The brain processes images from photos and videos about 60,000 times faster than it processes text. With stats like that, it’s not surprising that brands want to leverage visual mediums as a powerful way to share their message. In fact, more than half of all marketing professionals state they see a stronger ROI with video advertising than with any other form of marketing campaign.
Continue reading “How to Measure Video Advertising ROI: The Metrics Brands Must Know”
When I was a kid, my parents made sure that each and every Christmas was memorable for my siblings and me by going all out with gifts, decorations, and cookie baking parties, really stretching their budget to put smiles on our little faces. Now, as a mom to three beautiful boys of my own, I know the joys, and the challenges, that come with creating a Christmas my kids will never forget—and can fully appreciate everything my mom and dad did for us kids each year.
My boys’ excitement for the season each December brings my husband and me an incredible amount of joy, but there’s no denying we have to keep a careful eye on our budget. Luckily, though, the shopping powers that be have given me my own Christmas gift in recent years: smartphone apps that reward budget stretching Christmas shoppers with gift cards to their favorite stores. These shopping rewards smartphone apps have helped me make my family’s holidays brighter than the giant Rockefeller Center Christmas tree!
And now here’s my gift to you: sharing what I’ve learned about how Christmas shopping with smartphone apps can make it feel like you have your very own little Santa’s elves helping you gear up for the most wonderful time of the year! Make sure not to hoard these tips to yourself, though (like you do the last frosted sugar cookie). Here’s to spreading some digital yuletide cheer!
You always remember your oldest child’s first Christmas: the happy giggles as he plays with all the toys, the pictures you take together in front of the lighted tree, the adorable, tiny sweater with a reindeer knitted on the front. What you might also remember is how many times you went out to a store to pull that merry little memory off. My rough estimate is about a bajillion trips to my local Target.
While I’ve gotten more efficient in the aisles since then (have you ever tried to control three toddler boys in a Walmart?), the number of trips I make to stores during the holiday season is still pretty high. But these days, I’m getting rewarded for my frequent trips down the aisle because my shopping rewards smartphone apps are helping me to deck the halls (and my wallet) with savings!
When I go out to get blank Christmas cards for all the cousins at any of my favorite shops, I get points for simple things like entering the store, finding and scanning barcodes of featured products, and making purchases. Then, I redeem the points for gift cards that I can give as gifts or use to boost my own budget. I rack up so many points this time of year that I start to imagine I hear a ring jing jingling, and it isn’t silver bells—it’s extra change in my wallet! It’s kind of like the old days of having multiple rewards program cards, except all wrapped up like a gift inside of one easy-to-use app!
Every Christmas, my boys get pretty ambitious with their lists to Santa. I’ve seen it all, from a basketball stadium to pet elephant. As a creative mommy, I do my best to find little things that fit the descriptions (and my budget), like a basketball game for their Xbox or a stuffed elephant that roars when you lift up its trunk. So, when it comes to my favorite advice on how to best use your smartphone apps while doing your Christmas shopping, I suggest flexing those creative muscles yet again.
Since all of my favorite shopping apps are based on points and incentives, it’s important for you to find one that goes above and beyond just helping you earn rewards. Look for an app that motivates you to use it by turning Christmas shopping into a game, like a scavenger hunt! Once you’ve downloaded your app, here are some ways to shop outside the box—the gift box that is!
I love, love, LOVE Christmas but if my budget could talk, I’m sure it would say that it’s happy the holidays only come once a year. That’s why finding my favorite Christmas shopping smartphone apps has been such a gift. My personal favorite is Shopkick, which I can use to accumulate and track rewards, then get paid for shopping I already do by trading in my points (called kicks) for gift cards to big name stores like Target, Best Buy, Amazon, and Starbucks. Shopkick turns holiday hassles into a fun scavenger hunt for big-time rewards. I really ho-ho-hope you love it as much as I do!
This Christmas, get your savings all in one place. Download Shopkick’s free app and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the gift of shopping with a free shopping rewards smartphone app.
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