One learns to walk by walking and, sometimes, the right path is the least traveled. However, it doesn't hurt to observe where others are going before deciding which direction to take. In this sense, the communication of new economy companies presents some interesting particularities that we gather in the following inspiring decalogue:
1. 360º Vision Communication actions are planned and coordinated with an integrated vision that takes into account all audiences and communication channels. Regardless of with whom, how, and through what channel it communicates, the company, its brands, and its people essentially transmit the same messages. Leveraging synergies allows for a greater return on investment and increased coherence.
2. Data-driven decision making The big data generated by the platforms themselves allows native digital companies to conduct prior research, monitoring, and evaluation of their communication strategy. Communication objectives are established based on key performance indicators (KPIs), which are tracked almost in real-time. 3. Constant learning Knowledge is the most valuable asset in the new economy. The speed at which the information society advances turns communication professionals into knowmads, who must have a positive attitude of constant learning. Success is achieved by testing, analyzing data, and considering every mistake as an opportunity.
4. The message, clear and concise Communication in the new economy does not beat around the bush. We live and decide quickly, in a world where 140 characters are worth more than a thousand words. For this reason, in the startup ecosystem, practices such as the elevator pitch are common, which consists of transmitting our business idea in the few minutes an elevator ride lasts.
5. Growth as an objective The figure of the growth hacker is the most coveted in the digital ecosystem. Understood according to the definition of the creator of this term, Sean Ellis, the author of the blog Startup Marketing, is someone who has enough creativity to drive growth.
6. Teamwork Teams in the new economy are multidisciplinary and have flexible, horizontal, and less hierarchical structures. In this way, communication strategies can be planned and executed in a coordinated and integrated manner, leveraging synergies through collaborative work. 7. User Empowerment The user is the main asset in the new economy. A user who becomes a brand ambassador is the best prescriber one can have. To achieve this, one must dialogue with them, make them part of our project, and empower them. In this sense, we find campaigns like #Wallacar, from the geolocated marketplace Wallapop, whose notoriety was achieved through the participation of its users in a social media contest.
8. Content is King "Content is King", Bill Gates predicted more than two decades ago. Content marketing is a communication technique commonly used by brands in the new economy, which have specialized teams in this area, to provide valuable information and entertainment for their target audience. The decoration portal Westwing, for example, looks like a magazine, instead of an e-commerce, and generates content such as the videos of the #40preguntasmuyWestwing.
9. Yes to influencers Organic positioning is increasingly complicated and requires a lot of time (and money invested in content) to gain followers and reputation. Alliance with influencers is a useful and recommended communication strategy, provided that the most suitable prescribers are chosen with whom win-win relationships can be established. The real estate portal Fotocasa, for example, has carried out all kinds of influencer marketing actions, from the collaboration of experts in sector reports - such as the elaboration and dissemination of the book Rental Market Trends -, to parties promoted through social networks by celebrities such as the #Fotocasaparty.
10. Analog (still) works The integrated point of view between the on and offline world, typical of digital natives, allows them to effectively plan their media strategy. In this sense, mass media, such as television, radio, print media, and even outdoor advertising, still play a prominent role, alongside the growing weight of digital.
This decalogue has been built based on the exploratory study collected in my doctoral thesis "Communication strategies in the new economy: advertising and public relations in the digital age", directed by Professor Josep Lluís Micó, vice-dean of the Blanquerna Faculty of Communication and International Relations at Ramon Llull University, which has had the collaboration of 4YFN-Mobile World Congress, Wallapop, Westwing and Fotocasa.