Presentation at AmCham Taipei

Posted on June 16, 2008
Filed Under online marketing |

I gave a speech about Internet marketing in Asian countries at a luncheon organized by the American Chamber of Commerce Marketing & Distribution Committee in Taipei, Taiwan. I talked about online marketing channels like search engine optimization (SEO), keyword advertising (SEM, PPC) and social media (blogs and online communities). In the following you can find the press release which also serves as a summery of the content:

By Brian Asmus, Special to the China Post
Stefan Schneider, Managing Director of 3digitalminds, spoke to the American Chamber of Commerce Marketing & Distribution Committee June 12 during a luncheon held at the Howard Plaza Hotel in Taipei. Schneider pointed out that Internet Penetration in Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea is approximately 70 percent, while it is only 12 percent in China and 5 percent in India.In China, Schneider explained, 90 percent of consumers do research online but purchase offline when shopping for mobile phones. Similarly, 70 percent do so for purchases of consumer electronics and 50 percent each for financial and automotive.

Chinese consumers begin by searching e-commerce sites such as eBay and taobao, said Schneider, before going to search engines like Google and Baidu. Finally, they may look to word-of-mouth sources such as BBS and blogs.

Schneider recommended that companies that wish to market online first conduct Web-site analysis, including keyword research, structure, linking and duplicate content to optimize the Web site.

Internet Marketing Presentation at AmCham Taipei
Christopher Fay, Co-Chairman of the AmCham Marketing & Distribution Committee and Stefan Schneider, 3digitalminds

In Phase 2, he suggested that they look at Web-site enlargement, adding fresh content, developing blogs and setting up forums. This involves linkbait and reputation buildup, and requires constant tracking and optimization, he said.

According to Schneider blogs are “everybody’s own newspaper.” In South Korea, he said, 92 percent of Internet users read blogs with 72 percent writing them. In China, the figures are 88 percent and 70 percent; in Taiwan, there are 86 percent and 71 percent and; in Japan, they are 84 percent and 47 percent.

When it comes to topics, said Schneider, 64 percent write about their private lives, and 34 percent write their opinion about brands and products.

“How should companies use blogs to further their business objectives?” asked Schneider. “These,” he said, “can be used to advertise, establish relationships within your company’s niche and market products.”

There are several important dos and don’ts when setting up blogs, he stressed. “The consumer is smarter than you think; alternative marketing tactics must be genuine and, in today’s world, transparent.” That means companies should forget about setting up fake blogs. “You will always be found out,” said Schneider.

Blogs, he added, should not contradict, but rather explain the company, its products and services. “It has to live the concept,” emphasized Schneider. “That is why blogs are not suitable for every kind of business.”

Finally, Schneider examined branded communities. The purpose of branded communities,” he said, “is to engage in a conversation with stakeholders and customers.
This enhances product development, while enabling designers to hear consumer voices, particularly creative consumers, while develop brand ambassadors, fans and influencers.

“These individuals,” he continued, “create trust around a brand for new site visitors by the quality of the comments that they make. They act like a host rather than a policeman.”

The incentive is to propel mouth-to-mouth marketing. Schneider cited the Dell Ideastorm campaign by way of an example. “The target group was its customers. Dell executives wanted to come up with new idea. The branded community ended up delivering 8,000 suggestions, 600,000 votes and 64,000 comments.”

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