STUTTGART – Closing the front door and leaving the house is all homeowners need to do – the smart home does the rest. It turns down the heat to reduce costs and turns on the alarm system on its own. This example shows that billions of things are already communicating with each other, sharing information, and acting independently. And that’s not all: devices and technical hardware are also connected to one another via the cloud. The Internet of Things (IoT for short) is set to become a megatrend. For the Bosch Group, connectivity is a central part of corporate strategy and thus also a focus of corporate communications.
Bosch has launched a corporate content hub. “Connected World” pools all of the company’s IoT-related content at a single digital location. “With the ‘Connected World’ platform, Bosch has created an attractive content hub on all things of the IoT. We provide explanations, entertain, and offer access to the entire Bosch product catalog,” says Dr. Christoph Zemelka, head of corporate communications at Bosch.
Discussing the benefits and challenges of new technologies
The new Internet platform is geared to opinion leaders, media professionals, and influencers as well as interested customers. “We at Bosch not only want to pave the way to the connected world with technology, we also want to provide support through communication,” says Zemelka. “The benefit of IoT solutions must be emphasized even more. We must have an open discussion about the challenges of new technologies, while at the time demonstrating their potential.” In the coming months, “Connected World” will thus become a central online point of contact for topics related to the IoT. The platform will continue to grow, and it will eventually present a comprehensive overview of the Bosch portfolio of products and services. At the same time, external experts and thinkers will be invited to share their views as thought leaders on the “Connected World” platform. Moreover, the page will collate a number of discussions and posts from social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.
Tightening the links between communication and the IoT business
In designing the “Connected World” platform, special attention was paid to the content marketing strategy. A storytelling approach serves to attract users to the Bosch IoT universe while at the same time showcasing the company’s broad portfolio of products and services. “For the first time, we are offering a central overview of the Bosch IoT business. In so doing, we are highlighting the company’s connectivity expertise across spheres – from building technology and mobility to industry and connected energy systems,” says Florian Flaig, co-project manager for public relations and media communication.
Content marketing will also pave a direct path to the product. Customers and online influencers will be able to contact Bosch directly. “With the new platform, Bosch is making the links between communication and the IoT business tighter than ever,” says Katharina Sorg, who is in charge of the project in the “Digital Communication” department. To this end, the company is linking its entire product catalog to the “Connected World” content hub. Visitors and potential customers can thus access everything from the IoT story to available products and services in just a few clicks. The “Connected World” concept tightens the links between communication and conversion as much as possible, and shows how the digital transformation of communications can support corporate success.
