Online Network Marketing for Community Building - Essay Example

Introduction With the technological development evidenced in recent years, more and more people are opting to conduct their businesses online. This is as opposed to the traditional offline business networking, which necessitates one to operate from an office or premise. By using online networking, people aim to market and promote their product and services. Online network marketing can also be used to build communities online as well as to promote the goods or services. The communities built online involve those people who will sell the product together with those who will buy it. In other words, it is an online community of sellers and buyers. By the year 2006, slightly more than a billion people were able to access internet throughout the world. This is the results of a survey conducted by Internet World Stats in that year (Nichols: 2007). What this means is that there is a potential market online of a billion people. This is a large pool of people who can buy or sell a product or service. It is not surprising then why there is an increase in the number of people who are establishing online network marketing businesses. The services and goods marketed online include education, consumer goods like drugs, and vehicles amongst others. This article is going to look critically at the online technologies that are used to build online network marketing. This network marketing is geared towards building online communities and promoting goods and services online. Objectives of the Study The broad objective of this study is to critically analyze of online network marketing for community building and business promotion. To this end, the study will be guided by several specific objectives: 1. How is internet used in online marketing, together with emails 2. content management in online network marketing 3. electronic document management in online network marketing 4. online training in network marketing 5. internet security in online network marketing 6. electronic payment 7. online video conferencing 8. user friendliness in online network marketing 9. social technical considerations Internet Usage As indicated earlier, more than a billion people around the world were already online by the year 2006 (Nichols: 2007). This number has continued to grow over the years, and it will not be far fetched right now to say that internet usage will hit the two billion mark by the end of 2010 (Foucault: 2009). This translates to a market of two billion people out there. People access the internet for several purposes; there are those who use it for communication, as a form of social media. These are the ones who use emails and social networks like Facebook and Twitter (Wilson: 2009). When selling or promoting products and services online, most people first recruits sales representatives and agents online (Bashir: 2009). The advantage of online networking is that the sales representatives can be recruited from anywhere in the world, unlike the traditional offline networking where they have to come from a certain geographical location. These agents are then encouraged to recruit others. The commission accrued by these agents reduces as one goes down the ladder, with the owner of the organization getting the lion's share. These agents are the ones who are in charge of selling the particular service or product that the company deals with. They recruit a consumer base, still online. The agents and the producer forms what is called a virtual organization (Irwin: 2007). The consumers, together with the virtual organization, forms the online community that is brought together by the particular good or service that is been sold. In order to create this community, promotion is needed. The producer creates his presence on the internet. This he can do by creating his own website domain. He then goes ahead and recruits the agents, who access his domain for details. These agents then use several means to recruit consumers. They may advertise their services and products on other sites related to their line of business. When the clients access this site, they are led to the domain where there are details on the products or service. To communicate with the clients online, the agents use blogs or newsletters which they sends to the clients email address (Saunders: 2009). Content Management in Online Marketing It is very important to manage the contents of the products and services that are been offered online. This is because these products and services need to be in line with the needs and expectations of the client (Malik: 2005). This means the contents of the adverts posted on the website, the content of the website itself and such things. It translates to images, words and even sounds in the advert or website. This content has to be tailored such that it fits the needs and expectations of the client (Malik: 2005). Content management is software that is used to manage the contents of the website or domain in question (Arlington: 2004). Also, the company can recruit people who can use this software to manage the contents of the website. They include content author and editors (Sandra: 2005). Internet marketers make use of software called geolocation (Saunders: 2009). This software locates the geographical location of the browser. After positioning the browser in the global map, it goes ahead to avail to that browser contents that are relevant to his location. For example, if a consumer in the UK browses the website of a Japan based vehicle manufacturer, the software will avail to him the information on the availability of the vehicle in London or other UK location. Another technology that is used to manage content is what is referred to as "different content by choice" (Alberta: 2007 23). The browser accesses the website, and then selects his geographical location, and data relevant to that location is availed. Another is "automated different content" (Alberta: 2007 23). This is whereby content availed to people at different geographical locations around the globe is automated. Electronic Document Management This is the means through which the business can access documents that are on the internet. The access to these documents may sometimes depend on the size of the document, the type of software used to access the document and the geographical location of the person (Hassel: 2005). In internet marketing, the clients, the agents and the producer all need to access the documents on the web, read them, modify, store or send them. For example, the seller needs to send a newsletter to the client through the email, and the client needs to access that letter, read it and order what he wants. There are several softwares that the company or the client can use to this end. Content Central, marketed by Ademero, helps the user to access documents, read them, edit them or do whatever they want with the document (Foucault: 2009). Others are FileNet Content Manager by IBM, FileHold Document Management by FileHold amongst others (Foucault: 2009). As indicated earlier, these softwares make it possible for the user to retrieve electronic documents and format them. Without this, e-marketing will be impossible since there will be no way for people to communicate or make decisions based on the availability of online information. Online Training and Online Marketing It has been indicated elsewhere in this paper that education can be offered online. This is what is referred to as online or virtual training. People can study for their degrees from the comfort of their homes. Or they need to do is register for the online degree program. However, some of these online degree programs have been found to be fakes. There have been cases where people have been swindled out of their money by studying for a non-existent degree (Dunham: 2006). However, this has not stopped many institutions from offering online courses to students who are scattered around the globe. These institutions can be said to be marketing their education online. When it comes to online marketing, companies need to train their agents on the specifics of the products that they are expected to sell. This is conducted online. The agents can also train online, using the resources available on the internet, to enhance their expertise in e-marketing. For example, Dave Chaffey offers a resource called "digital marketing online" for those people interested in improving this skill (Wilson: 2009). Internet Security Online marketing, with all its advantages and strong points, faces one threat that hampers its operations. This is internet security. The users of the internet are scared that their personal details, like the details of their electronic pay cards, will be disclosed to third parties (Fawkner: 2006). This is information security concerns. The seller has to assure the customer on the safety of his personal information. This is because without this security, customers will be unable to pay online, which will hamper the operations of the business. Many people use encryption software to protect personal data that is transferred online (Foucault: 2009). This means that only the authorized recipient can make sense of the information. Another nightmare for these people who are conducting business online is access of personal information by hackers. These are the people who prowl the internet looking for systems to penetrate, after which they collect information which they are not authorized to. This access is referred to as hacking (Hassel: 2005). A hacker can access the data base of the producer and take the list of all the suppliers and clients of this company. He might then use this information to sabotage the operations of the company. This is a threat that has to be considered by a person who connects his computer to the internet. To protect the unauthorized access of files and internet account occurring to ones computer, many people uses passwords (Irwin: 2007). Without this password, access to the files and account is denied. For instance, one has to use a password to access their email accounts. Periodical change of this password, together with using sophisticated yet easy to remember passwords ensures that the security of ones files and account is assured. Attack of the computer system by virus is another threat to internet security. This occurs when a program that contains this virus is opened by the computer user. Other malicious programs are also referred to as Trojans or worms (Kirk: 2009). The danger of a virus attack is that it can disable the whole system. This is dangerous considering the fact that the computer is the life line of an online business. The malicious program can also be used to spy on the host system. This is a risk to the safety of the files and accounts in the system. To counter this threat, people use what is normally referred to as antivirus software (Foucault: 2009). This software detects and destroys a virus or worm that is threatening to access the system. This software (antivirus) is also available from the internet. This means that a person can buy antivirus direct from the internet and install it in his computer. There are many brands of this software. These include Norton, ZoneAlarm, Comodo and others (Saunders: 2009). The client should be cautious to purchase the most up to date and most effective antivirus. This is because low standards and expired softwares also do exist. Electronic Payment in Internet Marketing It follows that when someone purchases an item online; he also has to pay for it the same way; online. This is a very convenient way of paying for services and products since it is easy, secure and time saving (Bashir: 2009). The person does not need to draw and mail checks. Neither is he required to present himself physically to the recipient. This means that a debt can be settled across continents with only the click of a mouse. All the payer has to do is to authorize for the transfer of a certain amount of money from his account to the account of the receiver, in real time. When the seller receives the money through the internet, he can sell it to the end user. In UK, this is normally Paypal and Paypoint. This end user will then hands over money of the same value to the seller, after deducting transaction fees. Normally, the fees charged are very small, such that in overall, it becomes easier to pay for business using this system than to use the bank (Alberta: 2007). However, this system has some pitfalls associated with it. There are problems with the host nation that the money will finally land on how to tax it (Alberta: 2007). This is also a easy means of laundering money by international criminals. This is because money that will be transferred through long distances and many routes becomes hard to trace. There is also the problem of exchange rates. The usual fluctuations make it possible for the seller to incur losses, since he can go to exchange his money when the rates are below what he had envisioned when he sold to the client. On-line Video Conferencing When conducting online marketing for community building and business promotion, it becomes very important to be able to communicate with the clients and the producers. There is need to hold meetings to discuss crucial issues in the virtual organizations and also to interact with ones client (Dunham: 2006). Video conferencing makes this possible. The producer can hold meetings online, with the added advantage of been able to see the other person (Michelle: 2008). He is able conference with many people from different parts of the world at the same time. Video conferencing has some advantages over conventional conferences which are held over the phone or in physical meetings (Malik: 2005). They are cheap, and the communicators can see the physical reactions of their partners, making it very easy to decipher sign language which could not have been transmitted on the phone. Several firms have emerged which hosts online video conferencing. These include MegaMeeting Professionals, Sight Speed and others. User Friendliness and Online Marketing When a client wants to access a product or a service online, he typically accesses the website of the producer, or the domain where the product is available. It is very important to make his experience when he visits this site as nice as possible. This can only be done if the site is made user friendly (Saunders: 2009). This means that the adverts that appear on the site, together with the ease of browsing the site, will have a positive impression on the client. He is then likely to buy the product, leading to the success of the business. This can be achieved by making it possible for the consumer to locate the product that he wants on the site. Some colorful adverts that keep flashing on the screen are likely to irk the user, and he will ignore them. User friendliness can be achieved by the company hiring a reputable web designer who will design an appealing site. Also, the means of paying for the service online should be made easier, such that the user is able to pay very fast, without wasting his time. Social Technical Issues and Online Marketing Technology has effects on the social structure and functioning of the society. This is what is referred to as the social technical effect of technology. This is no different in online marketing. When business is conducted online, there are effects on the social aspects of the people involved in the business as well as to the whole society (Foucault: 2009). The designers and operators of online businesses should consider the interplay between people and the technology with which they are in contact. Such issues include the privacy of the users. It is a fact that when the person goes online, his privacy is put at risk. Many people can access his personal information, for instance from the data bank of the organization. This is also when the issues of ethical conduct comes in. many organizations have been known to sell fake products to their clients, or misleading details posted on the website. This is unethical, since the details do not match the real product. Other social technical issues that are involved in this kind of business are the hacking and attacking of computers with viruses. This affects that people who are associated with these computers. Conclusion Online network marketing is the most common form of conducting business in the twenty first century. This has been made possible by the ease with which people can now access internet and other online services. This development is in line with the globalization phenomenon, which can also be associated with the twenty first century. People can conduct business on other parts of the world without traveling to these locations. Products and services can be availed and sold around the globe. This paper has discussed several technologies that are associated with this form of business. Amongst the technologies discussed is the use of softwares to manage the contents of the content of websites and adverts that are placed online. The content has to be relevant and useful to the consumer. Managing and handling of electronic document was also examined, and technologies and softwares that make this possible discussed. The writer also noted the interplay that is there between the technological advancement and social life of all those involved. Notable is the threat to the privacy of the individual by accessing his personal information to third parties who are unauthorized. References Alberta, S. P. (2007). Success in Online Marketing Business. London: Atlantic Publishers. Arlington, C. G. (2004). Online Marketing Research. New Jersey: McGraw-Hill Publishers. Bashir, F. G. (2009). Home-Based Online Marketing. 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