I should probably start with a disclaimer.  This article is going to piss off other advertising and marketing agencies.  Especially those that “specialize” in the world of “automotive”.

It’s going to make Dealers angry.  It’s going to frustrate BDC managers.

But perhaps most of all, it’s probably going to have you shaking your head in agreement…because FINALLY someone is talking about that which you’ve suspected.

Your ad agency is taking you, Mr. and Ms. Automotive, for a ride.

I’m talking about display advertising.  You know, all of those banners that you’re spending tens of thousands of dollars a month on.

You’ve long suspected that something wasn’t right.  Not just because of your ridiculously, painfully atrocious CTR that your ad agency insists is well above “industry average”.  But you’ve suspected it because you have fat fingers.  And you’re constantly accidentally clicking on the ads while trying to find the damn (x) button to close the ad so you can just read your article.

You’re not alone.  The entire business model of display advertising will soon be forced to take a knee.

A new report from PageFair and Priori Data shows that nearly 420 million people worldwide, or one in five smartphone users, is now using ad blocking software on their cellphones.  That’s an increase of 90% over last year.

It’s a huge number.  But more important is the fact that it’s indicative of a trend.

Listen, we work in a LOT of different industries…and I can tell you that for as advanced as the world of automotive believes it is, it’s not.  While many industries started shifting away from banner ads more than a year ago…you guys are throwing cash at these companies as if they were a world class stripper in Vegas.  And just like in Vegas, it’s leaving you wondering why you’ve got nothing to show for your money besides frustration and an empty wallet.

So for just a minute, let’s pretend we aren’t selling cars.  Let’s pretend we are just every day people in the market to buy a car….surfing the internet from our smart phones.  Perhaps a change in context will make you just pissed enough that you finally start looking at why you’re throwing away money.

Let’s dive into the secrets behind why so many marketers are still selling you something that stopped working a couple of years ago. 

Be where the eyeballs are. It’s a message that I beat our clients over the head with. It’s why we’re making a massive land grab on Snapchat. It’s why we pushed our clients to be insanely aggressive with Facebook and Instagram Dark Posts. You need to be where the eyeballs are.  A few weeks ago, I appeared on Fox and Friends to discuss millennials – which is an absolutely massive “generation” that dealerships are struggling to figure out how to market to.  These are eyeballs you NEED to get in front of.

But here’s the problem. There are many people who skew the “eyeballs” to make it look like they are actually where they are NOT.

For example, I’ve seen companies make presentations showing the 3.2 million impressions that a banner ad made…but not report on the fact that only 9 people clicked on the ad. So make sure you know where the eyeballs are – but understand how to make sure they look at you.

Viewers are fatigued. It seems like every day, there’s a new study showing that readers on the web glaze over banner ads. As you scroll past them, they’ve become an “impression”. Did you see it? Probably not. Interestingly an “impression” doesn’t actually mean that a person saw it – only that it was sent to your computer. 

The Internet Advertising Bureau defines “impression” as “a measurement of responses from an ad delivery system to an ad request from the user’s browser”.

What does that mean? Well, combined with the fact that viewers suffer from fatigue…and now that we know an “impression” doesn’t necessarily mean someone sees it…we see a recipe for fraud.

How about these two studies? Adobe found that 33% of internet users find display ads to be completely intolerable.

Even worse - BannerSnack reports that: 61% of users say they click ads just because they don’t want to be interrupted while reading content, 57% are afraid of receiving SPAM from advertisers or getting a virus, and 54% of users don’t click banner ads because they don’t trust them.

Another study found that just 2.8% of participants thought ads on a given website were relevant.

That sure doesn’t bode well for the goal of “conversions”.

Fraudulent clicks cost you – big. You can read all over about how companies hire other companies or individuals to “click” ads – something that costs you (or your client) money. 

But have you heard about the “one by one”? Probably not. It’s where advertisers compress ads into one pixel by one pixel squares which are literally impossible to see but can serve up massive impressions. Then malware is used to send people to sites they never planned on visiting.

How about the less illegal and more obnoxious problem here? That’s right – the accidental click.

You’ve all done it when your fat thumb pressed the wrong thing. So you cost the business you ended up on a couple of bucks for accidentally clicking their ad.

But while doing so, you also drove down their Google Quality Score because you spent no time on the website and drove up their bounce rate…which, of course, will result in a higher cost per click for their future ads.

Yes, this is also happening to your business. Be aware.

Be where the eyeballs are.   Understand what the trends are predicting when it comes to consumers.  And start making your ad buying decisions not based on metrics alone, but based on your experiences as a consumer as well.

The automotive tends to be pretty far behind the times when it comes to social media and content marketing.

That's why I'm pretty confident many dealerships haven't yet heard of Blab.im - the new social media platform that's exploding.  

The followers here in DrivingSales tend to be a little more cutting edge and creative, so I figured this was worth a share.  Whether you're looking to expand the reach of a service clinic, talk about the latest trends in the automotive industry or offer a digital new car workshop...this is a powerful tool.

In this article, we’re going to dive in with an overview of how to utilize the platform – and what you should be using it for.

Let’s get started with what Blab is all about.

We’re talking about a cutting-edge video chat app where four people can engage simultaneously as an audience watches, comments and jumps in live on the video chat. 

It’s Periscope and Meerkat meets Twitter and Facebook….fused with YouTube and Podcasting.

Before we really dive in, I think it’s important to recognize WHY this platform is growing so quickly…and why it will continue to explode.

If you’ve followed any of my writing, you know that I believe we’re facing a massively disruptive change in advertising, fueled largely by social media.  Traditional advertising just isn’t worth what it used to be.  Why? Because the attention isn’t there.  People consume content when it’s convenient for them.  The 6pm newscast? No thanks – I’ll catch up on what I need to learn about the news on my time.

Following that logic, many have argued that Blab is doomed for the same reasons.  But I’d argue just the opposing.  By fusing a replay functionality that allows for customization…and a deep level of audience engagement…we’re looking at the future of broadcasting.  Just wait until this arena merges with trued 360 degree video.

It’s a content marketers dream – but you need to first understand it.

One final thought before I leave you with the details of how it works.  We’re launching a brand new show for The Silent Partner Marketing – The Entrepreneur Show – that will stream weekly.  So make sure to follow us by clicking here. We’ll be sharing tips and tricks, interviews with CEO’s, entrepreneurs and marketers from all over the world, and may just interview YOU in a future episode.  

So sign up…check it out…and let us know what you think!

Step One – Sign Up

Blab was designed to allow you to sign up with your Twitter account.  From an ease of access perspective, it’s spectacular – it pulls your information from your Twitter profile.  Note: it will NOT pull your website over.  That’s on you.

Step Two – Customization

Before you start blabbing, make sure to head over to your profile.  You’ll want to customize it so that it’s different from your Twitter profile and talks to those who are following you on Blab.  You’ve also got less space…with only 140 characters to work with.

Step Three - Research

The platform is incredibly intuitive and easy to use, but you’ll want to watch some shows on both desktop and mobile devices.  You can join blabs currently underway by navigating through topics using the tabs in the left sidebar of the homepage.  The first Blabs you’ll see are those on air – but you can also review scheduled blabs and replays.

If you’re looking for anonymity, be cautious on this platform.  All blabs are public, so when you’re logged in using your Twitter and enter into a Blab, it gets announced.  If you want to be a lurker and watch anonymously, log out and then go back into the Blab.  You won’t be able to engage or interact, but you can still watch.

As part of your research, you should play around as an audience member.  Learn how to give props, tweet out the show and ask questions.  It’ll help you form stronger calls-to-action when you’re running your own Blab and asking people to do it.

Step Four - Begin Experimenting

To start your own Blab, click on the Start A New Blab button at the top right of the screen.

Choose the Title, tags for categorization and the start date and time.  For your first test Blab, I’d recommend choosing the “test-zone” tag and letting people know it’s your first.  Because it’s public, you don’t want to look like a complete fool by not letting people know that you’re trying this out for the first time.

Step Five – Record Your Blab

Want a replay of your Blab?  Want to be able to use it for a Podcast and your website?  This platform allows you to record a Blab for up to six hours.  You can also go “off the record”.  It’s a great way for you to provide tremendous value to those watching live and to “tease” people watching the playback to get them to subscribe to future episodes.  Try something like this:

“For those of you watching the playback or listening to the podcast recording, we’re going to go ‘off the record’ now.  Want to catch EVERYTHING in the future?  Make sure to ‘subscribe’ today.  And for those of you watching ‘live’ – you’re about to enjoy some exclusive content.”

Step Six – Bring On The Guests

You can plan out guests in advance…or invite viewers to join you live.  Whenever someone wants to join the Blab on video, they’ll send you a message requesting to join an open seat (up to four people can be live at once).  You can either click the Accept button to bring them on, or you can kill their request and allow others to call in.  You can also “lock seats” when you have everyone on the Blab that you’ll want on there – this prevents others from calling in. 

If you decide you want to open the seat back up, you can simply click the “unlock seat” button. 

Note – you can also mute on air guests or yourself with the volume icon on the bottom left of a seat. 

To take a guest off the air, you just have to click the “X” at the top right of their seat, which will allow you to cycle through more guests on the show or kick someone out who is bringing you off topic.  If it turns out they are real trolls, you can block the person by clicking on their profile image in the top of the screen and then clicking on the triangle icon at the top of their profile. 

Take note that this will only stop them from participating in terms of calling in, using the chat and sending props in THIS Blab – it won’t affect future Blabs.

So how do you use Blab to market your business or your brand?  Here’s a handful of tips that will help you really stand out.

Tip 1 – Make sure you’re properly optimized. 

You’ll want to make sure to have a strong and relevant title.  Not only will this help let people know what the topic is all about, but it will also be the URL of the Blab. 

Make sure to pick appropriate tabs to help in the discovery process when people are looking for content to view.

Tip 2 – Schedule and Tease Your Blab

Do a little homework to find out when other popular industry Blabs are being held.  It will help you find a time that works well.  Then take the URL and promote it in advance through your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Instagram, blog, email newsletter, etc. 

Make sure to give people plenty of lead time and help walk them through the process of how to sign up and how to watch it.  Perhaps send them a link to the make site so they can become familiar with it first.

Tip 3 – Ask For the Share

Both in advance and once you’re live, ask followers to share it.  Do it a few times throughout the Blab in the notes.  During a live broadcast, people can tweet it and FB it right from the Blab itself.  And make sure to ask people to “follow” you to start building your regular viewership.

Tip 4 – High Production Value

Invest in a decent microphone (we like Snowball and it’s not going to cost you a small fortune).  Make sure your background isn’t distracting and that your lighting is strong.  We’re also big fans of wearing headphones so you don’t miss any part of the conversation or get distracted by everything else in the world around you.  Have notes in front of you to keep you on track, including notes reminding yourself to ask for the shares and the follows.

Tip 5 – Don’t Lose Focus

When bringing on live guests, you introduce an element of risk.  Make sure that the topic stays true, because that’s how you promoted it.  The worst thing you can do is alienate those who followed your Blab by going off topic and not delivering on the value people were expecting.

Tip 6 – Engage, Engage, Engage

This goes beyond accepting guests.  Talk to follows.  Answer questions.  Say hi to people as they join. Encourage people to asks questions, and actually answer them – whether it be live or in the comments.

Now the ball is in your court, friends. But we look forward to seeing how you are marketing on the new social media power house...and maybe even interviewing you.

The orthodontist group that's a client of ours has quite the mix of staff.  Some are mothers of teens.  Some are barely out of their teens.

The patients are quite the mix as well.  Most are kids coming in for their braces, but let’s not forget – their parents are just as much “customers” as they are.  After all, they are the ones with the money and the car.

This week, we had a great meeting and discussed some of the marketing initiatives that we’re rolling out for the practices.  We’ve been doing Facebook Dark Posts with them…but it’s time to engage a younger demographic.  So we’re rolling out new marketing campaigns with Instagram and Snapchat.

In this ever-evolving world, there are always new opportunities for marketers.  So let’s take this Instagram conversation to the next level.  Forget just MARKETING there.  Are you ADVERTISING there?

The photo-sharing app touts more than 300 million users.  Facebook bought the visual monster in 2012 for $1 billion.  Ads launched in late 2013, but the targeting capabilities have been pretty exclusive to select brands.  Until now.

It’s the first time that advertisers can link pictures to websites outside the app.  Let’s use the automotive world, as an example.  You can now share a picture of a happy couple with their new baby riding around in their brand new crossover with a “shop now” button that links them to the inventory on a car dealership website.

Big deal, right? 

This advertising beast comes with a new software platform which allows users to target, manage, track and measure all campaigns.  But the real beauty of it is in the data.

Advertisers can target based on interests and data that comes from Facebook itself. 

There was the initial fear that ads would ruin the user experience the same way that lousy photos of crappy food stick out like a sore and bloody thumb on Pinterest.  But the truth of the matter is that because it’s such a highly visual platform, the very audience consuming the ads will most likely end up being the judge and jury when it comes to ad performance.

Think of it like Facebook Dark Posts.  If your ad sucks, and people aren't consuming it, you'll get canned.  I don't care if you're a car dealership with a budget of $50K/month - it's not going to spend if you're not serving up great content.  

So back to Instagram.  It’s ripe and ready for the picking.  That’s why our team is diving right in with some HIGHLY visual ads and some killer targeting and tracking.  

Because after all, it’s only a matter of time until the advertisers ruin it.

How does YOUR dealership plan on using it?

If your dealership STILL hasn't cleaned up it's act with Facebook, the time has come.  It's about to get even more competitive.

I guess one of the cool things about spending gobs of money on advertising on Facebook Dark Posts is that you get the hookup from time to time.

Today, that hookup comes in the form of free Facebook Bluetooth Beacons for some of our clients.

We've known it was coming for a while, but it's finally official. So how will it work, exactly?

When people walk into your dealership, the beacon will beam a signal to their Facebook app on their phone during their visit.  It will give them information about the business.  It encourages shoppers to like your page, check in, see their friends' recommendations and post directly to the business Facebook page.

Facebook says that the beacons don't collect any info from people or their phones or change the kind of location information Facebook receives.  Bummer for marketers, a win for consumers (if you believe it).

The potential benefits to businesses are spectacular - especially those businesses with an active and engaging social media presence.

Currently offering promos?  Specials?  VIP exclusivity for followers?  Now's a great time to start.

Don't even USE Facebook for your business?  Perhaps it's time to get your butt in gear.  Because guess what?  Your competitor is about to have one more edge over you.

If you enjoyed this post - make sure to click "follow" above so you don't miss any future pieces! If you think someone else will like it...share away!

POSTED BY

Kyle Reyes is the President and Creative Director of The Silent Partner Marketing

It seems as if everything is getting smaller this days.

Don't believe me?  Look at a carton of ice cream.  Bet you still thought you were getting a half gallon, didn't ya?

The whole concept of shortening things up created a multi-billion dollar player - Twitter.

So in an age where we seem to have more and more content out there for us to consume, is the answer in microblogs?

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, the average attention span of a human being has dropped from 12 seconds in 2000 to eight seconds in 2013.  That, my friends, is shorter than the attention span of a goldfish.

If I still have your attention, let's go back to the concept of the microblogs.

The goal of blogs - or any content marketing, for that matter - is to increase engagement, yes?  If we're all in agreement on that, it's safe to assume we're all in agreement that the higher level of engagement...the better.

A number of websites have recently started talking about how it seems that simple status updates yield a higher level of engagement on personal pages than photos (but less than videos).  Many are asking whether it makes any sense - after all, photos are highly captivating, right?

Here's my hypothesis: Facebook gives serious props to video, as it is easily monetized and helps them compete with YouTube.

Facebook then ranks status updates above photos not because it likes them better...but because it helps break up the newsfeed.  And marketers, for the past couple of years, have been preaching the need to put pictures with every single post.  As a result, status updates without pictures or map locators are harder to come by...and Facebook is giving a greater level of attention to those still playing old-school style.

Through a variety of A/B/C testing on our personal pages and business pages over the past several months, we've found that we're definitely onto something.  Setting parameters of same times and days for different types of posts, we noticed that on personal pages (especially) status updates tend to perform exceedingly well, trailing behind video but coming in ahead of photos.

Could we be entirely wrong?  Of course.  But we ran over 100 test sets and found relatively consistent results.  

What does this have to do with the concept of microblogs?

It's simple, really - I'd argue that a status update is simply a very, very short blog - with the sole purpose of creating a high level of engagement.  

While creative content teams all across the globe are battling to come up with the most snazzy meme, it sort of makes you wonder - are you overthinking things?

I'd love to know what you think.  Share your experiences in the comments below!

Being a former journalist, I often preach about the need to tell stories in every way possible in this new digital age.  Yet for some reason, dealerships across the country seem to think that public relations and social media don't apply to them.

Think again.

Today, we were able to help secure national media exposure for one of our dealerships...for a decision they've made to close their dealership every Memorial Day.

Mike Monaco, one of the owners of Monaco Ford in Glastonbury, is a Marine.  Ever since he was a kid, the dealership has paid tribute to the fallen members of our military in this way.  The Monacos have a strong military history...and so to them, it was never a question.

But it's not something they have ever promoted or publicized.  For them, it's just the right thing to do.

You can imagine how the media took to the story when they found out about it.

WFSB covered it tonight, sharing it with affiliates around the country.  You can see the story here.

But it didn't stop there.  This week, Monaco Ford shared two videos to Facebook - one from last year's parade (where we insisted we film to promote their cause this year) - and one from the parade today.

The Monacos aren't afraid to take on a little controversy.  So when they heard about this "flag stomping/burning" challenge going on (where people are "challenged" to burn or stomp on the flag and upload it to Facebook), they were sickened.  Check out the video...this was their response.

It's amazing how a little public relations and a little handy video work can go a long way.  The numbers are soaring on social media...because sometimes it feels good to do the right thing.

Go check them out on Facebook and give them a share.  They deserve it.

We're big believers in cause marketing.

But we didn't expect that our latest campaign with Monaco Ford would be so...well...difficult.

Last week, we filmed Superhero Day at the Connecticut Children's Medical Center.  We had Monaco Ford provide the "Bat Mobile" and hang out with the kids for the event.

Today, we're proud to announce that acclaimed artist Rachel Platten has partnered with us to help spread the word about these incredible little heroes...and it was a game changer for all of us.

Not long ago, Platten released a song called "The Fight Song".  It's inspired people all across the globe - including the little kids who were heard singing the song last week.  And so it became a fitting backdrop for a music video of sorts capturing all of the emotions on this special day.

The moments you're about to see may be difficult to watch.  But today isn't about the pain.  Today is about the hope.  It's about inspiration.  And it's about touching lives...and inspiring others to support the Connecticut Children's Medical Center and other incredible organizations like them.

​...please share it.  Let's spread the word about these little heroes.

And let's remember that sometimes cause marketing isn't about us...it's about the cause.  Yet somehow...just somehow...everybody wins.

Many of the dealerships here on DrivingSales have a Director of Marketing (or a position close to it).  So what happens when that employee goes off the deep end?  Let's just say it could be a big win...or a big loss.

The warning signs were there and you ignored them.

Perhaps you were at your management meeting and he or she started talking crazy.  About things like, you know, Instagram. 

Maybe you were going through the AMEX statement and saw that some podcasting equipment had been ordered.

But you KNEW there was a “problem” when all of a sudden your Director of Marketing was teaching your sales team how to “Snapchat” customers.

That’s right.  Your employee has gone rogue.  And it could be the best thing that ever happened to your dealership.  Or, of course, it could be the worst thing.

Let’s explore the good warning signs and the bad ones. 

The Bad Signs

Let’s start with the signs that you might have an issue.  A big, bad issue.  Like your employee is about to quit.  Or lock you out of your accounts.  Or suffer a mental breakdown. 

Branding Issues

Your brand starts looking inconsistent.  All of a sudden your logo doesn’t match your color scheme.  Your company has “groups” on Facebook and LinkedIn that don’t fit the brand.  Or perhaps your content is taking different tones than normal, and they don’t fit the voice of the company.

Lack of Content

Suddenly your tweets are trickling out as if someone turned the faucet mostly off.   Facebook pages are no longer being updated.  Social media deadlines are being missed.  Passwords are magically disappearing.

Spray and Pray

There’s a sudden desperate desire to roll out new social media initiatives.  One day, it’s Pinterest.  The next day it’s Vine.  Social accounts are started and quickly abandoned.  The strategy isn’t just gone – tools are coming and going so fast that you wonder if it was ever there to begin with.

The Good Signs

Of course there are some good signs as well.  But are you able to differentiate them?  Let’s take a look.

Unexpected Bills

“But I thought Facebook was free?”

If you’re seeing charges all of a sudden on the company card for Facebook, don’t freak out.  Ask your Marketing Director to help you understand the strategy and the metrics.  Be more concerned if they are NOT spending money here to grow your business.

Your Company Launched a Failed Campaign

Failure can be good as long as we learn from it.  If your marketing team isn’t failing from time to time, they aren’t taking big enough risks.  In this constantly changing digital age, failure is just one more tool to success.

They Are Blowing Off Non-Essential Meetings

I once worked for a company that had a weekly meeting to plan for the weekly meeting.

Right.  I thought the same thing.

In our effort to stay hyper-organized, sometimes we end up wasting time on meetings that could be better spent making money for the company.  Don’t rush to conclusions.  Ask questions.  Understand where your Director of Marketing is and what’s being done with that time.

Your Television Commercials Just Disappeared

Don’t fire your them.  Hell – you may want to give them a raise.  They probably just saved you a disgusting amount of money that was being burned on a daily basis.  The caveat?  Find out what their plan is to maximize impression share in the absence of this media. 

Time for you to share your experiences.  Does your dealership have a Director of Marketing?  How has the position changed over the years?

There are two relatively new apps to hit the market...and the automotive industry is crazy if it doesn't start taking advantage of them to connect with buyers in the market.  But what's the difference...and which one comes out on top?  Read on.

A couple of weeks ago, I gave a presentation to a huge group of people ranging in age from 40 to 75 about how millennials have fueled the massive expansion of technology and how we use it.  I asked this group (the topic was politics) why candidates spend so much money on traditional advertising? 

There was silence in the room after I asked how many people in the room actually watch “live” television.

Here we are in an age where we can watch what we want to watch WHEN we want to watch it. 

We’ve shunned live television, instead embracing DVR’s and streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu.

Come on - haven't we seen how the automotive industry has been forced to adjust as a result?

Yet what are the hottest apps in the market right now?

Two new toys that allow us the opportunity to capture live streaming.

Go figure.

Periscope and Meerkat have captured attention over the past couple of months, and for good reason.  They give you a live eye behind the scenes of the lives of others.  They give a VIP pass to events across the globe happening RIGHT NOW.  And they take the concept of Facetime to an entirely new level.

From a business perspective, both have countless opportunities for the creative and tech savvy marketers.  But which should you choose?  Let’s explore some of the functionality of each.

The Stream

Comparing apples to apples (streaming from both in the same wifi or network conditions, they are on point with one another.  The video quality is decent.  Bonus points to Periscope though, which seems to smooth out network choppiness in videos that are saved for replaying later.

Bonus points here to Meerkat, which allows you to watch or film in either landscape or portrait. 

Periscope is limited to portrait view for right now.

Functionality

It doesn’t get much more simple and straightforward than Meerkat.  Open the app on your phone, hit Stream, and you’re live.  Your Twitter followers get an alert that you’re on the area.  When you’re done…hit stop. 

Periscope offers some stronger functionality for the more advanced marketers.  You can tweet out links to the live stream in advance of it.  You can also create private broadcasts, for those of you who are into that sort of thing (privacy, I mean).

With Meerkat, when you stop recording, the stream disappears.  With Periscope, your stream is automatically saved for 24 hours.  That means anyone who clicks on the Twitter link after can see what you broadcast. 

Bonus – we found that with the iPhone, both services let us save the video we shot.

Engagement

Periscope and Meerkat are very similar in terms of the engagement that they offer.  You can leave comments on either that the broadcaster can see in real time, and you can retweet or like streams from either app. 

With that being said, it’s easier with Meerkat.  The liking, commenting and retweeting are right on the same screen as the stream.  It’s also easier to follow people with Meerkat now that you have the ability to do it from right within the live stream. 

Speaking of discovering people, both of the apps let you scope out random videos being broadcast live, which helps you find cool new people and businesses to follow.  When you open up Periscope, you get three featured videos along with a couple of other dozen live streams you can check out. 

Underneath are recent broadcasts that you might have missed.  When it comes to Meerkat, you get nine video streams when you open the app.  No recent broadcasts, obviously.  Bust.

Heads Up

Both of the apps let you know when someone that you follow has started a live broadcast.  Bonus points to Meerkat, which lets you know when someone you follow on Twitter has signed up for the app.  It makes them easier to find and follow.

When it comes to notifications, only Periscope offers decent modifications.  You can turn off notifications for when someone is following you and you can also “mute” people you follow for three hours (for people who are blowing up your feed with their live streams).

Summary

Periscope obviously enjoys the edge of being owned by Twitter…and allowing people to watch streams if they’re no longer live.  But we preferred some of the functionality of Meerkat.  So who is the winner?

Marketers.

Ladies and gentlemen, marketing directors and business owners, it’s time to play.

Are you using them in your dealerships?  Virtual test drives?  Vehicle walkaround demos?  How are YOU using these apps to sell more cars?

Friends in the automotive world, the entire digital advertising landscape could soon change.

Facebook is taking aim at Google.  And if a patent that they just applied for goes through, it was drastically reshape the entire concept of digital advertising.

It will have a HUGE impact on advertising in this industry, and you need to be aware of it.

Our agency has been creating Facebook Dark Posts for more than two years now.  Finally, other agencies are starting to hear about them and experiment with them.  It’s about time.  But guys...this is like Facebook Dark Posts on STEROIDS.  

Lots of you already use behavioral targeting and remarketing.  But many of you probably haven't even touched Facebook's remarketing yet.

People visit your website…hit Facebook… and POW – there’s an ad for your brand trailing them.

But this plan makes all of that look like child play.

This patent indicates that Facebook is looking to take on Google directly, integrating the big data it possesses in a way that serves up ads OUTSIDE of Facebook.

Huh?

Let’s break this down simply.

You’re searching around for a new car.  You look at Car and Driver and a few automotive review sites.  You go on Facebook – bam, an ad for the vehicle they were looking at, served by you.

But wait. 

Now you ask questions about the car to your friends.  Maybe read a few articles on there. Then you leave Facebook and search around on some other sites – maybe they are news sites, YouTube, or other social websites.  All of this search data, along with the buyer profile, is there.  It’s a super profile of data about the user, and those advertising with Facebook can now target these users on third party websites.  And not just with ads…but also with “sponsored articles” and app downloads.  Facebook literally has your profile information and browsing history, a broad analysis of your purchase history and the content that you’ve viewed, and information about your conversations, interactions, friends, comments, photos and more.  Facebook has your soul.

Why Should You Care?

Ladies and gentlemen, data doesn’t get any better right now than it does through Facebook.  I know that there are many of those of you marketing in this digital age who think Facebook doesn't have a role in your advertising plan.  But I'm here to tell you that you're very, very wrong.  The social giant is a search engine monster that’s aggregated massive amounts of information through your voluntarily input information, the three largest data collection agencies in the world and your own surfing habits. 

The patent that they’ve applied for covers both desktop and mobile.  It serves up both ads and content (much like Outbrain does right now).  And it does it in an exponentially more targeted way than Google’s AdSense or DoubleClick can.

If Facebook secures the patent (you can read the application here) and everything goes through as it appears, this WILL shift the face of digital advertising. 

The only question remaining…will you be ready for what’s next?

In case you missed it, here's the piece on how Facebook Dark Posts are the Ultimate Consumer Insight. 

Are you using social advertising?  What do you think of the proposed patent?