If you can’t see the above video (perhaps you’re in a feedreader, or one of my email subscribers, please access the post directly)
While in Barcelona recently, I got a chance to interview folks from the local blogging community, there were quite a few ex-pats, such as Lennert de Rijk Managing Director Spain, who focuses on Marketing in Spain. He shares his views on online marketing, how the culture and demographics are different in Spain compared to the UK, and other insights. You can find Leonard at this Spanish site called OnetoMarket, or this English version.
What you’ll learn from this video
Find out why companies fail when trying to market in Spain.
Discover which age is still considered “young” (not the same as US)
Learn how search is used differently, and how your SEM campaigns must change
Thanks for bearing with me, the lighting was a bit dark, yet the focus should be on the content.
Interesting differences. I’d think brand would be important everywhere…but I suppose each country has differences in the ways in which “brand” is imprinted onto the mind of the audience.
@ Alex – I think Spain is a lot more traditional than most other European countries. Which, in my opinion, makes them less susceptible to foreign companies/brands and they rather use home grown products and services.
The fact that Spain is a lot more traditional than, Holland for example, is shown by the number of e-mails we receive from Lennert informing us (I work at Onetomarket in Holland) about yet another holiday! 😉
Great stuff guys, very interesting!
Daan, just checking out both TaxiDriver and Onetomarket. I got a dose of what you mean by “traditional” today. I asked my mother-in-law if she’d mentioned the 5 interviews I did with her on my “Minute Tech podcast” about needle-craft (needle-craft, crochet, embroidery, knitting and tatting)…and she said that none of her friends even have computers, much less listen to podcasts! Branding must certainly be challenging when dealing with relatively insular target markets. I’ll soon be leaping from legal industry IT to an customer service role with Pittsburgh web marketing company Elliance, so I expect I’ll be learning much more about branding, marketing and tapping markets from that skilled team…in addition to what I’ve gleaned (and will continue to learn) from blogs such as yours and Jeremiahs! 🙂
..alex.
Hey Alex, thanks for checking out my blog!
You are definitely right and it is a challenge. Make sure you keep checking Jeremiah’s blog as its an excellent resource and learning tool!
Surprising focus on Spain. Thanks Jeremiah. I´m now heading the launch of a new internet agency with a focus on Social Media in Spain. I have worked online in the US and also the leading internet media agency in Spain and I couldn´t agree more with 2 of the 3 points on the video.
1. Branding is important to a successful launch and maybe a bit more than the US. However, I would add a couple of points. There´s demand for good internet marketing products & professionals. Internet marketing is growing at a rate of 20%-40% since 2002 and it´s not stopping for now. Companies are increasingly looking for new ways to reach audiences and media fragmentation is also occurring here. In that sense, not much different than the US or UK markets.
2. Due to social issues Spain´s 2youth” leave home (their parents), at an average age of 28-30. Mainly because housing is expensive (same as the Boston) but salaries are generally lower of those in Boston…
3. Also, what you call traditional, I like to call the “Gray hair and Tie phenomenon”. If you don´t look old enough or wear a tie, most executives in Spain wont take you too seriously. So if you´re an outstanding entrepreneur with a solid business idea you have one more hurdle on the way. Dress well and have someone older-looking by your side to help you through the first door.
3. Regarding search, I have handled numerous search campaigns for top-tier clients and I can say that those investing real $$$ on search are as focussed on ROI as much as anywhere else. Search terms for high ROI campaigns are generally long and I don´t see much differences on the US or UK.
Summing up. Starting in Spain requires a bigger dose of patience due to its traditionalism but web strategy, in my view, does not differ all that much from the US or UK.
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Surprising focus on Spain. Thanks Jeremiah. I´m now heading the launch of a new internet agency with a focus on Social Media in Spain. I have worked online in the US and also the leading internet media agency in Spain and I couldn´t agree more with 2 of the 3 points on the video.
1. Branding is important to a successful launch and maybe a bit more than the US. However, I would add a couple of points. There´s demand for good internet marketing products & professionals. Internet marketing is growing at a rate of 20%-40% since 2002 and it´s not stopping for now. Companies are increasingly looking for new ways to reach audiences and media fragmentation is also occurring here. In that sense, not much different than the US or UK markets.
2. Due to social issues Spain´s 2youth” leave home (their parents), at an average age of 28-30. Mainly because housing is expensive (same as the Boston) but salaries are generally lower of those in Boston…
3. Also, what you call traditional, I like to call the “Gray hair and Tie phenomenon”. If you don´t look old enough or wear a tie, most executives in Spain wont take you too seriously. So if you´re an outstanding entrepreneur with a solid business idea you have one more hurdle on the way. Dress well and have someone older-looking by your side to help you through the first door.
3. Regarding search, I have handled numerous search campaigns for top-tier clients and I can say that those investing real $$$ on search are as focussed on ROI as much as anywhere else. Search terms for high ROI campaigns are generally long and I don´t see much differences on the US or UK.
Summing up. Starting in Spain requires a bigger dose of patience due to its traditionalism but web strategy, in my view, does not differ all that much from the US or UK.