Marketing Communications – Potential of Blog marketing In India

Changing media consumption habit of today’s consumer, who has access to multiple of these, is resulting in his/her spending the media time with different media at any given point of time. In addition to this, advertisers who are exposing the consumers to a clutter of advertising messages are facing the challenge of both - reaching the target audience and breaking through this clutter. This has increased the need of businesses to have online presence in today's competitive markets. Web Analysts suggest that one of the best ways to establish a strong footing in the virtual world is through Social Media Marketing. Be it through social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn or through blog posts, social media offers a unique platform to allow interaction between a brand and a consumer in a contemporary manner. Today, consumers look for in-depth information and know-how of a business/brand before taking it up. With presence on an interactive social platform, a business is subjected to a favorable light whereby consumer queries, information, and updates can be discussed openly and directly¹. A survey done by the global PR firm Burson-Marsteller proves that 79% of the Fortune 100 companies are using at least one of the social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and a corporate blog².

                                                                                                  

Figure 1. Source: Report on online banner advertisement market in India, IAMAI Aug 2008

Figure 1. depicts that the gap between the Claimed and Active Internet Users in India is decreasing. This shows that accessing Internet is becoming a regular activity and out of the above mentioned four social media platforms, Blogs can be used as one of the most effective tools of marketing communication in India. A report by LodeStar Universal estimates that there are 17.8 million active Internet users in the 16-54 age group in India, many of whom would have also used tools, such as instant messaging and discussion forums. Around 15.1 million or 85% of such Indians read blogs online. Social networking, picture and video sharing, online communities and Internet chatting and blogs are significant for 81% of the users. – WATblog citing JuxtConsult report³.  Blogs thus offer a bunch of opportunities to be exploited by companies for increasing  their brand image and value and in turn gaining an edge over their competitors. There are many reasons that justify inclusion of blogs in the marketing communication toolkit. One can access a blog or post a message at any convenient time. Blogs provide a channel for reaching a large number of geographically distributed audiences which in turn increases awareness and boost sales. Blogs are cost-effective, easier to implement than most of the other modes of communication and preferred due to their simplicity and informal nature. Use of blogs facilitate search engine optimization and improve traffic to company websites which are normally packed with information. Blogs help in brand building for the company by employee bloggers and co-branding by consumers / online audience. Blogs have been useful for swift handling of crisis situations and providing instant clarifications before substantial damage is done⁴. Blog advertising is also gaining momentum with more and more creative online mar-com managers who are ready to address the new breed of up-to-date consumers in the current market.

                                                                                                                                    
                                             Figure 2: Source: I cube, 2008, IMRB Syndication

Increase in the mobile phone users in our country also adds to the importance of usage of blogs for Mar-com. Also, there has been a considerable change in the content delivery with the introduction of the innovative applications like M-commerce, M-blogging and even location based services. This has resulted in the transition of applications from basic communication to the entertainment options like Mobile TV and user generated content like M-blogging and social networking sites (SNS). Appropriate content over the Internet will drive the users for using Mobile Internet. It has been expected that innovative applications like M-Commerce, M-Blogging etc. will help in attract many users⁵. The figure 2 below shows that 8% of the internet users accessing internet on mobile do the same for information search. This is where the blogs can emerge as an important tool for the marketers to communicate with their target.

Blogs along with corporate websites have a huge potential for addressing the youth market in India. Also, cost-effectiveness, instant penetration over wide geographical areas, scope for community participation and brand building would make this online media a favourite for marketing communication in emerging markets^{4 (IBID)}.

References

1.Sacchit Jogi (2011) Social Media Marketing: Moving with Strategy http://www.groundreport.com

2. Cover Story – Does Social Media really matters to Indian Businesses, 4 Ps Business and Marketing Magazine issue 18 Nov 2010 – 1 Dec 2010

3. India Internet and Web Statistics 2008

 http://blog.santoshmaharshi.com/2008/09/16/india-web-internet-statistics-2008/

4. Pal S. K. and Kapur V, (2010) 'Blog Marketing Strategies for Mature and Emerging Markets', International Journal of Innovation, Management & Technology, Vol.1, No. 4

5.IAMAI report on Mobile Internet in India, Dec 2009.

Bibliography

1. Facebook, Orkut, LinkedIn enable small biz scale up Nikhil Menon, Economic Times Bureau, Sep 1, 2008

Impacts of Community Based Ecotourism

IMPACTS OF CBET – ECONOMIC, SOCIO-CULTURAL & CONSERVATIONAL

Economic Impacts

CBET helps to raise local awareness on the financial value of natural & cultural sites leading to the economic development of the community of the area. One such case is that of the forest area joining the two villages of Siswan – Mirzapur  in Punjab, which is being developed not only to preserve the forests but also to improve the economical status of the local community of both these villages. The Punjab Forest Department has of late built a trek from village Siswan to Mirzapur (about 6 kms), which passes through very attractive landscapes & varied forest types. Tourists can also enjoy Bird Watching while trekking. The villagers who had immense knowledge of the flora and fauna of this area were engaged by the forest department to build this trek and were trained as guides and interpreters. They possessed knowledge about the medicinal and commercial value of certain plants there, which could be of interest to the ecotourists. Besides, they are aware of the existence and movement of the wildlife in these forests, which adds to the tourists' experience. In addition to the local cuisine, the village women are expert in making local traditional handicrafts (Phulkari embroidery of Punjab), pottery and many other articles. These can be sold as souvenirs to the tourists. All these activities together aim to increase the earnings of the local community. The Forest department is working on arranging Camel, Horse & Elephant Safaris on this trek and they also made a team of United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), trek on this route.

Socio-Cultural Impacts

CBET provides for transmission of cultural and historical traditions along with preservation of local heritage. The Hidden Valley which is a privately owned Ecotourism camping adventure site in the Shivalik Foothills in Punjab is a good example of the same. It is located near the famous Mata Jainti Devi Temple in Village Jainti Majri, very close to the union territory of Chandigarh. Besides being in the pristine nature, it offers Ecotours, Tents, Trekking, various Jungle safaris like – Camel safari, Horse Safari, Mountain Biking, Bird Watching, group games in nature, Slides & Swings, Cart rides, glance of village life activities and many more. For all the above activities, the villagers are involved and they portray their country side lifestyle and culture to the visitors. Besides nature education, and socio-cultural entertainment for the visitors, this helps in uniting the villagers / local community for a common cause of conservation and livelihood. Thus, CBET here helps to revitalize culture & traditions.

Biodiversity Conservation

CBET has become a popular tool for biodiversity conservation; based on the principle that biodiversity must pay for itself by generating economic benefits, particularly for local people. CBET provides incentive for conservation. The incentive can take several forms. The ideal is a direct linkage, in which tourism earnings are so high that people deliberately protect biodiversity to protect that income. Tourism can also draw local labour and capital away from biodiversity unfriendly activities¹.

Case of Ladhakh: Himalayan Homestays, an innovative community based ecotourism program by the Snow Leopard Conservancy, was a winner of the Global Vision Awards 2005 in recognition for its “exceptionally farsighted program” that links tourism with conservation through culturally and environmentally friendly homestays. The homestays serve as a means to support local mountain communities and protect the endangered snow leopard, a species endemic to the region. The program has also transformed the common perception of the snow leopard, from that of a dangerous predator that attacks livestock to an animal whose presence draws travelers and provides important economic opportunities to villagers throughout the region. With locals now increasingly involved in efforts to protect the snow leopard, Himalayan Homestays is a model of a self-sustaining and profitable conservation program. The program aims to ensure that hosts are able to develop unique mountain experience through Homestay, and obtain a fair return for their services & investment and to contribute to conserving local, cultural & natural heritage. The men & women are trained to be village based nature guides, offering visitors short walks or day hikes to look for plants, birds & other wildlife².

The significance of CBET is based not only on its economic potential and its intention to protect resources and culture, but also in its efforts to make the indigenous people think about themselves, learn to empower themselves through the capacity-building process, and sustain their resources. CBET can transform people in positive ways by increasing their power, confidence, & environmental awareness, more than just making them richer or giving them jobs. Furthermore, active involvement & control of eco-tourism products & services by indigenous communities will benefit the indigenous people themselves. The richness & diversity of indigenous cultures & traditional knowledge is an invaluable treasure for all human   beings. People will always travel. They will have the desire to go & see the wildlife in pristine areas worldwide. In doing so, they will learn from the cultural & biological diversity of places but would also be involved in measures to protect them. At the same time, many local communities that have an abundance of unique natural & cultural features and beauty are struggling with poverty and the impact of modernization. CBET, as a new option, may well be one answer to keep the balance between sustainable development and conservation³.

References:

1.     Kiss Agnes, Is community-based ecotourism a good use of biodiversity conservation funds?, Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Vol 19, No.5, May 2004, www.ibcperu.org/doc/isis/8351.pdf

2.     - www.snowleopardconservancy.org

      3. Ping Wang Jian, CBET in Northern Thailand,

           www.asianscholarship.org/asf/ejourn/.../jianping_w.pdf - Thailand

Community Based Ecotourism in India: Development Process

Introduction

Community based Ecotourism is commonly used to describe the type of tourism that, recognizing the significant social, environmental and economic impacts tourism can have, primarily focuses on tourism's benefits to the local community¹. The involvement and participation of community in the ecotourism activities generates direct and indirect employment in the form of eco-guides, boatmen, naturalists, unskilled labour, cooks, caterers, receptionists, helpers for upkeep of camping sites and in various other jobs.

Levels of community involvement:

The community can be involved in the CBET projects at various levels. This may be in the form of generating employment or involving them in decision making or giving them complete ownership of the CBET projects. The following levels have been derived by the team of Equations in their report of Community involvement of Ecotourism in Madhya Pradesh:

a) Tokenism – employing members of the community as drivers, tour guides, etc.

b) Informing – where communities are informed about the ecotourism development being planned and are involved through employment in the ecotourism activities.

c) Consulting – where the communities are consulted with but where the aspirations of the community might or might not be addressed. In this instance the community would have the space to influence decisions while not being a formal part of the decision making process.

d) Collaborating – where communities are seen as equal partners in the ecotourism development planned and are formally part of the decision making process. The community would then have control over the impacts as well as the benefits of ecotourism.

e) Ownership – where the community owns the enterprise, which becomes the capital of the community. Where the place, nature, forms, the communities decide all stakeholders and all others involved are supporters of the enterprise.

BENEFITS OF CBET

CBET has both tangible and intangible benefits not only for the tourism industry, biodiversity and local community but also for the entire human community. Generating respect for nature & awareness about ecological conservation, enhancing bio-diversity conservation, employment generation for rural youth in project villages, social enlistment / empowerment of rural weaker section, specially the rural women through self help group (SHGs), promotion of rural handicraft & technology and cultural and architectural heritage are some of the visible benefits. Besides these there are some intangible benefits including national integration through cultural exchange, mutual understanding, social harmony and enhancing quality of life.

CBET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

The community based ecotourism development process needs to be implemented though a well-defined and planned process. The following steps may be followed:

a. Identify a region / village offering natural beauty and a community in need

b. Meet with community / village heads to discuss the project.

c. Hold community meeting to introduce the project.

d. Get community’s suggestions and approval on the project

e. Design the work plan and seek funding

f. Establish a transparent work and profit distribution system

g. Identify key performers and start the project on ground

h. Start trainings –guide & interpreter, soft skills and hospitality, etc

i. Implement the marketing strategy (as the project progresses)

j. Monitoring & evaluation

k. Follow-up

CBET projects take time to yield profits and therefore needs a long-term effort including following up on monitoring and evaluation, as well as sustainable marketing, to ensure that the CBET progresses. Also replicating a successful CBET project to another location may need a lot of time. Thus, establishing a network which helps exchanging knowledge will be required. It will show the development of the different communities and promote good practices as well. The members of a network can join together in marketing or addressing rules such as policies or laws that will have an impact on the community. The CBET may then further be taken from community to regional to national level. It would then be easier to reach a proper institutional framework and financial support. Developing CBET at a regional or national level will strengthen community networks and mobilize them to act on public policies. The small communities may be motivated to work together and deal with their common problems such as weak marketing or low authority².

References:

1. Trent B Douglas, 'Developing community based ecotourism', from CECD – Community ecotourism Consulting & Development Inc.

2. Tuffin Bill, 'Community based ecotourism & the Public Private Partnership: Connecting communities with the global tourism industry', Community Development Resource Handbook, Published by GTZ  for development workers in Laos, 2006 http://www.ecotourism-consultant.com/Bill%20Tuffin%20web.pdf