My venture to e-marketing and myself

Today, I am taking the course on eMarketing. This is my first blog, which aims to explain a bit about myself, school and class.

I am Nicolo Manuel S. Idquival, a student of De La Salle Canlubang in Binan, Laguna taking up a bachelor's degree in Information Systems. I am on my third year as of the moment. For this trimester, I am taking up a mixture of courses, combining business and computer-related subjects.

De La Salle - Canlubang, the school that I am currently studying in,  is geared to be the premier science and technology-based university of the De La Salle System. The school, which started in 2003, was designed with the environment in mind as well. Situated beside a brook and a view of the Sta. Rosa and Silang Hills, the school is surrounded by abundant flora that enhances the vicinity.


The course eMarketing exposes the class to a new dimension in marketing. The course summarily deals with marketing using technology currently present, such as the Internet and mobile phones. Through it, the marketer is exposed to the entire world and as such, one should be prepared to harness such power and be able to use it as a valuable asset in one's business or profession.

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Digital Marketing Research and Planning

What's in a sign?

Sure, it can directly state a present state of a shop, or showcase a particular brand of mobile phone, but a sign can also symbolize much more than that. It can also reflect a company's planning, application, and evaluation of different marketing strategies in order to come up with not just a sign, but a representation of the company or product in its entirety. 

As I read the book of Digimarketing by Wertime and Fenwick, I came across a more updated version of marketing. According to the book, the planning framework has expanded. 

• The first tenet states that "consumers and customers must be actively engaged as participants... and not treated as passive viewers or targets." In view of this, marketers should be able to develop a Participant Print, which contains general, digital, and individual profiles of the intended customers and clients. 

• The second tenet states that "...marketers should engage people on a sustained basis. Digimarketing requires better planning and a clear proposition of why you merit participants' time and attention." As such, this makes clear as to what the clients will experience and the benefits that can be gained upon interacting with the marketed entity through the Digital Platform Proposition. Key terms such as competitive differentiation, contextual relevance, personalization, transactional role, use of technology, and market application are considered in this process.
  

• The third tenet states that "marketers need to determine which channels is right for their marketing needs...". This tenet focuses on selecting the digital channels that can reach the most number of intended clients through the Channel Mix Plan. It also involves, upon selecting the channel, what one will actually create, such as the theme, layout, and functionality through the Creative Concept.

• The fourth tenet states that "...content shall increasingly be freed from specific delivery mechanisms, limitations of media units, and physical boundaries. All Digimarketers will need to make relevant, quality content their focus in order to generate sustained participant interest." The fifth tenet states that "consumers will initiate and direct more of the participant-marketer interchange. A large portion of content will come from consumers themselves. Marketers will play a role in this by encouraging and rewarding consumer content creation in a manner that is relevant to their brand(s)."As such, a Content Outline, whether company-provided or consumer-created, should be able to address what content types one should promote, for what purpose, where will such content be sourced, what promotions to be used (for consumer-created), and what tools can be utilized. The key to the content is its linkage to the Platform Proposition.

• The sixth tenet states that "messaging with participants must be on an opt-in basis only and tailored to each participant's indicated preferences. Companies will increasingly seek the exponential payback that comes from having consumers share information through social networking sites and virally with each other." As such, messaging participants should be dealt with accordingly by asking for consent of participation, stating the purpose of messaging, customizing messages for different segments, and ensuring proper frequency of sending of messages. The viralness, even though is out of the marketers' direct control, can significantly impact the intended entity. This is the reason why compelling content is paramount.
  

• The seventh tenet states that "marketers will need to understand a wide variety of new media options, many of which have pay-for-performance metrics. Search will play a key role in companies' Digimarketing plans too." With this, according to the Digital Awareness Plan, some form of purchased digital media such as sponsorships, advertorials, and product placement in negotiated space are still needed. Lots of data, research, and most probably professional help will be involved to arrive at an ideal plan.

• The eighth tenet states that "it is impossible to manage news in a digital world where consumers are faster than companies. Instead, Digimarketers will have to adapt their approach to be a meaningful part of the public conversation, using all the digital tools available to then to influence - not dictate - the debate." In the Digital Influence Plan, recommendations of consumers are highly important. The speed of information delivery is very fast, such that one should be able to influence opinion as news is still forming. An open and informal tone is critical, for it is a two-way conversation. Also, transparency in terms of communication is very important.

• The ninth tenet states that "...Marketers will need to use more sophisticated approaches to connect digital and physical touchpoints. Plus, they will shift their focus from the integration of brand image to the unification of each other's experience. The use of individual customer data will enable a continuous customer dialogue." Under the Channel Unification Plan, marketers should be able to interconnect the channels one chooses. This involves the integration of physical and digital channels, an example of which is customer care center encouraging callers to visit the company website for more information about a particular topic. It also involves content integration, an example of which is the promotion of celebrities or products by traditional media. The last step, unification of channels, simply put, is the identifying of elements that joins digital channels. An example of this is an individualized account profile of online magazine service, wherein each can update his or her own profile, and the information that one receives magazines that are according to one's preferences.

• The tenth tenet states that "data will be recognized as the lifeblood of marketing. Data is the key to using addressable channels effectively. A good data plan will be the centerpiece of Digimarketing. Marketers will use this data for more detailed psychographic and behavioral profiling of consumers." In the creation of a Data Plan, identifying what data is needed and how one will use it is crucial. Also, one should seek permission from participants prior to collection of such data. The data should be personalized to each participant's preference. Proper mechanism for collecting data is important. Data accuracy should allow validating of data on a periodic basis. The data collected should also be kept confidential.

• The eleventh tenet states that "...marketers will deploy real-time analysis of data to make quick, constant, and fact-based modifications to their Digimarketing activities." The development of an Analytics Plan is paramount to be able to verify if goals are achieved. Different tools can be utilized, such as databases with analytical processing modules, in order to yield insights that can be used for improvements.

• The twelfth tenet states that "via addressable channels, everything in the marketing mix will be measured and optimized to ensure continuous improvement..." Optimization is simply to make things better. The extent of such optimization will depend heavily on the results from the analytics. This is important for in today's highly competitive marketing environment, every gain is useful. Different optimizations such as Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Paid Placement Optimization (SEM), Behavioral Targeting, Creative and Messaging Pre-Testing Optimizations, Site Optimizations, and Campaign Performance Optimization can give the marketer that gain.

During the Obama campaign, a music video flourished on Yes, we can. In my opinion, it applied the techniques of Digimarketing discussed in this book to deliver the content to the American public.














Year after year, different trends in marketing flourish. It is even possible that a part of the entire concept of Digimarketing be updated or modified. In the end, however, one concept is quite evident. Consumers have more influence on the market today than ever, and marketers should be able to properly, quickly, and efficiently address the needs and wants of the consumers in order to provide the most appropriate products, companies, or any other entities. 


Source: 
Wertime, K., & Fenwick, I. (2008). Digimarketing - The Essential Guide to New Media & Digital Marketing. Singapore: Saik Wah Press Pte. Ltd.

 

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Marketing with Web 2.0

Consumer-created content - a key concept in Web 2.0. It provides opportunities for businesses to develop business models that enable people from all walks of life to share interests and form communities. Web 2.0 also offers possibilities for different content such as text, music, photo, and video to be uploaded and provides the user a richer multimedia experience.

According to Tim O' Reilly, Web 2.0 represented the web as a platform. The user is positioned as a controller of data. He and John Batelle stressed core competencies that focus on

• Services, not packaged software
• Architecture of participation
• Cost-effective scalability
• Remixable data source and data transformations
• Software above the level of a single device
• Harnessing collective intelligence

Five years after the first Web 2.0 Conference was held, according to the Web Squared: Web 2.0 Five Years On by Tim O'Reilly and John Batelle, the web has become an avenue for collaboration. A lot of people have an idea of such through the concept of "crowdsourcing", of which a group of people collaborate and do collective work that far exceeds those provided by individuals. The onset of consumer-created content websites continue to flourish, with the advent of social networking sites such as Friendster, MySpace, Multiply, Twitter, Facebook, Plurk, and lots more. Such sites encourage users to post multimedia content such as photos, videos, music, etc. Nowadays, other "applications" such as games are included in social networking sites, enabling the user to further interact with peers.

In addition to social networking sites, other user-created content sites flourished. Video streaming sites pop up, the most famous of which is Youtube. The opportunity to voice out one's knowledge and opinions widened through the introduction of blog sites such as Wordpress and Blogger. Photo sharing sites such as Panoramio, Flickr, and Webshots enabled members to post different photo and create online collections.


The rise of Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia enabled anyone to post content provided that such passes the site's standards on content reliability. Online shopping sites such as eBay and Amazon enabled buyers to browse at items and be able to purchase it through different means such as credit card, money order, or Paypal.

The web, in turn, has ventured out of the computer and into mobile communications. Nowadays, a number of mobile phones are equipped with digital video cameras, stereo speakers, internet capabilities, among others. The rise of such gadgets and getting into the hands of many individuals gave way to the rise of new applications for mobile phones. An example of such is the introduction of the Apple iPhone made it a lot easier for consumers to access the internet. With this, key players such as Google developed mobile applications for the iPhone. A lot of mobile phones are now equipped with Global Positioning System. This can be proved useful for applications such as Google Maps such that users can pinpoint their location anywhere on the planet, and be able to plan trips towards their destination.


Marketing using Web 2.0 utilize such concepts of creating opportunities for more user participation and consumer-created content. Here in the Philippines, mobile companies offer more content for subscribers than ever before. In the case of Globe Telecom, the site offers pay-for-download content such as games, instant messaging, and other types of applications. In the case of Smart Communications, the telecom company introduced to its subscribers Smart Sandbox, the country's first web-to-wap portal. The marketing of the portal used digital media channels such as Youtube and mobile phones in order to advertise and deliver content to Smart subscribers. Upon viewing the ads posted on Youtube, subscribers are made aware of the portal and such, registered to the portal. Smart Sandbox utilized Youtube for it is a mainstream in terms of video streaming. The site can be viewed worldwide and incorporates fast video streaming for fast and easy access to video content. The site enables users to freely upload video content without being charged for uploading and viewing of such videos. Smart Sandbox was able to save on costs on upkeep of the videos yet was able to deliver its message to advertise and entice Smart subscribers to participate and join Smart Sandbox.



Web 2.0 is continuously evolving into the real world, making use of the platform for different purposes. Here in our country, the web was used to relay information concerning updates on Typhoon Ondoy through sites such as Pag-asa and TyphoonOndoy.org. The web is now being utilized as well for campaigns of candidates in the 2010 national elections. 


The concept of Web 2.0, in my opinion, is still at its young stage. It is expected that a lot more content will be created in order for users of the World Wide Web can be more involved and participate in its growth. It is important that users be made aware of the power of the Internet and be trained in the proper manner of using such power, in order for the information to be relevant, accurate, and helpful in building a better society.

Source:

O'Reilly Media, Inc. (2009). Retrieved November 11, 2009, from O'Reilly: Spreading the Knowledge of Technology Innovators: http://oreilly.com/

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Changing Buyers, Changing Marketing

If there is one constant thing in the universe, it is CHANGE. 

I have learned through different subjects that change is inevitable. In all aspects, especially in technology, there is a constant shift of trends in gadgets that spring out to be reviewed and purchased by different consumers.


The change in marketing trends is no different either. The onset of digitalization has provided new forms of media that marketers can use for their products and services. It has also provided everyone new means for easier proliferation of content that can be viewed by anyone at anytime and anywhere. A shift from the traditional media (television, radio, newspaper) to a more participatory and personalized form of media makes consumers more influential on the type of content, service, and/or product that they want.

According to the Digimarketing book by Wertime and Fenwick, consumers now have become participants instead of being mere viewers. More involvement is observed and we can search for information anytime, without sticking to a particular schedule. We initiate what kind of content we want, and as such marketers use data based on our preferences through browser-based cookies to provide information on our preferences through the sites that we visit.

Nowadays, a lot of people use the Internet for various purposes. It has become a lot more accessible, through different means such as WiFi, 3G, DSL, Cable, Satellite, and more. Businesses have become more reliant on the Internet for more accessibility by both their employees and clients. From its dawn through the ARPA Net as a military-use network, the Internet has broadened to a multi-faceted avenue for consumers and businesses to interact and provide content on virtually any subject.

According to Stokes of Quirk, the Internet now has provided more personalization in terms of products, price, place, and promotion. In terms of products, customization of a product can be done virtually without entailing high costs. Prices of products can quickly be compared through the proliferation of online stores. The Internet, being the World Wide Web, is accessible by anyone who has Internet access, meaning content can be accessed anytime and anywhere. It has also become another major source of medium for promotion of products and services that can prove beneficial to the client or viewer. In short, marketing has become customer-centric. The stages of developing a marketing plan, which consists of

1. Knowing yourself and the market
2. Strategic Analysis
3. Set Marketing Objectives
4. Generate Strategies and Tactics
5. Evaluate Strategies
6. Implement
7. Track, Analyze, and Optimize

remains the same, but one must understand the Web 2.0 concept of customer-centricism. Consumers are the ones that dictate what kind of product and service is needed, and marketers should look for the easiest and fastest way of delivering such product for speed and efficiency is more important than ever.

An application of such concepts has been done by the entity BusinessWeek. Traditionally, it is a magazine that tackles business concepts, including marketing strategies. A shift to digital media, such as the use of the Internet, has influenced BusinessWeek to integrate the Internet into its portfolio. The website  now provides up-to-date information on current and shifting trends and businesses. Such tool is paramount to the businessperson for it delivers up-to-date information on current and future trends in businesses and as such, can influence the businessperson in his decision-making capabilities.



Change is inevitable, and technology will still continue to provide a base for businesses to cultivate promotion of products at reasonable prices, in all places for everyone to benefit from. We are constantly challenged to use all channels to revolutionize the manner different goods, services, events and experiences, persons, places and properties, organizations, information, and ideas. It is our privilege to acquire and harness such media channels and utilize the different marketing concepts in a more personalized and participative manner.

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Marketing with Mobile Technologies

One cannot leave home without the mobile phone.

This is so for the mobile phone has evolved to a necessary tool for everyday living. Its functions diversified, from its most basic function of making and receiving a call, to sending and receiving text and multimedia messages, storage and playback of pictures, music, and videos. Nowadays, the mobile phone is also capable of accessing the Internet, which gives the capability for the mobile user to browse and download content from the Internet such as electronic mail, music, videos, and photos. Also, the user now has the capability to upload self-created content onto personal pages such as social networking networks and blog sites. It is quite obvious that marketers have penetrated the mobile phone industry. There are a lot of applications geared towards utilizing the mobile industry. 

According to the book Digimarketing by Wertime and Fenwick, mobile platforms are increasingly becoming important components of digital conversations. The book listed two phases of the mobile evolution. The first phase, or Mobile 1.0, lists seven key drivers that have propelled mobile to the forefront of the Digimarketer's priorities.

• Mobile for all - Currently, mobile coverage extends to about 80% of the world's population and is expected to reach 90% by 2010. 

• Adding Functions to the Phone - Mobile phones evolved into mobile devices or simply mobiles. In addition to making and receiving voice calls, key functions of current mobile devices include:

• Short Message Service (SMS) or text messaging - two-thirds of mobile phone subscribers (1.8 billion people) are active SMS users. Some operators are already rolling out a super SMS service with instant messaging (IM), presence features (user's location, availability and mood), and multimedia capabilities. Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) is now pre-installed in all GSM devices for quicker response times of interaction.

• Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) - expands SMS to include images, audio and video.

• Games - The mobile gaming industry will go from US$2.6 billion in 2005 to $11 billion by 2010. 

• Still-image Cameras - By 2010, 81% of all mobiles will feature cameras. Cameras built into mobiles are increasingly becoming more featured, such as auto focusing, flash, optical zoom, and image stabilization features, and multi-megapixel resolution

• Mobile Video - is growing strongly and is expected to exceed 32 million users by 2008.

• Stereo sound and music storage

• Bluetooth - allows digital devices to connect and exchange information. Mobiles can wirelessly connect with headsets, computers, stereo speakers, printers, etc.

• Global Positioning System (GPS) - Mobiles now have the capability to monitor and report a user's location.

• Building Bandwidth to 3G - Bandwidth is a critical resource such that more bandwidth means more content can be sent and received at a lesser amount of time. 

• Proprietary Phone-centric Software - Current mobile devices feature operating systems and applications designed for such operating systems. There are numerous operating systems currently in existence such as Symbian and Windows Mobile.

• Walled Garden - Handset operators keep users within a set of easy-to-access websites and applications. Upon leaving the 'walled garden', sites and applications can be infuriatingly difficult to use.

• Basic Transactions - The mobile carrier's billing system is utilized to deliver content to the user in addition to the usual charging of calls. Ringtones, call-back tones, wallpapers, etc. can be downloaded by mobile users and be billed by the mobile carrier.

• Driving Social Force - The emergence of a well-defined though culturally variable mobile etiquette is a clear sign of the mobile's social impact and its centrality in consumers' lives. Quiet places post signs banning mobile use. No mobile is becoming the No Smoking of the 21st century.

In order for the Digimarketer to successfully harness the full potential of the mobile market, 

• Recognize that the Customer is in Control of this Very Personal Device

• Use the Personal Addressability of Mobiles - this assures marketers - once they have gained the customer's trust, and have secured permission to communicate - of direct contact with a unique, recognizable individual who deserves personalized communication

• Build on Mobile's Location-Specific, Out-of-Home, Capabilities - mobile code with promotions embedded on packagings

• Identify Real-time Information that Really Matters to Consumers - through SMS alerts

• Take Advantage of User Down Time - Mobile devices have come to be used as breaks - as ways to pass time or disguise waiting. The mobile user is susceptible, turned on, tuned in, attentive, and waiting for relevant information.

• Don't Contribute to SMS Spam

• Consider the Full Range of Mobile Options - such as text and win, voting and quizzes, mobile content, mobile games and applications, Customer Relationship Management, Direct response ads, Text-to-buy services, M-coupons (SMSed barcodes and coupons which can be redeemed on sight in-store), Bluetooth/Infrared, and Mobile Search.

• Integrate with other Marketing - must be a part of the whole marketing mix - a component of an integrated media strategy.

• Work with Other Players in the Space

• Don't Assume that Content that Works on Another Channel will work on Mobile
  

In the next ten years, a shift to the next phase, Mobile 2.0 is seen. 

• Full-function Utilization by All - Global customers get access to the multiple features of their mobiles

• Breaking Free from the Phone - The mobile interface will give up its reliance on the traditional phone interface through a voice-driven user interface for mobiles

• 3G and Beyond as the Norm - improvement of technologies to increase bandwidth and its capabilities

• Web-centric Compatible Software - Proprietary mobile web- browsers. Digimarketers need to integrate marketing across all digital media

• Fully Networked Devices

• Mobile Wallet

• Privacy/Identity Issues - requirement of a real restraint on the part of Digimarketers, with a respect for privacy and care not to be intrusive

Currently, mobile platforms are scattered all over the Internet. The author shall describe two of such, namely MobiTV and Smart Sandbox.

MOBITV redefines television by putting live television in the palm of one's hand through the mobile phone and personal computer. In the United States, MOBITV can be accessed directly through major carriers such AT&T and Sprint. The application is deployed over two hundred handsets and is currently utilized by over three million audiences who watch television on their mobile phones. According to the company,

• According to Informa, there will be 125 million mobile television users by 2010.

• Forrester Research expects interactive spending to account for 18% of marketing budgets in 2012.

• Forrester Research also forecasts buying in the 'emerging channels' category (mobile, in-game advertising, social networks) will grow from US$ 1 billion to US$ 10.6 billion by 2012, when it will make up 17% of all spending
  

The company increasingly is utilized for television and radio marketing by carriers in order to attract new customers. It has also become a way to differentiate and bring customers in with compelling television and music content from well-known brands and networks. Currently, MOBITV has users who are highly mobile, connected individuals of which 67% are male and 33% are female, all of which are technophiles, trend setters and vocal consumers. 

SMART SANDBOX is the Philippines' first web-to-wap portal that seamlessly bridges the gap between the personal computer and mobile Internet connectivity. In order to achieve its challenge of signing up one hundred thousand (100,000) people for Sandbox, the company employed two phases for its digital campaign. The first phase utilized the Internet through the Sandbox website. The second phase involved a mobile site, a wapsite. During these two phases, different forms of media channels were involved in the promotion of the site. Video streams were uploaded to Youtube endorsing the Smart Sandbox website. Free mobile content such as Eraserheads downloads were also provided upon sign-up. Company-provided messaging was executed through email blasts to Yehey.com and screen savers at Netopia Internet Cafes. Both the Internet and wapsite provided content such news, free and paid downloadable mobile content, on-the-go social networking, and photo and video uploads. Millions of visits per month with hundreds of thousands of sign-ups per day spell success for the SMART SANDBOX, due to its intensive use of multiple digital channels.

The two examples signify a strong market potential of the mobile industry. Both platforms opened new possibilities in using mobile technology and how it can be realized as a tool for communication and entertainment. Marketers should utilize the proper digital media channels, given the fact that consumers nowadays are more active and participating in creating content, be it on the Internet or mobile. Consumers are willing to try out new technologies, as evident on both platforms, and are willing to maintain such technologies provided that marketers can continuously provide much needed content at the most convenient and affordable manner.


Source: 

Wertime, K., & Fenwick, I. (2008). Digimarketing - The Essential Guide to New Media & Digital Marketing. Singapore: Saik Wah Press Pte. Ltd.

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