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Blogging and social media
Social media is another way of describing the process of consumers generating and sharing content online in all its different manifestations- from blogging to wikis, online communities to internet gaming
The growth of user-generated content represents a significant sea-change in consumer behaviour.A key characteristic of this so-called era of 'Web 2.0’, user-generated content represents a new generation of internet use. The web has evolved into a two-way medium that means the user can respond to, create, share and actively edit web content. This new empowerment of the consumer is something that marketers must respond to and view as an opportunity to establish a unique dialogue with consumers.
Blogs
A blog is an online space regularly updated presenting the opinions or activities of one or a group of individuals and displaying in chronological order.The huge growth of blogging has revealed a real need of the consumer to share, to contribute and to make something their own. They like to talk about themselves- their likes, dislikes, hopes and achievements- but also to hear what other people have to say too and the internet facilitates this basic need.
If used sensitively, blogging can be harnessed by brands to generate business, canvass opinion and monitor consumer commentary, and also be an effective extension of an online advertising campaign.
To find out more about the effective use of blogging and how brands have successfully incorporated them into their marketing campaigns download the presentations from a recent IAB seminar on 'Blogging Revisited'
Online Communities
MySpace is probably the most well-know version of an online community- made famous by the success of the Artic Monkeys and the unprecedented online word of mouth their space created. Despite not being a new phenomenon by any means, online community sites have rocketed in popularity over the last 12 months and now represent one of the fastest growing type of website. Nielsen NetRatings reported in February that 1.8bn community site pages are viewed every month, attracting over half the UK online population.
It’s no coincidence that marketers have attached a growing significance and an increased recognition of peer-to-peer online communities. These vast collectives can affect every aspect of consumer life, including entertainment, communication, ethical awareness and brand perception. Marketers are not only keeping an eye on what is being said about their brands in these forums and responding appropriately but also tapping into their highly targeted audience to aid awareness, drive their sales and establish customer loyalty.
Wikis
Wikis are sites that allow users to contibute or edit content and is often used in a collaborative style for bringing people together on a big project. Wikipedia is the most well-known Wiki and is used as an authorative online source for all subjects under the sun- one which users can edit to make sure the information is right up to date. An excellent source of research, marketers are taking notice of this huge repository of information and also making sure their brand is represented in the best possible light.
Gaming
Far from robbing gamers of their ability to interact with other people and their sense of identity, broadband has enabled game playing to be combined with a sense of social community. Massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) have become the cornerstone of the gaming industry.
The vast alternate worlds that gamers inhabit attract hundreds of thousands of players. The games themselves are almost incidental to the friendships, rivalries and money-making opportunities available to the more enterprising gamer. Increasingly, however, it isn’t just those occupying these worlds that are reaping the rewards. As games incorporate more and more online elements, the opportunities for creative advertisements within the game-play itself have grown. Adding a sense of realism to the playing experience, in-game adverts of relevance - or those that are even integral to the plot - are often regarded favourably by gamers.
