Brands listen up! It’s time. There’s no more avoiding it. The web has gone social whether you like it or not. If there is one thing we’ve learned from the success of Facebook and Twitter, it’s that consumers have a voice and they want to be heard. And if you don’t believe me, Forrester Research last week became the first independent research firm to encourage clients to use social applications and to commit to social marketing campaigns. In the report, Forrester’s Sean Corcoran emphasizes “To enhance an ad campaign with social elements, interactive marketers should know their audience’s behavior, commit to the communities for the long term” - the key phrase here being “long-term”. Marketers need to adjust their way of thinking and measuring and forget the “quick-hit nature of advertising” and think about ways to connect with customers in a more impactful way. It’s about building a deeper connection and using social tools to drive people into your community. Social media is about conversations. Consumers don’t want to be blasted with messages. They want to be listened to and partake in dialogue. Don’t be afraid of consumer input. It adds authenticity to your message.
The tools and technology to engage your customers exist and I thank Forrester for making this their focus because it brings to light what Zibaba is trying to do with our Social Ads solution. Zibaba is set to release an interactive advertising application that will allow brands to engage consumers and deliver effective and targeted ad campaigns on any ad network. This first of its kind technology incorporates User Generated Content (UGC) into the ad with comments and reviews and allows users to share the ad with their friends via email, IM, Bookmark or Post to profile on any social network. It even displays a Follow on Twitter button so fans can be continually updated about your brand. Interactive and personalized ads have shown a 154% increase in CTR, 66% increase in conversion rate and a 3-5 times increase in revenue per 1000 impressions. Best of all, your Social Ads campaign features built-in reporting and will tell you instantly who is clicking on your ad, what part of the ad is being shared and let you follow the conversations that are taking place. And they are taking place, whether you are part of them or not.
Having said that, I will leave you with one final thought. Just Do It!