Brand decisions being made
on social network sites
Added ( 21-01-2008 )
Social network sites are becoming increasingly important to consumers as a space where they can get an honest opinion on products and services they are considering and the performance of leading brands.
At Foolproof, we are observing the early signs of a seismic shift in the way that brands are regarded and subsequently bought, that is based on the emerging new world of user-generated online content.
In this new world, all brand claims are hollow unless they can be authenticated by others – experts, communities, hobbyists, fans, objectors, customers and the trade – to whom the internet community now has easy access.
Marketers need to recognise the role that these social networks can play in influencing the reputation of their brand. It means that companies will need to focus their energies on making it easy for consumers to substantiate the ‘authenticity’ of their brands and the claims they make for their products or services.
Once this position is understood, brands can either ‘take part’ in the debate, offering an honest and authentic view point, or they need to review their offering and align it with the expectations of their customers.
We expect that the next generation of comparison sites will feature user-generated content as one of its key comparison criteria, so marketers had better integrate it into their plans sooner rather than later.
If you would like to discuss this topic in more detail we’d love to hear from you. Call us on 01603 766800 or email info@foolproof.co.uk.
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