New Media and Marketing Communications
During early Summer of 2005, I completed a short study of the effect of new media on integrated marketing communications. The project consisted of a small journal that was developed over the course of ten weeks.
New Media - in my definition - started in mid-to-late 1990s, with the explosion of the Internet and the related networked-enabled technologies it spawned. Almost immediately the popularity of the World Wide Web took hold, new media began to be known as websites, email, then cell phones, the PDA, and networked 'appliances'.
Within each of these categories, sub groups are starting to emerge. Where once you have only static web pages, now you have interactive data-driven applications, vector-based animation, direct-to-desktop communications, interactive gaming, peer-to-peer,
While most of these can be immediately construed as nodes on the information superhighway, there are quite a few other new media forms that run in parallel. These include electronic billboards, portable music players, and interactive kiosks. While these may or may not be 'connected', they still allow messages to be communicated to an audience - a fact they share in common with their network-enabled cousins.
I think that what all of these methods or media have in common is the continued growth and expansion of computer technology. Ever since the personal computers began to be utilized, marketers have recognized them to be able to effectively communicate messages. I see how this concept is being played out daily, both in my professional work and in my personal life.
Professionally, I consider myself to be a publisher and content creator. Having started out with a personal computer in the early 1990's, I quickly realized that tools could be purchased with relatively little money that could enable me to communicate via professional print, and subsequently, online. As such, I have experienced many new media technologies as a producer, a publisher/marketer and a consumer.
Overall, I see many of the new media types I have listed are just different adaptations on existing technologies. As gains are continually being made in the areas of processor speed, bandwidth, and telecommunications, this suggests that marketers and communicators revisit each new media from a different context. The advances provide them with opportunity relative to message delivery that didn't exist previously or suggest an adaptation that wouldn't of been possible otherwise. These concepts drive new adaptations and further growth.
This week's discussion and material regarding design and navigation of websites got me to thinking how important this topic is. Although the materials we were presented in class reviewed the topic from a higher level, specifics on what IMC practitioners can do to evaluate these characteristics was somewhat limited.
One of the most important factors that seems to be cropping up in my research is properly deciphering the 'mode' or experience context in which the user is in when online. After reading An Improved Way to Characterize Internet Users (Rodgers, Sheldon), I attempted to uncover information relative to these situations as far as navigation and design.
The Three Key Navigation Points: Orientation, Metaphors and Depth/Breadth.
Probably the most important element in designing a website's navigational system is allowing the user to quickly determine his/her orientation within the site's info architecture. Too often, a site's page is linked from a search engine or other website, that directs a user to a deeply nested page. Once arrived, the user quickly needs to determine the organization of the site and where the page falls within that. Many times large sites fail to provide users with enough visual clues to orients them effectively. This effect usability creates frustration and confusion and can impart negative feelings towards the site operator. User interface specialists need to be aware of this and design sites with an eye toward assisting users in this regard. Easy access to information helps the user access it, but also provides site designers and content creators a solid roadmap for further development.
In my work as a web designer and developer, it has become sort of a personal preference to gravitate towards designing user interfaces that place main vertical navigational elements on the right side of the page. My theory was that the right side of the page was where a user's mouse would most likely be, and in doing so, would enable faster access and greater feels. While researching navigation best-practices, I uncovered research on the topic that was surprising. In a nutshell, there was no significant difference in usability between left and right-justified navigational systems, but that usability may be enhanced by following common practices. (Nielson, 1999). Although several studies have suggested increased efficiency of right-justified navigation, common practice trumps these. Most sites rely on left-justified schemes. Taking this into account, there may be additional benefits, like expectation and familiarity, that are difficult to be measured but translate into easier usage by surfers.
What much of the current thought shows is that to keep navigation consistent, providing strong relative clues to context or spatial relation, and recognizing that certain situations don't lend themselves ideally to the 'page metaphor' of the web.
Pop-ups, Banners, and Other Web Advertising
The types of web advertising that are available now days are really amazing. In just a relatively short time span, what once only provided a rudimentary means of promotion and advertising has spawned countless ways of doing so. No more is this evident than in the range of web advertising, a realm that now includes banner ads, pop-ups, pop-unders, interstitials and variations using rich media and animation.
To get a better grasp of what's cool and what's not so cool with these media forms, I visited the Interactive Advertising Bureau (www.iab.net [3]). The site lists a tremendous amount of information on the growing Internet advertising market. Along with data, trends and forecasts, the site also provides visitors and professionals with approved guidelines regarding media and usage. On the site are a series of guidelines and best-practice reports. One of them, Pop-up Guidelines' in 2004, provided a lot of interesting anecdotal information regarding pop-ups and pop-unders. I thought it was very telling what I read. Basically the conclusions that we reached is that this form of advertising is a big annoyance to consumers. They listed several common factors that consumers responded to during a 2004 survey. Companies need to take factors such as these into account as they experiment with different online advertising mechanisms.
In reviewing the recommendations they listed for other types of interactive media, I found many of their recommendations consistent with the concept of what I call user empowerment. Basically, this includes thinking about a user's experience and providing the necessary functionality to address their needs and desires. For instance, the IAB recommends that advertisers provide controls on interstitial advertisements that allow the user to skip ahead. Or when audio is used, the ability for the user to mute the sound. I felt these were user empowerment types of issues that always need to be addressed by advertisers. Granted, not all types of interactive ads require such controls, but advertisers need to approach the web from a context that caters to the user. Too often interactive advertising appears as a one-way street. And of course, this is not limited to advertising, but also to website design, copy writing and even the types of information companies provide. Because the web is an entirely new medium that provides altogether different functionality and potential, companies should approach it from a refreshed perspective.
Electronic Mail
At work we used to get a ton of SPAM, but recently engaged a service that filters and flags incoming SPAM, groups it, and sends a message where we can access them if needed. SPAM is everywhere today and is slowly eroding users' confidence in email as a communications source. This begs the question of how effective is email marketing going to be if things continue?
Although I consider myself a heavy web and email user, I don't however, receive a ton of email. I have foregone signing up for mailing lists, listservs and other types of services. I maybe receive 5-10 truly important emails a day. I do proactive things like hiding or encoding my email address if posted online. Even so, the marketing messages I do receive, very seldom do I open them to view them. If so, it is very brief and last about 2 seconds.
With this in mind, if a company uses email to market, what would be the best way to address a user like myself? My answer is that it depends on the circumstances, the message and the response that one is trying to emit.
Professionally, I produce a range of communications that are distributed through email. This includes several serial publications - or ezines - and various announcements. These are produced as either plain text or in HTML. Depending on its nature will determine its delivery format. Plain text email, in my opinion, is perceived as more serious and straightforward, while HTML-based messages less so. They are more marketing-advertising-centric. Generally, if there is an important issue we need to communicate with our members, we use plain text. Our serials use HTML. My point is that the situation determines what type of email is most effective.
There are other important factors to successful email marketing. A crucially important one is the subject line of the message. Spammers know this of course. I find it interesting how some professional colleagues do not, however. A technique I use related to this (and one my organization adopted) is using our corporate acronym as a prefix to any message. Some of our users have commented that this helps them quickly identify our messages, especially for those coming from staff members. Subject lines should be short, discrete. They need to capture a user's attention immediately.
Along with the subject line, many in the email marketing field stress the importance of using some sort of opt-in mechanism. Marketers need to be aware of this. Lately, there is growing interest in double-opt-in mechanism, essentially where the user signs up and has to confirm entry via a separate, but connected process. Opt-in, as well as a quick and easy opt-out method are keys. They help to build credibility and trust with recipients. There are organizations that firms can rely upon for targeted, permission-based lists for email purposes.
Another important aspect of email marketing that is always needs to be considered is frequency. This seems to occur a lot where I work. I get separate requests to email different things and our users are bombarded by messages by our organization. They can be quickly turned-off by such practices. Organizations need to tightly control the frequency with which they email their constituencies. Related to frequency is timing. What is the best time to email your constituency? Myself, I try to send message on Tuesday to Thursday mornings, close to 10:00 a.m. if possible. The optimal time is going to vary depending on your group. Mine was determined based on anecdotal industry info I found at Wilson Web (http://www.wilsonweb.com [4]), a website I routinely visit.
Marketing email should also be tracked in some way. Most email software tools that are used in message construction and delivery provide some way to tracking who is viewing the messages. Marketers need to see what messages are getting opened, read and how much activity they are generating. The days of mass-emailing without regard to metrics is over. I personally used very rudimentary techniques (invisible. gifs) to track our campaigns' activity. Modern software or service providers provide more advanced capabilities.
Web Video and Rich Media
Since my web surfing and browsing days began, I have had little interest in this ever-growing media form. Maybe I have just been polluted in thinking that slow connections and problematic plug-ins make the technology to unreliable. Lately, however, I have been slowly becoming more open to realizing the benefits and potential web video offers.
In addition to web-based video, I also consider audio to be a rich media form. There seems to be thousands of resources available to download or stream the latest songs, music and news. Often, these services provide a venue for advertisers to communicate their message to a targeted audience. Connected to audio - and somewhat the new kid on the block - is using audio is new ways. There is growing use of web audio in portable digital music players. Pod-casting is a means by which web audio is downloaded to iPods for replay and redistribution. While this is still quite new and it's future somewhat uncertain, the lesson here is that organizations must realize and appreciate new opportunities as they are happening. They must look to innovative media forms - however small - and map them to their overall marketing communications strategy. Successfully doing so will foster increased brand awareness and loyalty.
Within the past month or so, I have also noticed that CNN has begun to offer users free web videos of daily stories. My research uncovered that these videos are sponsored by Chase and General Motors. When you queue up on a video at CNN's Video page (http://www.cnn.com/video [5]), you automatically see a short commercial for one of GM's cars. With web video growing - and CNN such a popular site - I think it's a win-win scenario for CNN and their sponsors, and users. It also raises the bar for other news sites to do the same.
In addition to web video, I have also been noticing a growing creative use of Flash animations online. This is allowing firms to provide a more advanced interactive experience to their users. They are integrating compelling artwork and animation into data-rich applications. In some cases this is burdensome to some types of users (like the visually impaired), but it is allowing organizations to re-purpose content in many different ways. At the same time, it is opening up new doors of opportunity and re-defining existing workflows. A good example of this is online training. In the past, many of these types of implementations were a combination on web video, audio and/or standard HTML. Increasingly, I am witnessing providers relying on more unified environments like Flash to do the task. This is changing the nature of the courses and redefining workflows.
Blogs, Chat and Bulletin Board Systems
Seems everyone has a web blog (or blog) nowadays. They are everywhere. You've got thousands of personal bloggers, they're are executive blogs, professional bloggers, bloggers that cover just about every imaginable topic. Publishing on the web has gone decidely small, independent and niche-focused. I think this has an effect of the marketing by enabling more consumers and raising the expectations of everyone for more information and competing viewpoints.
I think as blogs and personal publishing forms proliferate, it is causing foundational changes in the way consumers are influenced. Age old standards like word-of-mouth, Consumer Reports and the trade presses are beginning to be eroded by this 'new' medium. Publishers or bloggers represent a new form of mass media that combines network communication with individual thought and opinion, but without the constraints that might be effect the nature of these expressions. While this can be good and bad, I see it as enabling small independents to carve out highly-respected niches - both big and small - that can achieve authority status. With the credibility that this brings, consumer/user opinions can be shaped through the content in blogs.
While the average web surfer might frequent one or two blogs in an average week, there is a growing sense that their content can serve to be informative, and as such, a user may be inclined to consider a blogs content while gathering info on products and/or services. This could have major effects on corporate public relations and marketing communications. Companies know this. So do bloggers. Blogs are seen to be empowering to consumers because of their independent nature. But they also serve to provide readers with extremely up-to-date information as well. This combination is powerful.
Although I see blogs continuing to expand in popularity, other community communication tools, like online chat and bulletin board systems, also have a place in the online world. While their implementations may be called different things, they all provide companies with an effective way to extend relationship building, offering value-added services and building brand loyalty.
For example, I think its important today for firms to provide expedited, person-to-person communication mechanisms online. This is especially true for large, consumer products and consumer services organizations. More and more, firms are providing online customer support via online chat. It is being referred to as 'live person' or 'live support', but basically relies on very similar technology as chat does. Additionally, for many firms, value can be added to a customer's experience by providing extensive support or knowledge information. Additionally, interaction between users in a place that promotes shared ideas and community also adds value. Many firms are launching bulletin-board systems in ways that help them achieve this. They provide the company with the means to share knowledge, increase brand and consumer awareness and extend relationships.
Direct-to-Desktop and Peer-to-Peer
One type of technology that we really didn't get a chance to investigate was the growing use of peer-to-peer tools and networks, as well as direct-to-desktop tools. Within both of these environments, the classic metaphor of the web browser takes a back seat to custom, proprietary networks designed to connect people to people and organization to person. While their applications may not be applicable to all firms, they do provide unique advantages as compared with more popular methods.
Southwest Airline stands out as a leading pioneer in the creative use of direct-to-desktop technology. The Southwest Ding! tool is a lightweight application that users download and install on their individual desktops. Once installed, it allows Southwest a direct link to each users' desktop, allowing them to communicate with users in a variety of ways. From the user's perspective, it is a tool that is part of their personal desktop environment, and not necessarily 'on the web'. Southwest has used Ding! as the mechanism for offering special, time-sensitive discount airfares. Users who have it downloaded are reminded of offers by an audible reminder - a ding - that gets their attention. The tool most likely provides Southwest with extensive metrics information as well. This type of tool represents a new and compelling media form that takes advantage of the Internet's communications ability in unique ways.
While users may still be skeptical about downloading 'extra stuff' on their computer (especially if it is seen as a conduit for marketing and advertising messages), direct-to-user tools that connect a users' computer with a companies' products or services could effect many things. I see it as a growing trend that is just in its infancy. Another simple example, is that of FedEx Kinko's. User's can download a simple printer driver that enables them to send their copy and print jobs to the most convenient store. Technology like this moves the interaction upstream, away from the web browser and closer to the 'point of need'. It relies on Internet infrastructure in new ways.
Peer-to-peer technology also offers some exciting possibilities. While today it is heavily known for its ability to share files, it essentially enables user to connect with one another in a different digital context. As bandwidth capabilities increase, resources that can be shared among a 'connected community' will multiply. I see this having a big effect on media organizations of all types. On the surface, a technology like this may not be applicable to every type of firm. But once again, the challenge is to creatively map technology to an organization's goals, and to serve and assist customers accordingly.
Search Engines
Just last week I had a client email me with a question regarding search optimization or SEO. SEO has been creating a lot of buzz recently due to aggressive SEO companies and a savvier corporate web public. Companies understand that people are searching for information and products online and it makes critical sense to be found. There's lots of money to be made in the field because it's so nebulous, lacks a long history/track record, and is considered a fast moving target. What works today probably won't work tomorrow. As a web guy myself, I know enough about SEO to know that I know nothing. Of all the disciplines of the web today, SEO is the closest to quack-science and there's a lot of quacks out there.
Search and search marketing is one of the cornerstones of electronic marketing and will continue to be forever. In an effort to locate resources online, people have come to rely on search engines. I don't see this changing. As a result, it makes sense to be able to be found online. Whether it is in the organic results or SERPs (Search engine results pages)or via other means like Paid-Per-Click or even Paid-Inclusion (yuck!), search marketing is huge. Google's sales and profits figures confirm just how important firms think this is. They recently posted record profits as advertising sales continue to explode for them.
I think, however, the days of generic, all-the-web engines, are numbered. While they will never die, I see that due to increasing amounts of information online, there are growing needs for specialized, topic-specific engines and/or services. While current engines like Google do enable this currently to a degree, there is a belief that they also inventory as much of that type of content as possible. This is not the case. I have read that an engine like Google inventories much less than half of the web. Other engines vary, but yield similar results. The bottom line is that because of the amount of information, there is a growing need for more specialized search tools.
Social Click Networks
My nephew clued me into a really neat concept recently. Once I got thinking about it, the more powerful it became for marketing. I feel it is still very new, but nonetheless important. I have named them social click networks. An example can be found at http://www.asmallworld.org [6].
Basically, they are online social communities that are closed and not open to the public. AsmallWorld forces new members to be sponsored to become a member of the community. In order to sponsor someone, a member needs to attain a certain number of contacts within the community.
While A Small World is just one type of network, other ones like Friendster, MySpace.com aggregate users into a community for networking, contacts and relationship building. Networks like these enable online interaction among people. They provide a means to tap into shared values. Recently, MySpace was purchased by NewsCorp for about $580 million. Social communities like these are increasingly being recognized by major brands. Although MySpace is the 800-lb gorilla and one of the most highly trafficked sites, they all offer a lot of potential.
The reason behind this is because these emerging social communities aggregate a variety of functionality around a social networks needs. The offer users the ability to interact, share files/resources, instant message, view classifieds, and even date. It's these core functions that draw users back - sometimes multiple times daily. This community aspects presents new opportunities for users.