Vol.61 – Recruiting, Job Hunting and Media in Japan Until Today

Social Media has rapidly started to proliferate to change recruiting and job hunting in Japan since Twitter got hot in 2010 and Facebook in 2011 and thus 2011 is said to be the first year of social media in Japan. Thus a leading job hunting and recruiting agency in Japan predicted that 2011 will be the first year of “social recruiting and job hunting” and recently there was a special article on this topic in a leading Japanese human management magazine.




The author would like to introduce and explain the essence of the article in series of articles, starting with history of new graduate recruiting and media.



1. What was the first media for job hunting and recruiting in Japan



It was a guidebook, later called “Recruit Book” with information about job hunting that was issued in 1962. New graduates applied by sending in hard copy documents (resume etc.) based on the guidebook.



2. When did the Internet emerge in job hunting in Japan?



It was in February 1996 when the web site called “Recruit Book on the Net” opened. The web site name later was changed to “Recruit Navi(gation)”. This marked the turning point in media in job hunting and recruiting, from printed media such as guidebooks, direct mails and hard copy job postings to the Internet.



Such change in media in job hunting and recruiting made anyone interested in the opportunity access the information online and made the job hunting and recruiting web sites extremely popular to become huge portal web sites. There are currently some such portal web sites that to which more than 400,000 students have registered and over 8,000 companies provide recruiting information.



3. How has the Internet changed job hunting in Japan?



Portal web sites and the Internet established a new system of “web entry” that has become something normal today, in which students apply from online application form. With this system, students became free from complicated procedures of requesting company brochures and applying to attend seminars by post cards and telephones, meaning they approach to many companies with ease.



4. What is the primary problem of the job hunting and recruiting leveraging the Internet?



It is inefficiency and mismatch in the beginning phase of recruiting and job hunting.



So many students apply to well known companies, sometimes as many as 100,000. On the other hand, unknown small and mid-sized companies cannot attract candidates even if they post their information online, on such portal web sites.



Moreover, due to such an ease of online application of “web entry”, there are quite a few students who make online application even if they have no real intention of being screened and/or joining the company.



5. What is one possible reason for such problems?



It is the fact that information posted on such portal web sites limit quality and quantity of online information although it is far superior compared with traditional printed media.



It is for this reason that social media is expected to cover ups for such shortcomings of portal web sites.





In the next articles the author would like to explain how social media is recently being used in job hunting and recruiting by some innovative companies and individuals in Japan.





References:-

“Leveraging Twitter and Facebook in New Graduate Recruiting” by Yoshioka, Mina, from Monthly HRM Materials (July 2011 Edition) – Business Publishing P29-43 (In Japanese)

http://www.busi-pub.com/



Resources:-

The first portal web site in Japan that opened in 1996 changed job hunting and recruiting in Japan completely but this also triggered problems of inefficiency and mismatch in the first phase of recruiting attributing to ease of online application. Social media is expected to cover up for such shortcomings.

Vol.31: 10 Dos and Don’ts to Deliver Consistent Message Online & Offline

The previous article Vol.30: How to Deliver Consistent Message by Online & Offline Media (Content) was about planning developing contents to deliver consistent message by online and offline media. This article focuses on how to integrate contents developed with advertising to deliver consistent message by integrating each media while maximizing effectiveness of each media for online and offline synergy.

1. Design big picture of integrated communication

Design the total plan of integrated communication leveraging online and offline media based on AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire and Attention) model. This has already been discussed in the previous articles through Vol.25: How to Effectively Integrate Media/Communication Channels (Part 1) to Vol.27: How to Effectively Integrate Media/Communication Channels (Part 3). Always carefully select optimum media and communication tools and integrate them based on the objectives and available resources.

2. Plan and execute one-source multi-use of materials

Use the same visuals (photos and images) and videos for every possible media, whether it is online or offline. For photos, images and videos uploaded online, always tag with the search terms for SEO (Search Engine Optimization).

3. Integrate offline events with online content

Upload event information on the Internet. It could be streaming content/webcast (e.g. tradeshow, seminar, shareholder meeting) on leveraging web 2.0 technologies. This is not only a good way of integrating contents but also would deliver the content to wider range of audiences. It would be helpful for web users if presentation materials (PDF files) are also posted.

Movie does not have to be the entire presentation/show. Webcast (e.g. YouTube) can be used for uploading highlights of events, demonstration of seminar, and for all other occasions that are effective to be delivered by video & audio.

If webcast and/or presentation material information cannot be uploaded, at least post event information web content in the text format.

4. Integrate TV commercial with online content

Upload TV commercials on the web (embed on YouTube or shown by Flash animation) which can be used as online advertising and/or as an online content of the website. There may well be people who find the advertising movie or flash animation interesting but those who happen to be at the outer rim of the funnel.

5. Include links in all possible media/communication tools

Include links to the optimum web page (e.g. company and product information, social profiles) in the offline advertising of printed media and TVCF as well as online advertising. Links can also be included in other media/communication tools such as flyer, DM, e-newsletter followed by a simple explanation to attract attention of audience to make them want to know more.

6. Make news releases “social”

Make news releases “social” by leveraging characteristics of the Internet such as effective use of mutual links to other online contents including social media, movie and so forth, as discussed in the previous article Vol.17: How to Make Social News Release.

7. Use same search terms (trigger words) in all media/communication tools

Define the search terms to deliver the core message of the company or products/services and integrate them into headlines and catch copy of advertising and contents (articles, company and products/services/promotion information etc.). Also integrate the search terms defined into descriptions/bios of company profile and products/services information contents of online and offline media/communication tools including social bios.

Although it might be difficult, try to make the search terms the same as trigger words for the audience. At least always tag the search terms in web pages.

8. Integrate social media, advertising, search and static web pages

Write blog posts on current events and promotions without being too “selling”. Simply give the facts of the events and promotion and link to the pre-sell or landing page for the event information page and promotion. Similar tactics can be used in all social media such as status updates on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, LinkedIn discussion.

Marketers and PR professionals need to be strategic and be careful not to be too “pushy” and “selling”. This is because engagement is what blogs and social media are all about, not direct “selling”.

9. Never use printed content as PDF files as the sole online content

Never use PDF file of the printed content as it is as the sole web content, such as uploading only PDF file of product information and annual report on the website. PDF file is not suitable for SEO not cannot leverage “including links”, one of the characteristics of the online content. Moreover, PDF file is not user-friendly for online audience because it is not suitable to be read online as it is but usually needs to be printed out.

It is best to either make the same online content in HTML format or develop new web content with the same images and information leveraging the characteristics of the Internet.

10. Use appropriate style for online contents

Define and use appropriate style for online contents, which is different from those of printed contents in many cases. Unlike printed contents (e.g. magazine and news articles) web contents including e-newsletter and e-DM are far better and are more likely to be read if the “flow” and “style” is rhythmical, with short and brief paragraphs and sentences, and with sub headlines and bullet copy. This is because people tend to “scan” the contents online more than on printed media. In addition, most online contents such as e-newsletter, e-DM, blogs and social media are better if their style is not too casual with some personal touch.

Vol.30: How to Deliver Consistent Message by Online & Offline Media (Content)

The previous 2 articles focused on advertising. This article and the next focus on content.

1. What does “content” include in this article?

In this article, content (information) distinguishing from advertising, is company and products/services information, that consumers/audience would see/read/listen/feel after driven to the information available online and offline by advertising and other methods from all media/communication channel (touch points).

2. How to plan integrated communication to deliver consistent message by online & offline media

First, big picture of integrated communication needs to be planned. Framework used in Vol.9: How to Reach Buyers Directly in Web/Internet Marketing for web marketing planning can be applied, and these are the basics of marketing many of which have already been discussed in other previous articles.

1) Key Message

This has already been discussed in the previous article Bol 10: How to Successruly Develop Web Content to Directly Reach Buyers. Key message is about “3) Construct authentic company story to tell directly to buyer/customer persona”; the essence of company story is the key message.

2) Target/audience

This has already been discussed in the previous article Vol.9: How to Reach Buyers Directly in Web/Internet Marketing. Target/audience is about the first “who”, defined by buyer/customer persona for each customer segment.

3) Branding

This has already been discussed in the previous article (Vol.10). The concept is of “2) Define personality of the web content with brand management concept”, just that it is about defining personality of content of all media, which should be consistent throughout media/communication channel if it is the same content targeting same audience.

4) Timing

This has already been discussed in the previous article (Vol.9). Timing is about deciding “when” is the best timing to deliver the key message through all possible media/communication channels to target audience.

5) Media/Communication Channel

This has already been discussed in the previous article (Vol.10). Media/communication channel is about “4) Think and select the buyer/customer persona’s preferred media and learning styles”. What needs to be taken note of is that options of media include all possible online and offline media.

3. How to develop content to deliver consistent key message

Delivering consistent key message from multi-channels does not necessarily mean that content posted in a media/communication channel is rolled out exactly as it is in others. That is unrealistic considering different characteristics of media/communication channels explained in the previous article (Vol.22) as well as ineffective.

What needs to be aimed is developing different contents from multi-perspectives, leveraging the characteristics of each media/communication channels that deliver, support the core message.

The below are a few examples of possible methodologies in developing high quality, unique contents to deliver consistently key messages.

1) Story telling of different narrators

Develop content as if telling a story of the key message to the target audience, symbolized by buyer persona. There could be many options of narrators, including the top executive, other senior management, employee, customer, business partner, investor, job seeker and so forth.

2) Answers to possible/frequently asked questions

Plan content based on frequently asked questions and/or possible questions regarding the key message that may come from the target audience (buyer persona) and every possible stakeholders of the company. Content developed this way would meet the needs of target audience and all possible stakeholders (including potential target audience) while supporting the key message.

3) Problem solving

Find problems and pains of the target market and develop solution content derived from key message. Similarly to 2), content developed this way would meet the needs of potential target audience while supporting the key message.

4) Time frame

Develop content focusing on different timing, making series of contents (points) that makes a flow (line). For example, develop series of content focusing on a buyer persona going through process of buying a product, hunting for a job, making investment and so forth.


When content is developed and becomes available in one form of media, it usually needs to be made into other form of media. For example, content in printed brochure is made into web content/blog article, and/or video, or vice versa.

Rolling out the developed content to multi-media/communication channels is the topic of the next article.

Vol.28: How to Deliver Consistent Message by Online & Offline Media (Advertising 1)

The previous articles from Vol.25: How to Effectively Integrate Media/Communication Channels (Part 1) through Vol.27: How to Effectively Integrate Media/Communication Channels (Part 3), integrating online and offline media and communication channels for synergy based on AIDA model has been discussed.

Topic of this article is hot to deliver consistent core message by effectively integrating online and offline media/communication channels. In doing so, the author would like to discuss advertising and other content (article etc.) separately because they are rather different. This is probably because the objective of advertising and other contents is different.

Before answering to the question “what are KFS (Key Factors for Success) in delivering consistent core message by advertising of online and offline media?”, let us recap on the objective of advertising.

1. What is the objective of advertising? (recap)

Regardless of types of media, objective of advertising is drawing attention and interest of consumers most of whom have not interest in the products and services, and navigate them to the driving point of the persuasion scenario briefly explained in the previous article Vol.13: How is Landing Page Optimization Related to Persuation Scenario? Advertising is either 15 or 30 second visual and/or sound, or a still picture with catch copy.

2. What is important in advertising of all online and offline media?

There are a few important points in advertising regardless of all online and offline media. The first point is branding or identity (consisting of core message, concept, style, image etc.). This is the same for what the author said “other contents” earlier, a topic that a book can be written and this will not be discussed in this article. The second point is (first) impression/impact, and this is what it makes different from “other contents”.

The challenge is delivering the core message based on the brand strategy integrating all online and offline media, while creating each advertisement leveraging the characteristics of each media. This is the focus of this article.

3. How can the core message be consistently and effectively delivered by advertisement, leveraging online and offline media?

The author would like to briefly discuss by each media. The underlying concept is “one-source multi-use”.

1) TV

Excellent image building and scenario requirements of successful TV advertising (mass advertising), which is usually 15 or 30 second movie (visual and audio, rich media) TVCF. Being a rich media, creative visual, sound effect/BGM, narration and terop are composites of TVCF. In many cases, TVCF and other mass advertising of printed materials are developed simultaneously. However, TVCF tends to lead/influence advertising creation of other media. It is true that it is easier, logical and effective to develop visuals used in printed and online advertisement from TVCF, which is probably the reason.

What advertising by TVCF is different and challenging from printed and many online advertising (e.g. link banners, search engine result pages, rich media ad) is probably scenario planning/development of 15 or 30 seconds and producing the product of TVCF. 15 and/or 30 seconds are very short nevertheless excellent scenario needs to be planned and developed within that timeframe for effective TVCF together with the detailed planning of each composite. This can be more challenging than those of TV content.

One thing that TVCF could be different from other advertising is that the core message does not necessarily have to be understood at the beginning. In fact, as a strategy of “element of surprises” to maximize impact so that attention and interest of the audience will be drawn, the products and services advertised not clear until the end of the 15 or 30 second TVCF in a few cases. This can be a TVCF strategy, which is not the case for others.

Other well used strategies to maximize impact or news hook to create “buzz” include use of celebrities and famous people in advertising, and use of luxurious setting. These strategies can be used only if sufficient budget is available. These strategies are usually adopted for BtoC product TVCF.

2) Newspapers and Magazines

Eye-catching and creative visual, well planned layout/design and catch copy are requirements of successful printed media mass advertising of newspapers and magazines. In many cases, essence (elements) of the total TVCF are “converted” to 2 dimensional printed advertising consisting of visual and text. This is the “visualized” output of core message and brand image.

Both vertical version and horizontal version are usually created because these printed advertising can be both versions, depending on the space of the advertising.

What makes newspaper and magazine different is effect of colour. This is because of the difference in quality of paper. In general, paper quality of magazines is far better than those of newspapers. This is one reason why advertising of products that colour and texture is vital in branding and core message delivery (e.g. make ups, jewelries), newspaper advertising is rarely used. Other possible reason is the target audience of newspapers is likely to be too wide for such products and advertising by magazine read by target customer is more used.

3) Radio

Well planned scenario, rhythmical narration easy to understand simple words and phrases and sound effect (BGM) are requirements of successful radio advertising. Being the only media delivered exclusively by audio, this is quite different from others, and the success largely attributes to the narrator, i.e. the quality of the voice and the narration skills.

4) Posters and Billboards

Similarly to adverting of newspapers and magazines, eye-catching and creative visual, well planned layout/design and catch copy are requirements of successful printed media mass advertising of posters and billboards. One thing that makes advertising of posters and billboards different from advertising of newspapers and magazines is that it needs to be more visual and catch copy oriented, and cannot rely on detailed texts, because these are usually seen from a distance.

5) DMs and Flyers

Eye-catching copy with trigger words and phrases, well planned layout and attractive visual are requirements of successful DMs and Flyers. This means that creative visual developed for newspaper and magazine advertising cannot be used as it is in DMs and flyers. For this reason, simplified version visual(s) needs to be created in many cases, and complement by texts. Simplified version visual(s) are often used in catalogues.

6) Online/Internet

This consists of variety of advertising and requirements for success depend on which kind of online advertising. What can be said is that rules or requirements for successful online advertising are different from that of traditional media mentioned above. This deserves much discussion and will be the topic of the next article.


References:-

Edelman, David C (2010), Four ways to get more value from digital marketing
https://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Marketing/Digital_Marketing/Four_ways_to_get_more_value_from_digital_marketing_2556

Vol.27: How to Effectively Integrate Media/Communication Channels (Part 3)

The previous article Vol.26: How to Effectively Integrate Media/Communication Channels (Part 2) focused on driving consumers to main part of your business, which is usually spatial channel, i.e. Attention and Interest of AIDA model.

This article focuses on integrating online and offline in the main part of your business, which is usually spatial channel of the chart below, which is Desire and Action of AIDA model.

In theory a case in which online or offline exclusive is possible, but in reality such are of minority and integrated use of online and offline media and communication channels is usually more effective today. Having said that, all 3 possible patterns, including offline exclusive and online exclusive patterns, are discussed.

1. How consumers/buyers used to go through the buying process before the emergence of the Internet? (Pattern 1: offline, bricks/mortar and bricks/mortar)

Before the emergence of the Internet i.e. in offline only world, consumers/buyers driven to the main part of the buying process by offline media and communication channels used to go through the process offline to finally take action = buy.

For example, they would go to offline store, see demonstration, get more detailed information by face-to-face communication with staff, try and compare products and services etc. and finally decide to buy. They might have visited and experienced some parts of such processed in other offline spatial channel such as tradeshows, seminars and events. Other possible examples include mail order in which consumers/buyers go through such process by printed materials (catalogues, forms etc) and phone, and direct sales by sales staff which is face-to-face offline communication channel.

Today when many people use the Internet everyday in obtaining information and comparing to make decision although the degree of the Internet use depends on person and other factors, this pattern is probably rare in reality.

2. How consumers/buyers can go through the buying process using the Internet 100%? (Pattern 2: online, click and click)

This pattern, although it might be minority, is possible, such as online shopping and enjoying online trading of foreign exchange. In many of such cases of, online consumers/buyers are driven to the buying process by online media such as the methodologies mentioned in the previous article Vol.11: How to Successfully Drive Web Users to Web Contents.

The online consumer/buyer would go through the buying process similarly to pattern 1 online, but experiencing similar processed by visiting web pages/contents, free from time and location restraint. They would first access reference landing pages, which is Desire part of AIDA model, the topic of the previous article Vol.15: How to Effectively Optimize Reference Landing Page. When they have decided to “buy”, which is Action of AIDA model, they would then be navigated to transactional landing pages to finally to complete “call to action” step, the topic of the previous article Vol.16: How to Effectively Optimize Transactional Landing Page.

Such online consumers/buyers might have visited and experienced some parts of such process in other online spatial channel such as tradeshows, seminars and events web contents available online. Such web contents, if posted after they have been taken place (e.g. as archive), enable consumers/buyers to re-visit and help then to recap.

3. How consumers/buyers can leverage integrated online and offline media/communication channels in going through the buying process? (Pattern 3: online and offline, clicks and mortar)

This pattern, the mixture of the other 2 patterns, is the ideal and is probably most common today. There are so many versions in this pattern and it is impossible to list up all. Some of the main versions are as below.

1) Online (reference information) > Offline (store)

This is the basic and the simplest version. Customers/buyers would obtain information, compare etc. online such as product information pages and then go to the nearby offline store to see and try actual products and services, ask questions to staff, and when convinced that this is the product/service they have been looking for, make decision to buy.

2) Offline (store) > Online (reference information) > Offline (store etc.)

This is also a possible version. For example, customers/buyers might have seen and became interested in a product/service when he/she visited an offline store but want to compare with other products/services provided by other companies and went home and accessed related websites for comparison. Then when he/she knows which product/service provided by which company is his choice, he/she would go back to the offline store again, and go through the process mentioned in 1).

3) Offline (tradeshow, event, seminar, forum) > Online (reference information) > Offline (store)

This is another possible version, which might be the most popular among version that consumers/buyers visit spatial channel besides store. For example, customers/buyers attend offline tradeshow, event, seminar or forum and having obtained primary information of products/services, get interested in them and decide to buy and do so then. But such is not always the case, and they may well get more information online for comparison and then finally decide to buy and visit the nearby offline store to do so.

4) Online (tradeshow, event, seminar, forum) > Offline (store)

This is another possible version, the basic version when customers/buyers are first navigated to spatial channel excluding store. For example, customers/buyers attend online tradeshow, event, seminar or forum instead of those of offline for reasons such as time and location restriction, and when the get interested in products/services, visit nearby offline store, and go through the process mentioned in 1).

5) Online (tradeshow, event, seminar, forum) > Online (reference information) > Offline (store)

This is another possible version based on 4). For example, customers/buyers attend online tradeshow, event, seminar or forum get interested in products/services and follow the link to web contents of detailed information of products/service, and then visit the nearby offline store, to go through the process mentioned in 1).

6) Offline (tradeshow, event, seminar, forum) > online (store)

This may seem unlikely but this is also possible. For example, customers/buyers attend offline tradeshow, event, seminar or forum and having obtained primary information of products/services, get interested in them and decide to buy. But such spatial channels are not designed for “selling” in many cases and in such a case they may well do so by utilizing e-commerce function of website (online store). This version may be suitable for services and software products.

7) Offline (tradeshow, event, seminar, forum) > online (reference information) > online (store)

This version is based on 6). Customers/buyers may well access such web contents as product/service information (reference landing pages) then after finally decided to buy, access transactional landing pages and complete the buying process.

4. What comes after?

After successful completion of “call to action”, follow-up needs to be done. This used to be done offline (e.g. telephone, customer service staff), but today in many cases, online follow-up such as e-mail and social media is widely used, at least as primary follow-up, then customer service staff may contact by phone or visit if necessary.


The next article will be about tailoring consistent message to meet characteristics of different media/communication channel.

Vol.26 – How to Effectively Integrate Media/Communication Channels (Part 2)

In the previous article Vol.25: How to Effectively Integrate Media/Communication Channels (Part 1), how media and communication channels can be effectively mixed and integrated for online and offline synergy was discussed. The pattern 3 (online and offline, clicks and mortar), which is the chart below, integrates online and offline media and communication channels, creates more value from digital marketing, and even can create interesting business models.


This article focuses on driving consumers to main part of your business, which is usually spatial channel, i.e. Attention and Interest of AIDA model.

1. How are consumers/buyers drawn attention and interest and driven to online and offline spatial channel?

With the emergence of the Internet, the options to drive offline and online consumers/buyers to the company’s spatial channel to navigate them down the buying process are available.

2. How consumers/buyers can be attracted and driven to online and offline spatial channel(s)?

Below are possible ways in which marketers, PR & communication professionals and business owners can attract attention/interest to drive consumers to their online and offline spatial channel.

The previous article Vol.11: How to Successfully Drive Web Users to Web Contents also introduces possible methodologies in driving online customer/buyers to online spatial channels (website).

1) Driving consumers by online and offline adverting.

Although traditional media contents are becoming available online as well, traditional advertising here is categorized as offline advertising, and all online advertising regardless of format/vehicle are categorized as online advertising.

(1) Traditional offline mass media: TV, magazine, newspaper, radio (mass advertising)

TV commercial is still an effective mass media to reach and get attention of wide a range of audience. This is visual and audio centric presentation of 15 or 30 seconds so its main objectives are attracting attention of the audience and the very least inspire keywords for consumers to search online.

Magazine and Newspaper advertisements are also effective to reach and get attention of mass audience, in more targeted segment than TV commercial. Visual and catch copy are the key. The main objective are attracting attention of the audience and inspire them to get more information by accessing the URL in the advertising page and/or by visiting directly to spatial channel (trade show, event, seminar, store etc.)

Radio is also still effective as a mass advertising media. This is audio only and its main objectives are same as TV commercial of attracting attention of the audience and the very least inspire keywords for consumers to search online.

(2) Online advertising (mass and/or targeted advertising)

With increase in importance and budget in many companies of online advertising, so is the increase in variety (evolution) of online advertising. In addition to traditional banner advertising and text link advertising came search engine advertising, and now online advertising is linked/integrated with constituents of social media ecosystem mentioned in Vol.5: What Social Media Ecosystem Does Web 2.0 Realize? such as virtual world, gaming, microbrogging (e.g. Twitter) and SNS (e.g. Facebook).

2) Driving consumers by other offline media/communication channel

Here again, some other media and communication channels can be online and offline (e.g. DM) and they have been categorized by online and offline to make discussion simpler.

(1) Billboards and posters (mass targeting advertising)

Billboards and posters are still effective in attracting attention and interest of offline consumers. Due to its geological location, this is mass media targeted by geological factors as well other segments similarly to traditional mass media already mentioned. Being statistic, the primary objectives are same as newspaper and magazine advertising, attracting attention of the audience and inspire them to get more information by accessing the URL in the advertising page and/or by visiting directly to spatial channel (trade show, event, seminar, store etc.)

(2) DMs and flyers (mass targeting advertising)

DMs and flyers are still effective in attracting attention and interest of offline consumers. Flyers usually have geological location restriction so they are basically same as billboards and posters; mass media targeted by geological factors as well other segments. Flyers can include more detailed information and therefore the primary objectives are attracting attention and interest of the audience and inspire them to visit store and or other spatial channel, usually offline. DMs are basically the same as flyers, just that they are usually sent by post so in theory they have less geological location restriction and therefore reach mass audience of targeted segments (segmented by factors other than geological location).

3) Driving consumers by other online channel (mass and/or targeted)

Objectives of these are driving online customers first to reference landing page of the company website. The reference landing page might be online special channel or other page, and if it is the latter, online customers need to be navigated to the online special channel web pages.

(1) SEO (targeted)

SEO is one of the most effective ways of driving online customers/buyer.
There are paid search and organic search, and the choice depends on factors such as budget and timeline. In general, paid search is more suitable if sufficient is available and prominent result needs to be delivered immediately; therefore it might be better for season limited campaigns and events. Organic search is generally used (should be performed) at all times, as SEO from both algorithm (key words/phrases, tags etc.) and content (headline, relevance and targeting, frequency of updates etc.) perspective.

(2) E-newsletter and online DM (targeted and/or mass)

E-newsletter and online DM can still be effective and their future lies in integrating with social media, although some people do say with social media these would eventually be diminished. With effective use of DB, these can be mass or targeted, and ultimate targeting is one-to-one (marketing).

(3) Others: e.g. affiliate programme, links (targeted and/or mass)

There are other methods to drive online customers to online spatial channel, such as affiliate programmes and links. A whole book can be written about affiliate programme so the author would like to refrain from going into detail but she would like to emphasize that if planned and implemented strategically based on quantitative and qualitative analysis and other marketing techniques, this can be extremely effective, delivering prominent ROI. There are many types of links and the KFS are relevance, location and link text/icon.

4) Driving consumers by PR activities (mass & targeted broadcasting)

PR activities usually start with news release composition and distribution. Its primary objective might be to drive customers to offline and online special channel of press conference, tradeshow, events, seminars, store etc. because in many cases only some are directly driven to such channels.

This is because in reality, primary objective of PR remains attracting attention of journalists and bloggers (and not directly reaching customer/buyers) so that they would write news and blog articles and/or mention their products/services and company.

News and blog articles can be combined with advertising factors. When news article is combined with advertising it will become advertorial, and when article is combined with advertising (e.g. pay-per-click advertising) it can become an affiliate programme.

What needs to be considered and aimed for include making news and blog articles (and advertising) go “broadcasted” and “viral” by the general public and participate in their conversation. This works the best online, leveraging the following, and therefore the approaches needs to be changed from traditional PR and marketing. (The author would like to focus on viral marketing in one of her upcoming article).

(1) News site: e.g. Digg (mass and/or targeted)

Besides monitoring and aiming increase exposure in traditional news media (as done by “clipping”), PR professionals need to do the same for online coverage of traditional news media and news sites. News site is effective because with sufficient information and reliable reviews by experts, online consumers are attracted and interested in the content and be driven to the website.

(2) MicroBlogging: e.g. Twitter (mass and/or targeted)

Microbrogging is extremely effective today to spread the information and get the news go “viral”, as proven by how President Obama leveraged to win the presidential election last year.

(3) SNS: e.g. Facebook, LinkedIn (targeted and/or mass)

SNS is also effective today to get the news go “viral”. With different philosophy and concept of networking (making friends and connection, how information can be delivered in the online community etc.), MicroBlogging might be getter to make news “viral” to wider audience from PR perspective, as pointed out by Greco (2010) in her article “Why We Have Such a Crush on Twitter (and Not On Facebook)”. It seems that SNS is more suitable to make “viral” in more “focused” and “deep” manner


Further discussion of the pattern 3 (online and offline, clicks and mortar) will be continued in the next article.


References:-

Edelman, David C (2010), Four ways to get more value from digital marketing
https://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Marketing/Digital_Marketing/Four_ways_to_get_more_value_from_digital_marketing_2556

Greco, Jess (2010), Why We Have Such a Crush on Twitter (and Not On Facebook)
http://prbreakfastclub.com/2010/03/30/why-crush-twitter/

Vol.25 – How to Effectively Integrate Media/Communication Channels? (Part 1)

In the previous article Vol.24: How Media/Communication Channels Are Changing (Part 2), paradigm shift in media and communication channels, focusing on spatial channel attributed to web/internet, dramatically changing traditional media, was discussed. In this article, how media and communication channels can be effectively mixed and integrated for online and offline synergy is discussed.

1. How were media and communication channels used to be integrated and mixed before the emergence of the Internet? (Pattern 1: offline, bricks/mortar and bricks/mortar)

Before the emergence of the Internet, offline traditional media and communication channels were integrated to form AIDMA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Memory, Action) flow. Media and communication channel were carefully selected and mixed, leveraging characteristics of each of them mentioned in the previous article Vol,22: What Distinguishes Internet/Web From Traditional Media?

There are 3 phases in typical offline media/communication channel integration. First phase is getting attention of consumers and attracting them to the special channel (store, event, tradeshow etc.), which is mostly attention and interest of AIDMA. Advertising of traditional mass media (TV, magazine, newspaper) and direct mail are ideal for this phase.

Second phase is persuading consumers to buy (take action), which is mostly desire and action of AIDMA. Spatial channel is the main channel but other channels such as face-to-face communication (of sales person) and printed matter (for mail order) can also be used.

And the last phase is follow-up. Face-to-face and/or phone of sales person/customer service staff are often used.

2. How are media and communication channels integrated exclusively online? Is that possible? (Pattern 2: online, click and click)

Yes, it is possible to select only online media and communication channels and integrate effectively, although this might be rather rare. This is usually adopted by what we call “IT companies” or “dot com companies”.

This pattern also has 3 phases, with same concept as offline version of pattern 1. In the first phase, e-mail (including e-newsletter and online DM), SEO and online advertising are often used, to drive web users to the website/web content including online spatial channel. Details of this topic have already been explained in the previous article Vol.11: How to Successfully Drive Web Users to Web Contents. After driven to the website/web content, online buyers are navigated to go through the persuasion scenario as explained in the previous article Vol.13: How is Landing Page Optimization Related to Persuasion Scenario?. In some cases, web users are first “invited” to trade show, events etc, which can be regarded as a part of this phase of the total buying process. And in all cases, web users are driven to reference landing page, and its possible methodologies have been explained in the previous article Vol.15: How to Effectively Optimize Reference Landing Page.

In the second phase, online spatial channels (online store, trade show and event online information, webiner etc.) are typical; however, other web contents such as product and other information and social media (e.g. SNS, blog) can be categorized in this phase. Other social ecosystem constituents mentioned in the previous article Vol.5: What Social Media Ecosystem Does Web 2.0 Realize? such as skype, video/audio podcast, streaming and virtual world can enrich web content and help online buyers to go through the buying process smoothly and quickly. And, web users (buyers), going through buying process, will finally navigated to transactional landing page and persuaded to take action (buy), as explained in the previous article Vol.16: How to Effectively Optimize Transactional Landing Page.

And in the last phase of follow-up, media and communication channel such as e-mail, social media (e.g. micro-blogging, SNS) and skype can be used.

3. How are online and offline media and communication channels integrated? (Pattern 3: online and offline, clicks and mortar)

This pattern is the ideal and most common today, regardless of industry, company and organization. The proportion of online and offline, and which media/communication channels used depends on the industry, company/organization and other factors such as physical restriction. IT industry tends to focus on online and conservative industry (e.g. construction) tends to focus on offline. This pattern is mixture of the other 2 patterns.

This pattern also has 3 phases with same concept for each phase being the same as the other 2 patterns. In first phase, online and offline media/communication channels can be used, with similar concept and methodologies as the other 2 patterns. The media/communication channels used include e-mail (e.g. e-newsletter), SEO, online and offline/traditional media advertising, and online/offline DM are often used, to drive online and offline customers/buyers to the website/web content and/or online and offline spatial channel.

In the second phase, online and offline online spatial channels are typical. Others such as web contents such as product and other information and social media (e.g. SNS, blog) for online and face-to-face communication (of sales person) and printed matter (for mail order) can also be used, although they might be minority today. For online media and communication channels, social ecosystem constituents mentioned in pattern 2 can enrich web content and help online buyers to go through the buying process smoothly and quickly for the same reason.

And in the last phase of follow-up, online media and communication channels such as e-mail, social media (e.g. micro-blogging, SNS) and skype are often used today. But offline channels of face-to-face and/or phone of sales person/customer service staff are used as well, depending on the details of follow-up.

4. Effective online and offline media and communication channels integration (clicks and mortar) make interesting business model.

Pattern 3 (clicks and mortar), effectively selecting, mixing and integrating online and offline media/communication channels, often means interesting and original business model(s), not simply a way of how information/content is distributed to consumers.

A typical example is air ticket and hotel reservation. Customers will know the services by online and offline advertising etc. and today usually they are driven to website, where they use search function etc. and make reservation online. And finally they are provided with services offline (enjoying flight, accommodation at the hotel).

An extremely interesting example is of content business of a Japanese leading DVD/CD rental company called Tsutaya. It has started new business of clicks and mortar, to survive, when online paid content business and iPod is becoming popular, giving negative impact on their business. They recently are trying to attract attention of customers by TV advertising so that they would make reservation online, and have the DVD/CD discs sent to their house instead of handing the discs directly to the customers at their offline store. Customers can return the discs by post.

It is interesting to note that many non-marketing activities of companies/organizations, each activities constituting value chain have been going through evolution, falling into pattern 3. Recent recruiting in which IT is leveraged, introduced in another article How IT Supports Tough Job Hunting of Gradiates in Japan?, is an example of integrating online and offline media and communication channels; therefore, this can be categorized as pattern 3.

In the next article, the author would like to further discuss effective integration of online and offline media and communication channels.


References:-

Mitachi, Takashi (1998), Deconstruction: Disintegration and Reintegration of Value Chain. Diamond Harvard Business Review, October-November, in Japanese, pp110-123.