Check out these stats regarding teen texting and driving. Statefarm insurance is taking a strong position on reducing this public health risk by adopting a supportive and positive approach towards teens.

September 15th, 2012 is Celebrate My Drive day across the US. Check it out to see how you can participate and help reduce the number of teens texting and driving.

Click image to enlarge

Kudos to Andy Oberright from Harris Interactive for his awesome work on this.

How on Earth is facebook going to succeed within the mobile space? 

There are nearly 500 million facebook users on their mobile devices currently. The question everyone keeps raising, including those who bought facebook stock anytime after the IPO, how is facebook going to monetize these users.

I have a hunch: Doing something nobody else can even come close to doing within the mobile advertising space. Now that facebook has all of our personal data, they have a huge opportunity now to leverage that data, but it also poses an incredible opportunity for digial marketers because of the fact click through rates are higher on mobile devices. (14% higher actually) 

As users access facebook via their mobile devices, they're also accessing the site via different methods. They're not using their data networks, they're using WiFi. Initial estimates place WiFi traffic being over 50% of all web traffic by the end of 2016.

Why is that so important? Advertisers can't target consumers via WiFi. And if everyone is spending more of their time on their phone, on facebook and on a WiFi network, advertisers need a way to reach them.

Wireless carriers, like AT&T, Cricket & Verizon make it very easy for marketers to target users and provide more specific ads based on their user demographics - not so on WiFi. (and this is the reason why the wireless carriers want you on their data plan - besides making money off of your plan, they also make money knowing your demographics.) 

So, how is facebook going to solve - and profit - from this? 

Facebook can create targeted consumer segments with greater depth and effictiveness than a wireless carrier can. Add on their ability for rich data such as post-click/click-through actions and you have the foundation for true value and quality for mobile advertisers that blind networks alone can't provide. This will push advertisers from smaller mobile networks over to facebook.

I've mentioned it before - new mobile advertising solutions are needed; they will change the way in which we connect and engage with brands and their services. Facebook is positioned well simply due to the fact they have the most users and the most data.

What does this mean for car dealers?

New mobile advertising strategies are about to hit the industry square in the head. Understand your mobile traffic activity from your analytics and be prepared for significant changes in the way your reach your customers.

Mobile conversion rates from Moolah Media from lead generation campaigns with over 100 million clicks during May & June 2012: 

Who's the reigning king of low-cost incoming sales calls? Google Adwords or the YP Local Ad Network?

A news study released shows the YP Local Ad Network came out ahead - with an average cost per call of $46 vs. Google Adwords with an average cost per call of $88. The study compared 56 different companies receiving calls from both sources. 77% said they had a lower cost per call from the YP ads. 

Jonathan Hurd, Director at Altman Vilandrie & Companiy who conducted the study said, "Advertising and search experts have theorized that location based search websites deliver better cost per call value than general search for small business but no one had ever seriously studied their value." 

Granted, this study covered several different business segments, however there are a couple of key takeaways here.

1. Are you measuring your cost per call?
2. If you're using multiple sources, are you comparing the data of each to measure their ability to lower your cost of advertising per vehicle sold?
3. Lastly, are you staying current with how consumers are searching for local businesses? Keep in mind, half of all searches now contain a location specific qualifyer within their leyword phrases. Location specific search websites such as YP are in fact being used as a viable alternative to Google and they're demonstrating considerable value when compared to Google.

Read more about the complete study here.

Who doesn't love a good prediction? That is, unless you're bad at making predictions, like these two gems.

"With over 15 types of foreign cars already on sales here, the Japanese auto industry isn't likely to carve out a big share of the market for itself" - Business Week, 1968.

"Remote shopping, while entirely feasible, will flop. Because women like to get out of the house, handle merchandise & change their mind. - Time Magazine, 1966 (Completely writing off eCommerce even before it was invented)

I've always enjoyed looking ahead to try and guess the direction of things to come from technology providers and how they influence social behaviors - or even better, vice-versa.

Here's a bunch of things I've got my eye on now:

1. Tablet and smart phone traffic will swell to 30-35% of retail website traffic - prompting website providers to consider smarter mobile website solutions to respond to faltering mobile conversions.

2. The iPad Mini will create a new layer of responsive design browser solutions - a mid-level solution that combines the simplicity of a mobile website with the functionality of the full-size tablet browser into a different visual shopping experience for this segment of user.

3. #Brands - Less fragmented brands and fewer brand websites will allow brands to penetrate multiple channels and increase exposure due to hashtag usage in marcom messaging - everywhere.

4. More congruent messages - TV messages driving users to mobile activities; print connecting to social activities - more activities will push the "2-Screen Model" of advertising to connect, convert and retain customers.

5. Mobile advertising units will take on new forms - Google, Apple & facebook are in a race to create the next new method of mobile identities - included within this race is the fight for mobile advertising dollars. Billions of dollars are at stake here. Watch the mobile ads hit your facebook app soon enough.

6. Fancy will take market share from Pinterest because of it's ability to convert real sales within the site (and their app) vs. driving sales to off the site in the hopes of converting the sale. (Plus the app works so much better - (TheFancy.com)

7. HTML5 & CSS3 solutions will take deeper root - Design capabilities will continue to expand as HTML5 gets closer to becoming an accepted standard in 2014. Older out of date methodologies will go by the wayside and more beautiful approaches to design will appear & morph. (EX: Responsive designs, helpful modal popups, online magazines, CSS-only designs with rounded corners, drop shadows & custom font families)

8. Path will be acquired - possible acqui-hire as well.

9. Mobile computing power will explode and astound much quicker - quad-core processors and improved bandwidth from providers will pave the way for faster devices, 3D imaging and augmented reality solutions to be more commonplace.

10. Apps will become more beautiful, effective and simple - As smart phone adoption blows through 50% penetration, apps will become easier to use while app designers understand more about our usage and what we want. Look for more gesture control apps that are both fun and efficient. (Think more voice controls and tap, drag, flick, pinch, swipe, spread, press, double tap and less typing)

What do you see on the horizon and how will it change things?

Location based marketing services boosts word of mouth for your business.

By now foursquare fans have noticed the new changes made to the app; newer users may not have noticed much yet, but here's a quick overview to show how you can get more out of the leading location based marketing platform.

Foursquare made significant changes and improvements in response to how people have been using the app over the past year or so. While total users have passed 20 million, less people are actually checking-in. So, what are they doing?

• Social discovery
• Searching
• Adding reviews/tips

Turns out, people still don't want to share their location - in real-time. However, they do want to find tips, leave ratings and reviews and find where other people are at. Foursquare has made it even easier with their new designs. Notice how easy it is now for a user to click eithe of the heart symbols.

What are you doing to ensure customers favortire your venue? 

Badges still remain a fun element of the experience while the entire points platform is still the appendix of the app - serves no purpose at all. I'm still not sure why it's there other than to push the game element for a portion of the user base. (I never check my points and don't care where I fall on that "leader board")

Users enjoy sharing their ratings, reviews and tips on foursquare, which makes it more of a Yelp competitor at this point. It still amazes me how many people will still share what they're doing at a venue. The true utility of foursquare comes from sharing helpful information about a location.

People want to know what's good, what to watch out for or even that secret tip that not everyone may know about it.(EX TIP: Tell the guys at Jimmy John's Sub's: 'LBI' - to not dig out the bread & leave the bread in, which makes the sub a lot thicker than normal.)

Dealers can get a lot more out of foursquare by:

1. Having employees add their best recommendations & tips to your venue.
2. Create an unpublished special and add it your venue page - then share it on facebook, twitter and try adding it as a Mayor special.
3. Encourage employees and customers to add pictures to their check-ins - and share them to facebook & twitter as well.
4. Add your venue to a list of special venues in your area - and of course, share that list on facebook and twitter to build followers of that list. (EX: Make a list of the best automotive resources in your city & add your dealership)

Foursquare saw that real-time check-ins aren't necessarily as important as originally positioned. What is important is getting customers to share their experience: Ratings, reviews, tips, lists, favorite and photos. That's what consumers want to see. Give them the items they're looking for and you'll see more foursquare activity at your venue. I like the changes and how it fosters better engagement within a venue.

What do you think of the new changes made to foursquare?

This post originally appeared on WhatDidEricSay.com

Follow Eric on twitter @emiltsch

We will continue to experience significant consumer behavior changes as mobile smartphone conversion continues. One area of opportunity for automotive dealerships is the ability to leverage location based marketing services activity to increase engagement, drive loyalty and improve overall exposure. Foot traffic has always been difficult to monitor - location based services provide another opportunity to connect with this unique segment of consumers.

Check out the presentation I gave at the Automotive Bootcamp in Las Vegas last week: Location & Mobile Will Change Everything.

Are you prepared to connect with your mobile customers?

Original post: WhatDidEricSay.com - follow me @emiltsch

Here's an excellent infographic comparing Mobile Apps vs. Mobile Web to demonstrate which one is better for your business. I've often said that the mobile web is for searching while mobile apps are for doing; be sure you're spending your resources on the solution that makes the most sense for your goals.

Cheers to Jeff Pease, one of our amazing new graphic designers, for nailing this infographic - beautifully done Jeff!

Click to view full size.

We're fast approaching the 2012 DrivingSales Executive Summit. This event is known for bringing automotive audiences the best of the best with regards to current speaking talent and topics. And this year we're planning on nailing it again - but we need your help! 

We provide an impressive line-up of industry professionals for breakout presentations covering a wide range of segments and topics. Here's a list of ideas to jumpstart some brainstorming: 

1. Conversion Optimization & Best Practices
2. Top SEO Ranking Factors for 2012
3. Advanced Google Adwords Strategies
4. Advanced Fixed Ops Marketing
5. Social Commerce
6. Online Consumer Behavior
7. Mobile Apps/Mobile Strategies
8. Non-Automotive Customer Interaction Strategies
9. Local Search Strategies
10. Google Analytics & Webmaster Tools
11. ROI & Social Analytics

So - what kind of topics would you like to see presented during the breakout presentations at this year's DrivingSales Executive Summit?

NOTE: Speaker and panel submission will open soon - get ready to submit your ideas!  

So, now that we have all submersed ourselves within the social landscape, opened up a multitude of social network accounts and shared every last innocuous detail of our daily activities - what's next? We've progressed beyond connecting with our friends, familiar connections within our industry and creating fragmented lists of people.

I believe Social Discovery is one of those "what's next" opportunities. We now have the ability to connect with a massive layer of individuals based on the expanding social graph. We're connected friends of friends, by interests and most importantly by location. 

I spent six years positioning myself within my dealership's respective markets as a "trusted car guy." Even though I wasn't necessarily selling vehicles directly, I was selling our brand and showing our salespeople how to improve their digital presence, build trust and connect with customers in new ways. Social Discovery is going to change the way these activities are accomplished. 

One of the best examples of this concept is a new app called Highlight. Very simply, Highlight is a Social Discovery app that makes it fun to discover the people around you. 

Once logged in, the app runs in the background and notifies you when you're near online friends and other connections. Once notified, it's easy to see who you're near, your mutual friends, things in common and other personal information. (And for those of you who think this is creepy and borderline stalker-type behavior, you need to take a deeper look at why you're using these type of networks. More importantly, you should brush up on your understanding of how privacy settings are managed.)

My best experience with the app was during a local 140 Conference. I was notified of several people around me who were either connected via other friends or shared similar interests. Think of it as another warm ice-breaker. ​Click images to expand.

This can be another great way for dealership staff to discover relevant connections; vendors can leverage this app to identify potential connections while at events like the DrivingSales Executive Summit. I envision this making it easier to see and connect with others this fall - look for the DrivingSales staff when you're there and connect with us.

Download the free app here. (iPhone only for now)

The point is, we need to use our networks efficiently to connect with people with similar interests and friends - which leads to trust and better relationships.  What else are you doing to maximize your Social Discovery? 

Note: Facebook is moving quickly within this space as well. Last week they announced the acquisition of Glancee, another Social Discovery app.