NONE: Re: ONLINE-ADS>> Differentiation/revenue via community/brand
Re: ONLINE-ADS>> Differentiation/revenue via community/brand
Lauren Guzak (lauren_at_AskJeeves.com)
Fri, 23 Oct 1998 06:53:28 -0500 (CDT)
I violently disagree with many of Brian's assumptions about
community and branding on the web. It's a highly naive --
and all too common -- perspective.
BRIAN SARRAZIN <SARRAZIN_at_EARTHLINK.NET> WROTE:
>Web site directors want reasons for visitors to come often,
>and to stay longer when they do. They want sustainable
>competitive advantages that translate into hard currency.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Site directors don't necessarily want people to stay longer.
It depends on the business model. In fact, I would argue
that the most successful site directors and managers will
decide to serve their customers with fast, easy, and
convenient services or transactions. This means a customer
goes to your site, finds what they're after (e.g.,
information, products, whatever), and logs off in a matter
of minutes. Is there anything more intoxifying than the
speed, convenience, and accuracy of a successful online
jaunt for something specific???
>But on the Web, the competitive playing field is more level
>in many ways than in the real world. Once you've driven
>someone to your Web front door, the experiences they realize
>are difficult to differentiate.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I couldn't disagree more. The web doesn't limit the ability
of individuals or corporations to differentiate themselves
-- it presents them with infinite possibilities to do so!
Let's face it: Crap proliferates in _every_ media. Paper and
television have their limitations too (ink, TV monitors),
but it's still infinitely possible to be unique, inspiring,
revolutionary.
> I believe that every Web site may properly be considered a
> brand. Each carries its own set of impressions and
> experiences distinct from, though modifiable by, the real
> world.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Why is it that people don't consider the web a part of the
real world? What's not unreal about it? Is TV more real? I
don't understand this perspective.
Re branding: A site might be a brand in and of itself, or it
might be a part of a brand. There are incredible branding
opportunities on the web, but there's no reason that a site
can't be an integral part of an overall brand (go to
www.palm.com, a site that I recently managed for a good
example. It integrates well into the overall branding
efforts of the company -- from print to television).
> But what is the essence of "brand?" What does it symbolize?
> I'm convinced that brands are abstractions of "community."
> It is the real world's shortcut to connecting individuals.
> We all know by now, after much repeated hammering, that
> "community" is something humans crave, right down to our
> lizard brain.
>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I've seen countless executives fall prey to this word. If a
vendor is lucky enough to nail down your VP or President for
a meeting, all they need to do is mention community and the
exec's eyes are sure to light up. It's the most predictable
method of immediate PO generation I know of.
Anyway, I've personally been involved (against my vehement
objections, I might add) in dozens of online community
building projects and events. Whether it's VRML worlds or
celebrity chats, they've all been incredible flops.
Of course there are myriad successful, community-oriented
sites and activities online. But it's not the secret to
success on the web -- it's more likely to be a costly
sidetrack.
> Any site can offer products that help build and identify
> community, but the good ones will enable their visitors to
> become part of the site's community.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I don't know what you mean by "products that help build and
identify community"... developing and selling chat clients?
VRML browsers? ; )
I don't know many people who really want to sit around and
talk with others at CDNow or Borders. (I'd be interested in
any research on this subject -- anyone out there have some
insight?) I might want to read reviews of products before I
buy, but I'm not going to trust the advice of any schmoe. I
want expert recommendations, not chit-chat with
Jimmy_at_hotmail.com.
... But maybe I'm in the minority!
---------------------------------------------
Lauren Guzak
Project Manager, Ask Jeeves, Inc.
http://www.askjeeves.com
lauren_at_askjeeves.com
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