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iPad - Data Plans and Apps lead the way
May 24, 2010
In previous blogs we commented on the release of the iPhone and the changes in search behaviour from the initial product announcement through to the launch. In Sandra’s previous posts ’iPhone Australian Launch - Features and Apps driving Consumer Interest’ and ’iPhone plans and prices top of mind’ she tracked the change in consumer interest which moved from product and applications searches to an increasing focus on data plans and prices as the launch date loomed.
With only four days until the iPad is released in Australia, there are similarities in search behavior with an increased interest in data plans and phone companies, whilst application searches haven’t been as dominant after iPad’s the initial announcement.
With Apple initially launching the iPad in the US, Australians have been able to read reviews and news from the US market to understand the benefits on owning an iPad, before its launch here. Applications are no longer the mystery they were when the iPhone was launched, so the excitement/interest, whilst still relatively strong, hasn’t been the key search driver.
The major interest has been around news, reviews, pricing, applications and of course the final release date of the iPad.
Optus and Telstra are the dominant carrier’s associated with the iPad, no doubt benefiting from iPhone’s popularity, followed by Vodafone. Telstra and Optus’ positions are reversed, when compared to the weeks leading up to Apple’s iPhone launch in July 2008 – this is seen through the search term portfolios relating to iPad and the respective carrier brand.
Last week ‘optus ipad’was ranked 5th amongst all search term variations of ‘ipad’, followed by ‘telstra ipad’ (week ending 22 May 2010).
Traffic generated from carrier branded search terms are being fragmented by news sources such as Gizmodo, IT Wire, APC magazine and others. Both Optus and Vodafone have implemented search marketing activities since the week ending 15 May, to capture consumer interest in the iPad, but only Telstra and Optus currently feature data pricing plans.
Telco carriers face a challenge to differentiate themselves from each other and attract consumers, with a search for ‘ipad’ across all carriers (Optus, Telstra and Vodafone), returning a limited number of branded listings on the first page of Goolge’s search results.
The remaining Google listings are all media and forum related results, providing users with an array of choices but impact the carrier’s ability to capture consumers’ full interest in their plans.
This highlights the need for carriers to implement Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) strategies as early as possible to maximise interest in the product and execute Pay Per Click (PPC) in line with consumer interest trends (measureable via search variations).
The combination of PPC and SEO strategies and tactics are an imperative in this highly competitive market and the earlier they are implemented the bigger the advantage or outcome.
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Posted by Alan Long at 07:02 PM
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In Categories Apple | Electronics | Search
