Corporate Blogging: A New Marketing Communication Tool for Companies

There are many ways to market company online. Now, there is another important and popular alternative: the Corporate Blog. The need to easily publish personal voices online is the main reason why blogs were born. Therefore, blogs encouraged casual banter and informal language. Unlike Web sites, which are crafted, branded and carefully planned out to be "on message," the daily journal format of a blog produces more vulnerability from its authors. Also, rather than the egocentric product information that appears on most company websites, blogs provide valuable information about a market or topic for people in all stages of the sales cycle In marketing terms, a blog can create a human personality to a faceless company, which can provide a connection between the corporation and its clients. This can lead to deeper loyalty and richer feedback.

In a report of Pew Internet & American Life Project, called The State of Blogging, blogs are used by millions of people and the growth rate is extraordinary. Two Pew surveys conducted in early 2005 show that 16% of U.S. adults (32 million) are blog readers (a 58% increase from 2004). Perhaps the most interesting part of the Pew study is that 6% of the U.S. adult population has created a blog (that is 11 million people or one out of every 17 Americans). And according to Technorati™, a popular blog search engine, in its State of the Blogosphere report issued in mid-2005, a new blog is created every second. This indicated that, blogging has become more and more important and popular in our daily’s life. Therefore, corporate blogging can be a success method of marketing communication tool.

Blogging Basics

The first thing to consider before starting a corporate blogging is “who do I want to reach?” For many corporations, the answer is a combination of buyers, existing customers, potential buyers and influencers such as analysts and the media. For a blog to be valuable to this kind of audience, the content needs to focus on an issue in the marketplace and not just on the company and its products. Also, incurred a definable area that the company has expertise

For a blog, it is better to start with a narrow subject and leave room to expand. Most people read corporate blogs because they want to find an honest voice speaking passionately about the company or product. If the corporate blog is interesting and provide valuable information, the readership will grow. Before begin, think carefully about the name of blog and the tagline, which will be indexed by the search engines as this will help readers to easily link or access to the blog.

Some companies have created formal guidelines for employee bloggers. The decision to create guidelines is something that is personal to the company’s situation and should be determined based on the input from Marketing, HR, and other departments.

Benefits of Corporate Blogging

Off-the-shelf blog software offers rapid set-up and easy-to-use features, this is totally different from websites that require design and HTML skills. With basic know-how, the blog can be quickly and easily established.

· Easy-to-use – blogging services are available from Blogger™, TypePad™, WordPress, and others. Research the services based on corporate needs and choose wisely because it is difficult to switch once blog is established.

· Easy to choose color, design, font, and to create a simple text-based masthead. Also can consider a custom graphical image as masthead.

· The look and feel of the blog can complement to corporate design guidelines.

· Allows turning on a comments feature so visitors or clients are able to comment on your posts.

· RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a standard format that blog posts are delivered in to subscribers. This help to ensure that all the blog posts are standardize and easier for readers to read.

· Updates of new posts – Standard practice is to send an electronic “ping” to blog search engines and RSS reader companies when you have a new post on the blog.

·Help to achieve high rankings in search engine results – Smart bloggers understand this and use their blogs to help promote their organization to audiences who are searching on particular words and phrases.

· Build an audience – Create links to blog from company’s home page, product pages, or online media room. Mention the blog in corporate email newsletter or offline newsletters and create links to corporate blog as part of company’s email signature.

Customers, potential customers, investors, employees, and the media are all reading blogs and there is no doubt that the corporate blog is a terrific way for technology marketers to tell authentic stories to the market. However, building an audience for a corporate blog takes time.

Useful Links:

http://www.internetviz-newsletters.com/bulldog/e_article000404957.cfm

http://bloombergmarketing.blogs.com/bloomberg_marketing/2004/11/on_the_road_.html

http://ecomspace.blogspot.com/2008/06/corporate-blogging-new-marketing.html

http://www.pragmaticmarketing.com/publications/magazine/4/1/corporate-blogs-for-technology-businesses

http://www.corporateblogging.info/

http://www.jimcarroll.com/articles/mktg22.htm

http://www.thenewpr.com/wiki/pmwiki.php/Resources/CEOBlogsList

Review a local e-commerce site

In this rapid changing environment, most of the corporation will use internet as a way to advertise their corporation. Blogging is one of the ways to make advertisement. It is an easy way to publicize their company. There are many companies achieve successes by using blogging in order to generate more income and customers.

Anyone can blog. However, people should not blog something which touches on sensitive issues, or they will be sued or jailed for several years. Nowadays, some lawyers gone for blogging in order to get more income and potential customers but it may cause some ethical issues to arise. Should lawyer be prohibited from blogging due to the nature of blogging which may contain some elements of marketing? It is an arguable issue. Due to the improvement of information technology, we are supposed to get all necessary information from internet. Even so, we still have to consider whether the information we got is suitable for us and whether it is legal information.

Can we stop lawyers from expressing their personal opinion on the blog? From my opinion, it is not suitable to stop anyone express their opinion. Due to some level of law, putting up comments and blog can be translated into advice or advertising. It cannot be denied also that lawyers who advertise through online will breach the professional code of ethics. In professional code of ethics, we know that professionals should not make advertisement for themselves that may confuse public. Thus, this is a dilemma confronted by lawyers in this new tech-internet environment. It is difficult for lawyers to evaluate which information should be post and which should not.

http://ecommerze.blogspot.com/search/label/Legal

E-Government in Malaysia: Its implementation so far and citizen’s adoption strategies

The definition of e-government range from “the use of information technology to free movement of information to overcome the physical bounds of traditional paper and physical based systems” to “the use of technology to enhance the access to and delivery of government services to benefit citizens, business partners and employees.”

Ultimately, e-government aims to enhance access to and delivery of government services to benefit citizens. More important, it aims to help strengthen government’s drive toward effective governance as well as increased transparency to better manage a country’s social and economic resources for development.

In Malaysia, the implementation of e-government was initiated by the introduction of Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) in 1996 with the intention of leading the country to the Information Age. E-Government in Malaysia seeks to enhance the convenience, accessibility and quality of interactions with the public and businesses at large. Citizens and businesses are also able to transact with the government anywhere and anytime at their convenience.

Human capital development is an important tool to nurture leaders for the future as well as in the development of socio-politics and economy of a country. Therefore, Malaysia government is granted with a unique chance to enhance public sector human capital development via the implementation of e-Learning. The time and distance barriers that are faced in the conventional way of training are removed through e-Learning.

By the emergence of Internet, the traditional way of recruitment has been revolutionized. The e-Recruitment application recognizes a variety of associated benefits. For instance, organizations are allowed to bypass traditional means of vacant advertising as well as agency commissions through integrating careers sub-sections into their websites.

The main goals of e-Government are to improve the quality of public services and the efficiency of administrative work. But, it does not allow citizen participation in local government administration such as policy making and implementation processes using ICT. Through e-Democracy, local governments in Japan are now making their own policy of area management based on discussions with the local citizens rather than looking to the central government. This e-Democracy should also be implemented in Malaysia so that government can hear the real voice of citizens’ heart and have more support from citizens when introducing new policies.

There is a growing recognition that e-Government is not just about technology but about harnessing technology and making services available anytime and anywhere. The convenience of e-Government has benefited both the government and local citizens.

Related links:
http://www.intanbk.intan.my/psimr/editorial.htm
http://www.apdip.net/publications/iespprimers/eprimer-egov.pdf
http://www.intanbk.intan.my/psimr/articles/Article1%20-%20Full.pdf

Thing to take note to prevent e-auction fraud when a consumer participating in an e-auction.

Internet auction fraud is a growing epidemic worldwide. There are 51,000 cases of internet fraud cases were reported in 2002. In 2006, that number increased to 97,000. The numbers are staggering, but everyone can lower their risk by knowing what auction fraud is, how to detect and prevent it.

Internet auction fraud cases involve straightforward scams where consumers allegedly win merchandise by being the highest bidder. Everything goes well until consumers send the payment and never receive the merchandise.

In one extreme case in 1999, a man started collecting payments and setting up new auction accounts on a daily basis. In 2001, he started setting up bank accounts and post office boxes under the names of his former victims and collected payments. It isn’t long before authorities question the two people the scammer targeted; only to find out they are dealing with identity theft on top of auction fraud.

In other cases, scammers setup fake escrow services and websites. This way, the scammers can collect merchandise as well as collect payments. The victims never suspect a thing until they have already sent their payment to the fake escrow service or sent their merchandise off to the buyer thinking the payment is safely waiting in escrow.

Prevention of e-auction fraud….

• Become familiar with the auction website. Look into the websites protection policies. and never assume you are protected from auction fraud.
• Before placing a bid, learn as much as you can about the seller. If no information found about sellers, try to avoid doing business with them. Never fall for promises of better deals by moving away from the original auction website.
• If the seller wants you to use an escrow service you’ve never heard of, look into it. Check out the website. Call up customer support. If legitimacy cannot be confirmed, don’t use it.
• Never ever give out your social security number, driver’s license number, credit card number, or bank account information until you have thoroughly checked out the seller and the escrow service.
• Always save 100% of the transaction information. You’ll be glad you did in the event your case makes it to court.
• If after the sale you feel the item/payment should have been delivered already, try to work it out with the seller/buyer.

http://www.crimcheck.com/background-check-news/whats-internet-auction-fraud-and-how-do-i-prevent-it

The application of prepaid cash card for sunsumer

Prepaid cash card is enables consumers to purchase without physical cash payment. The consumers can pay cash by using prepaid cash card without the needs of paying extra interest. It is also a good ways for the internet user to pay for the conquest immediately. Prepaid cash card is different with credit card although it works almost same like a credit card. It is due to the prepaid cash card users can have a better control over their finance.

Application of prepaid cash cards:
1) Pay Bill - Rental, insurance, movie tickets, airline tickets, mobile phone bill can be paid instantly.
2) Shop anywhere as long as the card us accepted at different retailers, buys fuel at the pump, pay by phone, and shop on the internet.
3) ATM – Get cash from ATM at any time of the day, and any day of the week.
4) Money transferring – Some prepaid cash card provide the convenient such as send or receive money via bank wire transfers between two cards.
5) Pay for Toll, transportation – Touch n Go card is the card that can be used at all highways in Malaysia. It also can be used when we are taking the LRT or KTM in Malaysia.

The benefits of using prepaid cash card:
1) Quick and Easy
-Transaction can be made just within a minute so it is helpful to both the supplier and consumers.
2) Planned spending
-Consumers can plan in how much they want to spend in advance. Thus, spending is controlled by how much one has in the account. In a way, prepaid cash card give consumers a better alternative in keeping record of your spending.
3) Safety
-Having a prepaid cash card is surely safer than carrying cash. Prepaid cash card protect consumers from unauthorized transactions even when the card is stolen or lost.
4) Convenient
-Prepaid cash cards can be used at just anywhere anytime. Consumers can use it at their groceries shopping, petrol filling, movie tickets, airline tickets and even online shopping or any online payment. Or, they can even use it to withdraw cash from the ATM.
5) No extra charges
-Consumers don’t have to worry about extra charges over their card without their knowing. Because the pre-loaded sum of money is the maximum amount that can be charged to the card.

Mobile Payment Systems In Malaysia: Its Potentials And Consumers’ Adoption Strategies.

ELECTRONIC PAYMENT

As the inflation has became more and more serious, there is a need to explore and adopt new business processes that will help in reducing costs. One of the most effective way to increase the level of efficiency and thus reduce costs, is through the adoption of a more expedient and efficient means of payment. This task also involves taking advantage of the technology and innovation wave and to move towards more efficient payment modes. Studies have shown that shifting from paper based to a more electronic based payment system can generate an annual savings up to 1% of GDP.

Electronic payment channels are more easily accessible, user-friendly and offered at a low cost, if compared to traditional payment method. Electronic payment increases operational efficiency and improves productivity levels through expedient payments and receipts of funds. Electronic payments would also provide the speed and convenience of making payments from any place or time.

REQUIREMENT FOR GREATER USE OF ELECTRONIC PAYMENT

Firstly, the infrastructure for making payments would need to be widened and enhanced to provide the convenient access to electronic payments.

Secondly, the product range, the range of services would need to be expanded to cater for the different payment needs of consumers and business sectors.

Thirdly, the pricing framework, the formulation of a transparent and cost-effective pricing framework is important to provide the incentive structure that would spur the adoption of electronic means of payments.

Fourth is the consumer awareness. Program need to be implemented to inculcate the behavioral change among consumers. There needs to be trust and confidence in the electronic payment systems.

Fifth relates to the standards, the setting of common standards to address the interoperability of systems including standardizing the payment messaging format is vital to the wider acceptance of electronic payment.

Finally, is the need to ensure the security and integrity of the payment system which requires the supporting regulatory and legal framework.

Given the significant pay-offs from the low cost technologies in accelerating the adoption of electronic payment, the mobile phone is identified as one of the delivery channels that should be leveraged on.

POTENTIAL OF MOBILE PAYMENT SYSTEM

Payments via text messaging have the potential to grow in importance. With 25 million mobile phone subscribers in Malaysia, there are immense opportunities to leverage on mobile phones to accelerate the migration to electronic payments, to widen the reach and appeal of electronic payment services, to deliver innovative mobile payment products that offer speed, simplicity and convenience at minimal cost for the public, as well as to provide an efficient and cost-effective method of delivering financial services even in the remote areas. Therefore, there is a significant untapped and potentially lucrative market for mobile payment and banking services.

To achieve the full potential of mobile technology, it is important to identify the gaps in the service offerings, and plan the way ahead for Malaysia to make the quantum leap in e-payment adoption. To promote the significant use of the mobile phone, the industry has to respond rapidly to address the need for interoperability and collaborate in areas such as developing a common infrastructure, common payment messaging format, as well as common security and authentication standards.

Common standards and infrastructure will create an accessible, open and vibrant payment ecosystem that will attract a wider consumer base allowing all market participants to reap the benefits of a larger customer base. A shared integrated network with common security standards and common messaging standards will make it easier, more cost-effective, and more convenient for consumers, merchants and service providers to execute and receive payments, thereby increasing the attractiveness of the mobile network as a payment channel. Such collaboration will also lead to greater innovation and increased productivity that will contribute to the overall effectiveness and performance of the mobile payment system.

Finally, for mobile payment products to succeed and achieve widespread acceptance, it is a need to strengthen consumer confidence in the safety, security and reliability of mobile networks as a means for consumers to access financial services. Indeed, mobile digital signature, which ensures the confidentiality, authenticity and integrity of payments initiated from mobile phones, is one of the ways forward towards building a secure mobile infrastructure.

Useful links:

http://www.skmm.gov.my/what_we_do/Research/pdf/mdss_zeti.pdf

http://www.bnm.gov.my/index?ch=9&pg=15&ac=276&print=1

http://chowkamleeng.blogspot.com/2008/06/moblie-payment-systems-in-malaysiaits.html

http://wirelessfederation.com/news/category/mobile-payments/

http://www.bis.org/review/r030516e.pdf

http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContentItem.do?contentType=Article&hdAction=lnkhtml&contentId=1641838&dType=SUB&history=false

http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1360013&dl=ACM&coll=ACM

http://myconvergence.com.my/main/images/stories/PDF_Folder/july2008/MYC03_p14_21_MobSignature.pdf