Heard on twitter tht U suck (Buzz vs Influence vs Infiltration)
April 21st, 2009 Posted in brands, digital, internet, marketing, social media, social networking
I depend on twitter users to tell me what movies to watch or which online serice to pick. Of course I do this because I have a sneaking suspicion that Nikhat Kazmi may be receiving kickbacks for the 5 stars he she gives a Karan Johar movie. So I depend on live hour-by-hour tweets of a fellow twitterer.
My colleague hemal returned from a recent Social Media Summit, quite unhappy and concerned. It seems brand managers quite happily spoke about how they infiltrate online communities to fake posts and comments. And yes, most of us digital marketers also fall in the trap by explaining to clients that that’s what we can do for them. It’s the easiest way to explain what we do to someone who doesn’t understand social media.
It’s worth mentioning here that the strength of social media lies in two key areas:
1. network of
2. trust
Networks such as orkut and facebook were easy. but they truly became powerful because users now didn’t just keep in touch, instead they started asking for information, reviews, advice…
Tightening the circle of trust
It is said that 76% of don’t believe that companies tell the truth in advertising. Hey but my friend won’t lie. What’s he got to gain?
Trouble is that if brands continue infiltrating and buying bloggers off, your blogger/twitter friend may have something to gain after all. Result? People will start closing in their circles. Tightening their ‘circle of trust’. And soon brands will lose the influence-potential of social media.
Drowning in cynicism
I see the marketers of 2020 in deep shit. People will be far more cynical. (they probably already are. You must’ve noticed the reactions before susan boyle started to sing)
Buzz vs Influence vs Infiltration
Brands like Burger King have been perfect examples of creating buzz over the internet. Fastrack tried out a twitter contest to do just that.
Influence ofcourse can be created just as well by videos on youtube. Pepsi recycle is worth a mention.
Perhaps infiltration, even though it’s the easiest, needs to be killed. It’s a lazy option. It’s going to kill social media. It’s going to effect the social fabric of the web. Perhaps the marketer community needs to take a stand?