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Orkut is a social networking site that was named after an employee at Google, Orkut Buyukkoten and launched in 2004. It was known as Google’s first social networking site. The social networks allowed users to search for keywords and see what other individuals online are searching. Orkut’s objective was to make an online community where individuals could connect with old friends, make new friends, and build long-lasting connections. Some creative features of Orku were being able to rate your friends and suggest products and services. Orkut had more than 30 million users (Mahoney and Tang, 2017). One advantage of using Orkut was its uniqueness and unpretentious strategy for marketing. The first that comes to mind when people hear Google, is software and technology or search engine. Google is an extraordinary brand for creating an incredible user experience that is focused on productivity and effectiveness. Social media is the only and/or first thing that comes to mind when you hear Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Orkut was a popular site just by the number of users it had and was a huge accomplishment to have that much prevalent among users. Orkut marketing plan led to the company’s success.

Orkut Features

• Create profiles
• Connect with friends
• Maintain a scrapbook of sorts
• Share interests
• Chat

The Good

The site was user-friendly and gave users some control over what changes could be made to maintain the app’s engagement and relevancy. Orkut focused on their target audience and set goals they needed to achieve. The company strategized to expand the site to suit users in several ways. The network site platform focused on social engagement and its users. Orkut was the main social media platform in Brazil and India and has a high user demand for several reasons. Brazil and India had a robust retail market and phones outnumbered individuals significantly. Furthermore, Brazil does not allow external marketing, so advertisers publicized their products through videos, blogs, and games (Mahoney and Tang, 2017). Orkut had significant influenced on users from the age group 18-25 years old and made a significant mark in 2010 when more than 36 million Internet users visited the site from home or work and spent at least 4 hours per month on social networking sites and viewed 585 pages of content.

The Ugly

The social site security was inadequate, which created serious user vulnerabilities. Orkut users had full access to view any Orkut user profile page. Advanced security settings were not set up to confine who could view your profile information as opposed to Facebook, where the privacy setting is available to all users. Orkut.com was one of the many services that Google-owned. Unfortunately, it was not a fundamental service. Google ventured and launched other social networking sites such as YouTube and Google+ that was rapidly expanding, and prevailed Orkut while improving on their visual, content and personalization features that aligned with their audience needs. Orkut was shut down in 2014 because they failed as a social media site to meet their audience needs.

Bye Bye Orkut and Say Hello to……Hello Network!!

A new business was formed called Hello after Orkut went out of business. Hello Network main goal is to connect people with similar interests. The social network platform is built on “loves” versus “likes”. It is designed to help users engage with people and the content of those who share common interests. The social media industry has major competition; therefore, brands have to stay relevant by keeping their audience engaged and meet their needs. Will Hello prevail or it will be like the fall of Orkut? (Sawant, 2016).

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References:

Heim, A. (2012, May 30). Google begins linking Google+ with Orkut. Is this the beginning of the end for Orkut? Retrieved from https://thenextweb.com/google/2012/05/30/google-begins-linking-google-with-orkut-is-this-the-beginning-of-the-end-for-orkut/

Mahoney, L. M. & Tang, T. (2017). Strategic social media: From marketing to social change.

Sawant, N. (2016, August 8). Orkut founder launches hello social network do we really need another one? Retrieved from https://www.firstpost.com/tech/news-analysis/orkut-founder-launches-hello-social-network-do-we-really-need-another-one-3686551.html

The Swiss Army Knife Of Apps (Weixin) #snhusmm #knowyouraudience #turnleadsintocustomers #strategymarketing #socialmediamarketing #allinoneapp #weixinisagenius

https://t.co/XqX2UUQlpg

Want to connect with your loved ones through text messages, video-call, picture-sharing or simply catch a cab? Well, Weixin is the way to go! Weixin is a Chinese-based company that developed a networking application in 2011 with over 1.1 billion accounts, 902 active daily users and 38 billion sent daily messages. The company targeted the younger population as their audience that are smartphone users with an all-in-one platform app. Users are able to access news, play games, share multimedia, and use GPS services. Weixin incorporates entertainment, service access, social media, text messaging and banking services in one application improving the mobile digital lifestyle smartphone users in China, Southeast Asia, Europe, and America. The company sets the trend and the example as one who knew their audience needs and wants through engaging effectively. Genius, right!? 

One App Fits All

Weixin is designed for a diverse and marketable platform. It is suited for all users that have a different preference(s) with available services and can be customized to its users’ specific needs. Social media represent the company as the brand advocate and focuses on the target audience and subsequent services. Therefore, the company’s success came by no surprise because they used their resources and invested in an application that would engage their audience and captivate their interests with convenience, options, and user-friendly capabilities. Furthermore, the significant rise of the application’s popularity is its multifunctional capabilities, making it engage with fans of social media mobile users and organizations. Weixin’s social media features became a part of people’s daily life and had a significant impact on social change and purchase decisions. Weixin realized that their customers depending on their geographic location would benefit from a taxi application, therefore, Weixin consistently developed and included different applications, as a result, a taxi app was implemented on the social media platform.  The most effective strategy Weixin adopted was to identify customers’ needs, analyze their spending and shopping habits and create an app that revolves around those needs and habits. 

Weixin incorporated the application into a culture to make a more appealing platform. The company is aware that the Chinese observes the Red Envelope Campaign, which are monetary gifts sent and receive from family and friends during the holidays in China. Therefore, the company implemented that feature in the application, which was a particularly great feature and strategy for the company to be immersed in the Chinese culture.  If many people in other countries could use this application, it would have been exceptionally helpful to send money to family and friends, and reduce users having to download other applications for that same purpose. 

Also, the application allows users to pay for taxis and hotels with their Weixin wallet. This is done by either using their bank cards or wallet balance transferred from their bank accounts or from red packets given by their partners. Weixin guarantees customers that they will work collectively and extremely hard to meet users’ or customers’ demands, lifestyle and interests. This allows customers from different backgrounds to individualize the social media stage in their individual lives. Definitely, Weixin set the bar for different companies to bring the same approach of engagement to reach their audience and convert leads into customers and satisfy their needs. This approach offers a brand the opportunity to increase the total rate on investment (Forbes, 2017).

Social media marketing is getting to know your target audience, connecting with them, learning their behavior and analyze their spending habits. Weixin applied this concept to their campaign and application. Understanding your customer through feedbacks, frequently asked questions, surveys and other methods is the key element in building an effective and strategic marketing strategy. Consumer behavior changes as technology advances. 

References:

Forbes.com (2017). Six key elements of an effective inbound marketing strategy. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2017/09/13/six-key-elements-of-an-effective-inbound-marketing-strategy/#47a96073326f

Mahoney, L. M., Tang, T. (2016). Strategic Social Media: From Marketing to Social Change, 1st Edition. [MBS Direct]. Retrieved from https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781118556900/

Put Your Breast Foot Forward. Let us Fight Cancer Now!!! #snhusmm #breastcancerawareness #memes #jointhefight #cyberactivism

https://brinablog.home.blog/2019/01/19/put-your-breast-foot-forward/

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Pink ribbons are seen everywhere and worn by many worldwide to support survivors and pay respect to the many lives fought and lost from the disease. We all have crossed path with someone that was diagnosed with breast cancer or lost their lives battling the disease. Unfortunately, 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime and over 200 men were diagnosed and 400 men have died from breast cancer in 2012 (Komen, 2012). The Breast Cancer Awareness purpose is not only to support breast cancer victims and honor survivors but to remind women everywhere to get screened to detect breast cancer early and take steps to reduce the risk. The contemporary battle against breast cancer has prevailed visibility of the disease and provide patients with resources to explore their diagnosis and gives a sense of hope for the future. 

Social media is an effective medium that can be utilized to address specific issues, raise awareness and engage audience through user-generated content. Health Nonprofits and Social Movements have used social media to spread their message through the acts that people make on their behalf of social media.  Cyber-activism is a dynamic form of social media mobilization. Real-life lived experiences have proven to enhance social media campaigns. With the easy disposal of the Internet and technology advancements, cyber-activism is an effective way to spread awareness for a charity or cause and promote personalized and fun. Cyber-activism and social media platforms have tremendously shed light on sensitive issues and support causes. By using social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to create health awareness have improved the experience it was intended for. It has allowed and encouraged people to participate in memes and boost their Breast Cancer involvement by sharing pictures and videos. 

Facebook Breast Cancer Memes

Facebook creates different memes that go viral every October to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Facebook breast cancer memes utilized humor to diffuse its message. This is an effective approach to bring awareness to a sensitive subject that affects many lives. The humor enables the audience to participate in a valuable experience that is difficult for many and allow the audience to take an interest and create messages that will bring comfort. Using social media to create comfort messages to uplift and shed some light on others that are going through a horrific journey is priceless and selfless. 

People tend to participate in social media campaigns that portray vulnerability. This is one of the few times people put aside their differences and come together in unity to express their support for a good cause. Therefore, society holds the power to impact a person’s life in a positive or negative way. Cyber-activism creates engagement and trust that allow brands to stimulate long-lasting customers behavior change. So, let’s FIGHT BREAST CANCER NOW!!!

Did you know? Content marketing provides four times the ROI of traditional marketing spend. It builds brand awareness, demonstrate expertise and trustworthiness. #snhusmm #contentmarketing #digitallandscape #startpersonalizing #2019trends

http://ow.ly/sDyz50kfDJ8

Sabrina Montaque | January 6, 2019 

CREATIVE and UNBELIEVEABLE are understatements when four Wharton University of Pennsylvania classmates innovate a prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses brand with little to no marketing work experience. They were displeased with the limited options the eyewear market provides consumers and took matters into their hands to make a difference…… Talk about persistence. 

The traditional eyewear retailers sell outside manufactured brands which causes the high cost in prescription glasses and sunglasses. Consumers are accustomed to the traditional way of obtaining a pair of eyewear by visiting a nearby retail branch for that touch, fit and feel experience before making a purchasing, despite the cost. But change was right away the corner. Warby Parker was established with a unique and strategic business model. Warby Parker is an eyewear online distribution company that offers consumers with in-house designs and more options that satisfy each customer needs thanks to social marketing. Each eyewear is sold directly to the customers and is far relatively cheaper starting at $95 as opposed to traditional eyewear retailers. This business idea is inspiring, creative and unique with millennial concept written all over it. It changes the way we do eyewear shopping, especially if consumers can save a few bucks. Warby Parker introduced a Home Try-On campaign, which allows customers to select five pairs of eyeglasses to be mailed to their home, then choose the best fit and return the remaining four, all free of cost. Yes, you read correctly, free of charge. How incredible is that?

Here’s how the campaign works:

• Take an online eyewear quiz to determine which pairs fit your face size and style.
• Choose your five favorite glasses.
• Receive a package with your five choices in the mail at no charge.
• Pick your favorite pair, make your purchase online after providing your prescription.
• Return the remaining four pairs with the provided prepaid return label at no charge.
• Receive your new pair of Warby Parker glasses in the mail.

After customers receive their eyewear, Warby Parker encourages customers to post a picture of their favorite pair on their personal social media account, for example, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to build brand awareness, reduce customer dissonance with the new product and builds loyalty. Customers also have the option to gain informative insights on choosing the right pair of eyewear by watching YouTube videos and tutorials. This option is perfect and highly recommended for visual shoppers like myself. Customers are encouraged to share their personal experience with other viewers by uploading videos on YouTube as well (Tobin, 2013). Recommending the company by word of mouth to loved ones and work colleagues also significantly help the business development and help at least one person who is in need to receive a free pair of prescription eyeglasses. Word of mouth marketing is about delivering an excellent customer experience that makes customers willing to recommend the business.

The Meaningful Impact of Giving Back

Warby Parker started a Buy a Pair, Give a Pair Program that funds individuals in need with a pair of glasses from every purchase made by a customer. How selfless is that? By partnering with VisionSpring, the company is able to give back to others who are in need, which has a tremendous impact on the business marketing strategy and changes how consumers perceive their purchasing habits. The company is pleased to inform customers that to date they have distributed over half a million pairs of eyewear to those in need worldwide. This is just one way the company illustrates what it feels like to do something good.  Over a billion people lack the resources and assess to eyewear worldwide and sadly prevents adults from providing for their family and prevent children from learning or attending school. Just to know that you are contributing to a major cause and not only purchasing a pair of eyewear to fit your style or a pair to match your face shape makes a big difference. 

Growing up in the social media era has expanded my perceptions and acquired knowledge of inspiring stories and information. Social media is a prominent platform and have helped many to create ideas, connect, share, inspire and to breathe.  Online retailing and distribution look to social media as THE platform or breakthrough to effectively help get companies message and product across to consumers. Using social media as a platform to reach customer or audience promotes customer engagement, effective feedback and communication to continuously improve the business, build long-term business relationships and trust. This will convince traditional consumers that online distribution is worth trying, convenient and cost-effective. Warby Parker relies on user-generated content via social media platform to bring awareness and change in the eyewear shopping culture.

References: 

Mahoney, L., & Tang, T. (2017). Strategic Social Media from Marketing to Social Change. Retrieved January 6, 2019, from https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781118556900/cfi/6/14!/4/2/12/50@0:1.66

Warby Parker. (n.d.). Retrieved January 6, 2019, from https://www.warbyparker.com

Image Source:

Warby Parker

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