Research Report
(Telstar Corporation limited)
Introduction
This report discusses the social media presence and strategy of Telstra Corporation Limited. The social media strategy and presence is a strategy that helps the company to target its customers through social media and for which the company develops its social media presence by following different actions. In addition, social media strategy helps the company like Telstra as a powerful and effective tool which helps in marketing the products and services and providing the social media benefit to a large extent (Kim & Ko, 2012). For getting the social media benefits, companies are required to develop a clear strategy and present them an inefficient manner in order to market the products and services efficiently.
In this report, the researcher discussed different aspects that are analyzed and evaluated in relation to Telstra such as social media presence, social media audience, social media marketing, social media marketing, ethics, privacy and security (Michaelidou, et al., 2011). These all aspects are playing important role in analyzing the telecommunication services of Telstra which is offered to the customers. Overall, this study will help the researcher in using the secondary data for developing understanding and gather in-depth knowledge for social media strategy and presence in respect to Telstra.
Company Profile
Telstra Corporation ltd. is an Australian owned telecommunication and media company that operates its business in telecommunication network services like voice, mobile, pay television and internet access, etc. Telstra was founded in the year 1975 (42 years ago) and was formerly named a Telecommunication Commission Australian. The head office of Telstra is located at 242, exhibition street, Melbourne, Australia and deals in the wholesale product & service market (Telstra, 2017). In Australia, Telstra is one of the largest telecommunication companies as it is a fully privately owned company. Telstra is focused more on targeting customers by undergoing a change program in order to achieve growth in the international market.
There are different products and services which are offered by Telstra to the customers such as fixed-line and mobile telephony, internet services, entertainment services, etc. Telstra market position is very wide as it manages to target the customers for a long term period for remaining at the largest position in telecommunication services. In 2011, Telstra successfully targeted its customers and extended its market share to the next level by providing mobile phone products at discounted prices (Telstra, 2017). In addition, Telstra believes in connecting the people easily to each other by providing the best communication services and for that using the opportunity and building efficient technology which makes it easy to use the telecommunication services for customers.
Discussion and Analysis
In today’s developing technology, social media is a changing marketing trend or a way that changes the way of living and helps companies to target large numbers of customers easily. Telstra is one of the largest telecommunication corporations limited which is also using the social media strategy in order to provide online services to customers like joined forces with Facebook to target the customer online (Telstra, 2017). In other words, social media is an opportunity for the companies to develop their customer services for that company develop or builds the social media strategy in order to push the telecommunication to complete more transactions through social sites. The social media engagement of Telstra is huge as it serves globally with its services by targeting the Asia-Pacific region. Moreover, Quan-Haase & Young (2010) also stated that using any online media source helps the companies to share different characteristics like participation, openness, conversation, connectivity and community, etc.
Social Media Presence
The social media presence of Telstra is different as it uses different sources of online media like Facebook, YouTube, and CrowdSupport and so on. These all media sources provide support to the company to connect and develop relationships with the people (customers) easily. According to Hogan (2010), social media presence is a way through which a company builds its own account on the social sites for targeting and reaching to large numbers of customers easily. In other words, the time taken by the company to interact with the customers through a social site account is defined as a social media presence. The social media platform provides an opportunity to the companies by sharing the information about products and services.
While analyzing the social media presence of Telstra, it is identified that the company has an account on Facebook, YouTube which it presents is determined by the customers on the social media sites. The social media presence of Telstra is evaluated on the basis of releases and announcements which it makes online regarding new products and services or offers for the customers. Moreover, Kietzmann, et al., (2011) also illustrated that social media presence also creates a huge effect as it assists the company in handling and managing the complaints of the customers. At the same time, it is also found that there are large numbers of people who prefer to avail the services only after they search the complete information about the products and services offered.
While analyzing the social media presence of Telstra, it is observed that Telstra is using the social media channels efficiently as it provides complete in-depth knowledge about the products and services i.e., all features and characteristics which customers want to know. In like manner, this study also enables the firms to analyse and evaluates the social media presence by collecting the customer’s feedback for the services offered (Saravanakumar & SuganthaLakshmi, 2012). This social media presence helps in reducing the wastage of time of the customer by also providing additional banking online services for doing online purchases. The trend of social media presence is now increased to a high extent as this motivates the customers to purchase the products and services easily as well as helps the company to interact with customers easily.
Social Media Audience
The social media audience of Telstra is customers and competitors firms that are also serving in the same field of services. The relative customers (users) are those who are directly or indirectly connected with the organization and are keen or concern about the announcement and post which organization makes on social sites. In context to it, Leung, et al., (2013) explained that customers or audiences of the company are the ones who purchase the goods from the company and also uses their services inefficient manner. On the other hand, there are some non-relative audiences or customers who use social media networks or sites but are less concerned about the company’s products and services which company offers (De Vries, et al., 2012). These customers are probable customers for the company whom the company can target or approach the customers for making them satisfied with the products and services.
For example, when we conduct any party then we invite our friends at our home but at the same time, the problem arises because of neighbours who are old and have a problem with a loud noise. In this situation, there are two audiences one is a neighbour and the other is a friend to whom I will invite for a party. In context to it, Michaelidou, et al., (2011) stated that a social media audience is the best source to target the wide market easily and efficiently as this helps the company to reach their products and services. Further, evaluating the social media audience, the company conducts proper research or survey in order to identify the customer’s views of the company’s products and services.
In addition to this, the social media audiences of Telstra are also measured by the company in order to identify and understand the number of audiences who likes or unlike or subscribe to the YouTube videos of the company on a daily basis. This analysis and evaluation process supports the company to make future plan decisions related to digital marketing strategy. On the other hand, Dutta (2010) also demonstrated that the social media marketing of Telstra is different from other companies as it fully deals in telecommunication services because of which it becomes easy for the company to develop a strategy or social media network with its customers online.
Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing is playing an important role in marketing products and services in the competitive market efficiently and effectively. According to Baskin (2013), marketing is the art of displaying products and services in a story format in front of people for attracting their interest in their products and services. In the research study of Kaplan & Haenlein (2010), it has been clearly studied that social media marketing is a prime focus of the business entities as they are more concerned about growing their market value and share. While studying, it is identified that commercial firms are more concerned about making an effective community by using the efficient marketing approach at the respective target market.
Cross (2014) also elaborated that social media marketing has high importance for a company as it supports the company to make their decisions as well as helps the company to understand the customer point of view so that relationships with customers can be developed to large extent. Telstra Company uses social media marketing in different segments of the business for which the company has designed an effective website by considering the user-friendly techniques and features (Jin, et al., 2014). Through this, Telstra focus on adopting the digital marketing strategy in term of creating advanced technology company because users are now highly techno-savvy.
As social media is used by companies rapidly and efficiently, as through this numbers of customers are easily attracted and targeted towards the company’s product and services. The social media marketing technique includes videography, photography and story-telling which helps the company to focus on the products and services as well as enables the company to target the probable customers with effective content delivery (Michaelidou, et al., 2011). For Telstra, social media marketing is an opportunity as well as a strategy that helps the business to achieve success as this is the best way to promote customer awareness about the company’s brand and its product and services (Telstra, 2017). While evaluating the social media marketing of Telstra, it is found that social media marketing provides the company with the essential platform in order to improve the services. At the same time, Lee (2011) also explained it also helps in providing the review for the strategy which are used in digital transactions so that future plans can be developed accordingly.
Ethics, Privacy and Security
Ethics
In regard to ethics, it is recognized that the company Telstra has stuck to a wide range of codes of conduct. The company provides well prominent and professional services to its customers. The company has always given due consideration to ethical parameters. The code of conduct of Telstra is to behave ethically and to maintain an environment that is fully free from unlawful discrimination, harassment, etc (Xiang & Gretzel, 2010). It’s ensured by the company that it will work effectively and efficiently and within the authority been delegated. The company is further committed to a long-term shareholder value, and have adopted all possible ways to safeguard their interests and to maintain effective communication with them (Brennan, et al., 2011).
Privacy
In this perspective, the Telstra Company takes the due responsibility to protect the privacy of its customers at any cost. The company needs to collect, store and use a wide range of information as it helps in providing the products and services to the customers. The company ensures that this information will be protected and kept safe and the data will be secured. The company has adopted many strict rules and policies to keep the private information of the customers safe and secure (Sidgman & Crompton, 2016). The company also focuses on designing the most prominent and effective strategies that will result in producing innovative and adequate services for the customers.
Security
Telstra provides 100% commitment regarding the security of the data and information. It offers safe and secure processing of transactions offline as well as online. It plays a significant role in providing security services to its customers by securing their transactions, passwords, PIN number, client numbers, etc. It has shifted its focus on designing and building effective strategies to increase the security of the customers. The company has used advanced technology to further provide effective services to its customers (Rahman, et al., 2016).
Social Media technologies
Social media technologies are computer-based technologies that help in creating, sharing, storing the information, data, ideas, interests of the communities and networks. There are many various kinds of social media technologies been used such as, Facebook, twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, etc. These social media technologies help in attracting huge customer base and it also influences the buying behavior of the customers at the same time. Social media has changed the way we used to live earlier. It has decreased the manual work to a great extent (Pabel & Prideaux, 2016).Telstra has also used the social media to respond to the queries of its customers instantly and on time. The social team of the company has also grown from 15 to 30 full time staff in around 2 an half years. Social media has helped Telstra to stay in touch with its customers 24*7 (Telstra, 2017). Telstar has joined with Facebook and twitter where a team monitors the queries and comments posted by the customers, solving their problems, etc. The company’s social media strategy is a part of the Telco’s push in order to complete more of the transactions via internet (Harrigan, et al., 2015). The head of Telstra said that, the company needs to go out and reach the customers where they lies and found that millions of regular customers are found on Facebook daily. So, company thought it as a opportunity and starts to deliver its services there on internet.
Conclusion
From the above study, it can be easily summarized that in today’s changing economy, social media is playing a vital role in a competitive market environment. In other words, social media enables the Telstra Company to develop a strong and effective relationship with the customers in order to develop and grow in the telecommunication market services. In addition to this, it is also observed that using social media requires a proper strategy for targeting a mass population at the same time and this leads to the social media presence of the company. This research study helped in analyzing the different aspects of Telstra related to the social media status and the efforts which company made in targeting the customer services.
After analyzing the social media presence and audience of Telstra, it is identified that the company is targeting its customers efficiently as social media presence is providing support to the company in increasing the number of customers by satisfying their needs. This study also helps in determining the importance of ethics, security and privacy and also social media marketing by measuring the code of conduct or strategy that a company uses to make its social media presence effective.
References
Baskin, J. S. (2013). Google, Facebook, And The Rise Of Zombie Marketing. Retrieved from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathansalembaskin/2013/10/14/googlefacebook-and-the-rise-of-zombie-marketing/#2822f9fe6299
Brennan, L., Binney, W., McCrohan, J., & Lancaster, N. (2011). Implementation of environmental sustainability in business: Suggestions for improvement. Australasian Marketing Journal (AMJ), 19(1), 52-57.
Cross, M. (2014). What is Social Media? Social Media Security. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-1-59749-986-6.00001-1
De Vries, L., Gensler, S., & Leeflang, P. S. (2012). The popularity of brand posts on brand fan pages: An investigation of the effects of social media marketing. Journal of interactive marketing, 26(2), 83-91.
Dutta, S. (2010). What’s your personal social media strategy. Harvard business review, 88(11), 127-130.
Harrigan, P., Soutar, G., Choudhury, M. M., & Lowe, M. (2015). Modelling CRM in a social media age. Australasian Marketing Journal (AMJ), 23(1), 27-37.
Hogan, B. (2010). The presentation of self in the age of social media: Distinguishing performances and exhibitions online. Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society, 30(6), 377-386.
Jin, Y., Liu, B. F., & Austin, L. L. (2014). Examining the role of social media in effective crisis management: The effects of crisis origin, information form, and source on publics’ crisis responses. Communication Research, 41(1), 74-94.
Kaplan, A. M., & Haenlein, M. (2010). Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of Social Media. Business Horizons, 53(1), 59-68.
Kietzmann, J. H., Hermkens, K., McCarthy, I. P., & Silvestre, B. S. (2011). Social media? Get serious! Understanding the functional building blocks of social media. Business Horizons, 54(3), 241-251.
Kim, A. J., & Ko, E. (2012). Do social media marketing activities enhance customer equity? An empirical study of luxury fashion brands. Journal of Business Research, 65(10), 1480-1486.
Lee, T. (2011). Telstra reveals social networking strategy. Retrieved from: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/telstrareveals-social-networking-strategy/newsstory/51afa740518c0020465483b76e3ef537
Leung, D., Law, R., Van Hoof, H., & Buhalis, D. (2013). Social media in tourism and hospitality: A literature review. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 30(1-2), 3-22.
Michaelidou, N., Siamagka, N. T., & Christodoulides, G. (2011). Usage, barriers and measurement of social media marketing: An exploratory investigation of small and medium B2B brands. Industrial marketing management, 40(7), 1153-1159.
Pabel, A., & Prideaux, B. (2016). Social media use in pre-trip planning by tourists visiting a small regional leisure destination. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 22(4), 335-348.
Quan-Haase, A., & Young, A. L. (2010). Uses and gratifications of social media: A comparison of Facebook and instant messaging. Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society, 30(5), 350-361.
Rahman, S. M. M., Hossain, M. A., Hassan, M. M., Alamri, A., Alghamdi, A., & Pathan, M. (2016). Secure privacy vault design for a distributed multimedia surveillance system. Future Generation Computer Systems, 55, 344-352.
Sidgman, J., & Crompton, M. (2016). Valuing Personal Data to Foster Privacy: A Thought Experiment and Opportunities for Research. Journal of Information Systems, 30(2), 169-181.
Telstra. (2017). About us. Retrieved from: https://www.telstra.com.au/aboutus
Saravanakumar, M., & SuganthaLakshmi, T. (2012). Social media marketing. Life Science Journal, 9(4), 4444-4451.
Xiang, Z., & Gretzel, U. (2010). Role of social media in online travel information search. Tourism Management, 31(2), 179-188.
