Report: Online campaigns, research influence in-store sales

Here is one more reason to advertise online: kids getting ready for the back-to-school rush are shopping online. Although this doesn't translate to online sales, it does translate to in-store sales. According to a new report from Performics, teens are shopping online and influencing their parents' in-store purchases.

by Kristina Knight

Whether your online hub specializes in computers and school supplies or clothing and accessories, investing in a bit of back-to-school advertising across media platforms won't hurt. The report finds that while kids are still shopping in-store with their parents they are researching their purchases online. And though these kids are technically savvy, they won't find your hub without a little help.

A primary resource for etailers is the paid search promotion but an ad campaign should not begin and end with paid search. To appeal to the temperamental teen and tween marketplace, marketers need to be visible. That means a cross-promotional campaign with print (primarily magazines), television and online hubs. Social sites should also be a big part of these cross-promotional deals because kids are increasingly turning to social networks to get and share information.

Cross-promotional campaigns are becoming more of a main-stay for marketers because the consumer base is becoming spread between so many different outlets. Evenings are no longer spent with television only and very few consumers begin their day by reading the newspaper. But, these outlets are still receiving attention. Placing ads on television or in a newspaper is another way to get your brand in front of a consumer which is one step closer to that consumer picking your brand over another on store shelves.