Vol.32 – 7 Requirements to Deliver Consistent Message Online & Offline

The previous article Vol.31: 10 Dos and Don'ts to Deliver Consistent Message Online & Offline was about integrating contents developed with advertising to deliver consistent message by integrating each media while maximizing effectiveness of each media for online and offline synergy.

This article presents requirements to deliver consistent message online and offline, i.e. achieving what have been discussed in the last 7 articles from Vol.25 through Vol.31. They are, in essence, the same as developing and executing any kind of strategy; however, there are a few points that are specific to this topic.

1. Big picture including clear objective/vision/goal and strategy

Needless to say, objective, vision and goal are required, and then comprehensive strategy of online and offline synergy, filling the gap between the vision/goal and current circumstance, needs to be developed.

Objective needs to be clear and vision needs to be something that can be visualized and make members feel “wow” and energized. Goal needs to be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and tangible.

Current circumstance including external and internal environment, past performance and feedback from the market (customer, audience) and all other stakeholders needs to be analyzed (quantitative and qualitative) to identify the problems, together with risk analysis. Then prioritize focuses (problems to tackle/solve), which means strategy. This will be made into action plan in execution.

Benchmarking and learning from best practices of other companies/industries are often helpful for breakthrough, out-of-the box thinking.

Some people may say that vision and strategy comes first and others may say that people (core team) comes first. As the concept of “getting the right people to get on the bus then decide where to go” from the book Good to Great – Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t (Collins, 2001), it is usually better to have the core team first and let them develop strategy led by an individual responsible and accountable for the task. This is because it means fair process and team building, to foster commitment and ownership of the core team members. It is only in an emergency when strategy development and implementation needs to be done 1oo% top down that people comes after.

2. Buy-in from the top and senior management

Buy-in from the top and senior management is required for successful implementation of the strategy. Without buy-in. strong leadership and commitment from top and senior management will not be available, meaning organization (employees/members) cannot be navigated to achieve the goal/mission. Also, necessary resources cannot be obtained.

3. An appropriate individual responsible/accountable for the assignment

Leadership and management skills/competencies, and background covering the overall realm (assignment) are the requirements of the individual responsible and accountable for the assignment. He/she does not necessarily have knowledge and expertise in all detailed aspects of the assignment (or rather, people with such knowledge and expertise are usually difficult to find).

If there is a particular issue that needs to be strengthened (e.g. web marketing needs to be focused, building organization is the weakest, processes needs to be reviewed and simplified, building networks with external stakeholder is vital), an individual who is strong in that particular issue is highly desired.

4. No traditional barriers of functions etc.

Delivering consistent message by integrating online and offline media in web 2.0 world cannot be fulfilled in the traditional framework. PR/communication and marketing needs to be converged as mentioned in Vol.7: The New Rules of Marketing, PR and IR in Web 2.0 Online World. Marketing/communication of corporate and product also needs to be converged and integrated. Moreover, external and internal communication needs to be integrated and aligned.

If all mentioned are converged and integrated, all media and communication tools, whether online or offline, would naturally be integrated with optimization.

This is usually more difficult to achieve in a big organization where division of labour needs to be adopted. Possible solutions include cross-function committee, with defined processes and systems in which all related functions are involved.

5. Resources including acquisition/allocation/management with optimization

Resources include budget, manpower (people and organization), infrastructure (hard such as equipment and soft such as software and systems) and information. These resources can be obtained internally and externally; the latter can be acquisition (e.g. external hiring, purchasing infrastructure) and/or lease and alliance.

Resources needs to be allocated with optimization, and appropriately managed with regular monitoring. This is a big challenge when traditional functional barriers are abolished and the individual appointed for the task needs to be political savvy to overcome this. Resource allocation needs to be flexibility changed based on regular monitoring and changes in environment/circumstances.

It is highly desired that people are diverse in terms of skill, competencies and expertise because the task encompasses wide a range of scope meaning diverse skill set and competencies in total are required to accomplish the task. This has much overlap with the next requirement.

6. Knowledge and knowhow necessary to leverage characteristics of each media

Needless to say, knowledge and knowhow of each online and offline media/communication channel are vital as a team/committee. Therefore, necessary skills and competencies, both soft and hard, first needs to be defined, from which requirements of team/committee members are identified, to be assigned.

Knowledge and knowhow often comes from external sources, such as consultants and agencies, online and offline training/education including lectures and seminars, and information in all possible channels and format (publications and online article to name a few).

Having said that, it is through experience that organization and individuals acquire knowledge and knowhow the most. For this reason, assigning team/committee members needs to be done from people development perspective as well as based on their current skills and competencies. This often means succession planning for key roles and positions, which requires defining skills and competencies that becomes necessary in the future although they may not be necessary today.

System that enables continuous obtaining of new knowledge and knowhow is inevitable to keep up with the changing environment and evolution of each media. This is prominent for web/Internet hence the word “dog year”.

7. Change management for right mindset of all individuals

All points mentioned above can only be achieved only with change in mindset and behaviours of all individuals of all levels in the organization. This often means cultural change which requires change management.

This is usually time consuming but needs to be fulfilled with persistence by consistent delivery of message especially to internal stakeholders, actions and behaviours of the management, and celebrating quick wins to gain momentum, all aligned.

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.29 – How to Deliver Consistent Message by Online & Offline Media (Advertising 2)

In the previous article Vol.28: How to Deliver Consistent Message by Online & Offline Media (Advertising 1), objective of advertising and important point in online and offline advertising then possible methodologies of delivering consistent message by offline media advertising was briefly discussed. Possible methodologies of online advertising are the topic of this article.

1. What is online advertising? (recap)

Wikipedia defines online advertising as a form of promotion that uses the Internet and World Wide Web for the expressed purpose of delivering marketing messages to attract customers. Some of the examples include search engine results pages, banner ads, Rich Media Ads, Social network advertising, e-mail marketing and affiliate programmes (affiliate marketing).

2. What is the competitive advantage of online advertising over traditional offline advertising?

One major benefit of online advertising is the immediate publishing of information and content that is not limited by geography or time, attributing to the characteristics of the Internet explained in the previous article Vol.22: What Distinguishes Internet/Web From Traditional Media? This means that interactive advertising is a fresh yet promising challenge for marketers and advertisers

Another benefit is the efficiency of advertiser’s investment (i.e. ROI = Return on Investment). One reason for this is the fact that online advertising allows for the customization of advertisements, including content and posted websites, enabling targeted advertising. For example, AdWords, Yahoo! Search Marketing and AdSense enable advertisings shown on relevant webpages or aside of search results of pre-chosen keywords. Another reason is the payment method. This deserves much explanation and discussion therefore the author would like to come back to this topic if necessary in one of the upcoming article. Whatever purchasing variation is selected, the payment is usually relative with audiences' response. Whether online advertising can be effective leveraging the competitive advantage or not depends on the ethics as well as quality of strategy, planning and execution of online advertising.

3. How can the core message be consistently and effectively delivered by online advertising?

With so many different kinds of online advertising, it is impossible to discuss all of them one by one; therefore, the author would like to select a few major ones. Having said that, similarly to offline traditional media, the underlying concept is “one-source multi-use” based on the characteristics of the media.

Many online advertising being targeted and interactive, and some uses advanced technologies yet some can be rather plain (e.g. visual only, text only), the game rule in online advertising is quite different from that of traditional mass advertising, meaning requirement (KFS = key factors for success) are quite different from those of offline traditional advertising. Also, marketers and advertisers need to be extremely selective in which online advertising(s) to adopt and effectively leveraging Internet technologies.

1) Search Engine Result Pages

Excellent choice of trigger key words and phrases that are relevant and to-the-point are requirements of successful online advertising of search engine result pages. Being a targeted, interactive advertising without visual and audio factors, KFS of this kind of advertising is extremely different from those of traditional mass advertising. Simply put, requirements of this advertising are all about SEM (Search Engine Marketing) including SEO (Search Engine Optimization) already explained in the previous article Vol.11: How to Successfully Drive Web Users to Web Contents.

2) Banner Advertising

Eye-catching and creative visual/icon, well planned layout/design and catch copy are requirements of successful banner advertising. The requirements might be similarly to those of printed media (especially flyers) but the biggest difference is the fact that banner advertising is of limited space so core message needs to be concentrated in that limited space with visual and catch copy. In addition, banner advertising are not only of still pictures and there would be additional requirements for banner advertising with animation and so forth.

For example, if the banner uses flash technology for animation, the animation (speed, how it moves) needs to match with the total branding and core message. In fact, marketers and advertisers need to think in depth whether such technology use is truly necessary because such advertising would likely to deliver the message that the product/company advertised is technology-oriented and innovative, targeting non-late adopters.

In a case of floating advertising, an advertising that moves across the user’s screen or floats above the content, the speed of movement and design matching with the content underneath needs to be considered. Similarly to banner advertising with animation, this kind of advertising would likely to deliver the message that the product/company advertised is technology-oriented and innovative, not targeting late adopters.

3) Wall Paper Advertising

Visual is the only way to deliver the message, so eye-catching and creative visual is the requirement of successful wall paper advertising. This kind of advertising is about image building and delivery in two dimension online world.

4) Interstitial Advertising

Eye-catching and creative visual, well planned layout/design and catch copy plus text are requirements of successful interstitial advertising. This is a full-page advertising that appears before a web user reaches their original destination, so the requirements are basically the same as a web page.

One thing marketers and advertisers need to study is where to place this advertising, or relevance. If this advertising and destination are of no relevance and/or branding of the two are completely different, the message would be inconsistent leading to negative effect.

5) Rich Media (Video Advertising)

Excellent image building and scenario are requirements of successful video advertising. This kind of advertising is similar to banner advertising except that actual moving video clips are displayed instead of a static or animated image, so requirements are basically the same with those of TVCF.

In fact, many marketers and advertisers use the same clips for both TVCF and online advertising, and they need to check how the same clips would look like in different media/hardware. After all, TV sets and PC displays are rather different and how people enjoy TV and PC are different.

6) E-Mail Marketing

Excellent headline with trigger words, well developed scenario and text are requirements of successful e-mail marketing. This is usually text-oriented so requirements are basically the same as those of text-based web pages.

Points to take into account include timing of distribution and effective use of DB (Data Base) of subscribers (i.e. DB marketing) for effective targeting. For example, in advertising products and services targeting business person, business-like style e-mails in business hours in weekdays would enforce delivery of consistent message under consistent branding.

In the case of advertising toys and related services targeting children for example, distributing casual and friendly touch e-mails with creative design at weekends, long holiday seasons or at a particular timing of the year (e.g. before Christmas, during summer holiday) would enforce delivery of consistent message under consistent branding.

7) Affiliate Marketing/Programme

All requirements mentioned in above online advertising are requirements of successful affiliate marketing/programme, because affiliate marketing encompasses all factors of online advertising mentioned above; it integrates all aspects of online/web marketing and advertising. This is because affiliate marketing is a form of online advertising where advertisers place campaigns with a potentially large number of small and large publishers, whom are only paid media fees when traffic to the advertiser is garnered, and usually upon a specific measurable campaign result (a form, a sale, a sign-up etc). A book can be written about affiliate marketing/programme; therefore, the author would like to refrain from discussing into details.


Now that brief discussion of delivering core message consistently and effectively by advertising, offline and online, is complete, in the next article, delivering core message consistently and effectively by web contents will be discussed.

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.

Vol.24: How Media/Communication Channels Are Changing? (Part 2)

In the previous article Vol 23: How Media/Communication Channels Are Changing? (Part 1) paradigm shift in media and communication channel attributed to web/internet, dramatically changing traditional media was discussed. This article, the latter half of paradigm shift in media and communication channel, focuses on spatial channel.

1. What kind of paradigm shift has been in process (and still is) in spatial channel, with the advent of the Internet and Web 2.0?

The essence is the same as the paradigm shift in traditional media, i.e. in addition to emergence of online media, online and offline spatial channels have been converging. This has been triggering emergence of new communication and business. Moreover, online is truly becoming ubiquitous, attributing to the fact that web 2.0 technologies mean emergence and proliferation of social media, further driven by mobile (platform, applications, devices).

Based on the Media/Communication Channel Paradigm Shift chart, the author would like to briefly explain how such paradigm shift is in progress.

2. How are spatial channels changing?

Online and offline convergence is in process, triggering dramatic changes. This has created some innovative ways of content/service delivery and new business model.

1) Stores

Stores used to mean physical space where consumers visit, interact with staff to see and try products and services to buy. With the emergence of the Internet, websites became popular, which are, regardless of the type (e.g. corporate information, product information, EC = Electric Commerce), can be and often are regarded as stores in website analysis and development. In such a case, top page is regarded as front entrance, left hand menu as level/ground of the building, web content as sections, web page as shelf, and links as doors leading to different buildings, level/ground and sections.

(1) Emergence of online stores led to new business models and paradigm shift in retail industry in particular

Internet marketers realized that websites have potential to play the role of the offline store, including trading by adding EC function, and developed the first online stores such as eBay and amazon, symbol of the Internet business. This meant new business model and paradigm shift in retail industry worldwide. In Japan Rakuten, another type of online store business started whose business concept is online shopping mall. Rakuten is the online shopping mall owner and attracts and supports online business owners to do business in their online shopping mall. Support includes providing the platform and consulting. Today there are many different types of EC websites/online stores, and more new business models leveraging the Internet.

(2) Manufacturers including traditionally brick and mortar companies now enjoy online store business

Online stores are not limited to IT business companies; many manufacturers including traditional brick and mortar companies also do business online leveraging online stores. Dell, famous for its unique and original PC manufacturing and delivery business model leveraging the Internet, extremely enjoys online business with Dell Outlet (leveraging social media), and offline business as well.

Panasonic, a symbol of a Japanese brick and mortar company that had once withdrawn from computer business, re-entered PC business around 2000 and started their online PC business (at least in Japan) when they launched Let’s Note series. Their Let’s Notes series online store started to become popular when they made differentiation between online and offline business by allowing online consumers to select a colour from 16 colours available and order for a particular model, and established an online community website. Large proportion of their revenue comes from offline business but now they do enjoy online business of Let’s Notes series as well.

2) Trade shows

Trade show itself is still online focused in general but usually its content is available online today. Since the objective of trade show web content is providing web users with information of the show and not (directly) selling products and services, one difference from online store is that is does not have EC function, and focuses on information of the show.

3) Events, forums and seminars

Events, forums and seminars used to be something held offline, but today, similarly to store, online and offline is converging, leading to new forms of events, forums and seminars. With the advent of the Internet, information of events, forums and events held offline started to be provided online, similarly to trade show information. And now, some are now planned and held online, even exclusively online, especially seminars.

Seminar held, often exclusively, offline has become popular, leading to variety of web content and services, which can be said as new business models for some. Online seminar has become so popular, and new word of “webinar” (web + seminar) was coined and has become quite popular among web users. Online training and education can be included in / categorized as online seminar, and many of them have become quite popular, some evolving into new format and/or business. Many companies provide employees around the globe with online training (a European pharmaceutical company calls it “e-learning”). Some business schools provide courses/programmes online in addition to traditional offline courses/programmes or online exclusively. This attracts customers (students) not limiting to their physical location, time of their availability etc., meaning new business opportunity and business model, similarly to online store.


Having looked at paradigm shift in media and communication channel, the author would like to discuss how marketers, PR professionals, communicators and business owners can leverage online and offline media and communication channels to maximize effect in the next article.


References:-

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

Vol.23: How Media/Communication Channels Are Changing? (Part 1)

In the previous article Vol.22: What Distinguished Internet/Web From Traditional Media?characteristics of Internet/web were compared with those of traditional media to distinguish uniqueness of Internet media and clarify key factors that would contribute to effectively leveraging each media for online and offline synergy.

The topic of this article and the next is paradigm shift in media and communication channel attributed to web/Internet, that dramatically changing traditional media.

1. What kind of paradigm shift has been in process (and still is) in media and communication channel, with the advent of the Internet and Web 2.0?

In short, in addition to emergence of online media, online and offline media and communication channels have been converging, and this has been triggering emergence of many different types of media and communication channels. Moreover, online is truly becoming ubiquitous media and communication channel, attributing to the fact that web 2.0 technologies mean emergence and proliferation of social media, further driven by mobile (platform, applications, devices).

Based on the Media/Communication Channel Paradigm Shift chart, the author would like to briefly explain how such paradigm shift is in progress. In doing so, the author would like to explain changes in traditional media and communication channels in this article, and changes in spatial channel in the next article.

2. How are traditional mass media changing?

Although the speed and degree varies from media to media, online and offline convergence in ongoing for traditional (mass) media, and for some media it may well evolve further more, changing to something quite different from what it is today.

1) Newspapers and magazines

In addition to traditional printed media, newspaper and magazine companies (publishers) now have online content online. As discussed in the previous article Vol.20: How Are News Media to Survive In Web 2.0 World? publishers are trying to develop their own optimum business strategy to establish new business model in the Internet era, which are mostly converging of online and offline business. Examples include making differentiation of printed and online content for co-existence of the two. In fact, Nikkei net, Japan’s leading newspaper website specialized for business and economy, will position (change) their online website as “electronics version newspaper”. Some others are going online exclusively. A Japanese magazine from Recruit (company name) specialized for job hunting closed its offline business and went online only many years ago, establishing new business model. Since the group company also had recruiting business unit as well, which was the leader in this industry in Japan, it had combined the magazine business and recruiting business, leveraging the power of Internet.

2) TV

To the author, online and offline convergence in TV is quite interesting and dramatic. Concept of traditional TV is changing with Hulu.com from consumers watching broadcasting when the content they are interested in are available or recording and watch it later. But now with Humu.com they can watch anytime.

Moreover, interactive TV is emerging and this could change to make revolution in TV media and online interactive TV may well become one of the primary online media in addition to PC and mobile. Interactive TV concept already existed in a vision of a Japanese consumer electronic giant (the company the author used to work for and the author developed web content to deliver this vision) in 2001, with content service called “T Mode” (vs. mobile content service in Japan called “I Mode” that started in 1997). The pilot TV set and content service became available from around 2004, and the author rolled out one of her PC web content to interactive TV (T Mode) content. Interactive TV era might still be “future concept”, it would surely come in not a distant future.

And lately, TV has been collaborating with mobile Internet and phone, at least in some TV programmes in Japan. For example, MCs of the TV programme would ask audience to vote by mobile Internet or by phone, and the result would be announced later in the same TV programme. Voting by phone used to be popular but lately voting by mobile Internet is much more popular.

Another example of TV collaborating with the Internet is in cooking TV programme, MCs would recap the ingredience and recipe at the end then encourage audience to access online page of the recipe by introducing them the URL. Similar tactics/methodologies of linking TV with the Internet are often seen in TV commercials in Japan. At the end of the 15 sec/30 sec TV commercial, search page with the product/service/brand name typed in is shown to encourage audience to get more information by the Internet.

The author feels that Interactive TV and its platform/content services have potential to integrate everything to make it simple. Interactive TV would be ideal for quiz, voting and online shopping TV programmes. Interactive TV would be another driver of further innovation in content distribution.

3) DM and coupons

DM and coupons are no longer only in print. Rather, more and more consumers download them from the Internet, print out, and take it with them in shopping, dining, staying at a hotel etc. DM and coupons are already becoming paperless, and with further evolution of content/web service distribution and applications, it is quite possible that DM and coupons would totally become paperless in the near future.

3. Are similar changes in progress in other communication channel as well?

Yes, changes that are same in essence are in progress in other communication channels as well. Face-to-face communication in person and is offline but with skype, similar benefit can be obtained online. Same goes for phone. Benefit similar to radio can be obtained by podcast. Skype and podcast are both of web 2.0 technologies, as explained in the previous article Vol.5: What Social Media Ecosystem Does Web 2.0 Realize?


Changes in spatial channel are also dramatic and interesting. This will be discussed in the next article as Part 2.


References:-

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

Vol.21: What To Learn From News Media’s Survival In Web 2.0 World?

In the previous article Vol.20: How Are News Media to Survive In Web 2.0 World? how news media as the organization need to change to survive in web 2.0 online world was discussed. The topic of this article is further discussing how they survive, clarifying methodologies, from which marketers, PR representatives and communicators in general can learn to become successfully social in web 2.0 online world.

Following how news media becoming collaborative mentioned in the previous article, the author would like to briefly explain the two primary KFS mentioned; controlling distribution channel and improving content quality, then conclude by how new media are to create establish infrastructure and create optimum environment for the KFS.

1. How are news media to control of distribution channel and/or improve way of delivery?

As in the previous article, control of content distribution channel is vital, which often is about new platform or way of delivery of content. According to Jaffe in his article The Changing Paradigm for Entertainment (2010) 65% of executives believe that main source of future revenue for entertainment industry will be from new platform/way of delivery, and as a same content industry, this is a learning that news media need to leverage. However, unlike entertainment industry, it is not easy and/or realistic for news media to close print media business, even though as Steiger (2009) says in his article Investigative reporting in the Web era, there are some news media that has gone web (online)-only such as the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Realistic measures for survival are as below.

1) Develop a new strategy that emphasizes leveraging multi-platform and multi-media.

Multi-platform and multi-media could include traditional media of print (newspapers, magazines, flyers etc.), TV and radio, and web. Differentiation among traditional media have been the issue before the Internet era, and now the issue is differentiation between traditional media (especially print) and web/online. This needs to be done based on the characteristics of each media and platform, and effectively mix them to generate synergy.

2) Develop multi-platform online strategy.

Online strategy no longer is exclusively of PC platform; it is of multi-platform including mobile and TV, with proliferation of mobile and advent of interactive TV. In addition, with video and audio podcast on the web, streaming content (of YouTube) is now quite popular. Also, with virtual world and gaming, social gaming and virtual content is becoming popular. Thus it is often said that (PC or mobile) web, TV and radio are converging. Integrated multi-platform web strategy leveraging such paradigm shift is critical for effectively developing and delivering content that maximizes revenue.

Use of online video is a new model of distribution and an opportunity to partner web with video. This is explained by Lewis (2009) in his article 5 Ways Traditional Media Companies are Using Online Video. The five ways mentioned by Lewis are as below.

(1) Adapting to new customers: e.g. Customer Report. Printed report is for depth of information and online video is for quick reference for customers deciding between different brands.

(2) Private-label news networks: e.g. Forbes started Forbes Video Network.

(3) A literacy video channel: e.g. Harpercollins.

(4) The video wire service: e.g. AP (Associated Press).

(5) Standardizing ad formats: e.g. French ad giant, Publicis Group.

3) Customized delivery is also a key for online strategy.

Customized delivery is also a key for online strategy, because this cannot be done with traditional media. Customization is one of the characteristics of the Internet, as mentioned in the previous article Vol.8: How to Start Web 2.0 / Internet Marketing. This can be a key for differentiating from traditional media.

2. How are news media to improve content quality?

News media needs to go niche. This means effectively segmenting for positioning themselves by to differentiate from competitors. The Huffington Post, as Lewis (2009) states in article e Social Journalism: Past, Present, and Future, is an example of successful; it is now a leader in today’s social journalism.

Whatever the positioning may be, needs for reporting remains regardless of the popularity of web 2.0, and some reporting can only be done by professionals, by news media, so it is all about content quality based on effective positioning. Moreover, there are some methodologies that can only be adopted by news media/ journalists, leveraging their professional expertise and/or network and organizational skills.

1) Breaking news and living story news content is of high value, especially with curation and contextualization.

It is no doubt that breaking news and living story news content is of high value, and although citizens can be journalists, many such news contents that can only be reported by professional journalists. Many of such news (e.g. news on politics/government, global/society/industry trend) require systematic and organizational information channel, high expertise of reporting and/or extensive and intensive planning/concept making and execution (meaning much resources as well as expertise required).

What is more, the news content value further enhances if content are curated and contexualized, which few citizen journalists are capable of.

2) Real time streaming/reporting is content of high value.

Real time streaming/reporting is also high value content, and although there are some exceptional cases in which citizen journalists sometimes happen to report real time by Twitter and streaming, it is usually difficult for them to report first hand information of such news. Some examples of such news include news of abroad, terrorism, and accident, to name a few.

Furthermore, in many cases, professional journalists specialized in a particular field alone can curate and contextualize spontaneously when reporting a news real time.

3) A better news search experience by directing consumers to the news organization that breaks the news adds value to news content.

This effort is actually ongoing as one way that news media is raising the value of news content overall. According to Curley (2009) in his article Crossing the burning bridge, this effort is called AP3P or Protect, Point and Pay, by AP’s aggregated body of unique news content called NewsGuide curated by news editors.

4) Geo-location is another solution.

Although there are no boundaries in the Internet world, geo-location is one of the current trend and location-based social networks are being established. Location is one factor of market segmentation and this is one way of segmentation and positioning for news media to go niche.

5) Content development leveraging social media ecosystem is also effective.

There are numerous ways of news content development leveraging social media ecosystem that adds value to the content. Some examples include blogozines, distributed social news, social news gaming, and UGC (user-generated content).

6) Building community is vital in social journalism.

This can be said as a type of UGC. There can be variety of community such as branded community and story-based community to name a few.

3. What news media needs to do to create an environment and establish infrastructure for social journalism?

There are mainly the following.

1) Encourage social journalists.

In fact, some media have actually explicitly announced policy of either their journalists become social or leave, as in recent article New BBC Director Mandates Journalists Use Social Media by Grove (2010).

2) Composite guidelines and policies for using social media tools.

Similarly to companies making guidelines, news media are starting to make guideline and policies for using social media tools, as explained by Betancourt (2009) in her article How Social Media is Radically Changing the Newsroom.

3) Leverage web 3.0 or the semantic web.

News media may well get ahead by leverage web 3.0 or the semantic web. This means contents that used to be created manually are change to contents automatically performs heavy lifting, as mentioned by Callari (2009) in his article “Social Media Predictions for 2010”.

4) Find and acquire relevant resources.

This includes finding a strong technology partner and pitching the editor-in-chief. Acquisition of appropriate technology (by partnership is effective) and key person for effective delivery of high quality content are also vital.


Companies and individuals can learn much from how news media is doing to survive, and the above methodologies for the 3 KFS can be applied to their marketing and PR in the web 2.0/Internet online world. The author would like to discuss them in the upcoming articles.


References:-

Betancourt, Leah (2009) How Social Media is Radically Changing the Newsroom
http://mashable.com/2009/06/08/social-media-newsroom/

Callari, Ron (2009) Social Media Predictions For 2010
http://inventorspot.com/articles/social_media_predictions_2010_35277

Crocker, Nick (2009) 4 Things Old Media Can Learn From the Music Industry’s Last Decade
http://mashable.com/2009/10/08/news-industry-music/

Curley, Tom (2009) Crossing the Burning Bridge
http://whatmatters.mckinseydigital.com/internet/crossing-the-burning-bridge

Defren, Todd (2009) Mainstream Media Relations: More Important Than Ever
http://www.pr-squared.com/index.php/2009/09/mainstream-media-relations-more-important-than-ever

Fisher, Lauren (2009) 10 Industries That The Internet And Social Media Will Revolutionize
http://www.simplyzesty.com/social-media/10-industries-internet-social-media-revolutionize/

Grove, Jennifer Van (2010) New BBC Director Mandates Journalists Use Social Media
http://mashable.com/2010/02/10/bbc-social-media/

Jafe, Mark (2010) The Changing Paradigm for Entertainment
http://mobilemandala.com/2010/02/07/the-changing-paradigm-for-entertainment/

Joel, Mitch (2009), Six Pixels of Separation – Everyone Is Connected. Connect Your Business to Everyone. Business Plus

Lavrusik, Vadim (2009) 12 Things Newspapers Should Do to Survive
http://mashable.com/2009/08/14/newspaper-survival/

Lavruski, Vadim (2009) 7 Ways News Media are Becoming More Collaborative
http://mashable.com/2009/12/29/7-ways-news-media-are-becoming-more-collaborative/

Lewis, Woody (2009) Social Journalism: Past, Present, and Future
http://mashable.com/2009/04/07/social-journalism/

Lewis, Woody (2009) 5 Ways Traditional Media Companies are Using Online Video
http://mashable.com/2009/07/31/traditional-media-online-video/

Mohsin, Umair (2010) The Future of Paid Content http://animoney.thoseinmedia.com/2010/01/07/the-future-of-paid-content/

Steiger, Paul (2009) Investigative Reporting in the Web Era
http://whatmatters.mckinseydigital.com/internet/investigative-reporting-in-the-web-era

Vol.20: How Are News Media to Survive In Web 2.0 World?

In the previous article "Vol.19: What is Ideal Web 2.0 Wocial Journalism / Jourlist?", ideal journalism and journalist was discussed. The topic of this article is how news media as the organization (and employer of journalists) need to change to survive in web 2.0 online world.

1. What does news media need to know to succeed in Web 2.0 online world?

News media need to be aware of the drastically changing environment and the paradigm shift in the business model of journalism, attributing to the game change of news and all content business by Internet/web 2.0. This is supported by Fisher’s article of 10 Industries That The Internet And Social Media Will Revolutionize (2009), with print media as #1, television as #3, music as #6 advertising as #8 and public relations as #9.

2. What is happening in the news media and all content media industries?

There have been scrap and build (such as of AOL and NCB selling announcements), and staff cuts in news media and other content industries. Focusing on news organizations, some examples are mentioned by Steiger (2009) in his article Investigative reporting in the Web era, including closing of business, operating in bankruptcy proceedings, and drastic cut in team and staff/journalists. According to Steigner, newspapers have bought out or laid off nearly 26,000 journalists, which is the equivalent of more than 20 New York Timeses.

3. Are news and other content business market really shrinking?

No, it is not; it is actually on the increase in total. It may seem to be shrinking if looked focusing on traditional media business and/or as an extension of traditional business; however, total news and all other content business is not shrinking but potential demand is increasing. Take music industry for example. It is true that CD business is decreasing with the advent of online music business but with easier access to more online music content, more people are actually consuming more music content and thus total music business has expanded.

Many of the myth of news and content business are not quite right. Curley (2009) says in his article Crossing the burning bridge, under the new game in the Internet era, “it often appears as if the more our content is distributed, the more revenues decline”, but his stance is also that it all depends on how professional news media adapts to the changing business environment. The myth attributes to inappropriate, obsolete business model of many current news media and other content business organizations, not knowing the KFS under the new game rule.

4. What are the KFS to succeed in new game?

KFS to create demand and market to succeed in news and other content business are quality and distribution channel of content.

1) High quality content is a must.

It is true that news business seems to be on the decline in general, demand for high quality news content does exist and even seems to be increasing.

As mentioned in the previous article Vol.10 – How to Successfully Develop Web Content to Directly Reach Buyers, content is the king, and in addition, context the queen, as Joel (2009) advocates, and online consumers do pay for high quality content. This means that content business can be successful even thought many free content are available online. The issue is quality of the content.

According to Mohsin’s article The Future Of Paid Content (2009), global online consumers still place more value on content produced by “professionals” and pay for (perceived) quality content. Steigner (2009) is also of the same stance. This is the very reason why Comcast, the “content distributor” company decided to acquire NBC, the “content” company.

2) Controlling distribution channel to deliver content is also vital.

Controlling distribution channel to deliver high quality content is also a crucial competitive advantage under the new game with the emergence of Internet and web 2.0. Lewis (2009) says in his article Social Journalism: Past, Present, and Future, the future of social journalism will be driven by disintermediation, the replacement or removal of middlemen in the supply chain, and the author feels this has already started. This is also mentioned by a Japanese authority in this field in his online article series about IT and media/content business that he posts regularly on a prestigious media website.

Disintermediation is KFS for many traditional offline company businesses (manufacturers, retailers etc.), Dell model being an excellent example, and is indeed crucial KFS for online business. Some examples to name a few include Amazon, eBay, Yahoo! and iPod of Apple to name a few, all of which resulted to development and establishment of new business models. Such companies stimulated potential customer demand, created new market, and became the market leader, leveraging first mover advantage.

3) Collaboration is the key to achieve and leverage both quality and distribution channel of content.

With the objective of effectively and efficiently produce high quality content meeting customer needs and delivering them directly to online customers, collaboration has become a trend among news media organizations. This is quite natural when many companies in other industries (including offline traditional industries) are making alliances and collaboration to improve their competitive advantage.

Lavruski (2009) introduces with concreteness how news media are doing this in his article 7 Ways News Media are Becoming More Collaborative, mentioning the 7 points below. These are in line with what the author described as ideal social journalists in the previous article Vol.19 – What is Ideal Web 2.0 Social Journalism / Journalist?

- Curating and filtering the stream.
- Working with the audience.
- Leverage collaborative tools (e.g. Google Wave)
- Social media partnership.
- Large news partnering with blogs
- Local news organization teaming up
- University partnership

5. What do news (and other content business) organizations need to know and do immediately?

News media and all other content business organizations are required to change their mindset and overcome the mission in the next few years to survive. Curley (2009) describes this by saying “get all the way across the burning bridge, from analog to digital journalism, and make the difficult choices that this crossing presents”.

Leveraging learning from, for example, Crocker’s article 4 Things Old Media Can Learn From the Music Industry’s Last Decade, news media and other old media need to know that myth is exaggeration and change their mindset. They need to fully understand the essence of the paradigm shift in their business environment triggered by web 2.0/social media ecosystem and determine correct KFS. Social media ecosystem introduced in the previous article Vol.5 – What Social Media Ecosystem Does Web 2.0 Realize? could be of reference. Then they would be able to develop and establish new business model meeting the new era to win the new game.

It is with successfully adapting to paradigm shift and developing/establishing new business model that the value and importance of professional mainstream news media would increase more than ever, as Defren (2009) insists in his article Mainstream Media Relations: More Important Than Ever.


In the next article, the author would like to further discuss some of the actions news media (organizations), one of the primary content business players, are expected to take survive in web 2.0 world. The author believes that marketers, communicators, PR representatives and online business owners can learn from such actions how to succeed in their web/Internet marketing and online business.


References:-

Betancourt, Leah (2009) How Social Media is Radically Changing the Newsroom
http://mashable.com/2009/06/08/social-media-newsroom/

Crocker, Nick (2009) 4 Things Old Media Can Learn From the Music Industry’s Last Decade
http://mashable.com/2009/10/08/news-industry-music/

Curley, Tom (2009) Crossing the Burning Bridge
http://whatmatters.mckinseydigital.com/internet/crossing-the-burning-bridge

Defren, Todd (2009) Mainstream Media Relations: More Important Than Ever
http://www.pr-squared.com/index.php/2009/09/mainstream-media-relations-more-important-than-ever

Fisher, Lauren (2009) 10 Industries That The Internet And Social Media Will Revolutionize
http://www.simplyzesty.com/social-media/10-industries-internet-social-media-revolutionize/

Joel, Mitch (2009), Six Pixels of Separation – Everyone Is Connected. Connect Your Business to Everyone. Business Plus

Lavrusik, Vadim (2009) 12 Things Newspapers Should Do to Survive
http://mashable.com/2009/08/14/newspaper-survival/

Lavruski, Vadim (2009) 7 Ways News Media are Becoming More Collaborative
http://mashable.com/2009/12/29/7-ways-news-media-are-becoming-more-collaborative/

Lewis, Woody (2009) Social Journalism: Past, Present, and Future
http://mashable.com/2009/04/07/social-journalism/

Mohsin, Umair (2010) The Future of Paid Content
http://animoney.thoseinmedia.com/2010/01/07/the-future-of-paid-content/

Steiger, Paul (2009) Investigative Reporting in the Web Era
http://whatmatters.mckinseydigital.com/internet/investigative-reporting-in-the-web-era