Tag Archives: Google

by | Friday, January 15, 2016 · 7:51 am

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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by | Monday, April 27, 2015 · 4:42 am

Car Insurance Shopping via Google

Car

The wait is finally over – Google announced its intension to sell auto insurance online in the U.S. (Google has already been selling online auto insurance for more than two years in Britain.) Google’s new Web site, a search engine for insurance quotes, is the newest entry into the field of comparison shopping sites that sell products and services using side-by-side comparisons.

According to Google, the new service will start in California and then later roll-out to additional states. As the traffic builds, the company will also introduce ratings, reviews, and local agent support for insurance providers with agent networks. When a customer buys using Google’s site, Google will collect a referral fee from the insurer.

Google has acquired state licenses (needed to sell insurance) in a large number of states, and has formed partnerships with other online insurance agencies such as CoverHound. Insurance sold online allow customers to buy directly from insurers, cutting out the fees paid to agents.

Group Activities and Discussion Questions:

  1. Discuss the differences of marketing products versus services. Discuss key aspects necessary for success when marketing services (the 4 Is).
  2. Bring up Google’s insurance Web site: https://www.google.com/compare/autoinsurance/form?p=home
  3. Also show a similar service from CoverHound: http://coverhound.com/
  4. Divide students into teams. Have each team develop an environmental scan for the new service: social trends, technological forces, regulatory and laws, competitive analysis, and economic forces.
  5. Discuss how insurance agents can adapt to the new online sales model.

Source: New York Times, Google, other news sources

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by | Friday, March 20, 2015 · 7:40 am

YouTube for Children

YouTube

Look around the next time you are at a store or in a restaurant. Have you noticed how many small children are now using mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets, in addition to using computers? Despite their youth, or maybe because of it, it seems that young children have a natural ability to navigate devices and the Internet. Yet, much of the content on the Internet is geared towards adults, not children. This presents a dilemma for parents as they try to monitor and limit the accessibility of unsuitable content for small children. It’s also an ethical problem faced by marketers. Just how old should children be to become aware of marketing, and how should companies approach this sensitive market?

To help with the dilemma is a brand new app from Google, called the YouTube Kids app, built specifically for young children to use. The new app makes it easier and safer for children to find videos on topics that interest them. There are four channels and playlists for the children and parents: shows, music, learning, and explore. Parental controls are also part of the app, including timers, sound settings, and search settings.

Group Activities and Discussion Questions:

  1. Discuss the difference between legal and ethical considerations in marketing.
  2. Poll students: How often do they observe small children navigating the Web? What is their opinion about marketing to small children?
  3. View the video and additional information at:

http://youtube-global.blogspot.com/2015/02/youtube-kids.html

  1. Divide students into teams and have team evaluate the new app, channels, and playlists.
  2. What are the lessons from this that can be applied to marketing to children and families?

Source: Google, Brandchannel.com

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