Monthly Archives: January 2016

Top Google Searches in 2015

Search

It’s important for marketers to keep current on topics of interests and trends around the world. This research gives us a good idea of what people are thinking and what they like and need. What did the world search for in 2015? Well, besides our usual searches for love and the meaning of life and how to tie a tie, the citizens of the world used Google’s search engine to keep current on topics including sports, celebrities, world events, food, entertainment, and more.

Google processes two-out-of-three Internet queries each day. These queries give marketers a good snapshot of trends around the world: 1,000 Top 10 lists from 72 countries. The 2015 top spots in the U.S. included queries about Caitlynn Jenner, the Paris attacks, Lamar Odom, Jurassic World, Star Wars, water on Mars, Ronda Rousey, politics, companies such as Volkswagen, and Cecil the lion.

Take a look – which of these topics did you search for in 2015?

Group Activities and Discussion Questions:

  1. Before showing the Google results, poll students as to what they think the top searches were in 2015. Why those topics?
  2. Next, show the Google site: https://www.google.com/trends/story/2015_GLOBAL
  3. Discuss the importance of market research. What are sources that can be used? Why is tracking trends important?
  4. Divide students into teams and have each team examine a different Top 10 List topic. What are the trends from that topic?
  5. How can these trends be used to develop new products?
  6. Debrief the exercise by listing the ideas from each team.

Source: Google

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Facebook Top Events of 2015

Facebook

One of the best things about the end of the year is the opportunity it gives us to reflect on the past, while we prepare for the year ahead. In the spirit of reflection, Facebook has released its summary of the world’s top moments and events that generated the most buzz in 2015.

Among the events was the most shared event in Facebook’s history included the U.S. Presidential election, Nov. 13 attacks in Paris, Syrian civil war and refugee crisis, Nepal earthquakes, Greek debt crisis, marriage equality, and more.

Which events did you follow?

Group Activities and Discussion Questions:

  1. Discuss the importance of market research. What are sources that can be used? Why is tracking trends important?
  2. Bring up the site and show the video: http://yearinreview.fb.com/
  3. Divide students into teams and have each team examine a different Facebook topic.
  4. What are the trends from that topic?
  5. How can these trends be used to develop new products?
  6. Debrief the exercise by listing the ideas from each team.

Source: Facebook

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Amazon Rules Holiday Online Shopping

Amazon

It seems there is no stopping Amazon; the company continues to expand and capture more shares of the retail market every year. According to a recent study, Amazon accounted for 51 cents of every additional $1 spent online by Americans. And, of the roughly $94 billion growth in all retail sales, Amazon accounted for $22 billion for nearly a quarter of all online sales.

In just this holiday shopping season, Amazon shipped 200 million more items through its Prime subscription service (as compared to the same period last year). Prime now covers an estimated 25% of all U.S. households. Prime goes beyond free two-day shipping and now includes music and video streaming, original content, and unconventional promotion such as July’s Prime Day.

Amazon’s share of the ecommerce market in the U.S. jumped from 22% last year to 26% in 2015. Of all retail purchases in the U.S. (excluding cars, gas, and food/beverage stores), Amazon accounts for 4%.

Where are you shopping?

Group Activities and Discussion Questions:

  1. Poll students: Where did they shop this holiday season? How much did they spend online vs. in stores?
  2. Show Amazon’s Prime offerings: amazon.com
  3. Divide students into teams and have team review the services offered via Prime.
  4. Next, have each team select another retailer. How can the retailer compete with Amazon? What additional services might be offered? How can the retailer differentiate from Amazon?

Source: New York Times, other news sources

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