Introduction
The Web has changed the nature of communication between firms and customers. The flow of information is predominantly from the seller to the buyer. The Web enables greater interactivity between the firm and its customers and gets much closer to each other since the relative ease and lower costs. Increasingly, customers use search to seek information about a company's products and services.
However, if Web sites are not interactive, they fail to exploit the potential of the new medium. It must be both attractive and interactive. The strength of the medium lies in its ability to interact with guests for a long term relationship, the first visit and thereafter. Moreover, it should be hard-to-imitate. With Web advertising, we must apply appropriate rules. And, we can apply appropriate rules by understanding the types of attractors. But, how firms distinguish themselves in a flat world?
After visited so many Web sites, we can identify those that seem to have the potential to attract more visitors. They are called attractors and they are also not mutually exclusive since it is not obviously distinct. Besides, we always have the potential to create more attractors and an organization is not restricted to using one form of an attractor. Taking a variety of approaches may help firms to maximize the attractiveness.
The Types of The Attractors
i. The entertainment park
ii. The archive
iii. Exclusive sponsorship
v. The club
vi. The gift shop
The Entertainment Park
We always need entertainment, it is a big part of our life. It is very common these days, firms use games to market products and enhance corporate image. For instance, Google changes its default search page to a game or an animation, to tell you stories about the day in the history, or let you play a small game to recall your memory about it. One thing I do remember very clearly is that Google Map cooperate with Nintendo insert the Super Mario Kart on the map, it was fun and makes you want to revisit the map and play. Once you get attracted, you may explore more information on the map and there are many businesses on it.
The Archive
This kind of website provides its visitors with opportunities to discover multiple interesting information such as an online museum, or any educational elements. For instance, Starbucks puts all its history and coffee knowledge on its website, to offer a better understanding of its profession and the story of the funder's passion. It enhances brand loyalty by creating belief and trust.
Exclusive Sponsorship
Be the exclusive sponsor of an event of public interest can be very helpful, especially for brand loyalty. Sponsorship attractors have very broad traffic potential and can attract many visitors in short periods. For instance, every time, during New Year's Eve, we can see firms put their efforts into sponsoring those activities such as showing their brand mark while the fireworks. Starbucks also sponsoring the rainforest alliance, an international non-profit organization working at the intersection of business, agriculture, and forests to make responsible business the new normal and to protect forests, improve the livelihoods of farmers and adapt to the climate crisis.
The Club
Humans are basically social animals, we need connections, communications, interactions, and a sense of identity. Therefore, people have a need to be part of a group and have satisfactory relationships with others. For instance, Apple regularly announces special events and WWDC(Worldwide Developers Conference) to interact with the developers and stimulus many more innovations.
The Gift Shop
Gifts and free samples nearly always get attention such as free trial and free account but charges when you need upgrades. For instance, Agoda has a membership program to reward their member who frequently books on their website or app. Banks often provide cashback program on their websites to induce you to spend more. American Express also has multiple reward programs to obtain the loyalty of its customers.
The Customer Service Center
This attractor is built for directly meeting the customers' information needs and it can be highly attractive to existing customers. For instance, Taiwan-based telecom company Chungwa Telecom offers free downloads of its official app and customers can get client services mobility and directly through its app. Lemonade Insurance company provides an automatic procedure with AI to handle claims of its customers. It's the world's first peer-to-peer homeowners' and renters' insurance company, where mobile users can get insured in 90 seconds and get paid for claims in three minutes.
Reference
Insights, G. (2020, September 18). Lemonade Insurance: There's nothing sour about this digital transformation. Retrieved December 22, 2020, from https://gdsgroup.com/insights/financial-services/lemonade-insurance-theres-nothing-sour-digital-transformation/
Watson, R.T., Berthon, P., Pitt, L. F. & Zinkham, G. M. (2008). Electronic Commerce: The Strategic Perspective. Global Text Project. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
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