We’ve all seen the news headlines. They queue, they camp, they chant. And sometimes, they even stampede. Just to get their hands on a new device.

And while these are the more extreme cases, it’s clear that consumers love technology, ready to cast off last year’s phone for one with a better battery, more pixels, and a blush-gold case.

But of course, the decision journey begins long before launch day, creating a significant opportunity for retail advertisers – as long as you get in on the action at the right time.

What makes this new device season even more interesting is the rise in opportunity for brands outside of Apple.

iPhone users are becoming less loyal to Apple over time, according to research by UBS analysts Steven Milunovich and Benjamin Wilson.

This chart is particularly surprising because it shows that Apple’s customer retention rates are heading toward parity with Android phones, including those made by Samsung (which suffered last quarter due to the recall of its flagship device, the Galaxy Note 7).

How can iPhone retailers win back sales? And how can other brands benefit from this launch season? Here’s your optimization plan based on research compiled by Bing Ads (disclosure: my employer) into the customer journey that surrounds new device launches.

Before the announcement

Bing Ads research shows that 33 percent of users start their device journeys well before the official announcement – around 90 days before the official release date – with phone searches peaking on the announcement day.

What does that mean for you?

Pre-launch announcement, your advertising campaign should focus on providing and linking to helpful, informative content and reviews that detail the features and benefits of the device or device plans.

Research and awareness is the name of the game, and your focus right now should be on building up the all-critical top of mind awareness.

After the announcement

On the day of the announcement, Bing Ads data shows that searching peaks, with about 32 percent of searchers starting their research that very day.

Looking at last year’s data, we saw that the announcements impacted behavior across all demographics, with most searches coming from the 35-49 range and women searching far more online than men.

Microsoft internal data, search volume, in selected categories related to iPhone new device launch – all devices, U.S., September 1, 2016 – October 31, 2016.

1. Be sure to layer on demographic bidding on top of your existing bid modifiers.

2. Your next order of business is to make it easy for shoppers to pre-order, upgrade, trade-in, and find accessories for their new device. Key tips:

• Bid on non-brand and competitor brand keywords to capture switchers.
• Update keywords and bids periodically as new phone information is revealed to capture incremental traffic volume.
• Use Sitelink Extensions that point to different phone and plan options.
• Best of all, for wireless carriers that subsidize the price of phones with contracts, Bing Shopping Campaigns will now accept $0 price products for mobile and tablet devices that are paid for in installments or as part of a contract.

3. You’ll also want to give searchers the ability to comparison shop. Bing Ads research shows that device shoppers like to compare new-to-new, new-to-old, and old-to-old models as well as brand-to-brand. As a frame of reference, last year’s top 10 iPhone-related comparison queries were:

• iphone 7 vs iphone 7 plus
• iphone 7 vs iphone 6
• iphone 6 vs 6s
• iphone 6 vs iphone 7
• iphone 7 vs 7 plus
• iphone 6s vs iphone 7
• iphone 7 vs galaxy s7
• iphone 7 vs iphone 6s
• iphone 7 vs samsung s7
• iphone se vs iphone 6s

When the device goes on sale

Devices typically go on sale a week or so after pre-order begins.  Once that happens, shoppers are usually ready to buy, so you’ll want to make it easy for them to purchase online (or in-store).

1. Test out shorter ads with clear calls to action that take shoppers directly to the item for purchase.

2. Be sure to run Local Inventory Ads as part of your Shopping Campaigns to make it easier for nearby shoppers to find local store information.

3. When you’re setting up your campaign, be sure to set bids in anticipation of peaks when the device announcement hits. As a frame of reference, here’s how CPCs and CTRs were impacted during last year’s launch:

4. To drive foot traffic for in-store purchases, be sure to use location extensions and targeting.

When pre-orders ship

Once the device starts to ship, you’ll want to continue advertising the device, plans, and accessories.

You’ll also want to have budgets ready in anticipation of competing device launches. For example, the research shows that iPhone searches spiked when the Google Pixel was announced.

Continue to test ad copy and image variations. And be sure to go above and beyond to populate your feed with as many recommended attributes as possible for each product offers.

In summary, use the data from last year to help shape your strategy most effectively this season. For more information, the full Bing Ads insights deck includes a handy new device launch checklist and many other valuable tips and insights.

Almost exactly a year ago, Apple released the iPhone 6, which included Apple Pay. Apple Pay was designed to blow Google Wallet out of the water. It came with tighter security and greater adoption of technology such as near-field communication (NFC). Android Pay is also head-and-shoulders above Google Wallet, though it’s not necessarily better than Apple Pay. Still, it’s similar enough to be a formidable competitor – which is necessary, according to Cyriac Roeding, chief executive of shopping companion app Shopkick.

“Not everyone has an iPhone. Just like we have two operating systems for our smartphones, we’re going to have at least two operating systems for our mobile payments,” Roeding points out. “That’d be like saying, ‘We have a Ford car, so nobody else needs to make cars anymore,’ or ‘There’s no need to make seatbelts because Ford already has them.’ I hope [Google and Apple] both win so we’re able to kickstart this market.”

While Google promises to add new retailers and banks regularly, the platform’s participants aren’t as extensive as those for Apple Pay. As a result, some users may lose the ability to tap and pay. The increased security from Android Pay doesn’t allow you to link any debit card, rather it requires participation from Google partners.

Josh Engroff, chief digital media officer at The Media Kitchen, points out that this isn’t Android’s only disadvantage. Android Pay will come pre-loaded on all AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile smartphones running Android Lollipop and all subsequent system updates. Apple Pay also comes pre-loaded on Apple devices.

“Android Pay’s approach to security is not much different than Apple Pay’s, and therefore also not a competitive advantage. Both pass secure tokens to merchants, keeping the actual credit card number hidden,” Engroff says. “The challenge for Android is that since it doesn’t control the hardware layer completely like Apple does, different handset makers with their own payments solution may claim their method is more secure than Android Pay’s. That is already happening with Samsung.”

Engroff says that mobile payments aren’t significantly more convenient than pulling out a credit card. He thinks they have potential beyond transactions.

“Where it will get really interesting is when they work across all apps on a user’s phone,” he says. “Then Apple Pay and Android Pay both become extremely convenient services available to all apps, which eliminates the need to enter payment info into different app environments. This is true whether for in-app purchases of virtual goods like mobile games or physical goods like Amazon delivery.”

Rodeing agrees, adding that mobile payments can become a piece in the loyalty programs, ultimately creating the best possible experience for a consumer in-store.

“After all this, the next step needs to be a focus on what happens before the payment,” he says. “That’s where the problem is. You don’t know what to buy, you don’t know what the discounts are, and nobody knows you’re there to greet you.”

Currently Android Pay is limited to physical stores – McDonald’s, Walgreens, Whole Foods, Staples, and Subway are among its early adopters. It will be expanded to include purchases within Android apps later this year, though Google hasn’t specified when.

Maps users can now sync desktop maps to mobile. To share maps, both devices must be signed in to Google Maps. As long as devices are signed in, available devices should show beneath search results under the “Send to Device” tag. Once a place is sent, an alert is sent to mobile via push notification. The update is available for both iPhone and Android, but won’t work if Maps are set to “lite mode.”

While many users reported trouble synching devices in the comments of the Google+ post, according to the company’s help document, the Maps update should work if both devices have the latest version of Google Maps, are signed in to the same account, have a reliable Wi Fi connection, and have enabled notifications. However, as of publication, the update hasn’t worked for SEW reporters.

After eight years, Yahoo Maps will shut down at the end of the month, though the company will continue to support Yahoo Maps within its own search results and other properties, such as Flickr. As Yahoo standardizes and consolidates its offerings, the GeoPlanet and PlaceSpotter APIs will be retired during the third quarter of this year; information on migrating them is currently available through Yahoo Query Language.

In order to focus on its digital magazines, Yahoo will discontinue several regional, genre-specific media properties such as Yahoo Music in France and Canada; Yahoo Movies in Spain; Yahoo Entertainment in Singapore; and both Yahoo Music and Autos in the U.K., France, Germany and Spain. In addition, Yahoo Philippines will shut down and redirect to the Yahoo Singapore homepage.

Though Yahoo isn’t shutting down its mail system, the company will stop supporting Yahoo Mail on older iPhones. Beginning on June 15, Yahoo Mail will only be supported on the built-in email app for iOS 5 and later versions. Similarly, that same day, Yahoo Contacts will stop syncing for Mac operating systems prior to Mountain Lion.

Later this summer, Yahoo will also stop supporting Pipes, an application that aggregates information from various sources and then publishes it depending on users‘ filters.

Hyundai is offering a free software upgrade to owners of 2015 Hyundai Sonatas with navigation that will use Google Now geo-location-targeted voice search based on Google Maps users’ past searches, calendar entries, and home and office locations to offer location suggestions. The upgrade will integrate Google voice search with the Sonata’s touch screen navigation system. The new software will also integrate other Google Apps, such as Google Play, along with third party apps, like Skype, Spotify, and NPR.

While Google announced plans to work with several automakers to integrate Google apps into vehicles earlier this year, Hyundai is the first to integrate the technology into its cars. A spokesperson from Hyundai tells Search Engine Watch that the company chose to pilot this program with Google instead of a competing search engine or operating system because of Google’s “speed and accuracy.”

However, Hyundai has not shelved plans to work with Apple to offer app and search integration to iPhone users, the spokesperson tells Search Engine Watch, and will soon offer CarPlay, a similar product from Apple, in its vehicles. “Hyundai and Apple are committed to delivering drivers the best possible experience while using CarPlay in their vehicles. We are currently working together to complete CarPlay integration, and look forward to making it available in the Hyundai Sonata soon.”

Android Auto is currently only available to Android users with the Lollipop 5.0 operating system and must be obtained through Hyundai dealers. However, this summer, Sonata owners can download the update through the Hyundai website to a USB drive.

To combat the likelihood of misspellings on small mobile screens, Bing has introduced helpful “Bubbles” to its image search feature. The bubbles divide search terms into easily deleted segments like “white” and “tulips,” offering image suggestions for both or either. Tapping any of the bubbles broadens search criteria. Bing will also provide bubbles featuring related terms beneath the search bar, so that searches can be more easily broadened or refined.

The new search feature is currently only available in English across Android and iPhone. Bing hopes to further improve the service by taking user suggestions via Twitter using the hashtag #TypeLessSearchFaster.

An astute Apple Insider user noticed that Apple Maps is turning up TripAdvisor reviews for hotels located in New Jersey. Further tests showed that Booking.com reviews were showing up in search results in China and other parts of the world.

Since its launch in 2012, Apple Maps has lagged behind Google Maps in popularity, and in recent years has acquired start-ups that help crowdsource location data and clarify public transit schedules. Partnerships with TripAdvisor and Booking.com could be Apple’s attempt to supplement Yelp reviews in weak areas as a way to fill gaps in service.

Apple has yet to make a statement about changes to the service, and neither TripAdvisor nor Booking.com is listed as a source on Apple’s Maps Attribution Web page.

Homepage image via Shutterstock.

The good news is that, in most cases, a mobile responsive site will do just fine. The bad is that upgrading for mobile takes time and money most SMBs are reluctant to give, according to Jay Taylor, managing director at Leverage Digital.

“A lot of SMBs are resistant to upgrading their website to be responsive. They’ll all tell you that SEO is a priority, and they want to rank high in the search results, but they’re often not willing to take that next step,” says Taylor. “Responsive websites can be fairly expensive and take a bit of time to build out, but it’s not really an option anymore. In order to be competitive in Google, companies are going to have to have mobile-friendly websites.”

Small businesses aren’t the only ones struggling to make the move to mobile. Large companies seem to be confused by the best practices for optimizing as well. For example, the used car sales site AutoTrader.com seems to have itself in a bit of an SEO bind. A mobile Google search for “Used F150 Tampa” turns up AutoTrader’s desktop site ranked beneath a similar, mobile-friendly option. Clicking the link leads to a prompt to download the app, but if the user remains on the site, there’s a lot of uncomfortable pinching and tapping to search.

“On smartphones this is a huge problem because as soon as you enter the site, you’re presented with really tiny text and navigation that you can’t click on or tap on so you have to tension zoom and all that. It’s a mess,” says Taylor. However, if users search “AutoTrader” on mobile, the brand’s dedicated mobile site comes up.

According to Taylor, the set up isn’t doing AutoTrader any favors. “If they had a responsive website as opposed to their current set up, they would have a website that caters to users whether they’re accessing their site from smartphone, tablet, or desktop,” says Taylor.

But businesses shouldn’t totally disregard dedicated mobile sites, according to Josh McCoy, a lead strategist at Vizion Interactive. Some local businesses that provide specific, timely services should optimize content on desktop and focus on service for mobile. To explain, he used the example of a local heating and cooling service.

“A classic example would be a heating and cooling company, which would need a mobile site with a huge click-to-call and a request to quote now. Someone searching for that type of service is standing in the basement with an iPhone looking at a broken heater. That when it’s good to have separate websites.”

Choosing the best way to update for mobile comes down to the nature of the business, but one thing is clear: brands need to be aware of their mobile rankings and plan for a future where mobile matters.

The Facebook Search upgrade, which will roll out later this week, is based on the Graph Search beta users’ feedback, as many people expressed interest in revisiting posts they’ve seen before, according to a blog post by Tom Stocky, vice president of search at Facebook.

“With a quick search, you can get back to a fun video from your graduation, a news article you’ve been meaning to read, or photos from your friend’s wedding last summer,” Stocky writes.

Facebook Search is unique to each user, and only works for things that have been shared with you. The upgrade will allow for searches on phrases like, “My friends who live in New York” or “Jessica wedding.”

“I do think it’s really important for social channels to continue to make beneficial improvements for users because they’re only going to stay active and engaged in these vibrant communities as long as they’re getting a good experience,” says Becca Lewis, manager of the product analysis team at Crimson Hexagon, a social media analytics platform.

The new Facebook Search will be rolled out in U.S. English later this week, both on desktop and Facebook for iPhone.

What else are you missing? Let’s take a closer look at the comScore data.

Demographics for the Yahoo Bing Network

In the U.S., Yahoo and Bing searchers make up 29 percent of the search marketplace. Solid. But the next question becomes – who are these folks? This audience is not the Google audience – they spend more money online and they tend to be a bit older.

According to a recent comScore audience study, Yahoo Bing Network users skew toward:

• College graduates and graduate school students
• Mature age group of those 35+
• Slightly more women than men
• Households with children
• Households with incomes more than $75,000

Many searchers on Bing and Yahoo start off where each company has strong online presence. Think Yahoo Finance and MSN Money for finance searches; or Bing travel searches. Add in Hotmail, Outlook.com, and Yahoo Mail and the audience picture starts to fill out.

Interestingly enough, 70 percent of mobile searches from Bing Ads come from iOS. In addition to powering Yahoo, Bing also powers Web search on Siri on your iPhone. You might be using Bing and not knowing it.

Missing Out: Not Everyone Uses Google

Diving deeper into Bing and Yahoo’s searchers in the U.S., comScore found that in a number of verticals the audience is exclusive, meaning these are searchers not reached on Google. Turns out that not everyone uses Google in the U.S. In the U.S., 11 million of the 14 million automotive searchers on Bing Ads were exclusive on Yahoo and Bing – nearly 80 percent of the audience for that single vertical. That’s an audience that you can only find on Bing Ads.

Here is a breakdown of vertical audience on Yahoo and Bing – the orange people represent the unique audience:

Millions of searchers per vertical are exclusive to the Yahoo Bing Network. Remember that 80 percent of automotive and financial services searchers on Bing Ads are exclusive to the Yahoo Bing Network – what about the other verticals?

Let’s look at this another way:

The Yahoo Bing Network audience is clearly different than Google.

Hey There, Big Spender

In digital marketing, return on investment (ROI) is important. Better ROI could be from of lower CPCs, higher order values, a greater conversion rate, or a combination all the above. And when comparing Yahoo Bing Network searchers versus Google, there was a difference. ComScore found that Yahoo Bing Network searchers spend 6.8 percent more money online than Google searcher.

Would you say no to an additional ~7 percent? Probably not.

Yahoo and Bing Represent 29 Percent of the U.S. Searches

We’ve covered demographics and even went into vertical, but what does it look like for overall U.S. market share?

• Yahoo and Bing represent nearly a third (29 percent) of the U.S. search market
• 149 million unique searchers each month.
• 5.2 billion searches a month

Talk to Us

Hopefully that provides context about the Yahoo and Bing audience. What other facts would you like to know about Yahoo and Bing?

*The Yahoo Bing Network includes Microsoft and Yahoo Core Search sites in the U.S. ComScore Explicit Core Search (custom), June 2014. ComScore Plan Metrix, US, April 2014, custom measure created using comScore indices and duplication.