Social marketing gurus, social media consultants, designing a social marketing strategy - an orkut,a facebook and a twitter later - there is almost a whole new channel for marketing that seems to have emerged. And suddenly if you don't have a social marketing strategy - you're worried that your missing a trick in the game.
But i dont get it? Sure there is a whole new place to find consumers - but some consumers at that, especially in the india context - with limited internet penetration, huge age segmentation in play, its really a very niche set - and perhaps has not reached that tipping poing yet either. Besides, what does this platform really deliver? it does not match up to other channels where reach for advertising even in this niche target segment in concerned - (maybe it has some cost benefits since we know targeting niche is very expensive and the internet medium maybe cheap) - The big benefit attributed to this medium is "engaging"with consumers and co-creating - thats the one i am really uncomfortable with. I wonder if consumers really seek joy in co-creating, do they begin to care more for a brand as they go through the process of co-creating?, if they participate in this process does that make them more loyal? Maybe its just cashing in on the prize money, maybe they are bored - maybe its simply entertainment with nothing better to do right now. The only time i have seen consumers passionate about co-creating is when its about bad news, when there is a problem - then this forum really has consumers participating.
Not to say, its not a medium to be ignored - i think its a great place to have ears close to the door and pick up the kind of conversations consumers are having about your brand but not sure if its really become big enough to make material difference to the good fortunes of the brand - but can cause a down slide pretty fast. As Al ries says, its not really a strategy, it can be a tactic in the strategy but thats it. Lets not give it more importance than that.
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