 16.3%

The Rise of Amazon

We all know that Amazon is the e-commerce powerhouse, but there are still ways for retailers to capitalize on the massive amount of consumer traffic who are ready to buy. In fact, 56.6% of the retail industry views Amazon as a growth opportunity. While selling products on Amazon can present issues for some retailers, there are other options. Many don’t realize that a retailer can advertise on Amazon without selling product on Amazon using Product Display Ads. These display ads actually link back to the retailer’s website!

As you start planning for 2019, how does this information shape your marketing objectives? Amazon is an example of a new advertising medium that needs to be explored. How can it work for you vs. just competition? As we always say, it starts with a plan.