The context in which the current Cuban company operates and its limited presence in web 2.0, in direct relation to the new ways in which communication is conceived (and perceived) at a global level. The introduction of the term infocommunications as a direct reference to the platforms on which the marketing strategy and its different tools can be developed, as part of the external communication of companies and the basic principles and useful advice for those who start in this scenario. An approach from and for the Cuban business system.
Introduction
In a very short time, digital media have radically changed the way communication occurs at a social level in all its spheres. Every day, billions of communicative acts are carried out through the mobile phone, email, chats, internet forums, blogs, etc.
To a greater or lesser extent, current companies use information and communication technologies in their production systems and in their communication with collaborators, clients or suppliers, since the development of markets and the relationship with consumers has gone from hand with technological development.
Cuba and its business system are not oblivious to this thriving reality, despite the fact that the United States government has traditionally hindered its access to the Internet, and to important online content and tools, as part of its economic, commercial and financial blockade on the Island for five decades.
However, despite the limitations on access and use of the Internet, with the consequent negative effects that this implies at present, or precisely because they exist, it is that a balance has begun to be sought, based on the presence and strength in the network of Cuban companies and services.
The benefits of web 2.0, specifically from social networks, have gone from being a phenomenon of novelty, curiosity and leisure, to become an effective tool for companies in terms of communication and marketing, allowing them to reach diverse audiences with considerable cost reductions. The competitive advantages that a company obtains over the others depend to a certain extent on its efficient and effective use.
The historical moment of change that Cuba is experiencing and its economic model, with its business system as a pillar, forces Cuban companies, and fundamentally those that export products and services, to update and redefine strategies and mechanisms of what we knew by marketing and advertising, which we must handle in a context of communication and marketing.
I. Cuba: Current scenario.
- Although Internet access has expanded in the Cuban business system, connectivity in terms of speed, access and equipment is still, in general terms, insufficient.
- Most companies use a linear communication model that aims to generate and send information one-way (press releases, traditional advertising campaigns, etc.) with little or almost no feedback from the public receiving their messages. corporate.
- Most business websites are not designed according to the requirements of new technologies. They do not have integrated content management systems that allow the managers themselves to modify the pages in real time; few are optimized to be found by search engines (google, yahoo, etc)
- There is insufficient knowledge about the advantages and effectiveness of the use of new technologies based on the marketing, promotion, commercialization and sale of services / products, as well as the use of Social Networks as an important communication channel.
- There is insufficient (or nonexistent) personnel in companies to attend these technology platforms and in the few cases in which they are used, there are no unified online communication strategies.
II. Marketing in infocommunication platforms: Strategic analysis
Taking into account the aforementioned elements, representative of the current Cuban scenario and responding to the call to use the most advanced technologies in computing and telecommunications, in pursuit of the improvement of business management, some strategic principles for the use of the platforms Infocomm in Cuba. However, it is important to note that it will be done from the perspective of external communication, that is, that established from the company to external audiences.
Infocommunications platforms
It is determined to call infocommunications to the platforms that will be mentioned in this document, when they constitute the convergence of computing and telecommunications resources.
Infocommunications refers not only to the production and sale of information and communication technologies, but also (and usually more important) to the design and sale of products and services.
This term includes the trends that in new technology are used in marketing activities associated with the 2.0 environment, say online marketing and marketing on mobile devices. This is the aspect that will be used in this text.
Both concepts are explained in more detail below:
1. Marketing on websites or online marketing, with its main strategic tools:
1.1 SEO (natural positioning in search engines). It consists of naturally and organically positioning a website in search engines so that it appears permanently in important positions for keywords closely related to the website and that generate traffic and sales.
1.2 SEM (artificial positioning) Through banners and "page steal" and advertising, for example, Google Adwords - pay per click. The page stealing technique consists of including graphic advertising on pages with totally different themes (contrasting attraction) or similar to the product being advertised.
Pay-per-click is about advertising with Google and appearing in searches as sponsored results and recommended ads.
1.3. SMO and SMM (positioning in social networks and in web 2.0). It consists of obtaining a strong presence in the most important social networks, increasing followers and getting them interested in the product or service that the company offers.
1.4. Email marketing. Massive sending of emails to individuals, either generically or taking into account a specific profile, to advertise the product or service and attract new customers. This modality includes electronic bulletins, end-of-year messages and mass mailings to publicize special offers to a list of recipients.
2. Marketing on mobile devices, through the use of specific applications and websites for this type of format, which includes:
2.1 Marketing on smartphones (mobile marketing)
2.2 Marketing on tablets (tablets) such as the Ipad and the like
III. Basic principles:
Taking into account that the communication of companies is the starting point for promoting them and the country to which they belong, some basic principles must be defined to take into account for companies that start their activities in this environment and even for those who have already taken their first steps.
1. Infocommunications marketing and electronic commerce are different activities, the former corresponds to a greater extent to the communicational area and the latter to the commercial one. They cannot be seen as a single entity, even if they share the same technologies, since they have different objectives, policies, strategies and work plans.
Electronic commerce (e-commerce) consists of the purchase and sale of products or services through electronic means, such as the Internet and other computer networks.
Infocommunications marketing is a set of communication actions on the Internet to achieve a previously established objective, which achieves a sustainable competitive advantage over time.
3. The institutional presence in social networks is oriented to brand promotion, not to direct sales, although they may promote them. Social networks collect trends, opinions and information, generate trends…
4. To have a global presence, you have to act locally: social networks are based on the experiences of those who use them, and spread through people's contact networks. Cuban companies must seek greater use of social networks so that they gain experience, expand and thus gain credibility among the customers they intend to reach.
5. The marketing activity in infocommunications must have trained human resources dedicated to this topic, not only knowledgeable and workers willing to assume them.
At the international level, with the appearance of Web 2.0 and its business application, the figure of Community Manager emerges, a person in charge of conceptualizing, managing and controlling marketing activity in infocommunications. Community managers are closely linked to the world of communication and public relations and have extensive experience in managing blogs and social networks, therefore, professionals in this activity should not only be computer scientists, but communicators.
6. The mobile phone has also become a marketing tool; It has very high levels of penetration and attention from its users, which make it possible to reach and spread the campaigns carried out on this channel, much higher than in other traditional media. It is much cheaper and more effective than other traditional communication channels such as mailings, TV, radio, press, etc.
7. Assign resources. It is not a temporary or marginal task, because once growth begins it will be dynamic, with possibilities for pause, but not backtracking (if you do not want to risk damaging corporate reputation).
9 Have a web page. Despite the fact that there are hundreds of millions of people on Facebook - one of the most widely used and well-known social networks - that does not mean that everyone is there. Also, it is a private business, so you can make important changes without notifying users. Therefore, although a Facebook page is very useful, its flexibility and capacity are limited. If what you want is to offer more information, photos or other types of data and content, a web page should be created in which these contents are published and which users can easily access.
In addition, audio and video content can be added so that users can consult more sources. These contents become very useful sales tools for potential buyers, in addition to which other pages can publish them for their readers to see.
It is very valuable for companies to be aware of the conversations that take place on social networks, since it allows them to know first-hand the experiences, opinions and impressions that consumers have about their products and services. But, before launching to participate in Web 2.0 by creating (or participating) in a blog, a wiki or a social network, the company's communication team must analyze the factors for and against, as well as correctly understand the rules of the conversation that takes place on the Net.
Once it is decided to take this step, it is essential to establish the technical and organizational requirements of the solution adopted and the design of its architecture.
IV. Creating an infocommunications strategy
Above all, the objectives of the strategy (short, medium and long term) must be endorsed. Examples of them can be:
1. Establish a new communication channel with clients and potential clients. (cp)
2. Collect relevant information that constantly allows the entity to make business decisions aimed at its target audience. (mp)
3. Manage the company's online reputation (mp)
4. Improve the image of the brand or product and its notoriety. (mp)
5. Position the company image more globally. (lp)
6. Count reliable data on market and consumer behavior, which will save substantial time and research budget. (lp)
The mechanisms for implementing the strategy should be outlined below:
A) For web
Although we always talk about the same social networks, the truth is that there are thousands of them, both sectoral, professional, and general.
Above all, an assessment of the different types of social networks should be made and those in which the target audiences of each company are located must be selected.
However, in general terms, the use of an institutional blog is recommended, in addition to the presence on global social networks such as Facebook, Youtube and Twitter. See descriptions of the same in Annex. Free social media tabs most convenient for Cuban entities. To these would be added, if appropriate, forums and discussion groups related to the specific activity of the company.
2. It is recommended that the company choose 2 to 3 people to create accounts on the aforementioned platforms, both personally and institutionally. It is important to ensure that any message that is published on these platforms will surely be perceived as a corporate message, hence the people who manage the accounts must be trained and in tune with the philosophy of the company and the brand.
3. Companies must establish the message lines and calendar of publications for each of them.
It is not about being online every hour, every day of the week, especially if it is small companies that are starting in this environment. The important thing is to establish the rate at which the posts will be updated, and maintain it, so that users know what they should and can expect (in terms of frequency of updates as well as the type of content).
Nor should we lose sight of the fact that in this environment, as in other communication environments, quality is more important than quantity, which is why it is necessary to clearly establish a publication schedule that offers relevant information, about your company, your product or service, or even from competitors or similar companies in its sector that may be of interest to its users.
4. It is convenient that companies promote the creation of electronic bulletins in parallel to selected groups, highlighting the existence of special offers and relevant news. Taking into account that although Facebook and Twitter as social networks get high interest, email continues to be used much more, even, than Facebook and Twitter together.
B) For mobile devices
Smartphone and tablet users access the Internet in two ways. The first is to enter the network through a browser, while the second is based on mobile applications that connect directly to a website.
Therefore, working on mobile phones should have two orientations: the mobile web and the applications (apps).
1. The web pages of entities can create versions of themselves to be viewed on smartphones.
2. Attention should be paid to the characteristics of the entity's outgoing e-mail messages, taking into account that they can be accessed from mobile devices from any environment and at any time.
3. It is important to study the probability of creating applications (apps) related to the specific activities and products of the entities, if required, since not all companies need mobile applications. An application only makes sense if it offers the user real added value.
3. Use mobile marketing campaigns. It allows you to send SMS (short messages) and MMS (messages with embedded images) to your clients and communicate what you want. Its effectiveness is maximized in campaigns launched through permission marketing platforms (sending to mobile users who agree to receive advertising on their mobiles).
4. Evaluate the possibility of using geolocation mechanisms. Sending personalized offers based on the location of the individual to the mobile favors the immediacy and effectiveness of the action.
The third step in creating the strategy is the evaluation mechanisms. The following table includes several of the possible indicators in terms of coverage, involvement and action (understood in the latter case as responses to calls for action that must be understood as part of our strategy)
V. Once the jump has been taken. Final notes
For the external communication of companies in infocommunications platforms discussed here, there are no magic formulas yet, beyond the constant analysis of new tools that appear almost daily in an environment with multiple channels and possibilities.
The goal (and therefore the challenge) is constituted by learning to manage the communication of your company from the technological alternatives (web, email, mobile marketing…) integrated to the business objectives and projected in the same direction.
If you're launching your company's social media campaign, a simple step like including the URL of your fan page on your business cards and in the signature footers of corporate emails can contribute significantly to increasing your visibility.
It is not a question of abandoning traditional offline communication, after the novelty of these new platforms, but rather to adequately arrange their activities online and offline, in order to achieve the established goals.
Bibliography
- Alberto Ortiz de Zárate Tercero. Manual of use of the blog in the company. How to prosper in the conversation society.
- Carlos Buenfil. Advertising on Mobile Devices: aspects that determine its viability. www.razonypalabra.org.mx
- Constanza Soledad Sciutto. Web 2.0: A new tool for corporate mass communication.
- Which are the most active countries in social networks? http://www.marketingdirecto.com/actualidad/social-media-marketing/%C2%BFcuales-son-los-paises-mas-activos-en-redes-sociales/ sociales /? utm_source = MarketingDirecto & utm_medium = Teletype
- Use of the term Infocomunicaciones. Brief thematic approach. MIC Havana, July 2004
- The 29 Social Networks with more than 1 million visitors a day at http://www.trecebits.com/2011/03/29/las-29-redes-sociales-que-tienen-mas-de-1-millon -of-visitors-a-day /
- Online Reputation
- Sandra Martínez Costa. MOBILE ADVERTISING. MARKETING IN THE NEW MEDIA. IX IBERCOM Congress, Seville-Cádiz, 2006.
- The Definitive Guide to Integrating Social Media and Email Marketing e / book.
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Annexed
Free social media tabs most convenient for Cuban entities
Name: Facebook
Spanish Language
Type: Standard Tool
Ease of use: Very simple
URL:
Description: Possibility of having your own profile or page.
The main advantage of being inside is the possibility of generating conversation between companies and users.
The communication process is no longer a monologue (as in TV and Graphics for example) and the company knows that everything that is said or proposed through Facebook can be answered, approved or disqualified by the user quickly and easily online agency or many times a simple user, where they can invite people to become a fan of the company or brand.
That is why the company ensures that the message that is achieved is going to have greater credibility than in any other medium, since the company stands on the same step as the user, at the same height so to speak, and invites the user to participate and propose, thus creating a direct link.
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Name: YouTube
Spanish Language
Type: Standard Tool
Ease of use: Very simple
URL:
Description: It is a well-known and widely used tool. It has no cost. YouTube allows its users to share digital videos over the Internet. It is very popular, since it allows hosting personal videos in a very simple way. It is also possible to post links to YouTube videos on blogs or personal websites.
Business needs of the company that can be covered: Transmission of information about the company for advertising purposes YouTube allows to broadcast videos that show information about the company, its products, its services or anything that may interest real or potential customers.
Main drawbacks: The maximum allowed duration of your videos is about 10 minutes. The resolution of his videos is low (450 x 337 at 30 images per second). There is practically no censorship.
Name: Linkedin
English language
Type: Standard Tool
Ease of use: Medium
URL:
Description: LinkedIn is a social network of professionals and businesses. It is used for connections between professionals and to find new business opportunities among its users.
Users of the social network can, among other things, add their CV, subscribe to their company page, receive job recommendations from other users, ask and answer questions on business topics.
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Name: Twitter
Language: English and Spanish
Type: General
Ease of use: Simple
URL:
Description: Microblogging and social network application that allows the user to write messages of up to 140 characters that are published on a personal Twitter web page »and that other users can follow through a link or subscription.
The messages or «updates» can be inserted through the personal website itself, via SMS messages, instant chat messages and by other specific applications created for twitter such as «Twiterrific». Updates can also be synchronized with social networks such as Facebook.
The company can receive in real time what users think of its products and services. The company can follow the comments that users who are following or comment on its products and services.
It is possible to use the tool to promote the company. If clients have enabled SMS updates, they can receive useful information in real time.
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Name: WordPress or Blogger
Spanish Language
Type: Standard Tool
Ease of use: Very simple
URL: or
Description: A corporate blog is published by one or several representatives of a company on behalf of the company, where articles, notes or notes related to the company, such as activities, events, news, etc. are periodically published.
It makes the views of the entity available to the public. It is often used to announce new products and services, to explain and clarify policies, or to react to public criticism on certain issues.
The corporate blog can add additional value by adding a level of credibility that is often impossible to obtain from a standard corporate website. Increasing the informality and punctuality of the information published on blogs helps to increase the transparency and accessibility of the corporate image.
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Name: Flickr
Spanish Language
Type: Standard Tool
Ease of use: Very simple
URL:
Description: This popular website serves as a photo-sharing server, the service is used worldwide by bloggers as a photographic repository. The popularity is partly due to the large online community that accesses the service, as well as the tools that allow the user to tag the photos.
Business needs of the company that can be covered: Advertising. On flickr it is possible to offer, for example, the photographs of the company's product catalog so that they can be consulted by customers. Likewise, it can serve as a free photographic bank for companies without the need to pay photographers or copyrights.
