What’s the best way for companies to engage with their customers using social media?
I think companies need to be very careful in the way they use social media. In a free-market economy, we are barraged by advertising. Very obvious advertising and attempts to influence buying patterns are off-putting to most people. At the same time, people do not want to feel they are being duped or controlled by subliminal messages or product placements. Companies should be open about their involvement in social media and they should also try to make their participation seem like it is really a way for social media users to benefit themselves. As more tools become available to focus ads toward interested
In a paper written for the National Advertising Initiative, Dr. Howard Beales wrote,
“One strategy widely used to increase the value of advertising is behavioral targeting. Using information about online behavior, including sites visited and interest in particular types of content, behavioral targeting seeks to serve advertisements that particular groups of consumers are more likely to find interesting. If advertising better matches consumer interests, consumers are more likely to respond to the message, and advertisers will be willing to pay more for ads delivered to such an audience.”
Firms like Nielsen can help a firm evaluate the effectiveness of its social media advertising.
Here are some humorous examples of “very subtle” product placements. Here are more examples.
