A Direct Marketing Agency - Helping Brands Acquire and Retain Customers

There are certain nuts that are hard to crack even with a fifty-pound sledge. Social network marketing is just such a nut. The technique takes more finesse and a deeper understanding of just to whom you are talking.

Social network marketing is the utilization of social networking sites such as Facebook, Ning, and MySpace to reach customers. Companies see the amazing popularity of these sites and have been struggling to come up with effective marketing campaigns to cash in. However, this aspect of Internet marketing is still very new. On the map of Internet marketing there is a caption next to social marketing – "here there be dragons".

The initial idea most marketers have is to build and maintain their own presences on these sites. This is what companies such as Pepsi, Volkswagen, Wendy's, and even the US Air force have done. The results are dismal. Anthropomorphic food items, unbelievably stereotypical (not to mention insulting) characters, and sites that offer nothing more than links to product sites.

The central problem with this approach is that the users of these sites, the elusive 16-28 social networking user demographic, recognize these sites to be exactly what they are – shameless propaganda. If the user feels like they are being marketed to, they feel alienated. This is harmful for all concerned.

The key to effective social network marketing is to use the medium more like a traditional channel. Remember who you are, and respect the user enough to meet them on an acceptable level. That is, speak to the users in a way they understand without the pretense of being a user. As long as the efforts aren't duplicitous, they will be well received.

A good example of this is the marketing Secret has been doing with recording artist Rihanna. Visiting MySpace.com/secret (an address marketed through other channels), takes users to a page that is branded for Secret Body Spray. The content, however, is all about Rihanna. Visitors can download free wallpapers and MP3's, watch an exclusive video performance, and enter a contest to meet the artist. There is no pre-roll on the MP3's, no Secret logo in the corner of the wallpaper. It is just good content. While true fans aren't likely to confuse this with Rihanna's actual MySpace page, the site offers something for every fan.

The trick to good social network marketing it to respect the user, give them a reason to stay for a bit. Even better, give them a reason to pass it on to their friends. That's hard to do with a fifty-pound sledge.