Mobile advertising is becoming an integral part of advertising strategies due to the fact that it can conveniently reach consumers right in the palm of their hands. This year, it seems the best way to reach users are through apps as they are being downloaded everyday for almost any occasion, opening the door to integrate mobile advertising more fluidly in a campaign while search, shop and share tools, such as QR codes, continue to play a major role.

With 95% of mobile users downloading and using free apps, worldwide mobile app revenue will triple to $15.1 billion and downloads will more than double to 17.7 billion this year alone. While it is estimated that 51% of the US will have smart phones by the end of 2011, the popularity of tablets are growing as well with speculation that 50 million Americans will own a tablet computer in the next year. To keep the increasing number of tablet and smart phone users engaged through apps, iAds – a new form of mobile advertising that explores the capabilities of smart phones and tablets through rich media – is needed. Even more so when considering that mobile app revenue, especially for free apps, is made by cost-per-click mobile ads. While CPC mobile ads are a great way to advertise, CPC ad dollars are often wasted because users frequently click or tap the ads by mistake. In fact, a survey conducted by Pontiflex and Harris Interactive found that 47% of mobile app users click ads unintentionally with 61% being 18-34 year olds – the most active group of mobile users. However, the survey also found the solution that 71% of app users prefer in-app ads that don’t take them out of the app.

The Tron movie and Campbell’s Soup in-app ads are great examples that showcase the ease of use and creative possibilities of mobile advertising. The Tron movie in-app ad was one of the first highly interactive and graphical iAd campaigns featured on the iPad, utilizing videos, a photo gallery, theater locater with showtimes, preview and purchase of the movie soundtrack, and sharing through email and social media. Similarly, the Campbell’s iAd featured reformatted condensed soups, recipes, coupons and links to download all within an interactive and convenient interface. A survey focused on the success of iAds even stated, “consumers shown an iAd remembered the brand five times more often than TV ad respondents and the ad messaging three times more often.”

Based on our research of in-app mobile advertising, there are endless possibilities in combining full interaction and emotion with user-friendly aesthetics. Mobile advertising is different from online advertising; with innovative technology and interface capabilities such as swiping, sensors and GPS, it makes sense to create an app within an app for a more uninterrupted, engaged experience.

To heighten the engagement, having the in-app ad relevant to the actual app and following through on what is advertised is imperative. For example, since mobile gaming is the most popular app category, even mimicking a highly interactive game can engage and connect with users more.

Two additional features that should be utilized are location based ads combined with special offers. 57% of users are more likely to engage with an ad that is relevant to their location while 17% of consumers make purchases because of those ads. Ads containing local coupons, deals or newsletters are more likely to be clicked on as well. Lastly, don’t forget to also incorporate social media to top off the experience and allow others to be engaged.

As iAds and in-app ads are reinventing mobile advertising with fully interactive experiences and emotional impact, there’s more to be said about mobile websites and mobile search. Stay tuned for Mobile Advertising Part 2 in next month’s blog.

*BONUS* Check out this video that showcases the “flashy” interactive things that can be done with in-app ads:

With Red Bulls in hand and an awesome concept in mind, the Mindgruve Development Team joined fellow developers and designers at the 1st Annual Hackathon SD, brought to you by the folks at OpenCandy! Their mission: create an award-winning mobile application in only 23 hours.

Countless energy drinks, candy bars and three short naps later, we developed an app – The Golden Sanctuary – sure to be useful for people on the go, travelers and anyone else in search of the cleanest throne in the city – as well as some funny stuff to read and do once you get there. Check out our wireframes, comps and highlights from the event!

February 18, 7:05PM:
Team Mindgruve puts their thinking caps on and prepares for a long night ahead.

February 18, 7:45PM:
Team Mindgruve sketches out an awesome wireframe to set the plan in motion, determine navigation and much more.

February 18, 11:18PM:
As the clock draws closer to midnight, Team Mindgruve finalizes the logo as they begin to create a mock homepage in their dimly lit refuge.

February 19, 2:08AM:
While the rest of San Diego is sleeping, all teams stay up in the wee hours of the night, designing, mocking and coding.

February 19, 6:32AM:
Good morning! Team Mindgruve refuels with a somewhat nutritious (do licorice and Oreos count?) breakfast as they continue the HTML and CSS coding process.

February 19, 9:55AM:
Team Mindgruve makes coding look so easy, they can even do it with their eyes closed!

February 19, 10:00AM:
Shortly after 9:55AM (while Chris and Matt code their hearts out) our designer/designated photographer, Nate, is down for the count.*

Sorry, no picture available – for obvious reasons.
*PLEASE NOTE: Nate is the last to take his well-deserved nap.

February 19, 5:49PM:
As the final hour approaches, Team Mindgruve looks lively and adds the finishing code and design touches.

February 19, 8:00PM:
TIME! Laptops down! The coding may be over, but apps must be presented, a winner announced, then celebrations galore at Voyeur!

Curious to see this mobile app in action? Pull out your smartphones and try it out - http://thegoldensanctuary.com. Plus, there’s more to come! If you have any ideas on what you’d like to see in this quirky app, leave us a comment below with your suggestions!

If you’re impressed with our work and want to develop a mobile application for your brand, please contact Michael Garten at 949-698-2983 for more information on how we can partner.

There is no doubt that digital media is becoming more and more prominent every day. Everything has a website, it’s all about fans and followers, there’s an app for “that,” and tablets are making print feel irrelevant. However, despite rumors and myths, digital is not replacing traditional media; it is enhancing it. While advertisements have shifted from “buy now” to “follow us,” traditional media is being forced to learn how to play with digital media to create a more well-rounded, powerful campaign. Because of this, companies are starting to take digital media more seriously realizing its importance in creating value for consumers. It’s this user value that provides the most powerful impact.

Thanks to the Y generation, traditional media now plays a different role when it comes to a campaign. It hasn’t lost its power to reach masses, in fact that’s where its strongpoint is. Traditional media’s ability to reach masses is used for “introducing” a campaign and driving consumers to digital media. Digital media in return, ultimately turns into brand loyalty and conversion rates. It is suggested that 70% of budgeting should be spent on traditional media to ultimately drive consumers to digital media. Thus, to be popular online, offline advertising is still key.

Let’s look at the most talked about campaign of 2010 – The Old Spice Man Your Man Could Smell Like. Reaching over 1.4 billion impressions, doubling in sales, and reigning as the top men’s body wash brand, this campaign is a touchstone example of how both medias can work together to create a fully integrated branding experience. It spent a generous amount of budget on television to introduce the campaign during the Winter Olympics and Super Bowl, then unleashed on digital media with their personalized responses via YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. “Brands don’t make viral videos, users make videos viral,” states Dan Greenberg from Sharethrough, a company that specializes in viral videos. Old Spice proved this statement by only creating The Old Spice Man, while users created the experience (and loyalty) that it is known for today.

In this shifting marketing landscape, value for the consumer is priority #1. We must play in their channels and interact on their level. Phones are a lifeline in getting information, planning their day, and capturing their lives. Social media shares their lives and opinions. Movies, shows and music should be available at any time. And open, user-generated content is more credible and entertaining.

What does this mean? Personalization, interactivity and convenience are the new focus. Using traditional media to open the door and digital to build the campaign’s “house.” Some ways this is happening include: “advertainment” commercials that are completed by going on a website and/or social media, QR codes and augmented reality on printed media for exclusive content or faster access to websites, radio spots promoting local promotions that require consumers to use their smartphones to check in, and special offers and events on social media just to name a few of the opportunities.

In order to have a successful campaign, digital media is now a vital investment to create engagement and value. But, traditional media should not be forgotten as a driving force to ensure your best outcome.

As 2010 comes to a close, we’re recapping Mindgruve’s Top 3 Predictions for 2010 and looking forward to what 2011 will bring.

First, at the beginning of 2010, we said SEO and social media would be huge and they were. In addition to Google and Bing’s search results that feature Facebook and Twitter posts, Clickz notes that link building through social media can help generate leads, while the recent Facebook-Bing partnership indicates the growing importance of social media’s relationship with search.

Second, as the use of smartphones and location based mobile apps increased, so too did the growth of geo-targeted special offers. Keeping in line with American Express’ research which finds that one of the top five consumer buying trends is checking in to claim deals.

Finally, though Twitter was big for business, we believe Facebook’s ability to customize and personalize content took the lead as it launched Facebook Places and Facebook Deals (Gap’s overwhelmingly successful Facebook deal comes to mind), while use of FBML tabs increased with many companies, such as Procter & Gamble, creating branded shops within Facebook.

Moving into 2011, we’re armed with our three predictions for what will make its mark on digital media.

1. Visual Impact
The launch of Yelp’s Augmented Reality marked the beginning of visual search and helped pave the way for other visually focused apps/tools, such as Google Goggles, which is placing increased importance on instant information retrieval through images.

With technology like Google Goggles, we believe we will see more brands extend their traditional marketing by directing consumers, who will snap pictures of products or promotions, to conversion-centric mobile hubs. Though only a handful of brands are testing out the popularity of the goggles, it’s worth mentioning that mobile photo application Instagram sees “two to three photo uploads per second” and mobile photo sharing applications are increasing. This is important because it’s highlighting the visual shift away from text-based content in real-world settings, giving us a glimpse of consumer interests and their willingness to view the world through a phone.

2. Television Plus
Television + interactive + mobile + ______. The point is that we saw traditional TV shift in 2010 with social media’s growing role in television and the increase of timeshifting TV viewers, giving way to a less traditional, more engaged television experience in 2011. With enhanced television technology, such as the new Apple TV and AT&T U-Verse capabilities (e.g. mobile TV applications, pause and play from multiple TVs, XBOX connectivity), consumers are given the opportunity to view what they want, when they want it and on the platform of their choice. This leads to what Advertising Age aptly refers to as a fractured media market.

To leverage the user’s new viewing habits advertisers must take advantage of existing channels (social sites, websites and online broadcasters) to deliver ever-increasing opportunities for personalized engagement through the new technology. We’ve already begun to see advertisers seamlessly adapt to the shift in television with shorter ad formats. Furthermore, with the introduction of more integrated marketing like that of Columbia Sportswear and a “real-world testing environment” for interactive TV (backed by CBS and Time Warner), it’s clear that the need to provide branded, engaging experiences doesn’t end with TV, but could now start there.

3. On the Move Marketing
Mobile is BIG and getting bigger every day. According to a study by Wilson Electronics, 4.6 billion phones are in use around the world. In addition, a recent Nielsen survey shows that mobile e-mail is used more than desktop email, while mobile social media use has increased to an average of 3.1 hours per week by user. Furthermore, out of 300,000 mobile users, 30% preferred using their mobile phone to discover breaking news.

The takeaway: consumers are on the move and unlikely to sit still in 2011, meaning  marketing efforts will have to move as well. With mobile phones, as well as tablets and laptops, the need for instant gratification and convenience is growing, as is the use of QR codes, in-app advertising and geo-targeted mobile ads. Brands will need to adjust their mobile websites, traditional and digital marketing campaigns, and mobile email strategy (an important factor to play up since RingCentral discovered a large majority of business professionals do business through a smartphone) in order to fit into a consumer’s on the go lifestyle by offering targeted, topical points of interaction.

There you have it! Our predictions for 2011. Since new trends are rapidly developing,  we’ll continue to keep our finger on the pulse of the industry, bringing you insights and best practices. We wish you a happy holiday and an even happier new year!

In recent months, we’ve seen rebranding hits and misses by several well-known companies that have either left consumers embracing their new image or alienated them with uninformed changes. Understanding how a brand sets the stage for meaningful interaction and advocacy within your audience, we studied these recent efforts to get to the heart of what makes a successful rebranding: balance. Company goals, messaging, culture and strengths must balance with audience expectations and a digital strategy to effectively introduce your new brand identity.

But, before undergoing a rebrand of any sort, it’s important to consider the reasons for doing so:

• First, sympathizing with Business Insider, a “successful rebranding involves overhauling a company’s goals, message, and culture.” Simply changing a logo isn’t enough to change the bond you have (or hope to create) with your audience.
• Second, knowing your strengths can help develop a new brand that caters to you and drive future success with brand advocates.
• Third, rolling out a new brand through a well-defined digital strategy that includes online and mobile channels is imperative in engaging your target at the spaces where they spend a majority of their time.
• Finally, as Myspace discovered in their recent brand refresh, awareness of your audience and their expectations of you is just as important as how you view yourself.

An intricate strategy in place to balance these areas can mean saving time and work wasted on an unappealing brand that lacks direction and impact. With this in mind, we took a closer look at two brands that have made strides and setbacks in their brand.

The Hit: San Diego Zoo

• Company Goals, Message and Culture: Job well done. Before rolling out a new, cohesive brand for all three San Diego Zoo entities, the goal was to ensure they appear unified and highlight the San Diego Zoo’s efforts in conservation.
• Core Strengths: The San Diego Zoo’s strengths lie in the culture that it has developed since 1916. Conservation and education are important elements of who they are and we believe the new brand reflects this well through the identity system and communication of zoo programs and initiatives.
• Digital Rollout: Before the new brand was introduced, San Diego Zoo did a wonderful job of engaging the community. After the rebrand, their Facebook page, Twitter page and website continue to create an educational experience that allow the community to help in conservation efforts, play educational games and adopt animals.
• Audience Expectations: San Diego Zoo did their research. They knew the name “Safari Park” better represents the experience people have at San Diego Zoo Safari Park. They also understand the fun, family-oriented experience of both parks and the educational experience of the institute needed to be captured in the new identity system when compared to the old, corporate-looking logo.

The Miss: Gap

• Company Goals, Message and Culture: Unfortunately, Gap fired a complete dud. Rolling out a new (less than liked) logo in early-October, the public was quick to call them out with “Crap Logo Yourself.” Gap did little to connect their new visual representation with what a Gap spokesperson later told us was meant to “signify Gap’s transition from classic America design to modern, sexy, cool.”
• Core Strengths: Gap’s strength as a clothing brand is that they are considered iconic by many, creating what Brand New calls “a cool, breezy, and sophisticated brand visual language.” The hasty switch to the new logo did little to enhance the appeal they had or highlight their shift to “modern, sexy, cool.”
• Digital Rollout: Overall, Gap is doing what they can to create a large digital presence (recent Groupon deals and Facebook check-ins come to mind), but have yet to embrace it in a branded way to engage with their customers beyond “big savings.” Prior to the new logo, Gap did a good job at engaging the community with store news, giveaways and styling tips. After the new logo, all hope for a revised digital strategy was lost when Gap failed to properly introduce the online community to it.
• Audience Expectations: Gap found out a little too late what their audience wanted. After introducing the new logo and receiving a flood of negative feedback, Gap attempted to quell the mob’s anger by calling it a “crowd sourcing project,” which did little to smooth things over. In the end, Gap ditched the new logo and crowd sourcing plans, illustrating why proactively discovering a target audience is much better than reacting to their negativity.

As you can see, a rebranding must be balanced through all four areas we looked at. What recent rebrands do you think are hits or misses?

Marketing within apps and games is revolutionizing how marketers reach new consumers

Due to the continued innovation of the smart phone, mobile apps have become a huge part of the new media industry. In particular, mobile games have seen a big benefit from this rise in popularity, accounting for 5%, or $500 million, of U.S. gaming sales in 2009 alone. These new mediums have given marketers a whole new venue to reach its specific target audiences directly and engage them in a way they have never been able to before. There are many advantages to the use of mobile ads and we believe that they will become a very effective marketing method due to their specificity and diversity.

One advantage is the potential for massive exposure because there are now over 49 million smart phone users. Recent mobile phenomenon such as Angry Birds and Words With Friends has shown that it is possible for marketers to get millions of impressions from a single app or game. Compared to console games which feature less intrusive advertising, mobiles games offer more direct advertising in order to leave an impression on its audience. This new medium also allows for a wide range of creative possibilities because of advanced smartphone technologies such as touch screens and gyroscopes that result in more clicks. For example, Greystripe has shown that their interactive ads for Sony Pictures Home Entertainment increased overall product awareness by 19%. Advertisements can now be just as engaging and interactive as apps themselves which will leave a bigger impression on users. Aside from engagement and production, there are also significant advantages demographically.

Mobile ads allow marketers to more accurately and effectively target advertisements toward certain demographics. In general, smart phone users are a valuable demographic because they are generally between the ages of 18 and 35 and have a large steady income. However, ads can still be placed within many games or applications to reach many specific demographics, making marketers campaigns much more effective. Marketers also have the option of reaching selected demographics by creating ads for a specific app store. Android users tend to be younger than Apple users while Apple users tend to be wealthier and more educated. Finally, ads can be highly localized because of most smart phones built-in GPS capabilities. This makes them particularly useful for local businesses and companies looking to reach potential consumers in a new and captivating way.

Mobile ads are an exciting addition for marketers looking to publicize their products in new mediums. They offer a different level of diversity, creativity and engagement that is difficult to find in other marketing venues. With many companies redeveloping their digital strategies and embracing in app/game advertising, innovation is sure to continue and these ads will become a mainstay for marketers moving forward.

The past few years have seen many innovations in the world of mobile marketing, one of the biggest being the use of digital barcodes. Digital barcodes, or Quick Response codes, are barcodes that, when scanned using a mobile device’s QR code reader, lead users to promotional information designated by the creator. We believe digital barcodes will help mobile marketing finally break into the mainstream. They create a more intimate experience for users as well as increase the effectiveness and response time of opt-in marketing campaigns.

The biggest advantage to a digital barcode campaign is an increase in user engagement. Digital barcodes create a more enticing, personal experience for users that is hard to replicate in other mediums. They also have the ability to quickly show the success of a campaign based on the number of scans per location, which can be measured at any time. Additionally, digital barcodes can drive quality traffic to a company’s website or landing page, allowing for targeted marketing. Finally, consumers that use the bar codes are showing an immediate interest, making it easier for companies to get visitors to interact with their product or service.

This is perfectly demonstrated by a digital barcode campaign that was recently launched by Calvin Klein to support their new lines of X jeans. Billboards were placed in New York and Los Angeles with a digital barcode on them in place of the normally racy billboard. If scanned, the ad promised an uncensored version for private viewing. With the campaign, Calvin Klein enticed consumers to visit its site under their own volition and to engage with their new product in influencer markets.

QR Codes have also been used for other types of campaigns. The nonprofit group Women of the Storm used digital barcodes to rally support for restoration of the Gulf Coast after the BP oil spill. The Be the One Campaign, with the assistance of ScanLife, created a digital barcode that leads to their website. This barcode was then put on display in Times Square as well as printed on stickers and T-shirts. To date, it has resulted in over 120,000 people signing up to support their cause.

While there are many advantages to a digital barcode campaign, there are some drawbacks to be considered. The technology is still very new and in most cases requires a smartphone. Marketers will also need to make sure they have a significant web presence. With this type of campaign, companies must ensure that consumers will remain engaged once they hit the landing page or the campaign is destined to fail.

This technology is an exciting look into the future of marketing. We are currently utilizing one on our building for our Google business listing and believe that digital barcodes offer many options for engaging the audience with creative, versatile opt-in marketing campaigns. While there are still some issues to work around, this technology offers the ability take mobile marketing to a whole new level.

If you or your company is interested in learning more about the potential for digital barcode campaigns, please contact Michael Garten by phone (949.698.2983), on Twitter or through Linkedin.

The 6th Annual Interactive Day San Diego has wrapped and we couldn’t have asked for a better day of fun and learning with industry thought leaders regarding mobile, web design, online video, SEO, social media, email marketing and more!

Together with SanDiego.com and Chad Robley, sponsoring IDSD 2010 was an honor for Mindgruve and we’re already looking forward to next year! If you didn’t get a chance to check out the event, here are our highlights:

Opening  Session: 2020 Vision: The Most Important Advertising Issues for This Decade with Jack Myers, Founder of M.E.D.I.Advisory Group
Jack Myers kicked things off by discussing the changes happening in the market today, forcing advertisers and marketers to be more innovative than ever. Read the full recap…

Email Plus with Joel Book, Exact Target
Pointing out that email marketing is nothing new and still a very lucrative business, Joel Book explained some key insights, including the fact that 75% of social media users say email is the best way for companies to communicate with consumers. Read the full recap…

SignOnSanDiego.com Social Media Demonstration and Q&A with Mike Hodges, SignOnSanDiego.com, and Indra Gardiner, Bailey Gardiner
Mike Hodges led the group in a social media demonstration, discussing the importance of creativity in order to have more consumer impact. Indra Gardiner also shared her thoughts on how social media guidelines are key to leveraging client and company interactions. Read the full recap…

Advanced SEO with Rand Fishkin, SEOMOZ.org
Rand Fishkin discussed the balance of SEO vs PPC budget and the four areas of SEO acceleration, laying out the formula to increasing individual rankings: low competition + high search volume + high value to visitor. Read the full recap…

Mobile Marketing with Amielle Lake, Tagga
Amielle Lake explained the marketing shift taking place in the industry, moving from traditional to digital to mobile marketing. Noting that the mobile target is millennials, digital moms and techie men, she emphasized that efforts are most effective when it is campaign driven to offer immediate and branded payoff to consumer. Read the full recap…

ValueClick Media Demonstration and Q&A with Tony Winders, ValueClick Media, and Tamara Bousquet, MEA Digital
Together, Winders and Bousquet provided session attendees with insight into the importance of ad exchanges, demand side platforms (DSPs) and ad verification in a media plan. Read the full recap…

Marketing Convergence – Are You Ready? with Warren Raisch, Digitaria
Warren Raisch led the discussion by providing key insights regarding marketing in the industry, noting that mobile is becoming the ultimate Channel Aggregation point and that 92% of social users trust a recommendation from people they know over the marketing channels. Read the full recap…

Luncheon Keynote: The Identity Web with Paul Ollinger, Facebook
Facebook’s Western Region VP of Sales discussed how the internet has changed social marketing to make it enormously effective for marketers, pointing out that relationships and authenticity will allow businesses to truly learn, grow and create a social web. Read the full recap…

“POV” Point of Video with Tod Sacerdoti, BrightRoll
Providing insights into the growing online video space, Tod Sacerdoti noted that online video advertising is the future and is the best place to involve yourself. Also offering tips for moving into online video advertising, Sacerdoti says it is important to test, measure and optimize, as well as remove under-performing content. Read the full recap…

Mindset Marketing with Denny Reinert, Placecast, and Andreas Roell, Geary Group
Using Placecast as an example, Reinert led the session with a special focus on reaching consumers while in the right mindset. For location-based marketing, an opt-in mobile service is the right way to engage with consumers. This and a combination of other factors create relevance and increase purchases. Read the full recap…

Website Redesign for Lead Generation with Rick Burnes, HubSpot
Burnes discussed that the purpose of a website redesign is to be found by more prospects and convert those prospects to leads and customers. All website redesigns should have specific goals in mind, while being aware that some design and taste sacrifices will need to made to generate traffic. Read the full recap…

Digital Download: What You Need to Know About Ad Networks with John Yearout, Undertone Networks
After reviewing the timeline of ad networks over the last 15 years, Yearout pointed out that as DSPs become more prevalent, ad networks need to deliver unique inventory, targeting, products, insights and research to stay relevant. Read the full recap…

Sorenson Media Demonstration and Q&A with Eric Quanstrom, Sorenson Media, and Montana Triplett, Tremor Media
Both industry experts made a point of saying that online video is still the wild wild west for marketing and advertising. A customized user experience should be based on your objectives. Read the full recap…

Google Analytics with Joshua Knox, Google Analytics
Google’s goal, as explained by Knox, is to speed up the web to improve conversion flow. Knox also led the group in better understanding the impact AdWords has in creating valuable traffic when used correctly. Read the full recap…

State of the Industry Roundtable
At the close of IDSD, Panelists Heather Blank, Responsys; Torrey Lincoln, LinkedIn; Brian Lynch, Yahoo!; Paul Ollinger, Facebook offered their thoughts on the State of the Industry as well as some companies to keep an eye on in the coming months.

If you’d like to learn more from or contact the presenters, a list of slide decks and twitter handles can be found at the San Diego Advertising Club Facebook page. We hope to see you next year at IDSD 2011!

New online campaign invites travelers to learn about San Diego North, visit and share their experiences.

SAN DIEGO,CA – February 3, 2010 – To start 2010 with positive tourism efforts, San Diego North Convention and Visitors Bureau enlisted Mindgruve, a San Diego-based Digital Media Agency, to develop and launch an online campaign that would engage travelers and encourage them to visit.

Launched January 22nd, the Great Story Campaign tells potential visitors to not be left without their great story by visiting San Diego North. Geo-targeting communities within driving distance of San Diego, including Phoenix, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco, paid search and behavioral media points consumers to conversion-centric landing pages that showcase deals, events and contests.

“While the tourism world is familiar with ‘San Diego,’ the north region offers an amazingly diverse list of activities and amenities that many aren’t aware of. As a perfect location for exploring all of southern California, we hear amazing stories about what people find every day. This campaign encompasses what San Diego North is all about – no matter what you do while you’re here, you’ll leave with an amazing story to tell when you get home,” stated San Diego North Director of Marketing, Barbara Bovee.

In addition to a traditional online campaign, Mindgruve has also helped San Diego North embrace social media to connect with travelers, share stories and increase contest entry. Mindgruve President, Chad Robley explained, “Traveling is an extremely social activity. Through these channels, it becomes infinitely easier to share experiences, give or get advice, and learn about unique deals. Adding a storytelling contest about previous trips, provides yet another channel of content to excite travelers about their potential trip.”

The great story campaign has been immediately embraced by travelers with increased site traffic and social media interaction.

About San Diego North

The San Diego North Convention and Visitors Bureau represents approximately 300 hotels spanning from La Jolla to Oceanside. By combining the efforts of these hotels to offer a cohesive message, San Diego North engages and incites travelers to explore the northern San Diego coastline and all the amenities it offers. www.sandiegonorth.com

1. SEOcial Media
With the recent upgrades by Google and Bing to integrate Facebook and Twitter posts into search results, as well as the powerful new real-time and personalization functionality, creating a symbiotic relationship between SEO and social media will be key to getting results. With many clients already questioning the ROI of social media, this might confuse them even more, but here are some of the basics to get you started:

• The bigger your social media presence, the more your links and content become available for search engines to aggregate.
• The more frequently you update/interact on your social media – especially within popular/trending topics – the more likely you are to rise in the search results, including real-time results.
• Monitoring micro-trends in your social media space will give you insights for adjusting your overall SEO strategy – providing your audience with more relevant and “clickable” results.

The list goes on, and as Google and Bing refine their new functionality, it will become more clear to how to make the most of it. For now, start thinking of your social media as an extension of your SEO efforts and vice versa.

2. Let’s Go GEO
What’s true in real estate is quickly becoming true in digital marketing: Location. Location. Location. The increased use of smart phones, localized search, geo tagging and augmented reality has opened the door to better access your target with relevant information, helping you find them, when they want you.

The area most likely for a boom of growth is the use of smart phones. Applications like FourSquare, Yowza and Yelp provide a location-based way to quickly find just about anything you’re looking for, as well as deals attached to it. Brand-specific apps like myStarbucks add another layer, offering store locators based on a variety of criteria and can alert other Starbucks fanatics of your whereabouts.

On top of that, Twitter is getting in on the act with it’s new geo tagging API. This means that geo tags will quickly be as important as #tags for joining conversations. Recent statistics by the National Retail Federation state that 60% of consumers will use social media to locate deals and coupons. Combine that with eMarketer’s finding that 45% of social network users in the U.S. will be accessing their social networks from their mobile devices, and we believe that location is quickly becoming a key component of conversions.

3. Micro Content Is Big Biz
We know, Twitter was already a big deal in 2009, but this year, people are actually going to figure out how to use it. Additionally, Twitter is in the process of rolling out several business friendly features.

Let’s start with the obvious. The new paid brand accounts offer something that has been lacking for most companies (and their marketing departments): user analytics and improved feed-back functions. These additions, along with rumored ad space, should make providing relevant tweets to your audience a lot easier. Based on who they are and what they tell you, your Twitter now provides unlimited uses, such as a perpetual newsletter, talent recruiting, product/service launches, customer support, niche group building and contests.

Speaking of contests, “Tweepstakes” have become a proven source for increased interaction. And according to a recent Razorfish study, special offers (like contests) drive engagement, “consumers not only want to engage with brands, but engaging with brands is having an inordinate effect on affinity for brands and the likelihood to purchase.” Additionally, “of those surveyed, 64% had made their first purchase from a company as a result of a digital interaction…”

Whether you like it or not, in 2010, Twitter will be a key player in garnering a dedicated audience and encouraging them to partake in your products and services.

Of course, these are just predictions. The only thing that we are 100% sure of is that the landscape we work in changes daily, if not hourly, and we will continue to do everything in our power to bring industry-leading brand, digital and social media successes to our clients. Happy 2010!

Mindgruve looks to increase Tucsongolf.com bookings through improved user experience.

SAN DIEGO,CA – October 8, 2009 – Teaming with San Diego, California-based digital media firm, Mindgruve, TucsonGolf.com has launched their new website to a nation of happy golfers. Keeping in line with their tradition of treating each customer as a VIP, the new site provides a portal to serve every golf outing need. “We wanted to make sure that when a golfer was done with his or her purchase, every aspect of their outing was covered,” stated TucsonGolf.com Co-owner, Chris Smith. He continued, “With Mindgruve, we were able to deconstruct the experience, then rebuild it in an easy-to-use, service-oriented website.”

On the new TucsonGolf.com, visitors can find multiple tools to help them plan their next trip. “First, we redesigned the site to improve navigation. We then integrated a map search tool and custom quoting tool to better help customers find and gauge costs of their upcoming experience. We also provided a robust Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool for better client interaction,” explain Chad Robley, Mindgruve President.

Just in time for the winter golf season in Arizona, the CRM will ensure a personal level of service unmatched by competitors. “We now have a much more efficient way to maintain a steady dialogue with all interested parties, as well as reach out to them whenever we have specials that they may be interested in,” explained Jay Warren, Co-Owner of TucsonGolf.com. “With the new website, we can serve as their golf concierge.”

About TucsonGolf.com

TucsonGolf.com provides golfers of any level a portal to book travel, tee times, lessons and a variety of other activities in the Tucson, Scottsdale and Green Valley areas of Arizona. Having researched golf amenities across the country, they have built relationships with the best available services to provide premier offerings at reasonable prices.

SAN DIEGO, CA - After the success of their spring campaign the City of Carlsbad has again chosen San Diego-based digital marketing firm, Mindgruve, to create and launch their new 2009 Endless Summer Stimulus Campaign.

The three month marketing push funded by the City of Carlsbad, CTBID and [Energy Co.], involves a comprehensive online and offline marketing strategy designed to promote “20 irresistible summer hotel deals” to families traveling to Carlsbad, CA.

The summer campaign targeting families in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas includes direct mail, a hotel deal microsite, email marketing, paid Google search and online banner advertising to form a cohesive, fully integrated marketing effort.

“The success of the Carlsbad campaign is more evidence of how critical the role of digital media now plays in all Destination Marketing Organizations. The internet is now the epicenter for the marketing mix enabling lower cost of customer acquisition and vastly improving marketers ability to measure campaigns in real time. Additionally, search marketing is shortening the buying cycle and delivering customers at a time of need” states Mindgruve president, Chad Robley.

Mindgruve and the City of Carlsbad’s last integrated marketing campaign proved extremely successful.  Their spring campaign had over 3.5 million brand impressions in the first 60 days as well as a 105% increase in page views and 152% increase in site visitation year-over-year in that same time period. This increase tripled hotel bookings on the visitcarlsbad.com website in the first 60 days of the campaign.

The Auction Network is an entertainment platform where buyers meet sellers and those on the sidelines are mesmerized and entertained. Unlike static shopping channels, Auction Network’s programming is colorful, active and interactive–the first 24/7 programmed network dedicated to all things auction.

The Network provides live auctions and interactive programming 24/7 via an Internet-delivered “television” channel that includes both a full-time, real-time feed of set-schedule programming as well as additional content on demand, and consumer interfaces with auctions and auction companies allowing them to become aware of auctions around the world and to buy online, on location or via mobile devices. The interactive environment allows users to watch others bid live or join live auction bidding interactively wherever they are.