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Interactivity and individualization in online marketing are crucial in today's business world. They can help marketers to be more in contact with the client and to create an important differentiation among the hundreds of thousands of web pages inside the web. However to implement these tools just to follow the trend is not always a good idea.
Individualization is the adjustments that can be made to the product in order to satisfy an individual customer. Within the internet, a customer can design a unique product just for him. A big example will be Dell lap tops. Companies can also individualize a product so that it will best serve surfers. For example some web pages are purposely made lighter (less colors, pictures, graphs…) in order than when displayed in movil devices such as an I phone, the page will load much faster. For example tirazo.com (Mexican soccer) Individualization allows companies to make more targeted products and to make feel clients more important because they have a unique item. Converse web page allows you to design your own pair of shoes for example. Branding is another big area in this field.
Interaction refers to the degree in which a surfer can interact with a web page. Probably the must common example of interaction will be message boards for example the one that PS3 has or internet games. Interaction allows a certain communication between the companies as web pages and the users. This feed back can be really important for businesses because it allows them to know how the customer is feeling and reacting towards the product. Again branding and differentiation can be huge advantages in this approach for example “candy stand” of Wrigley. It provides a lot of games with in-game advertising with their different brands. This might improve brand awareness as well of the probability of being remembered.
Yet again, it all depends in your customer and in your objectives as company. It’s imperative to know your user and what they like or dislike. It will not always be wise to implement one of these approaches just because you feel like it. For example interactivity has potential high degree of risk. Customers might destroy your page with bad comments if something goes wrong.
If customers are just looking for information it might not be a good idea to provide too much interactivity. For example Reforma.com. But then we also have news pages like CNN that allows a good amount of interactivity. They have a section in which users become the reporters. Barcel web page allows a lot of interactivity but it can take you time to realize about their products.
Customization might indicate a higher price to the customer, so you need to take this into consideration.
Marketers might use this approaches, when the customer feel comfortable with it. When it makes scence to use this tools and when the use of them goes along with your brand image. For example Nike shoes: dynamic, hi tech, and cool appearance. Their customization page seems like a good idea.
Its also important to measure what you are doing, you might think that your new game site is working fine but if your customer dislikes it then probably you should change it or withdraw it.
Happy customers, almost always mean good things to businesses. The internet is not the exception. A strong online experience might determine if the customer buys in your site (if that is the case) and what he will tell about it. Good or bad word of mouth.
A strong on line customer experience depends on if the customer expectations were exceeded or at least met. In order to accomplish this, you must truly understand your customer needs and wants. On line experience should be as good or better than off line experiences
First, everything should be framed by the objectives of the site and by the type of customer to whom the site is targeted. For example a survey site might want to use a more relaxing web site than let’s say e bay. Or Channel might want to use a fancier web page.
In order to provide an excellent customer experience you must take into consideration the role of the web page inside the complete experience (for example a hotel web page is just a little part of the customer vacation experience)
Probably one of the biggest mistakes is to just focus on the page design and not in how the customer is going to use it. The basics will be to have readable text and colors as well as a decent navigation. Also an attractive visual design (according to objectives) and an understandable brake of information. You want the site to fast, and easy to navigate so that the customer can find what he is looking for. The page should not be to heavy and all its content should be organized logically. Using clear categories as well as product names is helpful.
For example, when shopping, if you add something to your kart you want it to stay in there even if you close the window.
-You want the “back” button to be working properly
Metrics: You want to know how your website is doing so you need a way to measure it. You want to know how your website and brand are doing in important areas according to the customer. An analytics system can be a good diagnose tool.
Monitoring user experiences and having a good flow of information (c2b, c2c, b2b) is very important.
Navigation: Fast and smooth, working properly.
Information: Relevant, updated, and interesting. Logically organized and easy to find.
Structure: Arranged logically. Not to crowded. Place items where customers expect them to be.
Communication: should be open and constant. Proactively listen to your customers.
I hate Compaq. My Compaq lap top simply refused to turn on… and it was almost brand new. I fixed it a couple of times but it never worked properly. Customer service was even worst.
Search for “bad customer service”, in Google or better yet a video in You Tube. For example this AT&T´s angry customer. It was posted 3 months ago and now it has 5803 views. Is not a quality video, its no well recorded, nor interesting. It is just a customer complaining about his worst customer experience, but anyway 5803 surfers had seen his opinion.
You can find any number of customers complaining about a bad experience in the internet; after all we are in the web 2.0. The big question will be: Can a bad customer review, posted on the web, really affect a company? How much power does a customer really has?
If we asked Dr. Nora Ganim Barnes (director of market research in the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, author of more than 90 articles, and consultant) she will say that today, a bad customer experience can cost you “literally hundreds of thousands of customers. “
Anyone can post anything on the web and it is likely that someone will read that post. You can express your opinions; both the positive and the negative ones. Social media is a gigantic example of this.
Returning to Dr. Nora:
“…a bad customer care experience will cost you many, many, many customers. It will tarnish your image. It will affect your brand. “…A lot of people still don’t realize the power that lies with online communications, with social networking, with discussion groups and forums, with blogs”
In few words, companies have to pay close attention to what customers are saying about them in the web. Some times just letting them know that you care abut their opinions can solve problems. Things can also work the other way round, satisfied customers might say flowers of your business, and might even defend your brand from an angry customer attack. Every complain is an opportunity; just make sure you are listening.
By the way, think twice before buying a Compaq.
Mario Bros, Crash, Zelda, Solid Snake, Bowser, Sackboys, Sephiroth, Sonic, Master Chief… I’m sure that everyone is familiar or at least has heard of one of these names. That´s right video games… 
Video games are today, one of the most promising industries. It’s 31.6 billion market is expected to grow to almost 50 billion in 2011. With the entrance of third generation consoles, especially with Nintendo Wii, video game market has expanded to clients from all ages. Even senior players have been engaged into this fast growing market.
Not only have the numbers of gamers increased, but also revenues. Take for example the US market compared to music and movies markets. So, in general terms more people are playing video games, children, boys, girls, teens, adults, senior, you name it. Both on line ond off line. Video games are the door to reach potential costumers. And although in game advertising is not a new concept, it is screaming for close attention.
According to Paul Verna (senior analyst) in his article “Video game advertising: Getting to the next level” “Industry experts and research firms generally agree that this area (video games) presents a growing opportunity for advertisers and marketers”
Google for example, announced last year its entry to the video game market. They launched their own option of in-game advertising after buying AdScape media for 23 millions.
As a result, a bigger slice in companies’ budgets is 
going to video games advertising and this trend will continue growing. I see 2 important points to consider with this promising tool. First, how are companies going to measure their success or failure in their video game campaigns? How are they going to know if video game advertisings are fulfilling your objectives?
Second, to which degree are gamers willing to accept advertising while playing. I believe that this is a vital factor to consider. We all know how annoying advertisings can be, and I’m not so sure that I will like ads popping while I am trying to relax playing.
Video games are definitely an area to consider for all marketers.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-10060732-52.htmlhttp://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2008/01/growth-of-gaming-in-2007-far-outpaces-movies-music.arshttp://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/58243.htmlhttp://www.marketingprofs.com/short-articles/464/video-games-not-just-for-kids
