The words the cloud first popped up in technology and computer developer circles in 1994.  In brief, the cloud describes a third-party system that houses digital and data-based information on remote servers.

Since 1994, cloud computing has become more streamlined, affordable and widespread.  It has allowed companies large and small to save money on the storage of internal digital data -- including of accounting information, content archives and other sensitive categories of data.

We've all seen the pet owners who enjoy bringing their BFLF (Best Four-legged Friend) along to the local pet retailers' during Saturday morning errands. These dedicated 'pet parents' are spurring a big increase in the finely targeted displays at your local pet store. Pet stores are overflowing with information about the ingredients and safety benefits of the pet care products on the shelves. 

Pet industry statistics show that the more affection pet owners feel for a pet, the higher their levels of spending. Pet stores that welcome dogs inside, offering biscuits at the checkout are genuinely being pet-friendly—but it’s no coincidence that those pet products are located at the cash register, the better to engage exactly the kind of pet owner who brings their pet to the store. 

Packaged Facts’ pet industry statistics bear out the relationship between the depth of the human/animal bond and the level of pet care spending. In recent pet owner surveys for example, in comparing the 61% of pet owners who strongly agree that their pets are part of the family to the minority 11% who strongly disagree, we find that:

• Only 6% of pet parents buy low-priced pet foods, compared with 33% of those who don’t consider pets to be part of the family.
• Only 12% of pet parents are spending significantly less on pet products because of the economy, compared with 30% of those who don’t consider pets family.
• Only 19% of pet parents have skipped out on providing routine vet care for their pets within the past 12 months, compared with 67% of those who don’t consider pets family.
• Only 22% of pet parents have spent less than $25 in the last 30 days on pet products, compared with 40% of those who don’t consider pets family.

Will Market Research spending finally rise in the Middle East? Many marketers are betting that it will as the post-Arab Spring consumer grabs the attention of businesses around the world.

This week’s Arabian Gazette publishes an article quoting the CEO of TNS MENA; he sees the region experiencing high demand as investors try to unlock this new market.  Estimated at a mere $600 million, the Middle East and Africa is one of the smallest regions in relation to the $33.5 billion global market research sector.

The value of market research has reached the rural communities of central Africa. Microfinance operations aimed at providing banking services to low-income individuals and groups are trying to use market research to better target their clients. Microfinance gives these low-income groups an opportunity to become self-sufficient by giving them and their businesses the means to borrow and save money.

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) is working with financial institutions specializing in microfinance to train their teams in market research so that they can develop the right products for this growing market. The goal of the program, according to the USAID Rural finance program chief, is to create a more proactive approach in responding to market needs.

As the digital revolution enters its third decade, are American consumers allowing their desire for high tech gadgets to compromise their privacy?

I decided a few years ago to forego the use of sites like FourSquare and Yelp, especially their mobile apps, which allow one to "check in" at places.  It seemed to me that the data trail resulting from locational apps are ripe for "mining" by marketing concerns, who accumulate them into gushing streams known as big data. Then there are even more unsavory possibilities for how your personal data trail might negatively impact your life, including in legal and medical contexts.

We've all heard that the best way to improve search engine ranking is to create great content. Google and other search providers have been working hard to tailor thier algorithms to highlight fresh and original work, so what does this mean for SEO and how do you get your website seen?

The answer to that question is that SEO is still very important but past best practises once designed to 'game' the system through high density keywords and such, are now designed to help craft your great content in a way that your customers will find it.

If you are unsure of how to increase SEO ranking for your website, investing in quality and timely market research could help focus your online marketing strategy to your customers needs. Getting to the top of search engine results pages (SERPS) has become much more than keyword stuffing and black hat SEO.

My name is Shauna Loun, and I'm Associate Director of Global Client Support at MarketResearch.com.  As the new year gets underway, we thought it would be a great idea to introduce ourselves and share with you some of the most common questions we receive.

The personal and professional worlds tend to mesh for Larry Finkel, Market Research Director. During more than a dozen years providing expert business intelligence as a top Research Specialist, he's danced at client weddings, lent them a shoulder during marital strife, cheered when their children received college acceptance letters.