Penerapan Komunikasi Pemasaran Digital di Masa Pandemi COVID-19: Studi Kasus di Perusahaan Penyedia Layanan Web Hosting Niagahoster Periode April-September 2020

MATIAS SRI ADITYA, Dr. Widodo Agus Setianto, M.Si.

2021 | Tesis | MAGISTER ILMU KOMUNIKASI

Niagahoster merupakan salah satu penyedia layanan web hosting dengan jumlah pengguna paling banyak di Indonesia. Selama awal masa pandemi COVID-19, kuartal kedua dan kuartal ketiga tahun 2020, Niagahoster mengalami kenaikan pemasukan sekitar 30%. Penelitian ini berfokus pada penerapan komunikasi pemasaran di perusahaan penyedia layanan web hosting Niagahoster selama masa pandemi COVID-19 bulan April-September 2020. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah mengeksplorasi penerapan komunikasi pemasaran melalui empat pilar Integrated Marketing Communication: konten (content), saluran (channel), pemangku kepentingan (stakeholder), dan hasil (results). Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah studi kasus. Peneliti melakukan pengumpulan data melalui wawancara dengan anggota Tim BRM (Brand and Reputation Management) Niagahoster, meliputi Head of BRM, Customer Relations Specialist, Media Relations Specialist, Social Media Specialist, Event Specialist, Strategic Partnership Specialist, dan Employer Branding Specialist. Peneliti turut melakukan studi pustaka dan melakukan dokumentasi berdasarkan data internal perusahaan maupun data yang dirilis ke publik. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa perusahaan penyedia layanan web hosting Niagahoster tidak melakukan persiapan khusus untuk menghadapi pandemi COVID-19. Peningkatan pemasukan di masa pandemi dipandang sebagai imbas dari kampanye komunikasi pemasaran yang telah berjalan secara terus-menerus, di samping adanya perubahan perilaku calon pelanggan karena pandemi yang mulai sadar pentingnya memiliki aset digital berupa situs web. Perusahaan penyedia layanan web hosting Niagahoster bertumpu pada pesan kunci dengan tajuk �¢ï¿½ï¿½Build Success Online.�¢ï¿½ï¿½ Pesan ini kemudian diejawantahkan menjadi dua pesan lain yaitu �¢ï¿½ï¿½Survival and Resilience�¢ï¿½ï¿½ pada kuartal kedua dan �¢ï¿½ï¿½Economic Revival and Digital Prosperity�¢ï¿½ï¿½ pada kuartal ketiga tahun 2020. Pesan-pesan tersebut diwujudkan dalam aktivitas komunikasi pemasaran seperti penyelenggaraan acara daring dan penerbitan konten di media sosial. Aktivitas komunikasi pemasaran ditujukan untuk menjangkau tiga target kelompok pemangku kepentingan eksternal utama, meliputi pemilik bisnis, pengembang situs web, dan pengguna individu atau organisasi. Pemantauan performa dan hasil kampanye dilakukan menggunakan sistem OKR (Objective and Key Results) berdasarkan metrik pengukuran sesuai masing-masing fungsi dalam Tim BRM. Hasil penelitian turut menunjukkan adanya tantangan yang dihadapi perusahaan dalam menerapkan komunikasi pemasaran yaitu penyelarasan pesan kampanye dan penerapan transformasi digital.

Niagahoster is one of the largest web hosting companies in Indonesia. During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia, the company saw a 30% revenue increase. This research focuses on how Niagahoster applies Integrated Marketing Communication during the COVID-19 pandemic (April-September 2020). The research serves the purpose of exploring the implementation of marketing communication through four pillars of Integrated Marketing Communication: content, channel, stakeholder, and results. The case study is the method employed in this research. As for data gathering, the researcher held interviews with the Brand and Reputation Management (BRM) team members, namely Head of BRM, Customer Relations Specialist, Media Relations Specialist, Social Media Specialist, Event Specialist, Strategic Partnership Specialist, and Employer Branding Specialist. The researcher also performed a library study and collected documents from internal sources as well as the data released to the public. This research shows that Niagahoster did not arrange particular preparation coincides with the COVID-19 pandemic. The revenue increase was viewed as an impact of the regular, consistent marketing communication efforts, in addition to customers�¢ï¿½ï¿½ behavioral change that is more aware of having websites as digital assets. Niagahoster focuses on a single key message titled �¢ï¿½ï¿½Build Success Online.�¢ï¿½ï¿½ This message was then manifested into two other messages, �¢ï¿½ï¿½Survival and Resilience�¢ï¿½ï¿½ during the second quarter and �¢ï¿½ï¿½Economic Revival and Digital Prosperity�¢ï¿½ï¿½ during the third quarter of 2020. Those messages were used in the company�¢ï¿½ï¿½s marketing communication efforts, for instance, online events and social media posts. However, Niagahoster targets three different external stakeholder groups: Small & Medium Businesses, web developers, and individuals/organizations. The company tracks progress and its related KPIs using the OKR (Objectives and Key Results) system. This research also highlights challenges in applying marketing communication strategies, such as key message alignment and digital transformation within the company.

Kata Kunci : Marketing Communication, Pandemi COVID-19, Perusahaan Web Hosting