THE CONVERGENCE OF CONTENT + COMMERCEA Digital Hybrid to Reach the Connected Consumer

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Table of Contents

01 Introduction: Content + Commerce: It’s Complicated..........................................................................................................3

02 The Rise and Role of Content.......................................................................................................................................................6

03 The Transformation of Digital Commerce.................................................................................................................................9

04 How Content + Commerce Converge.......................................................................................................................................15

05 Looking into the Content + Commerce Crystal Ball..........................................................................................................18

06 Closing the Content + Commerce Gap: Convergence in Practice...............................................................................20

01 Content + Commerce: It’s complicated

4

01 Content + Commerce: It’s complicated

Your business has settled for far too long. You’ve had to

compromise vision, strategy and customer experience because

of fragmented, incomplete tools and strained resources. Content

and commerce have always had a complicated relationship

that is now transforming. The connection between content

and commerce has always existed, but never before has there

been such a need for integration. Traditionally, web content

management (WCM) tools—also known as content management

systems (CMS)—and commerce platforms have each served

different masters within a business. Each environment demands

different tools, uses different success metrics and views the

customer’s journey through different lenses.

Content is how online consumers explore their world. Words,

images, video, and the interaction of these essential digital

building blocks make up the essence of online communication.

Customers increasingly rely on various mobile technologies to

develop relationships with brands as they compare their retail

options. They now engage with products and companies from

multiple devices and platforms, with nearly 40% of mobile

phone users now expected to become regular mobile phone

shoppers by 2017.1 The relationship between online content and

digital commerce is powered by these Connected Consumers.

There exists an evolving interaction between consumers and

brands, and companies have the unending imperative to meet

consumers on their own terms. Businesses can no longer

afford to waste time and resources in their own tumult of siloed

departments and roles as consumers unify channels through

device usage.

The Connected Consumer is redefining how products and services

are bought and sold and, in the long run, how we build brands

and relationships. And until very recently, content and commerce

have existed in very separate worlds, using separate tools and

measuring separate successes. But the rapid adoption of personal

mobile technology and the subsequent rise of the Connected

Consumer have changed the rules forever.

The Connected Consumer is the Informed Consumer

Promoting your products—even with sales, discounts and

seasonal promotions—is no longer enough; the traditional habit

of marketing driving towards a sales engagement is rapidly

becoming extinct. Whether it’s B2C or B2B transactions, sales

is no longer in charge. According to Forrester Research, 69% of

U.S. online consumers have researched products online in just the

past three months, 47% credit personal relationships for helping

them discover new brands and products, and more importantly:

of those respondents actually

purchased or tried a new brand

or product after hearing about it

through their personal network.294%

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01 Content + Commerce: It’s complicated

“Commerce, done right is content...It’s not a flat sales page, it’s storytelling. It’s not about what you’re selling, it’s about why you’re selling it.”

—Ben Lerer, Thrillist Group

As products become increasingly commoditized, consumers

will become increasingly fascinated by the story that brands tell.

Narrative will become key, and customers will crave fluid access

from story to store.

When a business can create a multi-dimensional experience,

allowing consumers to learn about products—whether it’s user-

generated content, editorial commentary, product tutorials

or adding social enterprise into products’ value—and then

immediately access the purchase path on their terms, value is

intrinsic and the brand promise is delivered. “Commerce, done

right, is content,” innovator and Thrillist Group co-founder Ben

Lerer argues, “It’s not a flat sales page, it’s storytelling. It’s not

about what you’re selling, it’s about why you’re selling it.”3

Like two sides of a coin, content and commerce have the

potential to work together to drive Connected Consumers to

the sale. Creating and sharing relevant, valuable information that

attracts people to your products, creates trust, credibility and

builds ethos for your brand will convert visitors and prospects

into customers. However, a complicated relationship between

content and commerce, including business silos, limited

collaboration, separate teams and separate tools has created,

according to Forrester Research, “inconsistent customer

experiences, disconnected business processes and goals, and

the inability to realize clear customer insights. Consumers

bear the brunt of this divide, suffering as a result of message

integrations on the front and/or back ends.”4

We want these two crazy kids to get together and live

happily ever after.

02 The Rise and Role of Content

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02 The Rise and Role of Content

The new wave of Connected Consumers is not just connecting to

your products digitally—they also crave meaningful and relevant

connections to your product and your brand. As Joe Pulizzi,

author of Epic Content Marketing, states, “The one who has

the most engaging content wins, because frequent and regular

contact builds a relationship…Advertising is a luxury, but content

is survival.”5 Done well, content positions your company as a

provider of information and an expert in the field.

You not only build relationships with customers who can

potentially evolve into brand advocates, you also fortify your

own company with a wealth of content that builds SEO,

competitive advantage and provides sales teams with consulting

tools. A brand’s ability to manage how that content is used will

largely determine and impact their success.

The Age of the Connected Consumer

Access to information is access to power. And no one knows

this better than the Connected Consumer. The DIY movement

is no longer for those brave souls who want to tile their own

bathrooms, DIY has rapidly taken on a broader meaning to

include film, crafts, music and many other creative outlets

too numerous to list. Instant access to authentic, entertaining,

crowd-sourced information empowers individuals to self-serve

their worlds on their terms, however they choose. And the

sources for this information—blogs, YouTube, social media, and

other online platforms—are providing businesses just like yours an

enormous opportunity to connect with potential customers.

How have today’s buyers evolved?

The Role of Content in Modern Sales

Content is a fluid and dynamic interplay with consumers and

it is a free market. Connected Consumers rely so heavily on

their self-serve behaviors—including word-of-mouth and peer

recommendations, and social media—that the ROI on cold calling

has decreased so drastically that this practice is essentially dead.

According to a recent study by MarketForce, 81% of U.S. online

consumers’ purchasing decisions are influenced by friends’ social

media posts versus 78% who are influenced by the posts of the

brands they follow on social media.9

75%57% 98%of B2B purchases

are influenced by

social media7

of buying decisions

are made before a

sales rep is involved6

of CEOs say that

they do not respond

to cold calls8

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02 The Rise and Role of Content

As trust in both sales and advertising declines, word-of-mouth

marketing, user communities and social networks are rapidly

rising as the best ways to build engagement, loyal customers

and more revenue over time. Whether if you’re selling B2B or

B2C, your prospects are online and getting younger each day

due to the power of the 80MIL strong Millennial Generation.

These digital natives are especially adept at using online channels

to independently research information and discover brands,

heavily relying on social media and online platforms. According

to Forrester Research, 43% of users ages 24 to 32 use social

networks as their go-to internet discovery resource.10 In fact,

social networks are the preferred means of discovery for nearly

one-third of all Americans, and regardless of age, that number is

up from 18% in 2010.11

Clearly, the rules have changed and consumers are looking for

new ways to learn about your products—but sales isn’t always

invited to the party, and if they are, your customer wants

to determine the terms. As the lines continue to blur, new

generations of content forms are rising in both prevalence and

power. Customer communities, user-generated content and word-

of-mouth marketing are just a few examples of this new breed

of rich, dynamic information that reaches deep into the heart of

customer stories to make the sale.

GAME-CHANGER: SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

Tell a different story with Social Enterprise: the power of integrating social responsibility in the fabric of our business models, creating new types of organizations that not only drive profit, but drive social meaning and societal benefit as well.

03 The Transformation of Digital Commerce

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03 The Transformation of Digital Commerce

One of the most overwhelming challenges impacting a business’s ability to deliver commerce at the speed of the Connected Consumers’

desires is the silo effect: the lack of integration within companies to move prospective customers through a coordinated and complete

marketing and sales process. Business turns into busy work, and smart, strategic minds end up blindsided. Specifically, content silos

address the consumers’ consideration process while commerce silos focus on the endgame and the buying phase of the customer cycle.

The challenge of content and commerce silos magnify as customers increasingly demand both content and commerce on their terms.

Omni-channel is Now Uni-channel

While businesses still struggle with silos, consumers regularly defy them. Customers intrinsically reject the notion of a business-directed

channel and demand visibility and interactivity at all touchpoints during their commerce experience. They now expect to be identified when

purchasing—regardless of device or environment—and demand real-time access to product inventory and data. Contemporary businesses

must reflect the omni-channel experience so seamlessly that there are no distinguishable channels to consumers.

Forget about a mobile strategy—in order to

engage the Connected Consumer, content

marketers now need an “everything

strategy” that encompasses multiple

channels at once. In this new world of

content-driven commerce, your go-to-

market strategy has less to do with the

channel—and everything to do with the

customer. According to an IDC study, by

2017, 87% of Internet-enabled device

sales will be made up of smartphones

and tablets.12 Additionally, smartphones

will continue to ship in high volumes,

surpassing 1.4BIL units in 2015, accounting

for 69% of all smart connected device

shipments worldwide.13

SMART CONNECTED DEVICE MARKET BY PRODUCT CATEGORY,

UNIT SHIPMENTS AND MARKET SHARE, 2013 AND 2017 (SHIPMENTS IN MILLIONS)

PRODUCT CATEGORY

2013 UNIT SHIPMENTS

2013 MARKET SHARE

2017 MARKET SHARE

2013-2017 GROWTH

2017 UNIT SHIPMENTS

DESKTOP PC

PORTABLE PC

TABLET

SMART PHONE

TOTAL

134.4

180.9

227.3

1,013.2

1,556

8.6%

11.6%

14.6%

65.1%

100%

123.11

196.6

406.8

1,733.9

2,460.5

5%

8%

16.5%

70.5%

100%

-8.4%

8.7%

78.9%

71.1%

58.1%

Source: IDC Worldwide Quarterly Smart Connected Device Tracker.14

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03 The Transformation of Digital Commerce

Without a strategy in place to address the online consumption

behaviors of your audience, you might as well be providing both

content and commerce in a silo with little hope of making it

engaging and shareable.

If commerce is content as Thrillist Group’s Lerer asserts, then

retailers must consider what kind of content their customers want

to consume as they develop product descriptions. As customers

browse, search and shop your site, all those cross- and up-sell

products are content too. But you must present content within

a consumer-centric context, for the consumer, how does your

product make him or her better at something they care about?

The Connected Consumers’ never-ending quest for engaging,

sharable information is a company’s opportunity to build the

connection between content and commerce and nurture the

brand relationship. The question is no longer, “What do I do for

advertising?” but instead, “How do I better connect with my

customer and provide a relevant experience throughout the

entire engagement process?”

Unfortunately, while commerce moves at lightning speed,

most commerce platforms do not. According to an IDG

Communications survey of information technology (IT)

professionals, about half the time buyers aren’t finding

the information they need while researching products and

purchasing decisions.15 Yet as eCommerce and marketing

functions continue to converge, the benefits of a perfected

omni-channel experience will provide:

• Consumers with a consistent brand experience across

all platforms;

• Businesses with a better understanding of customers

needs and behaviors; and

• A quick ramp-up to test new markets, benefiting both

consumers and businesses alike.

However, businesses must be prepared to respond quickly in this

new marketplace of consumer-driven needs. As distribution and

purchasing channels continue to consolidate, the possibilities

become limitless. But in order to develop long-term relationships

with customers, enterprises must be able to create connections

between both content and commerce, and remove silos within

the business and between the business and the consumer.

“This notion of content being here and commerce being there doesn’t really exist any more. Everyone has become a publisher.”

—Eric Hippeau, Lerer Ventures

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03 The Transformation of Digital Commerce

Content as a Consulting Opportunity

Businesses and brands are increasingly taking on the role of

publisher as the increasing demand for content plays a role in

both building relationships with customers and building to the

sale. According to Lerer Ventures partner and former Huffington

Post CEO Eric Hippeau, “This notion of content being here and

commerce being there doesn’t really exist any more. Everyone

has become a publisher.”16 As companies search for tools that

bridge the distance between content and commerce, a single

platform that remove obstacles and streamlines processes by

directly empowering the business user will expand opportunities

for both the Connected Consumer and the enterprise alike.

GAME-CHANGER: CHALLENGER SELLING

As content becomes increasingly important (and prevalent) in digital commerce environments, consider how your sales teams can use content to act as advisors and consult prospects. The ability to teach customers something unique and valuable perspectives about how to compete in their market sets apart a business and a brand. Think about how these perspectives apply not to your products, but how the customers can compete more effectively. Think first about what you’re going to give to your target, then circle back to how you can associate your product with that benefit.

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reviewing online

customer reviews first

when they consider

a brand.19

of consumers believe

that customer

testimonials are the

most effective content

with

84% of online shoppers use

social media sites.21

69% 89%

70%

of consumers say a

source is trustworthy

when the expert has

used the product and

service before.17

A one-star increase in Yelp

rating leads to a 5-9%

increase in revenue.22 4 out of 5 consumers reverse purchase

decisions based on negative online reviews.18

Positive word-of-mouth outweighs

negative by a 6 to 1 margin.20

Online consumer reviews are the second most

trusted form of advertising with 70% of global

consumers surveyed online indicating they trust

this platform.25

92% of consumers around the world say they

trust earned media, such as word-of-mouth and

recommendations from friends and family, above

all other forms of advertising.24 word-of-mouth

customer reviews

92%

70%

The Power of Word-of-Mouth

$ $$ $

+$5-9%

70%of all UGC is contributed by consumers

between 25-54 yrs old, with the most

contributions coming from ages 35-4523

The UGC Sweet Spot

Consider the Consumer Voice The Impact of UGC on Commerce

03 The Transformation of Digital Commerce

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Customer Journey: Widget Co.

03 The Transformation of Digital Commerce

1 RESEARCHSTAGES

ACTIVITIES/

INTERACTIONS

EMOTIONS

PAIN POINTS &

OPPORTUNITIES

2 PURCHASE 3 USAGE 4 SUPPORT 5 ADVOCACY

SHARES EXPERIENCES

Tells those who ask about

the widget they choose

Submits an online review

Follows the brand via

social channels

ASSEMBLES WIDGET

Uses instruction manual

Goes online for

additional help

with assembly

USES WIDGET

PRICE SHOPPING

Looks for best

prices online

Calls local stores to see

if they will price match

DECIDES WHERE TO BUY WIDGET

MAKES PURCHASE

• store

• desktop

• mobile

• phone

RECEIVES WIDGET

Broken widget needs

to be exchanged

POTENTIAL CUSTOMER WANTS TO BUY A WIDGET

SOLICITS RECOMMENDATIONS

Get suggestions from

friends and family on

widgets to consider

NARROWS SELECTION

Reads and watches

online reviews

Test drives

widget in stores

Visits mfr websites and

uses comparison tools

DECIDES WHICH WIDGET TO BUY

REGISTERS PRODUCT

• desktop

• mobile

• mail

WIDGETS STOPS WORKING

• desktop

• mobile

• phone

PAIN POINTS

1 Wading though reviews on third-party websites,

it’s hard to tell if they apply to the exact product

the customers is considering, and if they are

more about the service of the third party than

the site itself.

2 Customers tend to have very specific questions.

Right now, they have to fill out a form, call a

hotline, or go to a store.

3 When comparing prices for widgets, it’s hard to

line up hidden costs like shipping and handling,

removal of the old widget, taxes, etc.

4 Cart experience is not optimized for mobile—

customers often switch to desktop site to

complete purchase.

5 Replacement/exchange process is not clear and

frustrated customers are more likely to ask for

a refund.

6 Customers have a low opinion of the manual

(which they voice in forums online). It is

accurate, but the pictures without text are hard

to follow.

7 Official online support is lacking—customers

spend time looking for it on the mfr site, then

just Google it.

8 Online form has a lot of fields to fill out—

many people abandon and don’t complete

registration.

9 Customers who mail in their registration don’t

receive any confirmation.

OPPORTUNITIES

A Add reviews to manufacturer site with verified

purchase icons corresponding to customers’

registered products.

B Leverage mobile capabilities to enhance and

store product research done in-store.

C Implement a chat option that allows customers

to ask questions and get answers in real time.

D Promote free shipping and widget removal

service visibility across site and wherever

pricing is listed. Include zip code search box for

tax information and estimating on all product

pages and comparison pages.

E Optimize cart for mobile and other touch

environments.

F Create cross-channel, “simple exchange”

process that makes it easy for customers to

get a replacement widget instead of asking for

a refund.

G Create a digital companion to the instruction

manual with animated drawings, video

demonstrations and a moderated area where

specific user questions are answered.

H Create a one-step registration process

leveraging mobile and/or unique registration

codes and simplify the form—offer incentives

to customers who provide additional, optional

personal information.

I Facilitate online sharing of widget users with

user submitted photos.

+2

+1

0

-1

-2

1

2

A

B

C

4

5

E

F

3 D6

7

8

7

9

G

C H

C

GI

A

04 How Content + Commerce Converge

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04 How Content + Commerce Converge

Uniting content with commerce has long challenged businesses and the technology tools on which they rely. Commerce platforms

typically manage product and inventory and pricing information, but their editorial functionality and ease of use cannot compare to

CMS tools. However, CMSs are equally hobbled, for as they easily build rich content experiences, they lack shopping cart and

catalog functionality.

This disparity between tools mirrors the intrinsic differences between the larger goals of content-driven media sites versus commerce-

driven product sites. The current dissonance stems from the reality that commerce sites must quickly drive customers to the sale, while

content-based sites want visitors to be engaged for as long as possible in non-transactional interactive experiences. As content and

commerce converge, some argue that it may be easier for product brands to evolve into publishers of authentic and engaging content

than for media companies to add commerce successfully without sacrificing readers or brand integrity.

Content, Commerce and the Customer Lifecycle

Connected Consumers are not only driving a retail revolution, they

are dramatically transforming the customer lifecycle. Previously,

businesses drove customers and prospects to a specific sales

experience. Because sales used to own, manage and broker

the dissemination of content to the target audience, marketers

had much shorter life cycles with which to contend. A dialog

existed, but it was led and conducted by sales. In the old era of

mass marketing, businesses could get away with close-enough

approximations and market to a “persona.” But today, you must

market to a person—and this fundamental shift has changed

the role of marketing forever. Businesses no longer manage the

customer lifecycle but now participate in a complex customer

ecosystem, exchanging content and commerce by invitation.

Customer lifecycles and campaigns are no longer fully architected

by businesses but have instead evolved into rich, two-way dialogs,

integrated with pricing and customer behavior data.

GAME-CHANGER: RICH MEDIA AS THE NEW CONSUMER STORYBOOK

With competition for online attention becoming increasingly cutthroat, rich media plays a vital role in digital storytelling. Video, eBooks and infographics are just a few of the ways businesses can capture the Connected Consumers’ imagination.

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04 How Content + Commerce Converge

The Give and Take of Content + Commerce

Convergence Tool Trends

According to Forrester Research, companies can look forward

to the convergence between content and commerce as

new platforms arise to meet the needs of the Connected

Consumers as well as competitive market opportunities. This

overlap is “most pronounced around the features that control

customer engagement, such as page templates, navigation

tools, site search, personalization, content targeting, and

recommendations.”26

According to StyleCaster spokesperson Meghan Cross,

“advertising and affiliate revenue models don’t conflict because

increasing engagement actually helps drive purchases, and this

makes the purchasing process more organic.

The more engaged the consumer is, whether that consumer is

trying on product or clicking on more articles, the more likely

he or she is to purchase a product then and there.”27 Though

skeptical, educated consumers see content originating from

companies as just increasingly sophisticated marketing

rather than authentic dialog, enterprises should still strive

to be credible sources within their own industries. However,

appropriate messaging and coordinating timing with your

consumer targets is key. As MarketingProfs shows in their recent

survey, most consumers (74%) generally trust educational

material from a business as long as it appears objective and

“doesn’t explicitly try to sell a product/service,” as adding your

product pitch at the end shows to cut credibility below half

(45%).28 And, as Eric Hippeau astutely remarks, “social platforms

turn everyone into some kind of publisher, the definition of

‘content’ itself is changing, in turn altering what it means to be in

the media business.”29

As we mentioned earlier, it’s a toss of the coin for IT

professionals when they research products to purchase—

half the time they aren’t finding the information they need.

And often, the information that potential customers are looking

for is not the “speeds and feeds” of your product, but rather for

the context, solutions and opportunity you provide. As a result,

product reviews, user-generated content and vibrant, shared

communities that answer the question, “How has someone

used this product to do X?” make an emotional connection with

consumers and create a significant impact; so prepare tools and

content accordingly for this is where the true convergence of

content, commerce and the Connected Consumer happens.

CONTENT

BUSINESS CUSTOMER

COMMERCE

• eBooks

• How-to Guides

• Videos

• Social media

• Images

• White Papers

• Checklists

• Infographics

• Likes

• Comments

• Pins

• Reviews

• WOM

• Tweets/Retweets

• Memes

• Money• Products

• Services

• Promotions

• Discounts

• Loyalty programs

05 Looking into the Content + Commerce Crystal Ball

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05 Looking into the Content + Commerce Crystal Ball

Today’s Connected Consumers buy from and build loyalties with businesses that nurture emotional connection and anticipate their

personal preferences. Their customer journey is ideally a rewarding one as they explore, interact, purchase and develop mutually

beneficial brand advocacy over time. But where will content and commerce go from here? How will the technology and business

strategies develop to catch up to the needs and desires of Connected Consumers to communicate a fully integrated vision that forwards

brand value and meaning across all customer touchpoints? Here are a few predictions of the future of content and commerce to whet

your appetite and turn the wheels of your business strategies:

1 Commerce and content will become seamless.

2 Technology will evolve to meet the needs of both content creators and commerce drivers, and these tools will

become more powerful and easier to use.

3 Content will do more to build brands than any other single type of marketing.

4 Traditional content and social content will combine forces: “content marketing” will become simply “marketing”

and “social media” will become simply “media.”

5 We will see a shift in power as user-generated content, personal brands and online communities command greater

respect and take over digital environments.

6 Trust among corporate content creators will increase as content—especially user-generated content—builds

greater monetization opportunities.

7 Consumers, particularly the Millennial generation, will redefine narrative in commerce as it applies to social good.

Brands that do not stand for something will not stand the test of time.

06 Closing the Content + Commerce Gap: Convergence in Practice

21

06 Closing the Content + Commerce Gap: Convergence in Practice

Engaging customers consistently in both content and

commerce requires a powerful and intuitive Web technology

solution that enables your business teams to deliver a unified

content experience to multiple channels simultaneously and

in real time. Recent research from Forrester Research shows

that 53% of B2B companies are planning to invest in WCMs

within the next 18 months, and that 64% plan to invest in a

commerce technology platform.30

By humanizing a brand with compelling content, companies

can build a framework of trust and dialog within the customer

journey that is meaningful and directs the purchasing decision.

Commerce becomes more fluid and efficient as businesses

maximize their inventory investments, streamline back-end

processes and plan for the future as devices evolve. Ensuring

that your business delivers seamless integration across content,

commerce and delivery channels—whether desktop, mobile,

or kiosk—is paramount in this new age of the Connected

Consumer. And choosing a commerce platform that unites

both content and commerce together creates a consistent

experience for both consumers as well as business users,

fulfilling the promise of connection and brand credibility.

MEET MOZU: WHERE CONTENT AND COMMERCE COMBINE

The Mozu multi-tenant SaaS commerce platform makes it easy to manage content, products and brands across multiple sites. Purpose-built for enterprise environments, Mozu blends content, commerce and custom site building tools to enable rapid collaboration between front-end development and back-end management. Businesses can use Mozu to “create once and deploy many,” consolidating products into a single catalog and publish to multiple brands, multiple products, or multiple offers on multiple sites. And with its intuitive interface, Merchandizing and Marketing teams can use Mozu to quickly launch or modify sites. With Mozu, businesses can simplify the creation and management of content and while delivering a rich digital brand experience within multiple sites, multiple catalogs—all while reducing time, cost and risk.

22

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reineke_reitsma/13-04-26-the_data_digest_us_consumers_mobile_shopping_

behaviors

2. Munchbach, C. Forrester Research, Inc. The Customer Life Cycle: A Blueprint

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forrester.com (subscription required)

3. Huffpost Live. (11 March 2014). Lerer At SXSW: On The Future of Content

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4. Powers, S., Sheldon, P. Forrester Research, Inc. Commerce and Content: The

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www.forrester.com (subscription required)

5. Pulizzi, J. Content Marketing: Publishing is the New Marketing. (2010) Retrieved

at: http://www.slideshare.net/juntajoe/content-marketing-for-the-wine-industry

6. Corporate Executive Board Study via The End of Solution Sales. (2013).

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solution-sales/index.page

7. IBM Buyers Preference Study. (2011). IBM’s Social Selling: The Computer Giant

Finds B2B Leads in Social Media as quoted on ChiefMarketer.com. Retrieved at

http://www.chiefmarketer.com/b2b/ibms-social-selling-the-computer-giant-

finds-b2b-leads-in-social-media-25012012#_

8. Fidelman, M. The Rise of Social Salespeople. (2012). Retrieved at http://www.

forbes.com/sites/markfidelman/2012/11/05/the-rise-of-social-salespeople/

9. Market Force. Market Force Study Shows Companies Wield Comparable Social

Media Influence to Friends. (1 May 2012). Retrieved at http://www.marketforce.

com/press-releases/item/research-social-media-influence/

10. Forrester Research, Inc. via Entrepreneur.com, Kabin, Benjamin. Social Media May

Soon Drive More Traffic to Your Website Than Search Engines. (25 June 2013).

Retrieved at http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/227178#ixzz2XYyszA6m

11. Ibid.

12. IDC. Tablet Shipments Forecast to Top Total PC Shipments in the Fourth Quarter

of 2013 and Annually by 2015, According to IDC. (11 September 2013). Retrieved

at http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS24314413

13. Ibid.

14. Ibid.

15. Handley, A. and C.C. Chapman. Technology Vendors May Be Losing Close to 50%

of Their Potential Sales Due to Inadequate Information. IDG via Content Rules.

(2012). Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

16. Heussner, K. Content and commerce collide: is it harder for publishers or

e-tailers? (4 December 2013). Retrieved at http://gigaom.com/2012/12/04/

content-and-commerce-collide-is-it-harder-for-publishers-or-e-tailers/

17. Cone Communications. Game Changer: Cone Survey Finds 4-out-of-5

Consumers Reverse Purchase Decisions Based on Negative Online Reviews.

(30 August 2011). Retrieved at http://www.conecomm.com/stuff/contentmgr/

files/0/286c351989671ae74994fec139863bb2/files/2011_cone_communications_

online_influence_trend_tracker_release_and_fact_sheet.pdf

18. Ibid.

19. Gunelius, Susan. Newstex. Data Proves Word-of-Mouth Marketing Works—

Infographic. (12 February 2014). Retrieved at http://newstex.com/2014/02/12/

data-proves-word-of-mouth-marketing-works-infographic/

20. Keller Fay Research. 3 Billion Word of Mouth Impressions About Brands Each

Week in UK, According to Keller Fay Research. (8 November 2011). Retrieved at

http://www.kellerfay.com/3-billion-word-of-mouth-impressions-about-brands-

each-week-in-uk-according-to-keller-fay-research/

21. Tierney, J. Customers Want Online Shopping Options. (3 June 2013). Retrieved

at http://loyalty360.org/resources/article/customers-want-online-shopping-

options

22. Luca, Michael. Reviews, Reputation, and Revenue: The Case of Yelp.com. (16

September 2011). Retrieved at http://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Publication%20

Files/12-016.pdf

23. BazaarVoice. The Conversation Index, Volume 1. (2011). Retrieved at

http://media2.bazaarvoice.com/documents/Conversation_Index_

Bazaarvoice_20111010b.pdf

24. Nielsen. Nielsen: Global Consumers’ Trust in “Earned” Advertising Grows in

Importance. (10 April 2012). Retrieved at http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/press-

room/2012/nielsen-global-consumers-trust-in-earned-advertising-grows.html

25. Ibid.

26. Powers, S., Sheldon, P. Forrester Research, Inc. Commerce and Content: The

Perfect Couple Or A Tumultuous Affair? Choosing Between eCommerce and

Web Content Management Solutions. (19 November 2013). Retrieved at http://

www.forrester.com (subscription required)

27. Griffith, E. This whole “content and commerce trend isn’t dead yet, according to

StyleCaster. (31 October 2013). Retrieved at http://pando.com/2013/10/31/this-

whole-content-and-commerce-trend-isnt-dead-yet-according-to-stylecaster/

28. Nanji, Ayaz. Do People Trust Content From Marketers? (2014). Retrieved at

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from-marketers?adref=nlt061014 (registration required)

29. Heussner, K. Content and commerce collide: is it harder for publishers or

e-tailers? (4 December 2013) Retrieved at http://gigaom.com/2012/12/04/

content-and-commerce-collide-is-it-harder-for-publishers-or-e-tailers/

30. Demery, P. B2B sites increasingly marry content and commerce. (18 February

2014). Retrieved at http://www.internetretailer.com/2014/02/18/b2b-sites-

increasingly-marry-content-and-commerce

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References

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