Sep 6, 2024 1797 reads

Catch the Back-to-School Wind: Effective Marketing Strategies for 2024

What is Back-to-School?Back-to-School is a significant period in marketing when students and parents purchase school supplies and clothing for the upcoming academic year. It also marks the start of the consumer shopping season and the transition into a new season. In Turkey, this period is typically considered to span August, September, and October.Who is the Target Audience for Back-to-School?Students, families, and teachers all engage in shopping to prepare for the new school year, covering needs ranging from electronics and stationery to clothing and footwear. With the rise of online education post-pandemic, demand for technological devices peaks during this time.What Are the Global Figures?The National Retail Federation forecasts that families with young children will spend a total of $38.8 billion on school shopping. For college students returning to school, this figure could rise to $86.6 billion. These numbers highlight the increased importance of technological products due to the digitalization accelerated by the pandemic. Online shopping remains a popular option for both families with young children and college students.Numerator has shared new data for the 2024 school shopping season. With the growing use of technology in classrooms, traditional school supply sales have decreased year-over-year, while online retailers have increased their share of the school supply market by 15 points over the last four years. Amazon leads in this sector. In the 2023/24 academic year, 90% of students used computers or tablets in their classrooms, and 80% used technology for school at home.Key findings include:Even young children use digital technology. While 2nd graders are least likely to use a computer or tablet for homework at home (60%), their use in the classroom is higher (83%).Computers are more commonly used than tablets. Last year, 69% of K-12 students did school work on computers, while 47% used tablets.66% of households reused last year's supplies. Only 34% indicated they would purchase all new supplies.Online retailers captured 37% of school supply spending. Amazon has moved up to second place, surpassing Target.Effective Back-to-School Marketing IdeasInfluencers Appeal to YouthYoung consumers place significant importance on the opinions of influencers they follow on social media when making shopping decisions. Partnering with influencers who appeal to this demographic can boost your brand's visibility and popularity among younger audiences. Collaborate with BTS influencers on platforms like TikTok and Instagram to effectively convey your brand message to young people.Parents and Teachers Matter too!The back-to-school period is crucial for parents and teachers as well. Parents are busy shopping to meet their children's needs, and teachers are preparing their classrooms for the new school year. Offering special promotions and discounts for parents and teachers can attract their interest and boost sales.Promotional GiftsIn Turkey, promotional products are highly attractive to consumers. During the back-to-school period, consider offering school supplies, bags, or stationery sets as small gifts with purchases over a certain amount. These giveaways enhance the shopping experience and increase customer loyalty.Share User-Generated Content (UGC) on Social MediaUser-generated content plays a significant role in social media marketing. Share photos and videos that your customers post about your products to build brand credibility. Encourage customers to create UGC to increase engagement and expand your brand’s reach organically.Content and Theme ConsistencyEnsure that the content and themes used in your Back-to-School campaigns reflect the needs and expectations of your target audience. For instance, guides, shopping lists, and preparation tips related to returning to school can engage your customers. A well-aligned content strategy will make your brand message more impactful and effective.Choose the Right ProductsSelecting appropriate products based on your expertise and stocking up with relevant sizes and quantities can boost sales. Stationery, technology products, books, and clothing are always safe choices. Offering exclusive Back-to-School collections can set your brand apart from competitors.Back-to-School PromotionsImplement various promotional strategies to attract customers. Percentage-based discounts, bundle deals for anticipated purchases, and student discounts can help drive sales.Email MarketingEmail marketing is a key strategy for assisting parents and college students with their school shopping. Personalized content and discounts can effectively engage your customers.Customize Your Store for Back-to-SchoolMake sure your website's landing page reflects the back-to-school theme. Display products under specific categories to simplify the purchasing process.Add Valuable Content to Your BlogWrite blog posts offering guides and tips related to the back-to-school season to attract customers. Expert reviews and checklists can also be helpful.Partner with an Educational InstitutionOffering donation options to customers can build brand loyalty. Contributing to local schools can positively impact the community.Include a Gift with Every PurchaseAdding a gift with purchases can enhance customer satisfaction. Offer unique gifts for customers who make purchases above a certain amount.Increase Reach with a Referral ProgramEncourage loyal customers to introduce your brand to their family and friends, boosting sales. Facilitate this process with referral links or unique codes.Invest in Customer ReviewsRemember that shoppers look for brands they can trust. Product reviews play a significant role in purchasing decisions. Promote customer reviews to influence potential buyers and build trust in your brand.

Aug 6, 2024 547 reads

Using GA4 Measurement Protocol on server-side Google Tag Manager

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) Measurement Protocol is a powerful tool for various data collection and analysis needs. Here are some use cases of the Measurement Protocol:1. Connecting Online and Offline BehaviorsGA4 Measurement Protocol allows you to combine online and offline customer interactions. For example, if a customer views a product on your online store and later purchases it in your physical store, you can merge these two interactions to create a more holistic customer journey.2. Measuring Client-Side and Server-Side InteractionsThe Measurement Protocol enables you to track both client-side and server-side interactions. This way, you can collect all user interactions occurring on your website and apps on a single platform.3. Sending Events Outside Standard User InteractionsYou can use the Measurement Protocol to send events outside standard user interactions, such as offline conversions, to GA4. This is especially useful for measuring the impact of your online ad campaigns on in-store sales.4. Sending Events from Devices and Apps Where Automatic Data Collection Is Not PossibleYou can send event data from kiosks, smartwatches, and other devices and applications where automatic data collection is not feasible. The Measurement Protocol enables you to integrate data from such devices and centralize all customer interactions.SetupIn server-side Google Tag Manager, we create the Measurement Protocol (GA4) ClientWe define the activation path as /mp/collect{ ‘measurement_id’: MEASUREMENT_ID, ‘api_secret’: API_SECRET, ‘client_id’: payload.get(‘client_id’), ‘events’: payload.get(‘events’) } Resources Google Analytics 4 Measurement Protocol Documentation By using the GA4 Measurement Protocol, you can enhance your business's data collection and analysis capabilities. This will help you make better business decisions and improve the customer experience.For more comprehensive technical measurement and product analytics, contact us

Aug 6, 2024 414 reads

The Use of First-Party Data in E-commerce Analytics

First-party data is the information a company collects from its customers and through its own channels. This data is typically gathered through customer interactions, website visits, transactions, and other direct engagements. Here’s why first-party data is so valuable.What is first-party data?First-party data is the information collected directly by a company from its own customers and target audience. This data comes from visits to your website, purchases, and other user interactions. It is considered the most valuable type of data for your business because it comes directly from the source, making it accurate and reliable.Why should we use first-party data? Accuracy and Reliability: Since first-party data comes directly from your customers, it is the most accurate and reliable form of data. It best reflects customer behavior and preferences. Data Control: First-party data is fully under your control, giving you greater oversight in terms of data privacy and security. This makes it easier to comply with privacy regulations like KVKK and GDPR. Personalization: The data collected from your customers allows you to offer more personalized and relevant content. This enhances the customer experience and boosts customer loyalty. Competitive Advantage: You gain access to exclusive data that your competitors can’t access. This makes your marketing strategies and business decisions more effective. So what is third-party data?Third-party data is information collected, aggregated, and sold by entities that are different from the original data source. In digital marketing and data analytics, third-party data is typically sourced externally and may include a broad range of demographic, behavioral, and interest-based data about individuals. This data is gathered by data brokers, aggregators, or other third-party organizations specialized in collecting and selling data.Recently, there have been limitations on third-party data usage, particularly in performance marketing and e-commerce analytics. KVKK requires user consent for data collection, which affects the creation of third-party cookies. Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari have implemented features like Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) and Enhanced Tracking Protection (ETP), which block third-party cookies by default. Google Chrome planned to phase out third-party cookies by 2022, but this deadline has been pushed to the second half of 2024, aiming to strike a balance between user privacy and an ad-supported web. Safari and Firefox offer advanced privacy to their users by blocking third-party cookies by default.However, with Google’s recent A new path for Privacy Sandbox on the web announcement, a new update has been introduced stating that the blocking of third-party data and cookie deprecation will now be left to user choice.The main reason for this update is the combination of default cookie blocking in browsers, pressure from ad-tech platforms, and underwhelming performance in the tests conducted under the Privacy Sandbox API.For more comprehensive and technical e-commerce analytics, contact us