As the Olympics start to heat up in London, the internet has been abuzz with consumer communications about the games. This spike in usage can be an excellent opportunity for internet marketing campaigns.
According to statistics gathered by Allot, a data network consulting organization, during the opening ceremony, instant messaging increased by 182 percent, with the use of WhatsApp, which allows individuals to send messages internationally, increasing by 430 percent. In addition, online video viewing increased by 217 percent during the first day of competition and Facebook traffic saw an 87 percent jump. YouTube saw the lowest increase of only 40 percent, most likely due to licensing rights causing the videos to only be aired on official avenues.
Clearly, the Olympics have created a huge buzz that many companies can use to increase their small business internet marketing. This can be done by purchasing some pre-roll space before Olympic videos, using Olympic-themed Facebook posts or tweets that tie in the product as well as banner advertising on Olympic-related sites.
In addition, another event that businesses may want to gear up their targeted internet marketing for is the back-to-school shoppers who will soon hit the streets.
ShopAtHome.com, a coupon search engine, reports that 48 percent of consumers will begin back-to-school shopping about one month before the anticipated first day of classes. In addition, many of them will be seeking alternative outlets for their products, giving smaller or independently owned stores more leverage than major names.
"Students aren't the only ones who have learned a thing or two in the past year. Consumers are getting smarter not only about what they spend their money, but how they spend it," said Marc Braunstein, co-founder and CEO of ShopAtHome.com. "People have learned that, by shopping intelligently, it is possible to spend less without really cutting back."
To take advantage of this shift in consumer behavior, companies should partner with online advertising companies to market themselves to these potential new customers.