Yahoo looks offline for market growth

Hong Kong - With close to 3 million online visitors per month, online giant Yahoo is overhauling its marketing strategies to maintain its leading position in search and mail in Hong Kong.

Post the failed Microsoft take over, Hong Kong's biggest online portal has appointed local creative agency 1in0 Limited, to assist Yahoo with its branding exercise, following a pitch against five 4A agencies.

IPR communication, which serves as Yahoo's PR agency, will handle all media related activities.

Tania Lau, head of marketing at Yahoo Hong Kong, said 1in0 Limited offers a flexible and creativity solution to push Yahoo's messages.

As part of the change, Yahoo Hong Kong has laid out three fundamental marketing needs in the consumer, TV and online sectors to shape up its service and product lines.

ComScore Media Metrix found Yahoo's search and email services dominate the online market in Hong Kong.

As an online and digital company, Yahoo is taking one step back and embracing traditional media and TV to promote its online assets, such as Yahoo Mail and Search.

Lau said TV commercials, road shows and taxi ads will enhance penetration and awareness of the brand in Hong Kong.

The online portal has also upgraded its email service, which has been the network's winning feature, by changing the domain name for users. It currently has one million active users in Hong Kong.

User generated content (UGC) like Yahoo's blog and knowledge+ sections are also experiencing an aggressively accelerated growth.

Yahoo Hong Kong has not changed its business outlook although its quarterly net profit fell 19% while sales are rising.

Lau said the number of Yahoo users and advertiser are increasing all the way with the upgraded sectors and new ad agency that advance its overall strategies.