Column 16 · Digital, Data, and Technology · Era 4, Orientation and Relationships (1990s)
Computer-Mediated Markets
Environment and context · Landmark · Cluster VI, Context
Description
Hoffman and Novak described the Web as a hypermedia computer-mediated environment in which many-to-many communication and the experience of flow replace the one-to-many model of mass media, laying the conceptual foundation for online marketing.
Managerial Implications
Digital environments are many-to-many: customers interact with each other and with content, not just with the firm. Marketing in such environments must earn attention through flow and engagement rather than interrupt it. Design digital experiences for interactivity and control by the customer, measure engagement rather than exposure, and expect customers to shape the brand conversation as much as you do.