Welcome to AustinXL – Tech Design & Marketing Consortium

Austin XL is a leading consortium of local business news and business information in over 50 markets nationally. We also have industry-specific news, helpful search capabilities, business resources, sales leads, press releases, special offers on valuable products, archived news, business intelligence, and more. This site allows sales and small business professionals to monitor and track businesses on a national and local basis. With news and the best resources you need every day for your business, there is no need to go anywhere else.

The AustinXL.com web site and free email newsletter reach more than 5,500 business executives daily. Business leaders and employees across Central Texas are keenly aware that Austin is changing. They are now positioning themselves for the next chapter in Austin’s future and information is their critical tool. Our goal is to help Austin businesses get ahead by keeping them better informed. You’ve found the newest way to manage your career search with tools designed to reduce the amount of time it takes to find and apply for your next career move. Every business day, more than 6,000 subscribers rely on us for a quick, objective briefing of the area’s top technology business news.

Awards & Mentions

We want to congratulate our members that were awarded the prestige of being in the Top 10 Best Austin Web Design Company and Internet Marketing lists.

AustinXL

Austin XL is the only online destination exclusively dedicated to business and industry in Austin and the folks who fuel it. AustinXL’s goal is to help Austin businesses get ahead by keeping them better informed. Readers include venture capitalists; start-ups; hardware, internet, telecommunications, and software companies; legal firms; leading area associations; real estate and marketing firms; retail and restaurants; banks and financial institutions; University of Texas Business School; the Austin Chamber of Commerce and others.

  • Decision Makers: AustinXL is targeted at key business decision-makers who continuously keep track of trends, opportunities, better service, and new angles. AustinXL lets even the busiest executive keep on top of local happenings.
  • Business Leaders and the WorkForce: In a tighter economy, businesses and individuals keep a watchful eye on area developments. Even those with abundant job security in Austin still want to know what’s happening out there – which sector is growing, how should they adjust their career or training to fit into the new Austin?
  • New Businesses: The quality of life in Austin has always attracted growing businesses and will continue to do so. AustinXL provides relocating companies an in-depth look at the business environment of Central Texas, and the advantages the Austin area has to offer.

Which Countries Have the Biggest Digital Ad Budget?

Having a strong digital ad budget helps marketers reach their target audience easier. This type of advertising has been proven to work. So, businesses increasing how much they spend on this platform will only work in their favor.

There’s no denying the effect of digital advertising. Businesses love it because they’re able to speak more directly with the customer. It also has a higher return on investment on average. But each country handles digital advertising their own way. A difference in culture has a lot to do with this. As well as economic means.

Below is a roundup of the countries with the biggest digital ad budget. Factors such as population, total spending, and percentage of the overall budget are taken into account. This should give you a better perspective on how businesses around the world are thinking.

Countries With the Biggest Digital Ad Budget

  • The UK – Half of all the UK’s ad spend is in the digital market. That number is predicted to in the upcoming years. By 2019, experts predict it will be up to 57.8%. Per internet users, the UK spends $198. And in total, they spend $11.8 billion, which tops the rest of Europe by a mile.
  • The US – In terms of overall advertising, America is undoubtedly the leader. Their advertising spending per person is $567. And overall, that spending number is over $180 trillion. But the US is not as committed to digital advertising as other countries. More money is dedicated to TV than any other branch. Despite that, the amount of money spent on digital advertising is $68.82 billion.
  • China – Unlike America’s strong ad budget for TV, China’s has dwindled these past few years. In 2014, China was spent a little over $20 billion on both digital and TV. Now, China’s digital advertising is at $50 billion. And TV has shrunk to $18 billion. This trend is expected to continue. By 2020, China’s digital ad budget might account for roughly 68% of its overall ad budget.

Several other countries have a smart digital advertising strategy. Norway, for instance, has a very high per-person digital ad budget. But these are the powerhouses. No other countries really come close to these three when every factor is considered.


The Fickle Nature of Austin Film Promotion and How to Work in It

Film promotion is a lucrative business. Big movie studios pay billions of dollars a year just to get people to pay $15 to see their movie. It’s confusing, it’s random, and it’s spread across a wide variety of platforms.

This can overwhelm both marketers and their desired audience. But when done right, it could help a movie become a box office hit. That’s the reason film promotion has reached all these platforms in the first place. Each customer gets wowed in different ways. And when one platform works, it really works. Who hasn’t been persuaded into seeing a movie by a particularly clever billboard or trailer?

The Difficulties of Movie Marketing in Austin

Be warned; this is not a science. You can run a by-the-books ad campaign filled with compelling ads and big stars who are engaging on all the big late-night shows. The movie might still wind up being a flop. Hey, that’s why they call it Show Business and not Show Science. That’s how the saying goes, right?

This post isn’t intended to break any spirits out there. If anything, it’s meant to show any down-on-their-luck movie marketers out there that it’s okay. Failure happens in this business all the time.

Atypical Tips for Austin Film Promotion

2+2 does not always equal 4 in this industry. Because of this, new ideas shouldn’t be shunned. Customers crave experience more than anything nowadays. And sometimes, they want more from a movie than just experiencing the movie itself.

That’s when you can expand the movie to other online entertainment platforms. Make a fun video game app if the movie’s action-packed enough. Or maybe go above and beyond with social media marketing. Give one of the lead characters a Twitter page that conveys their tone. The Twitter page helps because unlike a trailer, it shows people what to expect from the movie without giving any information away.

Like with any type of marketing, saturation has to be accounted for. So, the cross-platforms need to feel organic. Getting engaged with your target audience benefits the movie, though. They like feeling as though they’re part of a product’s success now. Giving a movie an identity that goes beyond the screen gives yours a leg up on the competition.


How Austin Brands Can Get the Most out of Social Marketing

A brand’s success online depends largely on how good their social marketing is. Companies continue their social outreach because of this. Engaging with customers through social marketing has been proven to work. 890 million people use Facebook every day. The potential for visibility is just too high to pass on. But there are pitfalls.

Social media can be used for businesses in a wide variety of ways. Whether it’s getting more eyes on a product with ads on Facebook, or gaining followers, a smartly organized online presence is very fruitful. In order for social marketing to work, however, tactfulness in engagement is necessary. The benefits of succeeding in this sector are too high to pass up on. Therefore, attention has to be paid to striking the right tone.

Stay on Topic With Austin Social Marketing

What pays dividends in terms of reach is knowing how to best articulate a message. Each post needs to be relevant. Any deviation from the underlying theme can be jarring for a customer. And the target audience must also be considered.

Consider Length, Timing, and Volume

The average headline for a Facebook ad is 5 words. This means brevity works best in this world. It takes skill fitting a message into these requirements. But being concise pays off. And knowing the right time to post also helps convey a message. Peak times tend to range from 1 to 6PM.

Additionally, it’s important to not overuse social marketing. When a user posts too much, engagement drops. The same goes for any brand or company. A cap on daily posts varies depending on the social media platform being used. Twitter allows the most leeway here, and anything over 5 posts per day is not suggested.

To navigate the ins and outs of social marketing competently, brands and companies need to have a good strategy. If a social media account is not handled properly, then it squanders the potential to reach millions of customers.