Business Enterprise- E-Business and E-Marketing

Business Enterprise- E-Business and E-Marketing

Task 1

Social Networks presence that would best suit your company

There are a number of social networks that would best suit the company of my choice, Unilever. First, there is the use of Facebook that can play a massive role in the strategy of the firm. Facebook has been applied as a strategic tool that is used in the marketing as well as the promotion of the different products that are offered by the firm. Facebook allows for the creation of the brand awareness (Sterne, 2010). It is important to note that Facebook allows the firm to be able to post the various products online so that the customers or the potential customers who are the users of Facebook can be able to see such products. The use of the Facebook allows for the exposure of the brands that the firm has (Noor and Hendricks, 2012; USA Today, 2012). The use of Facebook is also recommended for the B2C customers or the B2C operations of the firm due to the fact that it plays a significant role in the cost reduction as the costs of the access of the Facebook is very low on the firm as well as on the consumers who can be able to access them (Charnigo and Barnett-Ellis, 2007). Facebook is also used significantly as it allows for the integration of diverse media; videos, photos and other posts that are made by the firm can be used significantly to be able to promote the products that are offered by the firm (Anderson, 2010).

The use of Facebook also allows for the generation of user generated contents (UGCs) thus ensuring that the firm can be able to significantly reduce the costs that are incurred in the production of the contents (Zarrella, 2010). The user interaction in Facebook allows for the proper use of the customer recommendations as the posts that are made by the customers can play a role in influencing the other customers to be able to try out the products that are offered.

Secondly, there will be the presence on the blogs. The blogs can be written by the firm or the business customers of the firm. This social media presence is important if used in the B2B business operations (Bodnar and Cohen, 2012). The blogs allow for the generation of UGC thus allowing the business customers of the firm to be able to produce the opinions that will play a great role in the success of the firm (Newson, Houghton, and Patten, 2009). The main issue that also plays out is the importance of the word of mouth (WOM) as the elements that are written on the blogs are sometimes a by-product of the interactions that the business customers have with the firm. The blogs are important for informing the potential businesses about the products that the firm offers as well as the relationships that the firm can enter into with Unilever so that they can be able to increase their levels of success while also enhancing the success levels of that given business.

Report 2

Advice a small business on how to develop a mobile phone application There are a number of factors that are to be considered in the development of a mobile phone application. First, there will be the consideration of the constraints of the mobile devices. The constraints that have to be considered include the battery power and the battery life of the devices. The power on majority of such devices cannot allow them to be used in the extensive computing thus there is the need to ensure that the applications that are developed run on low power (Siegler, 2008). The other constraint that is considered is related to the issue of the processors of the mobile devices as they are less powerful (Pogue, 2009). Apart from the consideration of the constraints that are faced, there is also the need to consider the diverse screen sizes that are found in the devices, the consideration of the hardware specifications as well as the hardware configurations due to the fact that there is a significantly high and intense competition that is found in the mobile software industry especially coupled with the changes that are taking place in the diverse mobile phone platforms (La, 2012).

There are a number of benefits that the small business will be able to reap through the use of the mobile app. First, there is the benefit that is associated with the making of the personal and direct connections between the people. The mobile apps are more personal and effective as compared to the use of the websites (Ludwig, 2012). Secondly, the mobile applications also play an important role in building loyal customers due to the fact that they serve very useful purposes and it also makes it easier for the customers to make the purchases of the products of the firm. The mobile apps are also important in ensuring that the firm reaches the new customers as more people are always interested in the applications (Perez, 2012).

The mobile apps also allow the business to be able to collect the data relating to the customers especially through allowing them to be able to opt into the mailing list of the firm. However, the small business must ensure that the app is not intrusive at all times (Arghire, 2012). Finally, the mobile applications also play an important role in the distribution of the coupons and many people will download the apps if such apps have the ability to help them save money.

Far from the benefits that can be realised through the use of the mobile applications, there are also some of the limitations that will be faced in the firm (Miller, 2011). First, there is the need for internet connections at all times as the applications cannot operate without the internet connection. Secondly, they usually sit inside the chrome of the browser thus ensuring that some problems can be faced across platforms (Leggett, Boer, and Janoušek, 2006). There is also the element of the low control especially with regards to how the site is rendered on the different mobile platforms. The mobile applications cannot make use of native interactions.