Why Bloggers think Marketers stink

Mr Flibble. Copyright © 2008 Dominick Reed

 

Cowboys, Snake Oil Salesmen and Bloggers

Like the cry “There’s gold in them there hills!” Social Media has become the business perceived as a license to print money, attracting every shark that smells there’s something to be made from nothing.

Somewhere along the line, word got out that Bloggers were the passport to advertising online with zero financial outlay. Supposedly they’re the golden ticket to Word of Mouth marketing and by harnessing them via press releases and sampling, you can charge your clients tens of thousands of dollars worth of Social Media Marketing without spending a cent.

You just have to read the discussions in LinkedIn’s Social Media Marketing groups to see how many self-named Social Media Experts – with zero relevant expertise – are expounding the joys of utilising bloggers for marketing. And then there are the mountains of online excrement that tell you about the art and science of Social Media, but actually show a lack of insight into the medium.

In all honesty, it’s these kinds of people who give Social Media a bad name.

In the blogging community approaches by some PR companies have already damaged the reputations of those they represent and Search Marketing companies are joining the ranks. Within that, include Market Research survey companies and free competition/promotional websites. Why? Because these so called ‘Experts’ put up their hands to court bloggers, without regard to the psychographics of the medium.

But what would I know?

Under various pseudonyms, I write a number of blogs, ranging from the personal journal to those targeting various communities of interest to FMCG, Service industries and SME’s. And when I say communities, I’ve since met a lot of my local readers in person, many also blog.

Those who regularly read my blogs comment on posts, talk about them in external forums, in Google Buzz, in Twitter and on Facebook. Many now hook up for social gatherings, swarms and tweet-ups too. They also email me, and like me, the Bloggers have a file full of unsolicited mail, aka spam from the kinds of companies I mentioned above.

So I know firsthand and have seen evidence of the visceral response from Bloggers to approaches by brands. Not all Bloggers are averse to being courted by advertisers, but the approach has to be couched appropriately. And this is where most companies fail, at the first hurdle.

Some Insight

Because it is a crowd sourced online medium, the crux of Social Media is listening, chatting and understanding. In approaching Bloggers you must apply all of the above. And by doing this, in terms of identifying your target market, you drill down even further than Direct Marketing ever has. But this is where merely downloading a list of blogger’s email addresses and sending out a templated email will be your undoing.

Blogging outside of business oriented sites is often deeply personal. The name comes from ‘Web Log’ – an online journal. Just as in life, in blogging communities you have niches within subcultures and if you ignore that, the drawbridge will be raised, subjecting your brand to firebombs of negative online PR – from exactly the group of readers you were hoping to promote your brand to.

Clumsy examples: acquiring a list of Food Bloggers and asking a Vegan Blogger to promote Quick Service Restaurants; or asking a Mummy Blogger with four kids to test drive a compact car for review. Hell hath no fury like an irate Blogger, especially when the current statistics are that 90% of the public trust personal recommendations. Those who give may also take away.

You have to understand the philosophy and values of the bloggers you approach before courting them. They’re not professional journalists. Nor do most aspire to that. For the most part they’re amateur Writers, passionate about the subject they write about, that’s what drove them to blog in the first place.

For example, unlike Journalists, sending out a press release does not work. Unlike subscribers to sampling websites, sending promotional packs may also be ineffective. Telling Bloggers that you want to publish their posts or images on your website (but that you own the intellectual property in the T&Cs) is bound to invoke scathing criticism. Telling them to be a Brand Ambassador will see scorn heaped upon you.

The most influential Bloggers are savvy to the fact that you want make money out of them for no remuneration. Would you volunteer to boost the sales of a corporation that posts profits larger than the GNP of some countries, for zero compensation? I think not. You’re not, your ad agency isn’t. So why expect Bloggers to?

A considered Approach

For brands to get results, avoid the smooth talking Snake Oil Salesmen of Social Media, they have but one angle. Talk to Social Media Marketers within your advertising agency. They should take the time to understand who to work with online and then offer an insightful and creative promotion to take to Bloggers on your behalf.

Have them support the campaign with traditional media and PR. That way you can ensure that your established brand values and corporate image will marry with the appropriate gatekeepers for maximum exposure.

The Bottom line is, if you want Bloggers to be your friends, treat them as you would yourself, with manners and dignity.

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New Wave Marketing. Listen, the customer talks back

By Mr Flibble. Copyright © 2008 Dominick Reed

Once upon a time…

When business Sales departments evolved from companies sending out traveling salesmen, to using a business tool called Marketing, it used advertising to create inspiring imagery coupled with adjectives that would inspire the householder to buy consumer durables. It shifted sales from talking one to one with customers, to storytelling that would bait them. Ostensibly it began broadcast – or to ‘talk at’ – the public.

First World general public could choose to take note or completely disengage in the advertising space. That is until Direct Marketing emerged. Businesses then began to re-engage the customer one-on-one.

But they were still talking at the consumer, mailing out personalised advertising, until telemarketing kicked in. The knee jerk reaction to telemarketing was antipathy from the public. It’s not that it was wrong to connect directly with customers, they just really hated the intrusion of being approached unasked and were vexed by the relentless sales spiel.

In today’s market place, consumers are better educated to marketing ploys and hence more resistant to the advances of advertisers. Many say that they are not easily influenced, don’t read, listen to or watch ads and don’t worship at the altar of brands. Millenials have shown to be very anti traditional advertising, which as they mature, bodes poorly for mainstream advertising, digital marketing and DM alike.

Word Of Mouth. The next wave of marketing.

Gradually, the next wave of marketing is emerging in Australia; we’re a little slower than the USA in this. In fact North American early adopters are already showing signs of fatigue. But the Australian public have recently raced ahead, in terms of time spent engaging with the next wave. So the opportunity is here.

It’s a reversal of all that advertisers have been accustomed to. It’s no longer what brands broadcast. It’s in fact, all about what the public say about your brand, and they’re doing it online. This is being referred to as Social Media.

Essentially Social Media is a description of the multiple platforms that facilitate the online conversations that billions of people are having online. In order to work with this, the first thing a brand needs to do is to listen to the online conversations that involve their products or services. Appraise how your brand is perceived. Then see what’s happening around your competitors.

Evaluate your brand in the eyes of your target market. Look at what they suggest you need to change and improve on, register what it is they like about your brand. See who influences them online. See who they are and what they represent.

Why is this action vital? Because the current statistic is: 90% of consumers trust peer recommendations.

Eighty six percent of Australian’s online are looking to their fellow Internet users for opinions and information about products, services and brands, and Australians’ engagement with online word of mouth communication is going to increase in coming years as social media plays an increasingly important role in consumer decision making.”*Hitwise

Advertisers have often held that while you may be talking to the lowest common denominator, you shouldn’t underestimate consumers. When you begin to assess your online brand engagement, a picture of public perception will emerge, and it can often be brutal and confronting.

The next step is to allow your customers to engage in dialogue with you. Effective Social Media relies on two-way dialogue between customers and with the brand, and that doesn’t mean simply broadcasting offers or statements about the brand. It is answering comments and discussing topics with consumers.

The key to this is transparency and trust, requiring a brand champion with access to information that can help customers choose your brand and who can also address customer service issues. While it requires a specific voice and personality, it is not PR broadcast.

In simple terms your entry point into Social Media could be setting up a twitter stream and politely responding to any comments made about your brand. It could be establishing an authenticated correspondent to speak on behalf of the company in popular, relevant online forums, or it could be as simple as enabling comments, the ability to share links and ratings on your website’s pages, that are moderated, answered and monitored by a company representative.

This is only the first step, but is a vital stage if a brand is to engage social media properly, avoiding the pitfalls that less prudent marketers have fallen into.

http://socialmediasavant.wordpress.comMarketing