The Digital Home in Europe
E-mail Marketing Fundamentals
E-mail technologies have advanced considerably in the last few years. But a big gap separates companies that are on the leading edge from the rest of the pack. For an overview of the main principles, as well as tactical advice for e-mail marketers, refer to these recent Jupiter Research reports:
E-mail Marketing Buyer's Guide
JupiterResearch E-mail Service Provider Evaluation
Vision Report
David Daniels - August 20, 2004
While e-mail service providers' (ESPs) application features have not matured significantly over the last year, larger differences can be found among the providers' usability, breadth of services, and metric clarity. Fully 61 percent of ESPs remove hard bounces from their delivery rate calculation, thus lowering the gross denominator and inflating their published delivery rates.
This Is Not Spam
Assessing Consumers' Behavior and ISPs' Actions to Improve Delivery
Concept Report
David Daniels - July 29, 2004
Increased Web mail storage and ubiquitous "report as spam" buttons are contributing to the irrelevance of unsubscribe options. Currently, 12 percent of consumers report opt-in mail as spam when they want to unsubscribe.
Opting in
Perfecting Permission
Concept Report
David Daniels - May 13, 2004
Only eight percent of marketers are using a confirmed opt-in process because they believe it will impact the size of their e-mail lists. However, confirmed opt-in brings message-rendering benefits.
Overcoming the Spam Effect
Maximizing E-mail Marketing Message Delivery
Vision Report
David Daniels - January 26, 2004
Despite efforts of the largest ISPs to tackle false positives (i.e., opt-in e-mail marked as spam), 60 percent of marketers Jupiter Research surveyed said spam filters are reducing the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns.
Site Management Best Practices
This year, many online businesses are focusing on optimization. They are looking to consolidate technologies, improve usability, and taking a metrics-based approach on improving the effectiveness of their sites. For an overview of JupiterResearch's thinking on the leading practices of Web site management, refer to these recent JupiterResearch reports:
Web Analytics
Spending, Staffing, and Vendor Selection
Vision Report
Eric T. Peterson - October 27, 2004
A successful Web site analytics program revolves around proper staffing, vendor selection, and definition of reports required to run businesses. To help site operators maximize return on investment (ROI) in analytics applications and improve quality of Web properties, JupiterResearch examined appropriate staffing levels, characteristics of a good Web site analyst, challenges associated with using analytics reports, and the vendor selection process.
Site Search Deployment
Tactics for Improving Search Effectiveness
Concept Report
Eric T. Peterson - September 8, 2004
Consumers increasingly turn to online search when browsing for information and shopping for products on the Internet. However, they frequently express dissatisfaction with the results they receive.
Key Performance Indicators
Using Analytics to Drive Action
Vision Report
Eric T. Peterson - July 22, 2004
More than 70 percent of companies do not deliver important Web data to senior executives, and more than 80 percent do not report data to merchandising staff. Distribution throughout the organization to key stakeholders is critical for realizing the full value of investments in Web analytics. Key performance indicators (KPIs) and clear definition of business objectives represent best practices to achieve this goal.
Web Site Usability
Current Challenges and Best Practices
Concept Report
Eric T. Peterson - June 15, 2004
Companies are struggling to convey complex information to Web site visitors and drive visitors to action, while generating positive user experiences and goodwill toward their brands. Usability is considered the cure-all for bad Web sites, but more poor practices than best practices are observed.
Web Site Spending and Governance Trends
Vision Report
David Schatsky - April 1, 2004
Although Web businesses remain prudent in their spending, many are looking past the belt-tightening of previous years to pursue growth online, investing in new technologies and internal processes to optimize the effectiveness of their sites. However, managing a Web business effectively remains a challenge, with abundant governance, budgetary, procedural, and technology hurdles.
Paid Content Markets and Strategies
Consumer resistance to paying for content online remains high, but viable businesses are emerging rapidly. Companies need to focus on building packages of Internet-optimized content and services, targeting specific audiences, and then merchandising the offerings online and off. For an overview of the market opportunities, as well as tactical advice for content owners and packagers, refer to these recent JupiterResearch reports:
Paid Consumer Services
Assessing Market Opportunities
Concept Report
David Card - July 21, 2004
In June 2004, Yahoo!, Hotmail, and Ask Jeeves all revamped free and fee-based e-mail offerings in response to Google's beta-test of a free e-mail service with 1,000MB of storage.
Paid Content Forecast
Slow Growth Mandates Focus on Free Trial, Cross-Promotions, and Audience Segmentation
Vision Report
Juliana Deeks - June 15, 2004
Less than one-third (26 percent) of online consumers report having made an online purchase, and no more than five percent of the online population has purchased content in any single category. Nevertheless, paid content revenues will grow at a slow but steady compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of nine percent to reach $3.1 billion in 2009, up from $2.0 billion in 2004.
Media Company Best Practices
It's not much of an exaggeration to say that, post-bubble, media companies have reversed their focus from driving audiences online to using the Internet to complement off-line media — even to drive audiences off-line. Modern media brands must be multi-media, as audiences and marketers demand. For insight into how media companies should best use their Web sites, see the following recent JupiterResearch reports:
Home Page Tactics for Information Sites
Driving Audiences Where You Want Them to Go
Vision Report
David Card - September 26, 2004
Heightened by the industry's focus on search, the Internet has come to be seen as an on-demand, "pull"-oriented, consumer-driven medium. But content presentation tactics actually work in driving user behavior—you can herd the sheep.
Moving Beyond the Basics
Leveraging Analytics Data to Optimize Programming Strategy
Concept Report
Juliana Deeks - July 23, 2004
Online publishers were among the first to implement Web site analytics software. Solutions start at about $20,000 per year, with many paying more than $100,000 due to a sliding scale based on traffic volume.
Best Practices for Programming Entertainment Sites
Concept Report
Juliana Deeks - February 13, 2004
A handful of entertainment sites have undertaken initiatives that have significantly boosted site traffic and uncovered new audiences.
Search Tactics for Marketers
Search remains one of the hottest growth areas in the online advertising market. Businesses are spending more on search engine marketing (SEM) every year; at the same time, SEM tools are becoming more sophisticated and complex. To learn how marketers can navigate the landscape of search tools and maximize their investment, refer to the following reports:
Semiannual Search Engine Marketing Survey
Search Marketer Segmentation
Vision Report
Nate Elliott - October 6, 2004
As search engine marketing (SEM) becomes increasingly complex and advertisers' return on investment decreases, marketers must cultivate sophistication to remain successful. Currently, only one-quarter of search marketers use sophisticated SEM tactics.
Paid Inclusion
Dynamic Time-Sensitive Sites Will Benefit from Programs
Concept Report
Gary Stein - July 1, 2004
Paid inclusion is changing. Some portals are abandoning the practice, while others are offering expanded programs.
The Role of Agencies in Search
Demand Is Modest but Emerging
Concept Report
Niki Scevak - May 13, 2004
Marketers are increasingly demanding that integrated agencies include search marketing in their relationships, while search engines have begun to acknowledge the role of agencies by compensating them.
SEM Strategies for Brand Builders
Concept Report
Gary Stein - April 28, 2004
Nearly one-half of all marketers claim to use search engine marketing (SEM) to provide brand exposure.
The Digital Home
Home entertainment technologies are converging with digital, broadband and wireless technologies. Consumers are increasingly using home networks for entertainment, not just sharing Internet access. Consumer electronics manufacturers are building “always on” Internet connectivity into a plethora of home devices. For strategic guidance on issues of marketing, channel strategy, digital rights management and product features in this rapidly evolving market, refer to these recent reports.
A Portrait of the Wireless Digital Home in 2009
Concept Report
Julie Ask - September 30, 2004
In August 2004, four complete and 30 partial proposals were submitted to the IEEE for consideration for the 802.11n standard—which will increase throughput to 100 Mbps at the MAC SAP, and should be ratified in 2006 with pre-standard products already out on the market.
Profile of the Home Wi-Fi User
Concept Report
Julie Ask, Ina Sebastian - September 27, 2004
The currently small home wireless market—8.7 million households in 2004—will reach 28 million households in 2008, according to the recent JupiterResearch Home Wireless Networking Forecast. These households represent a considerable segment with potential interest in Wi-Fi beyond wireless Internet access.
Broadband Telephony
Leveraging Voice Over IP to Facilitate Competitive Voice Services
Vision Report
Joe Laszlo - August 23, 2004
Voice over IP (VoIP) is perhaps the hottest technology in the telecommunications industry today. Many people believe that VoIP-based services will change the world, creating new competition for the trillions of minutes and billions of dollars worth of voice calls consumers make every year.
DVRs
Understanding Consumer Behavior to Mitigate Revenue Loss
Concept Report
Todd Chanko - July 30, 2004
The digital video recorder (DVR) has become a rallying point for consumers and the bane of the networks. Yet, its news value is disproportionate both to its use and its impact.
PC and Standalone Digital Video Recorders
Strategies to Cope with an Uncertain Market
Vision Report
Michael Gartenberg, Andrea Wood - September 2, 2004
Seven years after introduction, the functionality of digital video recorders (DVRs) has penetrated consumer consciousness. Satellite and cable providers have experienced modest consumer interest in their DVR services, while adoption of both standalone and PC-based DVRs has been slow. JupiterResearch believes standalone and PC-based DVRs will face adoption hurdles over the next five years.
Connected Consoles
Big Strides and Big Challenges in 2004
Concept Report
Michael Gartenberg - June 25, 2004
A year ago, JupiterResearch recommended tapping into casual gamers via connected consoles. Recently, both Microsoft and Sony have announced such plans and continue to innovate around this connectivity. As such, it is worth reexamining how connected consoles are evolving, and what their role is in the market.
The Digital Home in Europe
With the European broadband market maturing and markets developing for digital music, the European market is beginning to create new opportunities for media companies, carriers and device makers. Read these recent JupiterResearch reports to get oriented:
Portable Media Players in Europe
Creating the Ideal Audio and Video Devices
Vision Report
Ian Fogg - October 8, 2004
Despite high prices, digital music players are establishing themselves in Europe. Both new digital video players and media-centric mobile phones seek to replicate this success, but must overcome consumers' reluctance to accept the usual device compromises that result from convergence.
Broadband VoIP Telephony in the Home
Mainstream Threat or Immature Service?
Concept Report
Ian Fogg - May 13, 2004
While Voice over IP (VoIP) telephony is becoming established with telecom operators and enterprises, the residential market was not operators' focus until recently. However, with rapidly rising household broadband penetration and continuing deregulation of the local loop, providers' attention is turning to IP communications to the home.
Evolution of Media Use in Europe
Web Impacting Consumption
Vision Report
Olivier Beauvillain - October 20, 2004
In August 2004, JupiterResearch designed and fielded a survey of European online consumers' media use. This study explores the Internet's impact on traditional media such as TV, print (i.e., newspapers and magazines), and radio in the UK, Germany, France, Sweden, Italy, and Spain.
European Digital Music
Identifying Opportunity
Vision Report
Mark Mulligan - August 19, 2004
At the end of 2003, digital distribution only accounted for 0.1 percent of the total European music market. However, new market entrants and enhancements to existing services in 2004 are giving European online music buyers variety of choice, approaching that in the US.
