QUESTION

IQ Incorporated is dedicated to provide world class IT Solutions to help organizations like Mari Yerta, which are involved in non-profit activities like community support. Our objective would be to provide a comprehensive solution to build an online presence and provide a meeting space for all members of this organization.

It is suggested to tailor all formal and informal online channels available today to suit the needs of Mari Yerta. Key suggestions are to build an interactive website with full suite of features and functionalities as per the organizational requirements like discussion forums, chat support, online referral database. Utilizing social media platforms and other activities like SEO are recommended to boost the online presence and create awareness about Mari Yerta.

2. Requirements:

Mari Yerta needs to create a viable online presence which will allow them to spread the word and would also help to take care of day to day operational activities which include:

1. Supporting men’s group activities.
2. Empowering Women’s Group and addressing issues.
3. Networking group for youths.
4. Creating awareness campaigns and spreading the community issues to prospective supporters of the cause.
5. Supporting the cause through referrals and other means.
6. Providing physical and emotional support to all who are eligible.

Today’s highly networked world provides us immense opportunity to take advantage of the same and help Mari Yerta build a solid IT presence which would be beneficial in the long run.

SOLUTION

3. Proposal

The basic step in setting up an online presence is to create a website which will explain the activities of Mari Yerta and will also provide a platform for interaction amongst various support groups and philanthropic organizations. These should be followed up with a strong marketing campaign online utilizing the social media to the fullest to tap the real potential of connecting online. Below are the key proposed steps to be recommended:

3.1 Domain Name Registration

MariYerta.org domain name is currently available which can be blocked and registered. It will be the URL for the organization. Next step is to create a website which will cater to the needs of the organization. The website will have a mix of dynamic and static pages and will use Rich Internet Applications (RIA) to make it more interactive. We have vast experience in designing user friendly websites which are easy to navigate.

3.2 Website Build

The website will have a mix of static and dynamic pages so that the load and refresh time are minimal. The home page will detail out the Vision, Mission, Objectives and Goals of the organization. It will highlight the achievements of the organization and will provide key details of the founders and the work which are currently being undertaken. Specific website features and functionalities are described in the subsequent sections.

3.2.1 Discussion Forums

Discussion forums are new improved methods of online blogging and thread generation where most important issues related to the community can be discussed. 4-6 discussion forums can be created as per requirements like Men’s Support Group, Women’s Support Group, Youth Support Group, Awareness Campaigns Group, etc. It is suggested to keep the number of discussions forum to a minimum or else it often gives rise to information chaos. These forums need to be well moderated so that all issues raised are addressed actively.

3.2.2 Integration with Social Medial Platforms

Social media is undeniably the most important vehicle to spread awareness today. Facebook has more than 845 million active online users on a monthly basis, (http://newsroom.fb.com/content/default.aspx?NewsAreaId=22) with more than half of them about 483 million logging in daily. Tweeter is another medium where more than 50million tweets are generated on a daily basis (http://blog.twitter.com/2010/02/measuring-tweets.html). Most of the websites today integrate both Facebook and Tweeter for better visibility and creating awareness which is discussed later under section 3.4.

3.2.3 Referral Database

One of the important requirements for Mari Yerta is to provide credible references for aboriginal population to non-aboriginal population. This can be easily achieved by building a comprehensive online database of all intended individuals who have been validated. The same can be accessed online via Mari Yerta website by those who need the references or would like to perform the reference checks. It will provide a hassle free transaction for all aboriginal population who need help but is unable to provide references due to various limitations.

3.2.4 Live Chat Support

Chat is a real time interactive platform where individuals can request for any help which the chat support can provide. This tool can be utilized effectively to provide solutions from basic suggestions to full-fledged counselling services for those in need. This needs to be well moderated and integrated with the overall support mechanism. This will meet the objective to support all aboriginal population in need be it the basic requirements like help with gardening or to support grieving families who have lost near and dear ones.

3.3 Search Engine Optimization

Google has ushered in a new era in the world of searches. Its page ranking system is key to generate and display the most relevant results on the first few pages. According to iProspect Blended Search Results Study in April 2008 it showed that 68% of search engine users click on results from on the first page, compared to 62% in 2006, and just 60% in 2004.

SEO is now an indispensable tool for improving the visibility and this need to be followed religiously as part of online awareness creation strategy as results suggest that SEO needs to be continuously performed to improve the ratings. It should not be a short term awareness creation strategy as the results will not be beneficial.

3.4 Utilizing Social Media as a Tool

Social Media like Facebook and Twitter are the most commonly visited sites in the world today as already mentioned earlier. Creating a Facebook page will definitely help in improving the awareness as the reach is global. Mari Yerta Male Youth Committee already have a Facebook page but seems not to be well moderated (Appendix 1). As has been highlighted by Moran & Gossieaux (2010) and Yan (2011), the moderator should respond to the user questions promptly as it makes them feel that their posts and issues have been heard to, which in turn generates the feel good factor. Similar Facebook pages can be created for the organization or specific support groups and can be integrated with the website.

Facebook and other social media also help in spreading awareness in the form of WoM (word of mouth) by liking and sharing the posts and polls on their profile page. These are also highlighted in the form of news feed. Marketing Mavens associated can also help in a similar fashion as both of these techniques require minimum cost and maximum benefits (Laughlin & MacDonald, 2010).

4. Benefits

The major benefits to be realised based on the proposal are as follows:

1. Mari Yerta will have a credible online presence.
2. Online Discussion forums will help to take care of issues smoothly and it can act as formal event organization and awareness tool.
3. Integration with Social Media platforms will boost the much needed awareness creation campaign along with Search Engine Optimization.
4. The referral database will help to provide easy reference checks for aboriginal population in a hassle-free manner.
5. Real time chat support can be utilized for providing counselling and other interactive activities.

5. Conclusion

IQ Incorporated strives to achieve complete synergy with its clients. In this case, we understand the requirements and challenges being faced by Mari Yerta Organization. Our solutions are customizable as per the client needs and requirements which are aimed at providing complete array of services at the most cost effective pricing. The proposal put forth has carefully taken into account the key issues which need to be addressed carefully assessing the needs with the benefits. All in all, we look forward to a win-win partnership which will help us to serve you further.

6. References

Laughlin, J. D. & MacDonald, J. B. 2010, Identifying market mavens online by their social behaviours in community generated media, Academy of Marketing Studies Journal, vol 14. 1. Pp. 55-70.

Moran, E. & Gossieaux, F (2010), Marketing in a Hyper-Social World: The Tribalization of Business Study and Characteristics of Successful Online Communities. Journal of Advertising Research. September 2010. p. 235.

Yan, J. (2011), Social media in branding: Fulfilling a need. Journal of Brand Management vol 18, 688 – 696.

7. Appendix

The screen-shot shows that the Facebook Page was created in 2010 but has been lying inactive for a long time. Most of the Facebook features like post, polls, photos and links are yet to achieve an optimum level of utlization.

KI15