everybody can create a website, now it’s easy….. and FREE!!

Trying to get a homepage up n running is not a very hard task this day. I still remember few years back, write a homepage will require you to open your text editor type tags, validate your HTML, then find a place to host it and pay them for the service. Back in those days, creating a websites will require a company spending hundreds to thousands of US$ just to built a static WEB page.

Then few years later DHTML come to solve the requirement to have a dynamic website. ASP, PHP, and JSP enable people to have a database driven website. Updating content not necessarily change the HTML source code, web-administrator only need to insert, update, n delete database. Some -good- web developers also build a user interface to update the contents so clients can easily change texts, images, even upload a video.

Developers that have business sense, then package codes n database into a product. Make web developers’ job easier by not have to create everything from scratch, shorten development time, and most of all create opportunity for more people to create a websites.

WEB 2.0 make things even more interesting. User generated contents reduce web-admin work. Internet users can modify their own page, using easy to modify UI (started by Friendster if I’m not mistaken, where user can modify their profile page..). Blogging sites, more advanced social networking, made internet even more fun.

Some internet start-ups as well as all giants are in race to create the most sophisticated but easy to use applications. I’ve shared my story about google-applications. Saturday morning I got an email regarding newly launched Google product in their google application portfolio.

Before writing this post, I try to play with it and create a sandbox (http://sandbox.dotjuicer.com – not much to see, but for a person that not focus on web-programming it’s very easy… ).

I imagine a if this kind of application can be introduced to SMEs or even home industry in Indonesia. It will surely help them a lot. They don’t need to spend a lot, even they can do it in nearest internet cafe and build their website as if it built by professional web programmers.

So many things can be done; as a start, maybe universities can encourage their IT students to help nearest SMEs or home industries by set-up a short training course to use this new feature from google. This will have a meaningful impact to the community development. It doesn’t need to be sophisticated, the most important is to be exist in www world then any potential buyers can search them through internet.

Google, please get your emerging market team to Indonesia ASAP

we are not quitters!

This inspiring video is one of the Gudang Garam commercial (cigarette company in Indonesia) during last year Indonesia’s education day, inspired by true story about kids in a village in West Java that have to swim across a river everyday in order to get their formal education.

I’m very proud and sad at the same time whenever I watch that commercial; proud because we are not quitters country and it shows in very explicit way on how those kids are risking their life to get their rights. How those fighters do their best in order to get ready for their future no matter what.

I also very sad how this kind of story was not become an interested story to reporters (especially foreign reporters who just exposed Indonesia’s bad stories that create negative image to Indonesia. those reporters who over expose our wrong-doings and our fault without being honest to themselves about their own country). Everybody know the power of media, everybody try to expose every good deeds in the media, but I wonder where are those foreign reporters that can look for sensitive information related to Indonesia (a negative ones) when this kind of media coverage should bring those kids a better way to achieve a better education, a better future.

This story was taken from one of Kompas’ reporter article related to education day. Gudang Garam advertising agency (octovate) asking permission to take that story and make a commercial based on that true story.

the impact? civil engineering from University of Indonesia built a new bridge for those kids for free….

that’s how media can give power to powerless people… Hopefully, this will inspire more people in industry to build a commercial that also have positive impact to society, to Indonesia.

 

mobile marketing in Indonesia

(warning; it might take some time for you to read this article. I was carried away….. )

wikipedia says, mobile marketing is First, and relatively new, is meant to describe marketing on or with a mobile device, such as a mobile phone

Some corporate in Indonesia will refer it as SMS broadcast(90% of mobile subscribers in Indonesia have received at least 1 SMS promotional), sending unique number in some product packaging to special number and win a prizes (ok… I admit i’ve done it in my previous-previous job… because it was looked like a great idea; having a new revenue stream from corporate by selling the concept of “self funded promotional effort”). In short; like it or not it’s not a preferred extra service desired by a corporate although they know the potential of this new media.

Ok, so what’s exactly mobile potential anyway? These facts may support why marketing need to extend and explore mobile as a new media;

• Indonesia; 4th most populated country in the world has 20-25% of mobile penetration (compare with 8.9% -only- internet penetration) that will grow to 75% in 2015
• Average SMS traffic in Indonesia around ~300 million SMS/day (Telkomsel claim has 419 Million SMS/day in average every subscribers sent at least 10 SMS / day)
• People in big cities change their mobile phone in average once every 3 months; that make 90% of GSM handsets in Indonesia market already support GPRS/MMS unfortunately 95% GPRS/MMS supported handset users are ‘fake users’, meaning they don’t use their phone other than Voice and SMS
• SMS, still the sexiest product proposition for mobile carriers in order to increase activation rate targeted to youngsters
• 4 out of 5 people always carried more than 1 always-connected mobile phone (age 18-35)
• 3 out of 5 people sleep near their mobile phone
• 10% Promotion SMS (with interesting offer, e.g quiz with prizes, discount from well known brands) sent to mobile subscribers will get a response (2006)

Based on promising data above; I believe most of you will challenge it by asking “then why no body doing it…???” I’ll answer it by following reasons;

• Mobile marketing activities was started by Content Providers (CP)

(with all the respect to all mobile content providers pioneers that introduce ‘volume-game’ business in Indonesia ). Some mobile content business pioneers are already talked and executed mobile marketing by introducing ’self funded promotion’ (SFP) program. SFP was presented as a new way on ‘hard sale’ campaign activities in order to increase number of sales of a product by conducting a mobile contest or SMS quizes; how is it become a self-funded campaign? thanks to premium SMS. All SMS will be charged based on premium rate agreed by CP, mobile carrier, and off course corporate clients. The program is as simple as sending special number to specific short destination number/code (SDC) and will be charge more than regular SMS price (usually it’s Rp. 1000 – 2000 / SMS). Premium SMS revenue will be given to CP for funding the campaign (buy prizes, etc). What about the program promotion? it taken from budgeted promotion that planned to be executed within that budget year.

Depend on the cases and goal of the campaign; but most of the cases, campaign will be loose its own essence because CP will be calculating campaign program based on their nature of business; volume of premium SMS. Because some of the premium SMS revenue will be source of prizes fund.

If the goal is only for short term number of sales increase; I believe this will be the most effective program that can be done. Unfortunately; most of the participants are not brand’s target market. Even, in some of the SMS text program there always be a ‘quiz-prizes’ hunter, that join the program just for the prizes. As a result, there is no post promotion impact to the particular brand/product which wont represent corporate client’s goal. After few periods of programs; quiz prize hunters will find another programs that offer better prizes and programs will be subsidized (by CP, or sometime by client in order to save their image).

So, corporates then start to think it will be more efficient if they do the same program by traditional -send_to_po_box- way; because they can control end-to-end process and for them mobile will be less efficient because there’s no added value beside an ‘automation’ process of ’send PO.BOX’ way and it will only add unpredictable risk caused by low SMS traffic and some other technical problems.

• Stereotyping of mobile marketing and premium SMS by mobile subscribers

End user starts to view the type of ’send_unique_number’ campaign is another form of strategy done by mobile CPs or mobile carrier to increase their phone usage without any transparency related to drawing process, number of senders, and how’s their winning chance. It looks like from customer’s point of view a ‘who spend bigger money’ game. In some cases; it also encourage irresponsible party to ride on the campaign and create random fake notification via SMS about winner announcement.

Unfortunately; in order to get as many SMS volume as they can, some ‘naughty n opportunist’ CPs will make the program as subscription based program that ‘force’ customers to pay unwanted contents on daily basis. This case will cause brand owner will suffer and create unproductive impact to campaign goal.

• Privacy intrussion

This is another impression when I introduce ‘mobile marketing’ terms to corporates (at least some of clients that we’ve approached). Mobile marketing will be referred as SMS broadcast to random numbers about some promotions held by a brand.

Then what should we do?

IMHO, we should ‘juice’ mobile technology by;

• Treat mobile as a media; not source of revenue.
• Maximize its superiority value as a media that very personal, interactive, always connected, payment channel, and always carried
• Create exciting activity programs that align to the campaign goal
• Treat mobile as a complement to other media; don’t push it to be available to all campaign if it doesn’t relevant
• Treat mobile as a tool to create brand engagement, that create ‘we hear you’ impression
• Hear other industry expert about they think about how mobile can help them to ease their pain
• Educate both market and brand owner about above values and how should we do it

So, Octokers…. I challenge you to give me at least one activities that relevant to mobile that you think will be a great campaign model….. you can drop me an email or discuss with me at any chance…..

This source might give you clearer picture about mobile as a 7th mass media…

| View

Let’s differentiate ourselves by juicing mobile values in a right way… let’s be a pioneer…. put some passion on your mobile and be a mobile.juicer…

mind my english… :) (thank you my friend)

I got a message from a good friend. He commented my writings in groups and blogs that have grammatical errors (I don’t know whether ‘minor’ mean ‘little mistakes’ or it actually ‘big mistakes’ but he had no heart to hurt me thank you Ga!).

Through this post, I want to apology for my grammar limitations. But one thing for sure, it won’t stop me to write and produce awareness among my blog readers and off course I will do my best to fix my grammar.

I’m fool, hungry, and ready to learn from every mistakes I’ve made.

It’s Official !! MoU – IGADD Indonesia (MenKomInFo – Habibie Center)

Wednesday February 6th, 2008 Communication and Informatics Departement Indonesia represent by Mr. M. Nuh (Minister) and Mr. Ilham Habibie representing Habibie Center as a legal representative of IGADD Indonesia signed MoU that show government support on this non-commercial movement and action call to close digital divide in Indonesia.

Although there are still lots of works need to be done to achieve the goal, what was happened in minister’s office show government full support in this program.

Personally, I really hope this MoU will not only be another support on paper without any follow up actions. Hopefully this join effort of intellectual communities, professional volunteers, sponsors and support by government will lead Indonesia to close digital divide issue that hold back economic development in rural areas that will lead Indonesia to a better future.

who will pay?

See the sign? Somehow our brain process the word GRATIS(FREE) differently. When we read this sign, we will react by read more detail about it. If it’s a free magazine, even though we don’t interested in what the magazine is all about we tends to take it anyway. Free postcard was a trend in Jakarta couple of years ago; so many sophisticated design put in a rack and everybody can take it -although they will leave it somewhere, then somebody else will throw it to trash bin-. Now, nobody do this anymore, maybe because there is no functional value in it (did you really use a postcards? or is it collectible item?).

GRATIS (FREE) element will create buzz and attract people just like ‘love at a first sight’. Then people will try, soon when they don’t think it add value(s), it wont be an attraction anymore.

Most successful internet companies know the secret of GRATIS(FREE). It will take more than just converting clicks to cents. When FREE is not enough people will leave you then there will be no clicks can be converted; .com nightmare

On the other hand, consumers are demanding;high quality freebies. Quality will be evolve with consumer. When consumer has choices and get smarter, quality standard get higher.

Who doesn’t know Yahoo! ? When other freebies .com(s) are falling, they generate more revenue. They’re never promote their product specifically in Indonesia (except in the last 2-3 years), but there are more than 4 million yahoo! users in Indonesia, in fact yahoo messenger (YM) become a term when we refer to an internet messenger. 3 years later (Yahoo incorporated on 1995) a search engine contender named Google come. They challenge Yahoo! superiority on internet search engine and was very focus in search functionalities, while Yahoo! had expanded their service as one stop Internet service provider (News, Web Mail, IM). When Yahoo! offers paid email service with POP3 capabilities to generate more revenue, Google still very focus on generating revenue from internet search functionalities while they think how to become #1.

7 years after Yahoo! acquire RocketMail and launch web based email service (2004), Google offered ‘invitation-only’ 1GB quota web-mail service with extra POP3 capability and it’s FREE

Yahoo! and Google know that in order to generate critical internet user mass that make them worth to be called as a mass media they need to do more innovations (or acquisitions) to maintain best service for internet users.

On 2004, (IMHO) Google successfully create a buzz among internet users, not just give the biggest quota to internet users as what internet users looking for, by announce it as ‘invitation-only’ service it make all internet users looking for it. Not only become a hot topic to talk about among internet users (Word of Mouth) they also succeeded on implementing one-to-one marketing by giving invited users ability to invite their friends to be Gmail users so they can invite more friends, and so on.

Until now, Google innovations are still be the hot topic among internet users. Not only they always surprisingly make new things, they always deliver a better service if similar service exist.

On 2006, Google had beat Yahoo! on search engine usage once again because their innovation in internet search algorithm that made internet search more useful both; for internet users and advertisers. They create more value for advertisers and create great experience to internet users by give users relevant advertising based on their search keyword.

Google had constantly create innovation that made advertiser willing to spend more, by create so many functionalities that made internet users keep coming back to their site. Not to mention, they also enable their users to generate revenue from their website (blog, company websites, etc)

Freebies in internet world are paid by advertiser; why? Not just email, news, and other regular portal features, internet giants are in the race of innovations by combining elements that build more reasoning why advertiser allocate more budget in digital media.

Advertiser will follow trend from generic message to relevant and personalized message. This trend require digital media to do passive observation (what consumer searched, bought, accessed, typed) or create exciting interaction process (social networking, portfolio building, etc).

Passive observation can be done via user’s blog, what they’ve looking for in a search engine, and their browsing behavior. While interaction process that can make internet users define their own profile need to be exciting so they always have reason to keep coming back and reveal themselves.

How? let digital media giants be the inventor, I will be their follower and be innovator by combining giants superiorites

genius work!

19 minutes video that I’ve watched for so many times -although the site is published about a year ago- but still amaze with his idea and how he can reposition search technology and present it in a very genius way.

It’s about the reason behind http://www.wefeelfine.org . This site -arguably- is a real time people emotion summary that categorized by gender, country, and even weather. As usual, there are pros and cons about this site; I believe his innovation will inspired many people, either to ‘borrow’ his idea and implement it for a commercial purpose or use his findings for social purpose. The idea about observing people by accessing their blog really make his concept works! Originality of people emotion that shows even in a photograph that posted by bloggers can be seen in this site.

unfortunately, it still search on blog that written in English, so there are very few Asian blog captured in this site.

another thing that really amazed me is the way he present his findings with interesting user interface. well enough comments, check it out your self. btw, make sure you have enough bandwidth so you can get a better experience