How has the internet affected marketing and the models we use to understand it?

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Abstract

Internet technology is often considered to be fundamentally changing the business paradigm and increasingly integrated into the marketing function. The authors offer a conceptual model linking market orientation, marketing competencies, and export performance and investigate the role of the Internet technology in these relationships. On the basis of an analysis of survey data from 381 manufacturing firms involved in exporting, the authors find that firms' integration of Internet technology into marketing activities generally leverages the influence of market orientation on the firms' marketing competencies (compared with competitors), which in turn have a positive impact on their export performance. The authors identify competitive intensity, firm size, and degree of export dependence as additional moderating variables.

Journal Information

Journal of International Marketing is an international, peer-reviewed journal that is dedicated to advancing international marketing practice, research, and theory. Contributions addressing any aspect of international marketing are welcome. The journal presents scholarly and managerially relevant articles on international marketing. Aimed at both international marketing/business scholars and practitioners at senior- and mid-level international marketing positions, the journal's prime objective is to bridge the gap between theory and practice in international marketing.

Publisher Information

Sara Miller McCune founded SAGE Publishing in 1965 to support the dissemination of usable knowledge and educate a global community. SAGE is a leading international provider of innovative, high-quality content publishing more than 900 journals and over 800 new books each year, spanning a wide range of subject areas. A growing selection of library products includes archives, data, case studies and video. SAGE remains majority owned by our founder and after her lifetime will become owned by a charitable trust that secures the company’s continued independence. Principal offices are located in Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, Washington DC and Melbourne. www.sagepublishing.com

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Online research is conducted by several methods, including surveys, online focus groups and online monitoring. Companies with online properties have access to a wealth of web analytics data that are recorded digitally. These data can then be mined for insights. It's worth remembering, though, that it's usually impossible for you to access the web analytics data of competitors - so this method will give you information only about your own customers.

Customer communications are also a source of data that can be used, particularly communications with the customer service department. Committed customers who complain, comment or compliment are providing information that can form the foundation for researching customer satisfaction.

Social networks, blogs and other forms of social media have emerged as forums where consumers discuss their likes and dislikes, and can be particularly vocal about companies and products. These data can, and should, be tracked and monitored to establish consumer sentiment. If a community is established for research purposes, these should be considered primary data, but using social media to research existing sentiments is considered secondary research.

The Internet is an ideal starting point for conducting secondary research based on published data and findings. But with so much information out there, it can be a daunting task to find reliable resources.

Content marketing strategy is a process that includes an understanding of all the content your brand is creating, those for whom it is intended, and to what purpose.

Content marketing is an umbrella term, one which focuses on matching content (information or entertainment) to your customer needs at whichever stage they are in the buying cycle or customer journey. Unlike TV, where the advertiser pushes messages to a captive audience, the focus is on engaging content, which means that marketers must think like publishers (attracting an audience) rather than seeing themselves as advertisers (buying an audience) of a product. The Internet has, in many respects, cut out the middle man. Consumers and brands can now connect directly through a number of easily accessible online platforms. The Content Marketing Institute offers the following definition: Content marketing is a marketing technique of creating and distributing relevant and valuable content to attract, acquire, and engage a clearly defined and understood target audience - with the objective of driving profitable customer action

To decide what new forms of content your brand need, you first have to take a look to your brand essence/value proposition which sums up the unique attributes of a brand and the basis for its emotional connection with customers. Then what kind of information needs to reach my customers, and potential customers? What is the best way to do it? You got to choose a format, like a video, infographics, images, event, quiz, rating, e-book, guides, articles etc. Hereby you gain (and keep) the attention of the customers. Determining your objectives is an essential part of your marketing planning, and should feed into your content marketing strategy. Understanding the journey your consumers go through as they approach your ultimate sales goal will enable you to match content formats to their needs. A humorous video may be successful in initially making potential customers aware of your brand. Once you have their attention, however, a research paper or useful case study could be more effective in convincing them that you are the best choice in the market.

While marketers can use the tools of social media to convey their message, the characteristics that define a social media website are also important. Social media allows users to express themselves, and this means that demographic information can be compiled to allow for more useful and targeted advertising. This presents many opportunities for targeting advertising, and for finding creative ways to reach an advert-fatigued demographic. It also introduces the risk of dealing with personal information - make sure you're up to speed with the relevant laws in your country.

Benefits: Social media gives brands the opportunity to interact with customers through relevant and targeted communications that customers can choose to engage with on their terms. Furthermore, social media's potential to go viral is one of its greatest benefits - if users like your content, they will share it with their own communities. It also allows marketers to capitalise on the creativity of their consumers to spread their message further, often at very low cost. Then, social media allows you to engage with an online community and allows you to connect your brand to the appropriate audience, creating an online community for your brand and its supporters. Social media has created a forum for brand evangelists. Finally, the numerous interactions allow you to garner feedback from your communities, which helps drive both future business insights and innovation, as well as marketing strategies. You can learn more about your audience's likes, dislikes, behaviours and needs.

Challenges: Companies need to be aware that bad messages spread as quickly as good ones, and the connectedness that can prove so useful can also be a conduit for negative messages and brand attacks. Social media facilitates a two-way conversation between customer and company. This necessitates that the company shifts approach from 'deploy and watch' to one of constant involvement with the audience. This new landscape is one in which the customer really is king, and any attempt to dethrone the king can have dire consequences. Efforts to control the conversation in social media are soon found out, and can backfire horribly. Any company embarking on a social media strategy needs to be sure to monitor their reputation online regularly. It is crucial to know what is being said in order to be able to respond timeously and communicate in the social media sphere. Finally, never forget that special rules and laws apply when you are dealing with personal information provided by users - be very careful how and where you use this data.

How did the internet affect marketing?

Customer Initiated Interaction The internet has empowered consumers with an enhanced ability to easily initiate contact with the company to learn about their products or purchase them without leaving their home. They may approach the company any time during the day rather than strictly during “store hours”.

What is the model of Internet marketing?

3. What are the models of digital marketing? Strategy& has identified four equally successful digital marketing models: Digital Branders, Customer Experience Designers, Demand Generators, and Product Innovators.
Brands have more control over messaging through direct interactions with consumers. You don't have to worry about being misquoted by a reporter or having your message filtered through gatekeepers. Your company gets to directly interact with clients. You can also choose with whom and how you interact.

How has internet been helping the marketers of today?

Internet marketing enables you to personalize offers to customers by building a profile of their purchasing history and preferences. By tracking the web pages and product information that prospects visit, you can make targeted offers that reflect their interests.