Making Web 2.0 Work for B2B Brands

Web 2.0 for B2B Brands

Laurence VincentGroup Director, Strategy

Baptie & Company Webinar24 September 2008

+ Ned MaddenEditor, eCommerce Times

“The B2B world has energetically embraced the grand online colloquy known as the two-way talk-back conversation.”

agenda

+ what is web 2.0?

+ how are B2B companies using web 2.0?

+ how do B2B brands make web 2.0 work?

+ the B2B / web 2.0 agenda

+ discussion

1what is web 2.0?

what is web 2.0?

Web 2.0 is an idea – it refers to changes in the ways that software developers and end-users utilize the web. When it’s at its best, it delivers five benefits:

+ enhanced creativity

+ improved information distribution

+ frequent collaboration

+ better functionality

+ richer user experience

web 2.0 taxonomy

level description examples

0 applications that work as well offline as they do online + MapQuest+ Yahoo! Local

+ Google Maps

Source: Tim O’Reilly, explained at first O’Reilly Media Web 2.0 conference in 2004

web 2.0 taxonomy

1 applications that operate offline but gain features and functionality when connected online

+ Google Docs+ iTunes

level description examples

0 applications that work as well offline as they do online + MapQuest+ Yahoo! Local

+ Google Maps

Source: Tim O’Reilly, explained at first O’Reilly Media Web 2.0 conference in 2004

web 2.0 taxonomy

2 applications that can operate offline, but gain the most advantage when used online

+ Flickr

1 applications that operate offline but gain features and functionality when connected online

+ Google Docs+ iTunes

level description examples

0 applications that work as well offline as they do online + MapQuest+ Yahoo! Local

+ Google Maps

Source: Tim O’Reilly, explained at first O’Reilly Media Web 2.0 conference in 2004

web 2.0 taxonomy

2 applications that can operate offline, but gain the most advantage when used online

+ Flickr

1 applications that operate offline but gain features and functionality when connected online

+ Google Docs+ iTunes

level description examples

0 applications that work as well offline as they do online + MapQuest+ Yahoo! Local

+ Google Maps

Source: Tim O’Reilly, explained at first O’Reilly Media Web 2.0 conference in 2004

3 applications that exist only on the internet, deriving their effectiveness from inter-human connections and from the network effects the web makes possible – they actually grow in effectiveness as more people use them

+ eBay+ Craigslist

+ Wikipedia+ del.icio.us

+ Skype

+ Senior Executive2008 Siegel+Gale client study on digital media

“It’s fun to play with the new stuff coming online, but 99% of what people in my company do on the internet is still email and Google.”

2how are B2B companies using web 2.0?

web 2.0 reality in B2B

everywhere Established web tools entrenched in the day-to-day functions and communications of companies.

+ proprietary web sites+ email marketing

+ online advertising+ search engine optimization

+ search engine marketing

+ webinars

tier description examples

Source: 2007 Survey of Association of National Advertisers and BtoBOnlinecom

web 2.0 reality in B2B

everywhere Established web tools entrenched in the day-to-day functions and communications of companies.

+ proprietary web sites+ email marketing

+ online advertising+ search engine optimization

+ search engine marketing

+ webinars

emerging Integrated tools that add new media functionality; especially focused on the infusion of motion, sound and elective participation.

+ blogs+ rss feeds

+ podcasts+ video-on-demand

+ distributed services

tier description examples

Source: 2007 Survey of Association of National Advertisers and BtoBOnlinecom

web 2.0 reality in B2B

everywhere Established web tools entrenched in the day-to-day functions and communications of companies.

+ proprietary web sites+ email marketing

+ online advertising+ search engine optimization

+ search engine marketing

+ webinars

emerging Integrated tools that add new media functionality; especially focused on the infusion of motion, sound and elective participation.

+ blogs+ rss feeds

+ podcasts+ video-on-demand

+ distributed services

tier description examples

hyped but seldom used

Immersive online experiences that require a high degree of socialization or specific technologies to make the most out of features and functions.

+ wikis+ mobile

+ viral video+ social networks

+ virtual worlds (e.g., Second Life)

Source: 2007 Survey of Association of National Advertisers and BtoBOnlinecom

+ Mitchell BakerChairperson, Mozilla Foundation

“The average consumer does not know the difference between the browser, the internet, and the search box.”

trends in B2B utilization

web services

blogs

rss

wikis

podcasts

social networking

peer-to-peer

mash-ups11

37

27

23

24

24

21

70

10

18

28

29

32

33

34

58

2007 2008

Source: Building the Web 2.0 Enterprise, McKinsey Global Survey Results, 2008

web 2.0 satisfaction by region

asia pacific

developing markets

europe

north america

india

china

latin america 19

21

18

29

22

17

8

68

62

64

51

58

57

52

13

17

18

20

20

26

40

High Satisfaction Neutral Low Satisfaction

Source: Building the Web 2.0 Enterprise, McKinsey Global Survey Results, 2008

+ CIO Insight

“Drowning workers in choices and overloading them with creativity-enhancing tools is no way to increase productivity.”

realities from the field

36%

14%

16%

16%

38%it has changed the way we communicate with customers and suppliers

it has changed the way we hire and retain talent

it has created major new roles or functions within our organization

it has changed the way our organization is structured (eg., flatter hierarchy)

the use of web 2.0 technologies and tools has not changed the way the company is managed and organized

Source: Building the Web 2.0 Enterprise, McKinsey Global Survey Results, 2008

3how do B2B brands make web 2.0 work?

making web 2.0 work in B2B

What functions and benefits must the technology enable?

Business

+ Jason Fried37 Signals

“Traditionally, people think more is better. More may work, but it's painful, expensive, very cold-war. Think about one-downing people, under-doing your competitors.”

web 2.0 and bound business objectives

bounded platformsweb 2.0 provides a platform that delivers an ongoing set of capabilities the organization can flexibly build upon within a context that suits the brand

bounded eventsweb 2.0 is a great catalyst for bound business activities – activities that have a discrete scope, time horizon or group of participants

bounded communitiesweb 2.0 is particularly good at aggregating discrete communities of people around a brand objective

Source: The Three Archetypes of Innovation Management Tools, Forrester Research, 2998

the internal twitter

37 signals

+ create products that “get real” and deliver dead simple solutions to business issues

+ case study in ‘bounded’ design

+ best-in-class utilization of web 2.0 technology

+ compelling brand story linked to business functionality

+ D. Calvin Andrus, Ph.D.Toward a Complex Adaptive Intelligence CommunityUS Central Intelligence Agency

“We must transform the Intelligence Community into a community that dynamically reinvents itself by continuously learning and adapting as the national security environment changes ... several new technologies will facilitate this transformation. Two examples are self-organizing knowledge websites, known as Wikis, and information sharing websites known as Blogs.”

intellipedia

+ In the intelligence business, something that is 80 percent on time, accurate and sharable is much more valuable than a perfectly formatted report that’s overclassified, has perfect fonts and comes too late.

a wiki for secret agents

+ built on same software platform as wikipedia

+ collaborative environment for everyone in the intelligence community

+ includes tools to aggregate, communicate, tag, and share

+ integrated im and rss

+ uses web 2.0 features similar to those offered on flickr, youtube, and del.icio.us

making web 2.0 work in B2B

Business

How does it improve the customer experience?

User

+ Joe SokohlDirector of User Experience, Keane

“These are great technologies, with potential benefits. But that has to be tempered with a clear understanding of who people are and what they want to do.”

failing experience grades

web in-person phone rep email phone self service

22%

40%

45%

67%

43%

17%

37%34%

82%

61%

13%

32%

27%

66%

54%

reachingbuyinggetting service

Source: The Customer Experience Journey, Forrester Research, 2008

+ customers are consumers, too

+ consumers “script” their identities from cultural feedback and association with brand archetypes

+ life is a performance – we’re all in our own version of The Life Movie

+ brand consumption plays a role in the story

– Preparation

– Performance

– Evaluation

+ the working identity is part of the life movie, too

personal brand narrative

personal narrative and brand experience

“Unlike purely cognitively based priming effects, which decrease after a short delay, our results show that the effect was actually magnified: while participants primed with IBM (a goal-irrelevant brand) were uninfluenced by delay, Apple-primed participants’ creativity increased in strength over time, a hallmark of goal-directed behavior.”

+ Journal of Consumer ResearchJune, 2008

digital brand communities

a place to…

+ create a brand culture

+ study attitudes, perceptions and behavior

+ connect platforms, products and services with the culture’s belief system

but not a place to…

+ preach and sell

+ police

+ manipulate

a culture with juice

BreakingPoint

Honeywell: industry expert

Advertising

Display Ads

Honeywell’s advertisement on Avionics Magazine speaks to a specific audience. The page links users to the Honeywell solutions page

Click-through is linked to Honeywell’s page about reducing turn time, creating a seamless transition to the most relevant information for the user

Sponsorships

Sponsoring events provide additional web presence and increases linkage.

Search

Search Optimization

Well-optimized for brand keyword searches. Search results go directly to top level pages of Honeywell website.

Honeywell is also well-optimized for industry

and product searches.

Search Marketing

Sponsored links for products are typically online retailers, including some Honeywell-dedicated retailers

Communities

A prototype Second Life project offers value-added business applications and a customer training experience

While Honeywell does not actively participate on YouTube or Twitter, they monitor and send thank you gifts for videos that feature their products

Their Facebook page features a company description and links to company websites.

Honeywell employees create knowledge groups through social networking to share and facilitate the flow of information.

Honeywell Buildings Forum benefits channel partners, but the information is not shared with the public.

Information

Blogs

A dedicated blog site shares information on marketing activities as well as customer and product support. Blog has separate URL but is integrated into the main site.

News Alerts + eNewsletters

Investor relations section offers email alerts and investor presentations in webcast and PDF format.

News feed panel links to top Honeywell stories.

Honeywell’s online AeroTech Magazine talks up positive news, such as Honeywell’s Green Initiative.

Interactive Features

Multimedia

Flash-enabled videos of product offerings.

Honeywell's Audio Archives provides audio files of past earnings conference calls

Microsites

Honeywell uses a microsite, HoneywellScience.com, to share information on a corporate initiative. Distinct site has its own look and feel.

New Channels

Mobile

Honeywell’s site on iPhone is the full web version.

High ranking search result Online sponsorship of FMA Honeywell’s virtual trade show Honeywell’s YouTube response Honeywell on-site videoHoneywell’s Adrian’s Corner blog

Trade

Honeywell positions itself as an expert in its online trade presence. National Business Aviation Association’s (NBAA) website promotes several Honeywell technical subcommittees, showing Honeywell’s leadership role within the industry

In addition, Honeywell sponsors webinars on key trade sites, like ATW, suggesting a level of expertise and “helping”

making web 2.0 work in B2B

What does the technology do to

convey the brand promise

and voice?

Brand

Business

User

43

Push

tying the web to the brand

Pull

Brand PlatformPromiseValuesVoice

MultimediaMicrosites

BlogsNews Alerts + eNewsletters

Information

Interactive Features

MobileNew Channels

MagazinesVirtual Trade Shows

Social Networking WebsitesForums + Chat Rooms

Search OptimizationSearch Marketing

Search

Communities

Trade Presence

AdvertisingDisplay AdsSponsorships

brands connect functionality and experience to a promise

Promise VoiceValues

The External View

The Internal View

+what ‘digital’ brings to brand voice…

behavior

+ online/offline integration

+ choice of platforms

+ dialogue with constituents

+ segmentation of audiences

+ more interfaces with constituents

+ expectation of utility for constituents

communications

+ immediacy

+ transparency

+ consistency

+ optimization (by platform)

successful voice in digital media

+ participates in a dialogue rather than delivering a monologue (onsite + offsite)

+ customizes experiences rather than broadcasting one message to all (one to one, one to many, many to many)

+ adapts based on property and platform rather than presenting a uniform face

+ integrates offline and online experiences

+ delivers utility and value rather than a static experience

The New York Times digital voice embodies every aspect of its offline voice: it is comprehensive, open and mindful of its heritage as a preeminent and trusted news source.

+ writing style is authoritative, objective and comprehensive

+ experiential elements are consistent

+ design elements are targeted to same audience across all mediums

+ style and tonality is maintained wherever the content lives

+ the site prominently features the New York Times rather than claiming a .com identity

+ external feeds, such as AP and Reuters are clearly demarcated

New York Times

New York Times

The New York Times takes advantage of web 2.0 digital tools where appropriate while not giving control over to the masses.

the other side of the coin

+ CNN’s digital voice is filtered through a lens of top stories and pop culture.

+ News comes from multiple news sources

+ Channels are poorly integrated

+ Point of view is unclear

CNN’s discombobulated voice

1. partnerships position the brand as a portal to external content, but make it unclear where the CNN brand starts and ends.

2. ad placement and integration exists within the site which does not draw clear distinction between the ad and editorial offices.

3. lack of visual and written consistency between platforms, publications or channels.

1 2 3

digital voice challenges

+ speaking effectively at once, to all audiences, globally

+ adapting to the rapidly evolving technical environment

+ aligning the organization around the needs of external audiences to deliver experiences, messages, and value

+ embracing the role of intermediaries

+ understanding the value of platforms and usability

General Electric

background

Founded in 1892, General Electric operates as a technology, media, and financial services company worldwide. It operates through four segments: GE Capital, Energy Infrastructure, Technology Infrastructure, and NBC Universal.

brand voice

Innovation and imagination. Its tagline is: Imagination at work. This theme is prevalent in GE’s well-known advertising campaign.

digital voice

The website succeeds in presenting GE as “Imagination at work”, primarily through the content and the tone of the site. This theme extends to additional digital touchpoints such as microsites and social networking sites.

GE’s website is dedicated to showcasing GE’s commitment to innovation both through the products and services the company provides, as well as through the people it employs and the culture it breeds within its organization. Wherever you click, innovation is the main attraction.

GE homepage

GE’s brand voice centers on “Imagination at Work”

GE “Our Culture” page

The concept of innovation goes beyond the products and services section of the website. It is consistent across all digital touchpoints and the tonality conjures wonder and possibility.

GE – Ecomagination microsite

Even microsites reflects the GE brand’s commitment to invest in innovative solutions to environmental challenges and speaks in the same optimistic voice.

when it’s away from home...

GE Videos on Facebook, MySpace and YouTube:“Important Firsts”, “Do you want to change the world”, “Is GE right for you?”

non-negotiable brand criteria

+ is it clear?does the integration of web 2.0 features and functionality provide a demonstrable benefit to the brand audience?

+ is it compelling?does the web 2.0 integration strengthen associations about the brand – does it inspire preference, loyalty and/or evangelism?

+ is it credible?does the brand audience believe that the brand should be engaging in web 2.0 features and functionality? is the technology used in a way that seems naturally appropriate for the brand?

4the B2B / web 2.0 agenda

making web 2.0 work in B2B

Business

User

Brand

a rich and useful user experience that reflects the promise of the brand

the imperative disaggregated

business imperatives

+ bottom up functionality

+ less features, more practicality

+ improves efficiency and speed

user imperatives

+ web based

+ easy to use

+ inherently social

brand imperatives

+ consistent and compelling application of voice

+ credible brand behavior

+ clear connection to promise

the promised evolution

+ McKinsey & CompanyBuilding the Web 2.0 Enterprise

“Fundamental changes are beginning to take place among satisfied companies as a result of their ambitious use of Web 2.0. These companies are not only using more technologies but also ... taking steps to open their corporate ‘ecosystems’ by encouraging customers to join them in developing products and by using new tools to tap distributed knowledge.”

transition requires will and skill

will+ let the younger generation lead. the young people entering your workforce already

communicate with Web 2.0 tools and want more than email to get the job done.

+ evolve to web 2.0 using your value chain. begin with staff, then move to partners and finally to your customers.

+ roll-out of web 2.0 in B2B requires ample socialization. practice evangelism and send constant reminders to change behavior and encourage adoption.

+ web 2.0 requires a new mindset – an open mindset – don’t be afraid to give users more control of the brand, but exercise diligent brand stewardship along the way.

skill+ train, train, and train again. cloud computing can be an easy way to launch and scale services

and strategic initiatives, but you should spend a fair amount of time teaching those within and outside your organization on how to use the technology.

+ never deploy social media for the sake of deploying social media. develop a strategic rationale that supports business, user and brand objectives.

+ don’t forget that web 2.0 lives outside the berm of your website. encourage people to engage with your company outside of your .com business address. let them engage with your brand where they already like to go, like Facebook, MySpace, etc. drive push/pull brand dynamics.

lingering challenges

+ how much money to budget for web 2.0 integration?

+ how much skill to build internally vs. outsourcing?

+ how to measure the value delivered by web 2.0 integration?

5discussion

Laurence VincentGroup Director, Strategy

10960 Wilshire BlvdSuite 400Los Angeles, CA 90024

t +1 310 312 2235e lvincent@siegelgale.com

www.siegelgale.com