Buzz Marketing 101

In the Web 2.0 world, buzz marketing has emerged as a valuable tool in selling products and driving targeted website traffic.

Also known viral marketing, buzz marketing was traditionally seen as the promotion method which jumped from person to person through recommendation and review. However, recent developments in internet technology have changed all that.

Buzz marketing can now be achieved through web dialogue, blog posts or social networking participation.

Research suggests that some of the best methods of online buzz marketing are microsites that have add hip value and appeal to a younger audience...online games, polls, and video clips.

The development of the Web 2.0 process means that users are now increasingly driving content and can voice their opinions through many online venues. Blogs, social networking websites and wikis all allow users to express their opinions without the fear of actually speaking person to person.

From a marketing point of view, this can be a double edged sword. Consumers will tout good products, good customer service, and overall good experiences. In fact, a consumer will tell three other people about a product or service if they like it. However, if you don't have a good product (or service), you slip on your customer service, or you provided an awful experience, a customer will tell eleven other people about it. Online, words get around fast and stays around for a long time.

While a quality product that people like will naturally create its own buzz, the secret to viral marketing is to create your own buzz. That's why it pays, in sales and reputation, to have a solid plan before you get involved.

Two excellent examples of viral marketing are two of the biggest email services, Hotmail and GMail. Both used viral marketing tactics successfully only in different ways. Hotmail’s popularity flourished in the mid-nineties from the fact that it offered free e-mail accounts. Free was the buzzword in Web 1.0's infancy.

By the time GMail came along, free e-mail accounts were standard. Free was old news. Google created buzz for GMail by offering e-mail accounts with storage in the gigabyte range--unheard of before in the industry. A gigabyite of email? But, getting an account was a lot trickier. You had to get an invite to have a GMail account. This "invitation only" email service fueled the demand.

So, how do you create buzz in today's internet marketing environment? Content. But not just any content. Rehashing the same information is...boring. You have to rise above conventional content and become a thought leader. Can you create a white paper on something specific in your industry? What about a special report? Look at where others have failed to bring something relevant to the table. Go beyond the typical marketer. Do this and you'll beat 95% of your competitors

 

Written by: David C Skul - CEO

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