Most of consumers has no idea of "clouds"

Though consumers already use "cloud" longer, than most the companies, many used cloud computing, even without suspecting about it.

On the recent presentation of service of file synchronization iCloud from Apple, the chief executive officer of the company Steve Jobs so characterized file allocation model: "Truth in a cloud". For most of consumers of his word no more than an empty phrase.

"Cloud" as a concept can be fashionable in the industry of high technologies, but consumers are confused by the term which in 2006, apparently, was brought to understanding by Eric Schmidt, during the stay of its CEO Google.

To the companies wishing to sell cloud services can be it is a high time - to focus on the marketing information which is important for clients, but not advancing something amorphous like "cloud".

The Ipsos OTX MediaCT research company conducted recently survey of 1000 adult Americans in which thoughts of respondents of rather cloud services are reflected. The researcher Todd Board in the report draws a conclusion: the term "cloud computing" is very alien for understanding by most of consumers.

The research revealed a deep gap between understanding by consumers of "cloud" and its use. About 22% of respondents told that they used e-mail on a cloud basis while a share of the respondents who told that they used cloud services for: photos (13%), music and video (9%), storage and backup (8%), the office software (9%), in each case was much less.

Nevertheless, when asked about use of corporate cloud services, without mentioning of the terms "cloud" or "cloud computing", other answers appeared.

In the report it is said that, facing trade names, nine of ten consumers show that they use some type of "clouds" and the related services. If to ask users of Yahoo of Mail whether they love "clouds", most likely, you will hear: "No, I prefer Yahoo". This rupture of perception is especially noticeable concerning musical services and e-mail – users of services of data storage online and office web applications, in the majority understand that they are clients of the systems of cloud computing.

The research assumes that technical marketing specialists should speak about advantages and clear values of a brand, but not about indistinct "clouds". Apple, thanks to force of its brand, will have no problem in belief of clients - to use iCloud services. And here Amazon it is probably necessary to work more to sell Cloud Drive, especially in the light of recent shutdown of EC2, affirms as the report.

The slogan of Google used for the cloud services "Nothing except a web" (Nothing but the web), shows an example of how it is necessary to speak about a cloud: talk about something else.

However, Aaron Levie, the CEO of box.net, claims that consumers are ready to "clouds" and use cloud services, understanding or not understanding it. Levie considers that it is necessary to persuade the companies, though they gradually pass to "cloud".

Levi noted that consumers use "cloud" much longer, than most the enterprises – whether it be e-mail, payment of taxes or sharing of photos are already use of Internet services which behind the scenes are managed by difficult technologies. Thus, the most part of technologies comes to consumers naturally and intuitively, even without allowing them to realize that they use "cloud".

Business, perhaps, as well as consumers, is not too impressed with the term "cloud". Bord's report demonstrates that consumers keep money in "cloud" for many years. Nevertheless, it is difficult to find bank which advertizes advantages of "cloud".