Catch my online attention… if you can!
11/05/2015
Think globally, act locally! Several studies by Schlegel und Partner have shown that for global B2B companies direct personal contact is still the most important channel of communication with customers, employees and applicants, with the media and the public. In this direct B2B communication, intercultural competence is gaining importance.
But what about the corporate online activities of globally present B2B companies? Is it worthwhile for B2B companies to run a corporate website and corporate social media activities in the United States in another way and with other content than in Germany, India or China? What role do different target groups play in this context?
But what about the corporate online activities of globally present B2B companies? Is it worthwhile for B2B companies to run a corporate website and corporate social media activities in the United States in another way and with other content than in Germany, India or China? What role do different target groups play in this context?
Schlegel und Partner has analyzed the corporate website and social media presence of 15 well known globally present B2B companies from Europe, North America, Latin America, India and China and has held comprehensive interviews with communication managers from the companies about their corporate online strategy. The companies are active in chemicals, automotive components, oil & gas, wind energy, engineering, medical equipment and optical equipment and generate revenues between EUR 1.5 and 20 bn. Given that the sample of companies is rather broad, the key findings and trends are very clear:Regarding the corporate website, the companies found that most target groups are interested in content such as company profile and history mostly on a global level.i) On the website of a diversified global company, it is important that information about fields of activity or career offers can be found quickly and easily. Culturally determined patterns of reception and communication hardly play a role in this search for information. Therefore, companies are increasingly offering this content in exact translations into the languages of the main target markets. Regional and country-specific adjustments become less important.ii) Demand for country-specific information is limited almost exclusively to accurate and personalized contact data and countryspecific availability of products in case a company does not offer its whole product portfolio worldwide. Users want to find out as quickly as possible, by means of selection menus and redirects to websites of business groups or country subsidiaries, who the responsible contact person in sales or HR is in a particular country so that they can contact that person directly. iii) In China, the analyzed companies take typical reception and behavioral patterns into account in their online presence, as well as the countryspecific legal framework. Thus, for example, it is necessary to deal with
the fact that Chinese users have no access to international search engines. According to several interviewees, users in China expect that corporate content not only of B2C, but also of B2B companies is presented in a much more multimedia oriented way than users in other countries. B2B websites in China are often designed more colorfully and offer more videos and photos than in Europe. iv) Job starters such as school and university students and graduates are the target group most interested in country-specific information. In that period of their life, they are quite strongly influenced by cultural attitudes. So it is worthwhile for companies to address young applicants from Germany on a German career site differently from applicants from Spain, the USA or India.In social media activitie, the trend towards global appearances is quite similar to that on corporate websites. Again, country-specific patterns of behavior mostly play a role in recruiting and employer branding for job starters. i) The most relevant social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are global platforms. Users from around the world expect to find information about a company and its products in one global social media presence. For this purpose, it has proved as best practice to run one global YouTube channel where videos are grouped in topicrelated related playlists and offered in several languages. Countryspecific YouTube channels could potentially sow confusion about the YouTube presence.ii) The importance of LinkedIn in recruiting professionals is increasing. More and more internationally active companies are switching to one global LinkedIn page and making job searches easier by means of drop-down menus allowing searches for job offers in a specific country. LinkedIn pages of country subsidiaries are becoming less important. iii) As with career websites, job starters such as pupils, students and graduates can be most easily reached with country-specific offers. Facebook career pages are offered by many of the analyzed companies
on a country level. It is crucial for the success of such pages that responses to posts come as quickly as possible from country-based employees who are familiar with country-specific patterns of behavior.iv) As with corporate websites, China is an exception also regarding social media activities. Global companies use the country's own social media platforms simply because of users’ limited access to international platforms.Conclusion:
Several of the analyzed company are currently strengthening their global corporate web presence and are considerably reducing regional and country-specific offers of corporate content – except for recruiting. Creating and maintaining country-specific corporate content is costly and error-prone.
Especially in highly diversified companies, single business units run regional and country-specific sites if needed. The main target group will be customers looking for contacts and products (availability).Regarding B2B corporate content, a worldwide standard is evolving: Corporate content is relevant on the global level and must be offered on websites and social media platforms as clearly and as user-friendly as possible.
the fact that Chinese users have no access to international search engines. According to several interviewees, users in China expect that corporate content not only of B2C, but also of B2B companies is presented in a much more multimedia oriented way than users in other countries. B2B websites in China are often designed more colorfully and offer more videos and photos than in Europe. iv) Job starters such as school and university students and graduates are the target group most interested in country-specific information. In that period of their life, they are quite strongly influenced by cultural attitudes. So it is worthwhile for companies to address young applicants from Germany on a German career site differently from applicants from Spain, the USA or India.In social media activitie, the trend towards global appearances is quite similar to that on corporate websites. Again, country-specific patterns of behavior mostly play a role in recruiting and employer branding for job starters. i) The most relevant social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are global platforms. Users from around the world expect to find information about a company and its products in one global social media presence. For this purpose, it has proved as best practice to run one global YouTube channel where videos are grouped in topicrelated related playlists and offered in several languages. Countryspecific YouTube channels could potentially sow confusion about the YouTube presence.ii) The importance of LinkedIn in recruiting professionals is increasing. More and more internationally active companies are switching to one global LinkedIn page and making job searches easier by means of drop-down menus allowing searches for job offers in a specific country. LinkedIn pages of country subsidiaries are becoming less important. iii) As with career websites, job starters such as pupils, students and graduates can be most easily reached with country-specific offers. Facebook career pages are offered by many of the analyzed companies
on a country level. It is crucial for the success of such pages that responses to posts come as quickly as possible from country-based employees who are familiar with country-specific patterns of behavior.iv) As with corporate websites, China is an exception also regarding social media activities. Global companies use the country's own social media platforms simply because of users’ limited access to international platforms.Conclusion:
Several of the analyzed company are currently strengthening their global corporate web presence and are considerably reducing regional and country-specific offers of corporate content – except for recruiting. Creating and maintaining country-specific corporate content is costly and error-prone.
Especially in highly diversified companies, single business units run regional and country-specific sites if needed. The main target group will be customers looking for contacts and products (availability).Regarding B2B corporate content, a worldwide standard is evolving: Corporate content is relevant on the global level and must be offered on websites and social media platforms as clearly and as user-friendly as possible.
Download: 2015 SuP B2B online EN.pdf, 356670 kB