Highly influential, outspoken, with a loyal following and the power to make or break brands at will – meet the Web 2.0 ‘super advocate’.
This new individual has been identified as one of the main concerns for marketers in 2008 as they try tap into user-generated content platforms and networks such as MySpace, Facebook and Bebo as an advertising and marketing channel.
In this domain, claims The Impact of Social Networking in the UK report from Experian, super advocates will increasingly have a huge online following keen to know their thoughts on a company, its new products or problems that they have encountered.
From a company’s perspective, these individuals could either be their most ardent supporters or just as easily their harshest critics, if handled badly.
To survive, companies need to quickly identify super advocates and use everything at their disposal to keep these key influencers on side such as making a conscious effort to avoid commercialism at all costs as well as providing highly exclusive information.
According to the report, 2008 will see the accelerated development of social networks for viral and search marketing as sites as sites improve their search and navigation capabilities, making them a far more useful source of accessible information for marketers.
Research Director of Hitwise, part of Experian, and co-author of The Impact of Social Networking in the UK, Robin Goad, said that at the end of 2007, social networks accounted for 7.7 per cent of all Internet traffic sent to other websites and as their functionality and accessibility to the information they hold improves, this figure will increase during 2008.
He added, “Easier access to this data will mean that marketers can use it to better target their social media messages, gaining better quality business leads and greater value from their social media marketing investment.”
This year will also see the rise of Web 2.0 clique communities beyond established social networks, catering for specific industry sectors with users interested in establishing high quality contacts.
Analysis from Hitwise shows that Linkedin, currently the leading social network for professionals, more than trebled its market share of UK Internet visits during 2007
Experian is warning organisations that they need to create a dedicated marketing strategy, focussed solely on monitoring specialist community sites and carefully introducing valuable content for members to disseminate, ensuring the community’s natural order remains undisturbed.
Subtlety and exclusivity will be the critical success factors for organisations wanting to engage with these individuals – certainly not ‘recommend a friend’ marketing tactics.
Report co-author and Managing Partner for Experian ClarityBlue, Tony Mooney said that for most Marketing Directors, their Web 2.0 strategy, did not go beyond having a page on Facebook.
“This year, brands will need to realise that if they’re going to market themselves on social networks, it’s all about understanding this environment, being incredibly subtle and providing real value, not marketing gimmicks, “ he added. “Just look at some of the marketing gaffes from last year when social network members spotted a hackneyed marketing campaign and tore it to shreds.
“These companies simply didn’t appreciate Web 2.0’s culture and paid the price by alienating the very people they were trying to attract."
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Jonnybgood
17-Jan-08 13.14
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