Search Engine preference and usage patterns are unique across the APAC, especially in East Asia. Of note is the dominance of Yahoo in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan, Baidu in China and Naver in South Korea. This post presents a road map to the SEO opportunity in the Asia Pacific including a look at how digital trends will transform the top 3 triggers for using a search engine from offline, to online. The complete post is available at Webstrategy.Asia
Local market knowledge is invaluable and there’s nothing quite like having a contact on the ground. For example, when Air New Zealand ran their kaigai-dada.net campaign with local celebrity そらのちゃん (Sorano) livecasting her Air New Zealand experiences as part of a promotional campaign, I was puzzled why they used Twitter for the live comments stream and not Ameeba. After communication with Air New Zealand’s social media team and a little corroborating research, I found the answer:
Ameba.jp is a platform primarily for blogs and cannot substitute Twitter. (They only started a micro-blogging service in May,2010.)
Japanese users sent 360,653,206 tweets in November and are amongst the Top 5 Twitter nations ranked by percentage of internet population. (source)
Air New Zealand's new pricing model reflects recognition of the growing market share of low cost carriers. The flexible pricing means you can decide what flying experience you want and if it's worth the price tag, through i'm sure the air crew will be just as nice to you regardless of how much you spend on your ticket.
The message is clear: Price should not be the reason you decide not to fly with Air New Zealand on their uber-competitive domestic, Trans-Tasman and Pacific Routes. The competitive angle aside, this demonstrates how Air New Zealand are listening to, and catering to their customers' needs and zeroing in on an airline industry opportunity worth 10.6 billion.
Remember the last time you were in IKEA and got that great furniture deal because you were willing to pick it up and assemble it yourself?
In the UK, electronics retailer Kogan now offers shoppers the choice of buying goods at different points in the manufacturing cycle.
You pay a premium for the added convenience as the product moves through the manufacturing and shipping process. A great deal or a marketing ploy? Time sensitive deals are compelling, which is one reason why daily deal sites are so popular. You decide.
With services, I think these transparent pricing models actually make more money for the companies behind them not because more people are accessing product at the lowest price point, but rather, because the customers become aware of exactly what they are missing out on and choose to upgrade their service level. We can't resist a bargain or a little pampering.
Developers are giving away their iPhone, iPad and Android applications away for free. Then, once you are sufficiently engaged, they provide you with in-app opportunities purchase upgrades, new levels or add-ons to enhance the experience. This reminds me of one time I was flying with Virgin America. The provided the TV screen and I could watch trailers, but I had to pay a premium in order to watch a movie. For me it was worth it, to enhance the inflight-experience.
Miele are selling a AU$16,000 freezer “Crafted using only the highest-grade materials and cutting-edge cooling technology, this first-class large capacity freezer presents elegant, European design combined with the American concept of larger capacity and user convenience,”
Kunal does digital strategy, solutions development & online marketing
Kunal's clients like his work:
“Kunal's approach was refreshing. From the outset he was results oriented, and his ability to quickly understand our business (www.firstin.co.nz), allowed us to prioritise the improvement of the crucial components of our offer. The result: The implementation was quick, and Kunal's recommendations represent a significant part of the 250% growth we have experienced over the last 5 months. Kunal's involvement, was a great investment - he has implemented a new approach in how we relate to our customers, and it has paid off.” Mathew Duder, Director, Firstin.co.nz
“Kunal is highly Internet savvy. He has an excellent understanding of web trends which is very valuable to many companies in today's market.” Daniel Robertson, CEO, Fishpond.co.nz / Fishpond.com.au
