Template: Action plan graduation assignment
2020-2021
Personal details
STUDENT NAME
Jamal Osman
COMPANY
COMPANY WEBSITE
START DATE INTERNSHIP
Sekisui
https://www.s-lec.eu/nl/
July 3rd 2023
[Improving digital marketing at Sekisui]
1. COMPANY CONTEXT
Provide enough company context for an external reader. Clear and complete background
information is necessary to assess whether your research assignment is useful and feasible within
the company itself. Provide information about the products or services, the region(s) in which the
company operates, the division you will be working for etc. If available, an organization chart
might be helpful to describe your role within the organization
---Sekisui chemical group is a global company that operates in various fields, primarily focusing on
the production of chemical solutions, housing, urban infrastructure and the automotive
industry. Sekisui was founded in 1947 in Japan. Their main product is PVB and laminated glass
which they can equip with many functions and properties, such as noise canceling, safety against
impact, solar blocking, and even integrated displays.
In the field of chemicals, Sekisui produces products that include, high performance plastics,
synthetic resins, and other more specific additive chemicals like coloring. These are then used in
various sectors such as electronics, construction, packaging and automobiles.
Sekisui’s housing business which is currently exclusive to Japan, involves the development and
construction of residential properties. They offer modular homes, building materials and other
housing related services aimed at improving energy efficiency, disaster resistance and
environmental conservation.
With a global presence Sekisui operates through a network of affiliates. In addition to the
headquarters in Tokyo, the company has numerous offices, manufacturing facilities, and
research centers across the US, China, Mexico, Netherlands and Japan.
The branch of the company at which I will do my internship at is SEKISUI S-LEC which has it’s
focus mainly on the interlayer films. While SEKISUI S-LEC specializes in interlayer films for
laminated glass, other branch companies within the SEKISUI Chemical Group operate in
different sectors, such as housing, urban infrastructure, and high-performance plastics, offering
a wider range of products and services.
Sekisui recruited me as an Internee within the marketing team to help and find out why their
online marketing isn’t getting enough traffic. Tasks will be centered around analyzing online
behavior, finding out the customer journey, rebuilding the online advertising according to that
research and then analyzing the results again to see if it had an effect. And in the end make final
adjustments.
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2. PROBLEM ANALYSIS
Analyze the challenge for your organization on micro, meso and/or macro level. Summarize your
insights and formulate one focused problem statement to identify 1) what the specific challenge is you
want to tackle with your study, and 2) what your specific aim/contribution is regarding this challenge.
----The problem that Sekisui proposed for the internship is Sekisui's current online advertisements and
product pages are suffering from a significant deficiency in impressions and enquiries. (which in online
terms means; views or general interactions like clicking, scrolling, etc.) and/or enquiries (such as
downloading brochures, arranging contact, etc.)
Analyzing the challenge for Sekisui at micro, meso, and macro levels reveals several facets of their
situation:
Micro
The ineffective online content structure of Sekisui, which includes subpar page designs and insufficient
keyword integration, presents a serious challenge. This problem affects their website, social media, and
other digital assets by reducing website traffic and online engagement. To overcome this challenge, the
emphasis should be on improving content quality, refining targeting strategies, and optimizing the
overall user experience. These efforts will pave the way for increased online visibility.
Meso
At this meso level, they face a competitive landscape concern. Issues in one branch's online marketing
can affect the group's overall online presence and brand perception. Firms excelling in webpage
optimization tend to outperform them in search engine rankings, diverting online visitors from Sekisui.
This directly impacts their online visibility and market share. Failure to optimize webpages for
engagement risks losing online visitors to competitors with superior online strategies, jeopardizing
Sekisui’s digital presence and competitiveness.
Macro
At the macro level, Sekisui faces the risk of dwindling deals with OEMs. Being primarily a B2B company
serving OEMs, any downturn in online presence and engagement could spell fewer future deals. This, in
turn, poses a significant risk to the company's profitability and its long-term sustainability.
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A model to help you develop your idea (based on de Bont, 2014)
?
Situation
analysis
What is the
challenge?
?
?
Deliverable
Which final product(s)
will you deliver?
?
?
Problem/challenge
?
Preliminary
research (proposal)
?
Research
Implementation
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3. DELIVERABLE(S): YOUR FINAL GOAL
Can you already reflect on possible deliverables for your project? Your project could lead to an advisory
report, a marketing and/or communication plan, a new idea for an (internal) campaign, a new social
media environment, an event plan, a content planning for social media, a CSR report, an internal guide
(for staff members), a stakeholder map … Discuss this with your internship provider.
It is of course not your intention to predict the outcomes of your research in this preparatory phase, but
you can probably already define one final goal, or a combination of a few possible deliverables for your
project.
The results of this digital marketing advisory report will include the following:
- Wireframe Templates: Provide wireframe templates for website pages, as well as concrete
recommendations for optimizing these pages based on data analysis. The suggested improvements
should be represented visually by these templates.
- Market Analysis: Include a thorough examination of the overall market, including an evaluation of
comparable products and strategies for distinguishing Sekisui from competitors.
- SEO Research and Findings: Outline the results of the project's SEO research, including the keywords,
tactics, and effects they had on online visibility.
-Data-driven insights: Showcase data gathered before and after the implementation of suggested
changes, highlighting how these changes positively or negatively affected website performance and user
engagement.
- Competitor analysis: Provide an in-depth analysis of competitors' digital marketing strategies,
identifying key takeaways and lessons that Sekisui can apply to improve.
The primary goal of the Advisory report is to communicate the findings of the analysis to Sekisui,
providing a clear understanding of the existing issues in their digital marketing efforts and a well-founded
roadmap for improvement. The report will be an invaluable resource for Sekisui's strategic planning and
decision-making.
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3. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
3.1 MANAGEMENT QUESTION
Translate the input of the situation analysis and the proposed deliverable(s) into one general
management question.
How can Sekisui increase the quality of its online presence and address
issues with user experience, competition, and engagement with OEMs
to ensure long-term viability and profitability in the digital
environment?
3.2 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
What do you need to research before you can deliver the product? What do we for
instance need to know about the market, relevant (intercultural) communication models,
the target audience, the internal/external stakeholders, the competition, product/service
characteristics?





What specific measurable factors contribute to the low impressions and engagement of
Sekisui's online advertisements and product pages?
What are competitors doing better in terms of online marketing and what can we learn
from them?
What are the key search terms relevant to Sekisui's products, and how can their integration
into online content be optimized to improve search engine visibility?
How do users navigate and interact with Sekisui's website, and what elements of the
website's structure and layout hinder or facilitate their engagement?
What are the best practices and successful case studies in digital marketing for B2B
companies like Sekisui, and how can these be adapted to suit their specific industry and
target audience?
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4. EXISTING SOURCES AND USEFUL MODELS
Provide context for your topic: what do we already know? What have previous studies in and
outside your company shown? Can you provide an answer to (parts of) specific sub questions with
available literature? Make sure to look for information that can help you in finding a part of the
solution, before you start gathering data yourself. Think about existing theories, case studies,
best practices of other organizations, etc.
Literature :
"Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability" by Steve Krug - Offers
practical insights into website usability and design principles that enhance user engagement.
"SEO 2022: Learn Search Engine Optimization with Smart Internet Marketing Strategies" by Adam
Clarke - Explains search engine optimization techniques to improve search visibility and increase
online engagement.
"Web Analytics 2.0: The Art of Online Accountability and Science of Customer Centricity" by
Avinash Kaushik - Focuses on understanding user behavior through web analytics and using data
to improve online engagement.
B2B Digital Marketing Success Stories case studies that highlight B2B companies that
effectively improved their online presence and engagement. These could offer valuable insights
into strategies, tactics, and outcomes. Examples: Adobe, IBM, Dell, Microsoft. Are B2B companies
that are quite successful with their digital promotion. And could be learned from as case studies.
User Experience Models: Models like the "UX Honeycomb" by Peter Morville and Jesse James
Garrett emphasize various aspects of user experience, including usefulness, usability, desirability,
accessibility, credibility, and more. Analyzing these aspects can guide improvements in Sekisui's
online engagement.
Customer Journey Mapping Model: This involves visualizing the various touchpoints and
interactions a customer has with a brand. By mapping out Sekisui's customer journey, they can
identify areas where online engagement could be enhanced.
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5. RESEARCH STRATEGY
What is your plan of action to gather the new information that you need to answer the
research questions?
What type of information do you need to collect?
What type of data gathering method is suitable in this specific context to get that
information?
Do you need a specific sample of participants? If so, how will you select them?
What is your contingency plan (plan B)? Can you already think about an alternative to gather
the data you need if your proposed strategy does not work?
Justify your choice(s).
You can use the overview below for inspiration.
Types of data
Possible data gathering methods
Opinions,
perceptions,
prefrences




Surveys
(Semi) structured interviews
Focus groups
Content analysis of opinions from emails, online
reviews, complaints, telephone conversations …
Experiences



Surveys
(Semi) structured interviews
Focus groups
Behavior


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Participative or systematic observation
Diary study
Online experiments
Social media matrics of online behavior or online
community (customer, user) reactions
Company data


Combining or rearranging existing company data
Content analysis of management information (internal
report, policy repots etc.)
Specific
expertise


Expert interviews
Expert surveys
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First is the “Data collection” phase, here I will be doing the following:
 User Behavior Analysis: Utilize website analytics tools to track user behavior,
navigation patterns, and interactions on Sekisui's website. This will provide
insights into user engagement and areas of improvement.
 User Experience Testing: Organize usability testing sessions with selected
participants to assess their interactions with Sekisui's website. Identify pain
points, challenges, and opportunities for enhancing user experience.
 Expert Interviews: Conduct interviews with representatives from competitor
companies who have achieved higher online engagement. Gather insights into
their strategies, approaches, and practices that contribute to their success.
Second will be the first set of change recommendations:
 These are based on the insights gained from the user behavior analysis, and user
experience testing, identify factors contributing to low engagement and
impressions.
 Make optimized templates for website developers with changes based on first
phase research.
Metrics and Effectiveness Measurement:


Based on the proposed improvements, define a set of relevant metrics to
measure the effectiveness of the strategies. Metrics could include increased
impressions, engagement rates, user interactions, and conversions.
Implement the proposed improvements on Sekisui's website and
advertisements.
Post-Implementation Assessment:

After a defined period, analyze the collected data to assess whether the
implemented improvements have resulted in increased online presence,
engagement, and enquiries.

Compare the post-implementation metrics with the baseline metrics to measure
the impact of the changes.
Conclusion and Reporting:
 Summarize the findings, insights, and recommendations in a comprehensive
research report.
 Present the research outcomes to Sekisui's management, highlighting the
identified factors, proposed strategies, and evidence of effectiveness.
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6. DATA GATHERING: YOUR INSTRUMENT
If you are planning to collect your own data with surveys, interviews, focus groups or (online)
experiments, make sure to share your instrument with your internship coach, after you have
designed and tested it.
If you are planning to use existing company data or gather information in another way, make
sure to provide a detailed description of the type of data you will use to answer your research
questions.
Interviews with marketing experts.
when asking the question “how to improve digital promotion”. Who better to ask than experts in
the field. I would like to seek out external professionals in the field of digital marketing and ask
them for their opinions. I will make a list of questions and ask 10 different people. This can give
me valuable insights which we can apply to finetune our own approach.
Company specific data.
When it comes to learning about the products, or info about the company itself, Sekisui provides
many webinars about the science behind their products and the qualities that distinguishes them
in the market. Where they excel at comparatively and where their weaknesses are etc. This can
be used to better more specifically market the product.
Main tools that will be used to analyze digital behavior are related to SEO. what is SEO?
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the practice of optimizing a website to improve its
visibility and ranking in search engine results. It involves techniques like keyword research,
creating quality content, optimizing tags and descriptions, improving site structure and user
experience, building backlinks, and managing online reputation. The goal is to attract more
organic traffic from search engines by making the website more relevant and valuable. SEO is an
ongoing process that requires continuous monitoring and adaptation to stay competitive in
search rankings.
- Plerdy
Plerdy is a cloud-based marketing solution that helps businesses manage processes for
promoting online stores and websites using conversion rate optimization. Key features include
competitor analysis, behavioral mapping, e-commerce and website analytics.
- Google analytics
Google Analytics is a web analytics tool that helps website owners analyze their website's
performance, track visitor behavior, understand audience demographics, measure conversions,
and gain insights for optimizing marketing strategies. It provides data on website traffic, referral
sources, audience engagement, user behavior, e-commerce transactions, and custom reporting
options, enabling businesses to make informed decisions and improve their online presence.
- SEMrush
SEMrush is an all-in-one digital marketing tool that provides comprehensive insights and
analysis for online marketing campaigns. users can conduct keyword research, track search
engine rankings, analyze backlinks, audit websites for SEO issues, monitor social media
performance, and even conduct advertising research. SEMrush provides actionable data and
competitive intelligence to empower marketers in making informed decisions and achieving
better results in their digital marketing efforts
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