**4.1. Technology-based classification**

#### *4.1.1. Digital platforms*

Technology has enabled business models to scale to a global level. The very first platforms that scaled globally were the credit card companies (such as Discover, Visa, Mastercard, and Amex). However, no one scaled as quickly or as globally as new technology-focused players such as Apple, Google, and eBay. Digital marketing platforms are designed to support an extensible set of requirements within a single neighborhood or two. A digital marketing platform exposes key elements as standardized services via a programmed application interface for building custom applications, extensions, and integrations with other custom and commercial applications and data. Digital platform is a technology-based for platform which involves the interaction between two.

Platforms are progressively supported by global digital technology infrastructures that help to scale participation and collaboration, but this is an enabler, rather than a requirement, for a platform [13]. Digital platforms, however, may not be merely digital, but they use the supremacy of Internet communication technology to connect with a wide range of the Internet consumers [24].

#### *4.1.2. Non-digital platforms*

A governance structure includes a set of protocols that determines who can participate, what roles they might play, how they might interact, and how disputes get resolved. An additional set of protocols or standards is typically designed to facilitate connection, coordination, and

Unlike traditional business, platforms don't produce anything and don't just produce anything and don't just distribute goods or services. What they do is directly connect different customer groups to enable transaction [1]. Platform business models can be customized to

*Marketplaces*, which attract, match, and link those looking to provide a product or a service

*Social and content networks*, which enable users to communicate with each other by sharing information, comments, messages, videos, and pictures, and then connect users with third

Some platforms are hybrid, meaning they can combine different aspects. For example, WeChat

There are several ways to classify platforms. One of the dominant ways is to classify them in terms of the technology. Under this classification, there are two major types of platforms.

Technology has enabled business models to scale to a global level. The very first platforms that scaled globally were the credit card companies (such as Discover, Visa, Mastercard, and Amex). However, no one scaled as quickly or as globally as new technology-focused players such as Apple, Google, and eBay. Digital marketing platforms are designed to support an extensible set of requirements within a single neighborhood or two. A digital marketing platform exposes key elements as standardized services via a programmed application interface for building custom applications, extensions, and integrations with other custom and commercial applications and data. Digital platform is a technology-based for platform which

Platforms are progressively supported by global digital technology infrastructures that help to scale participation and collaboration, but this is an enabler, rather than a requirement, for a platform [13]. Digital platforms, however, may not be merely digital, but they use the supremacy of Internet communication technology to connect with a wide range of the Internet

meet a wide range of needs [1]. They include the following:

parties such as advertisers, developers, and content providers.

These include digital and traditional (classical) platforms.

**4. Types and forms of platforms**

**4.1. Technology-based classification**

involves the interaction between two.

*4.1.1. Digital platforms*

consumers [24].

(producers) with those looking to buy that product or service (users).

is a social network combining an app store with payment functionality.

collaboration [13].

24 Marketing

For thousands of years, markets have been physical and local. Connecting groups of buyers and sellers have played a huge part in the structure of human society. As long as there is the opportunity for interaction, there is a platform. A relationship, for example, is a platform. The entire concept of networking marketing is actually built upon the relationships. Within this relationship, which exists for the sake of mutual cooperation, it has been transformed to other forms of markets. This is what I refer to as a second and third transformation of marketing. The first fundamental marketing transformation occurred when the market changed from the seller to the buyer (meaning the marketers have to understand the needs of the customer before developing the product). The second transformation was that of the increased interaction between the buyer and the seller via the use of technology. The third transformation within marketing is to turn every form of that interaction to a market. With this form of transformation, the products are no longer located into a large physical location. Transportation mode is another example of a non-digital platform. Buses, trains, ships, and airlines provide an interaction space, which can be optimized the same as how it is performed online. The passengers in these transportation modes can be turned into a market for other products even though this was not the original intent of them being there. The study on platforms has, however, provided less focus on this form of platforms with an assumption that these are traditional, but there is significant value which can be generated in these platforms.

#### *4.1.3. Hybrid platforms (digital and non-digital platforms)*

The hybrid platform marketing involves the combination of both digital and non-digital forms of marketing strategies. A good example of hybrid platform strategies is where an organization has both online and offline product offerings. The hybrid platform strategy will define the future of marketing strategy as we know it. There are several reasons why the hybrid platform strategy is common. In places like developing countries where it is not easy to establish trust with purely online platforms, some companies can establish the underground physical platforms, for example, start the physical office/agents and then optimize the digital platform afterwards. Autorec Japan and BeFoward car exporting companies had to establish the nondigital platform so as to build more trust locally.

#### **4.2. Motives and usage classification**

The second way to classify platforms is by their motives. Hagel (see [13]) provides a classification of platforms of bases of aggregation.

#### *4.2.1. Aggregation*

Aggregation platforms bring together a broad array of relevant resources and help users of the platform to connect with the most suitable resources:


Within this category there are three subcategories. First, there are data or information accumulation platforms like stock performance databases for investors or scientific databases. Second, there are marketplace and broker platforms like eBay and the App Store online store.

**4.3. Structural and governance based**

save their own purpose.

**5.1. Value concept of a platform**

*4.3.1. Dedicated versus referral digital platforms*

**5. Value creation through platforms**

cially when communicating in multi-platforms.

**5.2. Align digital and physical platforms to enhance value**

Platforms can also be viewed in terms of the nature of solution that they provide. We can view them in terms of whether they provide a dedicated solution for a given business firm or whether the platform provides solution for other firms. The dedicated platforms are those that are designed to save the specific business solutions for a given firm. Examples of such platforms are Uber and Air bnb. The referral digital platforms are those that have been designed for other purposes such as interaction or social purposes but can be converted for business purposes. Within this, we can have a subclassification of owned versus outsourced platforms. The owned platforms are those that have been developed by the organizations to

Marketing Platform Strategy

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http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.77947

The concept of value creation is at core of what a firm does, since only superior value creation vis-à-vis rival opens up the opportunity for superior profitability. Value created is the difference between the consumer's perceived benefit from a given product and the firm's cost for providing that product. In other words, value is the difference between the benefit that consumers get from using a product and the costs that are incurred to produce the product. Platforms create value in two principal ways. The first way, which corresponds to transaction platform, facilitates transactions between different types of individual and organizations that would otherwise have been difficult finding each other. Examples include Uber, Google search, Amazon Marketplace, and eBay. This is sometimes called multisided platform [11]. There are also innovation platforms, which consist of technological building blocks that are used as a foundation on top of which a large number of innovators can develop complementary services or products. These complementary innovators can be anyone, anywhere in the world, and together they form what is called an innovation ecosystem around the platform. Within any platform ecosystem, the users value is important because they provide the foundation for the value creation process and business concept of the platform. The business model is then built on this primary layer of the established. Marketing strategy that is built on this platform has to clearly understand the nature of the value within the platform before synchronizing the business concept within this. Marketers should understand how to match between the value proposed and the platform structure. Segmentation is thus important espe-

The alignment of organization's physical-world strategy and its e-strategy requires strategic decisions to be made on issues such as branding, pricing, IT, and channel conflict. Guiding

Aggregation can also be subclassified on the bases of transaction, innovation, investment, and integration [11]:

Transaction is a technology, product, or service that functions as a channel (or intermediary), enabling exchange between different users, buyers, or suppliers.

Innovation: a technology, product, or service that serves as a basis on top of which other firms (loosely organized into an innovative ecosystem) develop complementary technologies, products, or services.

Investment: consists of companies that have developed a platform portfolio strategy and act as a holding company, active platform investor, or both.

Integrated Is both transaction platform and an innovation platform. It includes companies such as Apple, which has both matching platform like App store and large third-party developer ecosystems that support content creation.
