the much maligned marketer
A fascinating illustration of how different people interpret the role of marketing and the rights of service providers to try and earn money on the internet is nowhere more clear than in discussion of social media. Community and business can coexist symbiotically if each respects the needs of the other. Communities that are purely social will, like traditional clubs and societies ultimately suffer the weight of inevitable cost structures unless they are prepared to entertain business interests or attract philanthropy or public funding. And business interests will ultimately fail to achieve their goals if they are not sensitive to and and delivering to customer needs. The latter is all about marketing. And in the world of social media today, marketers have no choice but to lift their game and be very sensitive to the new psyche - else the backlash can be very public. See the mashable vs income.com flame wars to see how hot it gets.
Tony
in Corporate marketing, social media
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Reader Comments (2)
Good points and it is indeed a fine line to walk. Corny as it may sound I think honesty is the best policy.
Many online services cannot exist without a social component, and many social sites are struggling to 'monetize' (ie find) their business model.
Be honest up front with your community and customer base about what you are trying to achieve instead of using old hat marketing techniques to give them warm fuzzies. You can still advertise but in my experience being direct with the message gets the best results.
You may find they can even help you to achieve your goals.
Thanks Jeff - I absolutely agree and love the new age of transparency. Honesty is an absolute bottom line, so to speak.