It is common practice to revamp the corporate website periodically, and get exposed to new technology each time we do so. Many clients ask me now about Web 2.0, the current buzz in the web world. What are the implications of Web 2.0 to your website and how will it impact online branding efforts? But before leaping to Web 2.0, most of the websites first need to interact better with clients.
Though we speak of 360 marketing, many companies are willing to invest only a fraction of the marketing budget on the website (provided there is an allocation). Some might argue that our market is still not ready for websites due to the low penetration of the internet and broadband. I agree that penetration is sluggish if not sad in comparison to a region that is buzzing with a growing internet community. However there are many brands
which can take advantage of the local internet community which has over 130,000 subscribers, plus those who are internet enabled in their workplace. We also have many products that target the global community.
Sri Lanka speaks of developing the tourist industry, tea, spices and garments as the country's blue chip exports. But how well are they placed online? Try a simple Google search using a range of words (key words), and it's clear that we are still using websites as "online brochures". With tourism facing numerous obstacles, are we planning to get any FIT clients from the internet? How many local websites offer online travel purchasing options which are gaining momentum globally? With Sri Lanka being one of the specialist providers to the global clothing industry, are we focussing on any globally marketed clothing portals? Even Ceylon Tea, which has great potential online, is poorly represented.
There are a handful of local companies who have ventured online to serve the local community, such as e-Channelling, supermarkets, banks and other service providers. But the potential remains barely exploited. So how do we move on from here? The following guide will help you to cross the bridge to a new generation website. However, it is not a map to find your way when you get there.
e-Branding challenges a few principles of traditional advertising. Traditional advertising has to "Stop" your target and get the attention drawn to your ad; hence the catchy headlines, bold visuals and the rest. However when a user enters your web address or comes to your site through a search engine, your site has already passed the above requirements. When they arrive at your site, it needs to give the user enough encouragement to stick on. Give the information they came for fast and, most importantly, ensure they come back for more.
Rethink your website. I suggest two strategies if you cannot move away from the corporate boundaries. Have a parent site to maintain the corporate identity, but develop a consumer friendly site for brand interaction. What do you include in such a site? Have a few fun things; Gaviscon a well known product for heartburn by GlaxoSmithKline
features a game to prevent heartburn. Phillip Morris USA has a site dedicated to health issues due to smoking. Nokia's n-gage site is dedicated to mobile gaming, which evolved from a site launched to promote gaming on the n-gage series of mobile phones. Start thinking of the things you can offer as an experience to your customers which will induce them to visit your website. Popular features include opinion polls, rating systems and message boards to empower customers to give their opinion. Word of warning: be ready to post negative feedback too as it will help your brand be transparent to your customers. If you edit feedback, your community will figure this out fast and won't visit your site again.
Review your site monthly and use the following to develop a matrix to analyse user habits and use it as the guide for site revamping: (i) the percentage of visitors who spend less than 60 seconds on your website,
(ii))average pages viewed per visitor, (iii) average number of visits per visitor, (iv) search key words and phrases, (v) time spent on site, (vi) browsing path of visitors and geographical location.
Focus on your target audience and cater to their needs and not to internal bias. Site downloading speed is also important depending on your audience. If you are a travel company focussing on European markets, don't hesitate to offer videos and picture galleries as users have access to fast broadband internet access. Hosting your site internationally will also help faster site access. Don't be alarmed if your site is slow at home or at your office, as you are not the consumer.
Use the website to collect data from your customers and get their opinion. Include a site registration for those who wish to receive information. Develop a database to capture the registrants and send them updates of your company based on the frequency your clients have requested. Don't use this list for spamming and have a privacy policy on your site to encourage visitors to leave their details. This list can be segmented based on the pre-selected criteria from the registrants and utilized for special offers and newsletters to encourage repeat visits.
Driving customers to the site need not be an expensive practice. Stick to the basics and ensure that all your communications carry your website address, from a branded pen to the last slide of your TV commercial. If your target is international, search engine marketing is a low cost and effective option. The above coupled with data base marketing will ensure success.
Many companies leave the responsibility of the website to the IT team and they are also challenged by management to develop it in-house. The website is a marketing tool. It should be the responsibility of the marketing team, not IT. Tasking your IT team to review your website is similar to them briefing your agency for an advertising campaign. Your IT department should be consulted if you plan to integrate any internal systems to ensure security is maintained. Managing the corporate IT infrastructure does not necessarily make anyone a web guru. A website is the best interactive communication property you own, and all marketers should fight for stewardship of this important medium!
Now that we have touched on the basics, let's talk about Web 2.0. O'Reilly Media, which is an authority on computer technology topics, came up with the idea of web based communities in 2004 and named it Web 2.0. It does not refer to any technology change as the concept has existed long before it was termed this way.
The focus of Web 2.0 is social networking and user-generated content, which is now gathering momentum online. These user-content driven sites have become a part of the online community that is fast moving away from the boring "online brochures" which are out there. Web 2.0 sites are becoming an incredibly potent advertising medium that boasts global reach. The worldwide market for online content services is expected to expand by a factor of 10, growing from about 13 million households during 2005, to more than 131 million households by 2010.
to their desktops through content collection tools without visiting websites. If they are to visit your site or use your content feeds, updated information is key. One simple method to evolve your site is to bring your brand persona to life. Get him or her to review your products, develop a Blog for them and have a section for fans to interact with them. Nike.com has developed a similar concept on their site which feature interviews and information on the sports stars they sponsor.
Regularly updated industry information which is relevant to your target audience is another popular method. CNN recently launched "i report", which is a site where users can upload news stories. The best ones are posted to the CNN site and aired on TV!
Be creative as the web does not have boundaries. Sites which have done this are becoming magnets for users. Table 1.0 should give you some ideas. Spend time online and become familiar with what is out there and learn from global brands which are successfully adapting web strategies.
Few popular Web 2.0 sites
Site Name | URL | Description | Estimated Users |
My space | A site which allows people to have their blogs, upload pictures and also chose their own friends network |
Over 175 million | |
Flickr | Allows you to upload pictures, store and share them with your friends. Acquired by Yahoo recently. |
Over 28 million | |
WAYN (Where Are You Now) | A social network site for travellers to share information and meet people. Launched in 2003 and has grown to have 8 million users. |
Over 8 million | |
Second Life | Live your life as a different person on this virtual world which even has its own currency! |
Over 6 million | |
Wikipedia | Online encyclopaedia project from a multilingual global community. |
Over 4.6 million | |
Digg | A website which ranks articles which is based on popularity. Users can "digg it" and based on the number of diggs the article becomes popular |
Over 1 million |
users will have a "second life" within the next five years! However distant it looks from our small island the future, of interactive marketing will be driven by the Web. Embracing it will ensure you are ready to interact with the emerging digital consumer and communicate with them more effectively. As marketers, we are entrusted to evolve our brands to this medium. It will soon be an essential part of the marketing mix in Sri Lanka too. Identify the enthusiast for your brand, develop strategies for them to interact with your brand online, and build online communities. The focus should be content, not commerce. If you have an online population for your brand the commerce will surely follow!
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