While the novel coronavirus pandemic has closed down sporting action like almost everything else, there are some football films to watch, for fans and others.

The statement comes at a time when many filmmakers and producers are looking at taking the OTT route for a direct release.

The court also suggested that the government should publicise the decision so that migrant workers learn about it.

His appeal came on a day 16 migrants were crushed under a goods train in Maharashtra when they were sleeping on rail tracks during their return home in Madhya Pradesh.

Authorities in the city ordered all shops, except those selling milk and medicines, to close on midnight Wednesday until May 15, implementing a stricter lockdown than the national one in place since March 25, in an effort to curb a rise in infections.

The mobile phone services have been restored across the Kashmir valley, they said, adding the decision was taken in view of the improving situation.

During the hearing held through video conferencing, Special Public Prosecutor, appearing for the police, opposed the bail application saying Pathan was leading the mob and the whole country saw the manner in which he was leading the mob.

They, however, said the curbs were relaxed in some areas of the valley where the situation remained peaceful.

In a statement, Thorat, who is also the state Congress president, alleged that arbitrary decisions taken by many states regarding migrant workers had worsened the situation.

Futures on major U.S. and Hong Kong stock indexes were up following gains in a global stock index and an oil price surge of as much as 25%.

Crude inventories rose by 8.4 million barrels in the week to May 1 to 518.6 million barrels, compared with analysts#39; expectations for a build of 7.8 million barrels.

CIL, the world#39;s largest coal-producing company, is a major supplier of the dry fuel to the power sector in India.

కరోనా మహమ్మారి వ్యాప్తిని నిరోధించేందుకు కేంద్రం లాక్ డౌన్ కొనసాగిస్తోన్న విషయం తెలిసిందే. ఇలాంటి విపత్కర పరిస్థితుల్లో ప్రభుత్వరంగ దిగ్గజం స్టేట్ బ్యాంక్ ఆఫ్ ఇండియా కస్టమర్లకు ఎమర్జెన్సీ లోన్‌ను అందుబాటులోకి తీసుకు వచ్చింది. చాలామందికి వ్యాపారాలు లేక, ఉద్యోగాలు లేక ఇబ్బందులు ఎదుర్కొంటున్నారు. ఈ నేపథ్యంలో కస్టమర్ అనుకూల ఆప్షన్స్‌తో అత్యవసర లోన్లు ఇస్తోంది. అమ్మో!

కరోనా మహమ్మారి, లాక్ డౌన్ నేపథ్యంలో ఆర్బీఐ ఈఎంఐ మారటోరియంను మరో మూడు నెలలు పొడిగించే అవకాశాలు కనిపిస్తున్నాయి. లాక్ డౌన్‌ను మూడోసారి మే 17వ తేదీ వరకు పొడిగించారు. మరోవైపు గ్రీన్, ఆరెంజ్ జోన్‌లలో ఆంక్షలు సడలిస్తూ ఆర్థిక కార్యకలాపాలు మెల్లిగా ప్రారంభమవుతున్నాయి. ఈ పరిస్థితుల్లో మారటోరియంను ఎవరు, ఏ మేరకు ఉపయోగించుకోవచ్చో చూద్దాం. SBI

Excluding COVID-19 related provisions, the profit after tax would have been Rs 3,260 crore, ICICI Bank said in its BSE filing said.

The head of the International Monetary Fund on Friday signaled a possible downward revision of global economic forecasts, and warned the United States and China against rekindling a trade war that could weaken a recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

India's fuel demand dipped 45.8% in April from a year earlier, as a nationwide lockdown and travel curbs to combat the spread of novel coronavirus eroded economic activity.

Pakistan's fiscal deficit will surge to 9% in the ongoing fiscal year, the country's de facto finance minister said on Friday, as its economy reels from the fallout of the coronavirus crisis.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Friday he aims to present plans next week to reopen the economy, as key sectors like carmaking look to begin business again after over a month of quarantine measures to curb the coronavirus outbreak.

The U.S. government reported more catastrophic economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis on Friday as the pandemic pierced the very walls of the White House and California gave the green light for its factories to restart after a seven-week lockdown.

Bitcoin is about to undergo a scheduled technical adjustment as the number of new coins awarded to the computer wizards who "mine" the cryptocurrency will be cut in half, but forecasting which way its price will move afterward is more complicated now.

Between stay-at-home orders and the manic Minnesota weather, I’ve found myself at home for the last four weeks looking for something, really anything, to occupy time. One can only take so many walks in a day. Naturally, I turn to YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney+ and all of the other video streaming sites for entertainment.

As a marketer, this makes me wonder what those streaming sites are seeing in their analytics. Obviously, views must be up by an unbelievable amount. But, what about engagement? How many people are completing the videos they start? Are they watching more? Unless it’s Tiger King, the answer is unknown (it’s impossible to look away from Tiger King). But those streaming sites aren’t the only ones that might have some fascinating new data to look at.

Social sites and YouTube provide a host of different metrics and analytics options. While each data point serves a purpose, there are a few key performance indicators (KPIs) that are more important to track to better understand your audience and improve content performance.

Video Analytics and Content Benchmarks

A recent study from video streaming site Vidyard established some useful benchmarks for video content:

• 52% of viewers watch a video all the way through
• 68% will watch the entire video if it’s less than 60 seconds
• 25% will finish a video if it’s more than 20 minutes

The same study found that the most common business-created videos are webinars, demos and social media videos, and are most likely to be published on websites, social media and YouTube.

Of course, these benchmarks will vary by audience, by industry, by the light of the silvery moon — basically, take them as a starting point and customize from there. Here’s the process we recommend.

Using Video Analytics to Optimize Your Video Content

1 — Use Demographics to Understand Your Audience

The first step to increasing content engagement and effectiveness is to gain a better understanding of your audience. To do that, it’s critical to monitor demographic data in your video analytics platform. Most will give you basic demographic data, like location, age, language and device use. Some will give you user interest data, income estimates and even company data.

Knowing this information helps you create more relevant content. For example, if you find that your audience primarily speaks English, but there is a growing subset of French speakers accessing your videos on mobile devices, you might want to consider adding French caption options for mobile users.

If you see an increase in viewers from a specific geographic area, you will want to look at the analytics for that region to determine what content is attracting the new audience and how they are engaging while they’re watching and immediately afterward.

2 — Use Awareness and Engagement Metrics to Understand Audience Demand

Understanding your audience is important at a strategic level, but understanding audience demand is tactical gold. Of course, this data will drive your go-forward strategy, but it will also help you improve performance right away by adjusting promotion tactics and featured content.

For example, if you see an uptick in video views week over week for a particular video, that indicates that the topic is becoming increasingly popular. To prove that, you will want to look at engagement metrics like watch time, clicks on your call to action (CTA), and subscribers gained or lost. If you see an uptick in views and a corresponding uptick in engagement, you’re going to want to feature that video more prominently. If you see an increase in negative engagement —  a loss of subscribers — or if viewers are dropping off right away, that might indicate your video doesn’t quite match the intent for that topic.

This granular view of data can help you improve and optimize your existing content, create more strategic video content roadmaps, and provide viewers with content they want and need to make critical decisions later in the funnel.

[bctt tweet="“Understanding your audience is important at a strategic level, but understanding audience demand is tactical gold.” @Tiffani_Allen" username="toprank"]

3 — Audit Your Video Library for Optimization Opportunities

Following the best practices for whichever video hosting platform you’re using can result in increased video visibility and better user experience. A great first step is to optimize video titles, descriptions, and tags. Then you can organize  your videos into different sections, playlists, or even channels to help the right audience find your content faster.

To determine your next steps, audit your existing video channels. Do you know at a glance what the video is about? Does the thumbnail image inspire a click? Does your channel, landing page or resource center adequately convey the type, purpose and content of your videos in a way that compels action?

If the answer is yes, go take a break. I recommend a few hours of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. It’s very soothing. But if the answer’s no, you’re not alone. And you do have the tools you need to create better video content. It’s all in your analytics.

As a quick disclaimer, if your videos are hosted on your website and you notice some odd user behavior patterns over the last month or so — increases in direct traffic, crazy long time on page — you might want to look into whether or not IPs are blocked for your team’s home IP addresses. Determine if the patterns are happening on a more global level, or if they’re localized to the geographic area surrounding your physical office.

If you want help with an audit, or just want to bounce some ideas around, we’re here to help. Tweet us @toprank or contact us to get started.

The post What B2B Marketers Need to Know about Optimizing Content with Video Analytics appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

How to use LinkedIn Ads’ new company targeting options to boost B2B lead generation
LinkedIn (client) recently rolled out additional targeting options for advertisers, allowing LinkedIn Ad users access to new Company Category B2B data comprised of Forbes, Fortune and platform data, along with the addition of growth rate targeting information. Search Engine Land

Report: Majority of B2B Marketers to Continue Investment in Data Quality in 2020
75 percent of B2B marketers plan to up their investment in data quality during 2020, while 90 percent said they view such investment leading to improved marketing and sales performance — two of the numerous findings of interest to digital marketers contained in recently-released Dun & Bradstreet report data. Chief Marketer

How COVID-19 Is Impacting Marketing Budgets at Enterprise Companies
B2B marketers expect to shift investment primarily to virtual events (78%), web content (72%), webinars (67%) and social media (66%) because of the pandemic, according to recently-released April enterprise-level company survey data. MarketingProfs

How COVID-19 has changed social media engagement [Report]
Sprout Social’s new pandemic-era data shows that LinkedIn posts perform the best on Wednesdays at 3pm, Thursdays from 9-10am, and Friday from 11am to noon, and that the media and entertainment industry has been publishing almost 9 more posts daily, according to new social media engagement data on interest to marketers. Sprout Social

Twitter Publishes New Data on Video and Ad Content Performance During COVID-19
Twitter increased its monetizable daily active users (mDAUs) by 23 percent during the quarter, and saw video view rates that rose by 5.5 percent, two of the findings in newly-released brand COVID-19 trend data. Social Media Today

Facebook Adds New 'Animate' Option to Add Motion to Still Images in Facebook Stories
Facebook has released new zoom, pan and other animation modes that bring marketers a variety of additional Facebook Stories options, and has also begun testing several new mood-based content reaction options, the social media giant recently announced. Social Media Today

YouTube Influencer Engagement Rate Benchmarks: What Are Good Rates?
Various YouTube channel categories sport a wide range of differing engagement benchmarks, according to recently-released YouTube influencer engagement rate report data, which also reveals that micro-influencers on the video platform can often achieve high engagement marks. MarketingCharts

LinkedIn Publishes Data on Latest Content Engagement Trends on the Platform
LinkedIn has released new content trend engagement data, including a breakdown by global regions that shows what the platform’s audience is looking for and engaging with, with pandemic-related content having seen some of the biggest increases in quantity, the firm announced. Social Media Today

Coronavirus reshapes consumer habits, creating 4 new segments, report finds
25 percent of consumers said they would pay more to buy from trusted brands and 23 percent from ethical brands — two of numerous findings of interest to digital marketers in newly-released Ernst & Young pandemic marketing report data. Marketing Dive

Facebook Outlines a Range of New Video Tools, Including Messenger Rooms for Group Video Hangouts
Facebook recently announced a variety of video-related updates to its numerous social communications properties, including a change which will allow up to 8 people to have WhatsApp video calls, while Messenger video received new virtual background options, among several other video feature updates. Social Media Today

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE:

A lighthearted look at our brand promise by Marketoonist Tom Fishburne — Marketoonist

Chiquita lets Spotify users unlock music playlists, branded prizes — Mobile Marketer

TOPRANK MARKETING & CLIENTS IN THE NEWS:

• Lee Odden — 10 Expert Tips for Marketing During a Crisis — Oracle (client)
• Lee Odden — 4 takeaways for content marketers in the time of COVID-19 — Search Engine Land
• Lee Odden — 5 Hours of Content Marketing - Break Free of Boring B2B with Influential Content Experiences — SEMrush

Have you got your own top B2B content marketing or digital advertising stories from the past week of news? Please let us know in the comments below.

Thanks for taking time to join us, and we hope you will join us again next Friday for more of the most relevant B2B and digital marketing industry news. In the meantime, you can follow us at @toprank on Twitter for even more timely daily news. Also, don't miss the full video summary on our TopRank Marketing TV YouTube Channel.

The post B2B Marketing News: B2B Marketers Invest in Data Quality, Top Times to Post During Pandemic, LinkedIn’s Engagement Trends, & Facebook’s Video Updates appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

Uncertainty for some is opportunity for others. While much is being said about changes in influencer marketing approach and B2C influencers losing work at scale because events are now cancelled and industries like retail, travel and hospitality have been disrupted due to COVID-19, consumer behavior has decidedly shifted towards digital experiences.

While in-person events have been a staple for B2B marketers, we've seen how working with digital influencers on co-created content can be a sound alternative.

How brands approach marketing during a crisis makes the issue of trust even more important. When planned and implemented effectively, B2B influencer marketing programs build trust and confidence for buyers, influencers and the brand.

At the same time B2B marketers are emphasizing purpose and people over profit in their marketing messages, the need to deliver on new business and revenue hasn't gone away. Here are 4 considerations on how B2B influencer programs can be optimized, while still being empathetic and thoughtful to the new normal.

1. Find the opportunity gap.

Any marketing investment during a time of crisis will be under scrutiny. Whether your business has had to pivot or you reacting to changes in buyer behavior, it's essential to find opportunities to provide value in ways that are truly empathetic to customers and that can drive business performance. Many companies are meeting a boost in demand for information by engaging influencers to provide thought leadership, insights and how-to content.

Also, as you plan what kind of influencer program to run, think about what goal represents an opportunity for the best ratio of importance for executives to business and customer impact relative to resources and time frame? What metrics best represents that goal?

2. Build amplification in the creation.

If you are able to secure budget and support for a business influencer campaign or program, make sure you are realizing the full value of the content reach. Structure the influencer content for easy deconstruction to shareable formats including social messages, graphics, animations and repurposed content. Also, work with business influencers who have proven distribution channels and can republish brand content on their own networks and sites. The great content you can co-create with influencers won't be so great if the right audiences are not seeing it.

3. Maximize the content experience.

One of the big trends in B2B influencer marketing has been more interesting content formats. Think outside the box of ebooks and blog posts to visually rich and interactive content including audio, video and even VR/AR. There has been a rush of business influencers livestreaming video on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Brands should think about how they can differentiate the content experience they are creating for their customers and influencers alike. Impressive content inspires influencers to share even more plus it improves customer engagement.

4. Deliver a better influencer experience.

Experience is more important than ever, not just for customers but for influencers as well. Far too often, B2B companies treat influencers as a commodity and only think of what the brand wants. Here's a novel idea: Provide top shelf service to your influencers to help them be more successful concomitant to the success of your influencer program. Find out what the influencers' goals are and build a community around shared values with your influencers. Share promotion messages and goals with influencers and encourage a team approach vs one to one communications. Think more "we" vs. "me".

Rani Mani, Monica Grant and the team at Adobe do a fantastic job of this with the #AdobeInsiders program.

These opportunities to optimize B2B marketing performance are not unique to marketing during a time of crisis. They are universally useful in any environment. But with so many companies and individuals facing uncertainty. it's essential that businesses optimize for trust and what better way than to work with those who already have the trust and attention of customers?

The post Four Ways to Optimize the Marketing Performance of a B2B Influencer Program appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

Health workers face a growing tide of hostility in Brazil for potentially spreading COVID-19.

In Washington State and Boston, two initiatives are helping prevent potatoes from being thrown out and milk from being poured down the drain. Gavino Garay has more.

In Washington State and Boston, two initiatives are helping prevent potatoes from being thrown out and milk from being poured down the drain. Gavino Garay has more.

Sources tell Reuters the White House will soon propose an international agreement governing mining and commerce on the moon, aiming to attract like-minded space-faring countries to update a 1967 agreement on space law.

Forrest Galante, a host of 'Extinct or Alive' on the 'Animal Planet,' recounts the locating of the Fernandina Island tortoise that hasn't been heard from since 1906. (Dan Fastenberg reports.)

Thousands of pink-plumed flamingos were spotted in a lake in India's western Maharashtra state on Friday.

Minister of Economy, Nadia Calviño, only the second woman to hold the position in Spanish history, speaks to Breakingviews Global Editor Rob Cox as Spain prepares to hold parliamentary elections on Nov. 10 for the second time in a year.

Three Indian soldiers were killed in a gunbattle with militants in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir on Monday, a day after a similar incident in which five were killed.

Afghanistan's government began distributing free bread to hundreds of thousands of people across the country this week as supplies have been disrupted during the coronavirus shutdown and prices have soared, officials and experts said.

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Tuesday that the Taliban were not living up to their commitments under an agreement signed this year, amid signs the fragile deal is under strain by a political deadlock and increasing Taliban violence.

Afghan security forces arrested eight members of a network grouping Islamic State and Haqqani militants responsible for bloody attacks in the capital including on Sikh worshippers, the country's security agency said on Wednesday.

Pakistan's finance ministry will share part of the risk banks face in lending to struggling small businesses, in a bid to protect jobs in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the central bank said on Wednesday.

Indian troops killed four militants in gun battles in Kashmir on Wednesday, including the commander of the biggest separatist group fighting New Delhi, a police official said, triggering clashes across the disputed region that left dozens injured.

Pakistan's cabinet has declined to include a religious sect that rights group says suffers widespread persecution in a newly formed commission for minorities, after opposition from conservatives in the government, officials said on Thursday.

Pakistan will begin lifting its coronavirus lockdown on Saturday, Prime Minister Imran Khan said, hours after the country announced its highest daily increase in new cases.

Sorry. A short dip in carbon emissions won’t save the planet after all. Things may even get worse, say the experts.

Storks are famous in folklore for delivering human babies to their parents. Conservationists are looking to return the favour with the imminent hatching of several white stork eggs on a 'rewilding' estate in southern England - as the coronavirus outbreak provides a noticeable boost for some wildlife.

U.S. private employers laid off a record 20.236 million workers in April as mandatory business closures in response to the novel coronavirus outbreak savaged the economy. Fred Katayama reports

Payne Capital Management's Courtney Dominguez says the high level of investor pessimism indicates the markets may have bottomed. She says savings could make their way into stocks.

The steep plunge in U.S. payrolls caused by the pandemic also slammed the healthcare sector, as many workers in dentists' and doctors' offices lost their jobs. Fred Katayama reports.

Guinness World Records has named a South African restaurant as the official titleholder for 'Most Varieties of Milkshakes Commercially Available'.

"Mad Mike" Hughes, a self-styled explorer and daredevil bent on proving that the earth is flat was killed over the weekend when his homemade rocket crashed in the California desert over the weekend.

Gerson Monje holds up his cellphone to proudly show off his online sex shop. A red banner reading "sold out!" is plastered across half of the products.

Along with millions around the nation, Prince Charles held a two-minute silence outside his family's Balmoral estate, while military jets flew over the United Kingdom's four capitals, and 1940s-style tea parties plus singalongs were planned in homes.

The steep plunge in U.S. payrolls caused by the pandemic also slammed the healthcare sector, as many workers in dentists' and doctors' offices lost their jobs. Fred Katayama reports.

White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany on Friday said it appears that the FBI 'manufactured' a crime in the case of President Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn, after the Department of Justice moved to drop the case on Thursday.