Exploring the art of Positioning on the web - January 2001

It's been quite a hectic fortnight for all of us and for the same reason I am late with the fifth issue. In the last issue I had talked of online branding and CSP (Content selling Proposition).

As we all know the real fun starts when the competition hot up. Similarly as all segments start getting crowded and all ideas get replicated, the positioning of the site will become important. We are already seeing a crowding of the segments, the portals have given to vortals and very truly you can expect further specialized site; as sites clamour to develop a niche for themselves.

As sites offering similar services proliferate, their branding will rely more and more on the non-service attributes, to differentiate themselves. But we still have some distance to travel. For now, differentiation can come in unusual garbs. Look at indya.com in an age when India is experiencing a reawakening of the ethnicity, indya.com has positioned itself as a site offering international experience in an ethic Indian package. How can you miss the splash of the red bindya and the sadhu when spirituality is the mantra in the air?

Look at the indiatimes.com. Initially, it started off as an extension of its offline print services. Its web presence pulled not only it print content, but was simply an extension of the real world brand attributes. But in its latest avatar, it has repositioned itself as a site that celebrates the "I"in you. All the services on offer are vouched as being at your disposable and suited to take care of your personal needs. Is it little wonder that you cannot decide whether "I" stands for Indianess or the ego in every person, which the portal seems to pamper?

What rediff.com allegedly the biggest Indian virtual brand doing? Not only did rediff.com fully exploited the first mover advantage, but to it also goes the credit that it invested in educating the consumer about the differences between search engine and website, and how to use a search engine and the service of e-mail. And remember I am not talking of the usual nerd but the common man on the street that makes all the difference. And it is no surprise, that rediff.com has positioned itself as the ultimate in email. Whether it is the position of the maximum space allowed by an Indian e-mail service provider, or the instant messaging option of the e-mail, rediff.com is perceived to have it all.

Remember those full-page advertisements of indiatimes.com; claiming its position as the repository of e-cards? It is another matter that it didn't explore and position it in the same way as rediff.com did its e-mail service. Now we have rediff.com trying to claim that position also. You also have another recognized online portal indiainfo.com advising you not to thrash your e-mail and provides 10 MB of space.

Internationally apart from the more famous portals or vortal, almost every website worth its salt provides e-mail service. Lycos group have at least three to four e-mail services. Why all of a sudden the rush to get you the best deal for the e-mail account? Because all dotcoms owe their existence to eyeball apart from a good team and the idea. And it is the email, which can ensure repeat visits to your site. This brings us to the question whether our own portal indiai2i.com should provide web based e-mail service? Well I will wait for your reply to that question.