Mobile Couponing Meets Facebook

Mobile Couponing Meets Facebook

Valassis, a media and marketing services company, has launched RedPlum Social Savings, a coupon app for the Facebook platform. The key to the app's success, says Jim Parkinson, chief digital officer at Valassis, is the ability for users to stay on Facebook to locate deals. “We often see high abandonment rates online. When consumers are booted off one site to another, they often quit,” he says. “We built this app because there are a lot of Facebook users who want to be able to use the interface to find coupons without leaving the Facebook platform.”Though the press release states that the app allows advertisers the ability to provide targeted offers to users, only geo-targeting is available at the moment. Parkinson says there are plans to begin further targeting soon. According to Parkinson, the biggest challenge was finding a way to integrate with Facebook effectively, “With Facebook's Open Graph, Timeline and other aspects, we had to make sure that the features were done correctly.”Valassis is currently working on a version for mobile and tablet, Parkinson adds. “Once the app has had time in the market, we can focus on other features.” RedPlum Social Savings, launched as a part of Valassis's “Reimagining Reach” publicity campaign, gives users the opportunity to download, share, and print coupon offers from brands, according to a company release. The coupons offered are grocery-related and according to a recent survey, Valassis expects social marketing to be a major component for grocery retailers in the near future.CIM offers ecommerce solutions that deliver an impact on your brand and ROI. We provide concise data, with key recommendations and strategic insights about pivotal developments in your focus areas. Our vision is to be the most valuable source of web based consulting intelligence for our customers. Visit chiefinternetmarketer.com for a customized social marketing strategy that will drive your business forward.