• Put your web address on everything. Decide which is your most prominent online touch point – generally your website or social networking profile – and add that UR L to everything you publish or advertise. You can put the UR L into print and TV adverts, on your packaging, on leaflets and billboards – wherever people will see it.
• Incentivise the website. Include a special code on your printed media that allows visitors to your website to get bonus content or a special discount. Announce a competition that is web based only. This will drive people to visit your web platforms and will help with tracking too.
• Double up your content. Post you TV advert on your website. Upload your flier as an image. Present your radio advert as streaming audio. Once you have created any of these offline media, you can use your website to host and promote them so that they are always available for viewing. If you make a particularly funny advert and your customers actually want to share it, this Internet marketing strategy GetSmarter Internet Marketing textbook can even be the beginning of a viral campaign.
• Open up the discussion. Use your offline media to promote the interactive elements of your online tools. Let users submit their own comments, media and questions – and make sure you respond effectively. Cell C is doing this with their “Tell Trevor” (www.telltrevor.co.za) campaign.
• Use online to promote offline. Use your online platforms to let your followers know about offline events, deals and promotions.
• Use your online lessons. Take the lessons you have learned from successful online strategies (which can be precisely measured and analysed) and incorporate them into your offline advertising to make it that much more effective.
*Learning for the future
Well done – you’ve almost completed your internet marketing education! But what
now? The internet is such a rapidly changing place that much of this material will
seem outdated in a year’s time. To truly capitalise on your new learning, you have
to make an active effort to continue your own education. Here are some tools and
suggestions to keep you on the cutting edge.
4.1 South Africa is advancing
By all indications, South African companies are starting to embrace internet marketing in a considerable way. Consider the recent wave of new online initiatives started by the following companies:
• Cell C: the Tell Trevor campaign (www.cellc.co.za/tell-trevor/topic)
• Vodacom: the Player 23 campaign (www.player23.co.za) for local rugby fans
• Kalahari.net: a long-time online retailer that is expanding its social media presence
• Exclusive Books: a physical retailer that has launched an online store
• MXit: a South African cellphone messaging application that has taken the youth market by storm
• Woolworths: the retailer has a strong social media presence on Twitter (twitter. com/woolworths_sa) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/WoolworthsSA) In addition to traditional offline companies moving into the online space, a number of online-only South African companies are achieving success too:
• Travelstart (www.travelstart.co.za): a travel search engine
• The Daily Maverick (www.thedailymaverick.co.za): an online-only South Internet marketing strategy GetSmarter Internet Marketing textbook African news and analysis website
• Yuppiechef (www.yuppiechef.co.za): an online store selling premium kitchen tools
• Incentivise the website. Include a special code on your printed media that allows visitors to your website to get bonus content or a special discount. Announce a competition that is web based only. This will drive people to visit your web platforms and will help with tracking too.
• Double up your content. Post you TV advert on your website. Upload your flier as an image. Present your radio advert as streaming audio. Once you have created any of these offline media, you can use your website to host and promote them so that they are always available for viewing. If you make a particularly funny advert and your customers actually want to share it, this Internet marketing strategy GetSmarter Internet Marketing textbook can even be the beginning of a viral campaign.
• Open up the discussion. Use your offline media to promote the interactive elements of your online tools. Let users submit their own comments, media and questions – and make sure you respond effectively. Cell C is doing this with their “Tell Trevor” (www.telltrevor.co.za) campaign.
• Use online to promote offline. Use your online platforms to let your followers know about offline events, deals and promotions.
• Use your online lessons. Take the lessons you have learned from successful online strategies (which can be precisely measured and analysed) and incorporate them into your offline advertising to make it that much more effective.
*Learning for the future
Well done – you’ve almost completed your internet marketing education! But what
now? The internet is such a rapidly changing place that much of this material will
seem outdated in a year’s time. To truly capitalise on your new learning, you have
to make an active effort to continue your own education. Here are some tools and
suggestions to keep you on the cutting edge.
4.1 South Africa is advancing
By all indications, South African companies are starting to embrace internet marketing in a considerable way. Consider the recent wave of new online initiatives started by the following companies:
• Cell C: the Tell Trevor campaign (www.cellc.co.za/tell-trevor/topic)
• Vodacom: the Player 23 campaign (www.player23.co.za) for local rugby fans
• Kalahari.net: a long-time online retailer that is expanding its social media presence
• Exclusive Books: a physical retailer that has launched an online store
• MXit: a South African cellphone messaging application that has taken the youth market by storm
• Woolworths: the retailer has a strong social media presence on Twitter (twitter. com/woolworths_sa) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/WoolworthsSA) In addition to traditional offline companies moving into the online space, a number of online-only South African companies are achieving success too:
• Travelstart (www.travelstart.co.za): a travel search engine
• The Daily Maverick (www.thedailymaverick.co.za): an online-only South Internet marketing strategy GetSmarter Internet Marketing textbook African news and analysis website
• Yuppiechef (www.yuppiechef.co.za): an online store selling premium kitchen tools
• 2OceansVibe (www.2oceansvibe.com): an irreverent blog about local and international popular culture that is currently the most popular blog in South Africa. The blog has recently branched out into internet radio with the launch of 2OceansVibe Radio (www.2oceansviberadio.com) The best way to succeed at internet marketing in South Africa is to watch these players, study their moves and learn from their successes and failures. You need
to recognise the uniqueness of the local online space and capitalise on its qualities.