We are all influenced in new ways
Photo Tagging: The Latest in Viral Marketing
In the age of digital influence, marketers are trying to utilize each and every new Web 2.0 technique. The next step might be right before their very eyes through photo tagging.
A new viral marketing technique
This week, AdAge featured not just one, but many articles on the future of social networks as tools for marketing purposes. One in particular discussed the tagging feature on an individual’s Facebook photos as a form of guerrilla marketing. To convey this somewhat strange trend, the author uses an example of one his girlfriend being tagged in a picture of Obama. But this trend extends well beyond the recent obsession over Obama as the embodiment of and lesson to be learned from social media. It can include any brand that people want to talk about or content they want to share, and can do so through tagging one another. Essentially, these tags are just a different type of link and thus form a new yet incredibly obvious form of viral marketing.
A personal example
I never thought anything of this, but my friend and I have an inside joke which epitomizes this trend. Most Fridays after work, she and I retreat to one of our apartments to order pizza, watch movies, and just chill. So one day, I checked my mail and received a direct mail piece from Papa Johns that said, “Dear Pizza Lover.” That in and of itself is hysterical so we took a picture of it and before I knew it she had uploaded the picture to Facebook and tagged me in it. In thinking about this recent trend, we partook in viral marketing without even realizing. And I’m sure we’re not the only ones.
What next?
So what’s the future in this? As the article points out, Facebook will need to establish some sort of control as to ensure that it somehow receives economic profit from its users as viral marketers, paid by companies to promote their brand via photos. But that’s to say this trend will really take off.
Because this type of marketing is so new and relatively unused, it will take a bit for the trend to catch on. But how will it? Both Porter and Cialdini would contend that it will happen only through social proof or following others behavior, especially since people have particular and personal ways in which they operate on social networks. Talk about the importance of really knowing your audience. Brands will need to identify their target audience and go after key influencers with X number of friends or more as to ensure maximum exposure of your message. But that assumes people will want to consciously and actively be a part of the process. Although it is essentially type of word of mouth marketing, people generally don’t realize how their words influence others behaviors. It will be interesting to see if this takes off and how brands utilize and employ this type of a marketing campaign.
A new viral marketing technique
This week, AdAge featured not just one, but many articles on the future of social networks as tools for marketing purposes. One in particular discussed the tagging feature on an individual’s Facebook photos as a form of guerrilla marketing. To convey this somewhat strange trend, the author uses an example of one his girlfriend being tagged in a picture of Obama. But this trend extends well beyond the recent obsession over Obama as the embodiment of and lesson to be learned from social media. It can include any brand that people want to talk about or content they want to share, and can do so through tagging one another. Essentially, these tags are just a different type of link and thus form a new yet incredibly obvious form of viral marketing.
A personal example
I never thought anything of this, but my friend and I have an inside joke which epitomizes this trend. Most Fridays after work, she and I retreat to one of our apartments to order pizza, watch movies, and just chill. So one day, I checked my mail and received a direct mail piece from Papa Johns that said, “Dear Pizza Lover.” That in and of itself is hysterical so we took a picture of it and before I knew it she had uploaded the picture to Facebook and tagged me in it. In thinking about this recent trend, we partook in viral marketing without even realizing. And I’m sure we’re not the only ones.
What next?
So what’s the future in this? As the article points out, Facebook will need to establish some sort of control as to ensure that it somehow receives economic profit from its users as viral marketers, paid by companies to promote their brand via photos. But that’s to say this trend will really take off.
Because this type of marketing is so new and relatively unused, it will take a bit for the trend to catch on. But how will it? Both Porter and Cialdini would contend that it will happen only through social proof or following others behavior, especially since people have particular and personal ways in which they operate on social networks. Talk about the importance of really knowing your audience. Brands will need to identify their target audience and go after key influencers with X number of friends or more as to ensure maximum exposure of your message. But that assumes people will want to consciously and actively be a part of the process. Although it is essentially type of word of mouth marketing, people generally don’t realize how their words influence others behaviors. It will be interesting to see if this takes off and how brands utilize and employ this type of a marketing campaign.
Comment
-
Comment by Lauren Miller on November 16, 2008 at 12:01pm - I definitely think that images can often hold a person's attention more so than words. Images particularly capture a person's attention when him or herself is in the picture or friends and family members are. For this reason I agree that photo tagging seems like a new wave of viral marketing. As I had mentioned in my blog, with social media, to the sources that are providing the network base, marketing and sales are always top of mind.
-
Comment by Douglas Davidson on November 15, 2008 at 4:35pm -
I think the payout for Facebook is the increased membership that comes from the ease of its users sharing photos, articles and other data through their system. Like any other trend, the social proof states that people want to be/interact with/do whatever everyone else is doing. Like Porter's example - You see a full restaurant, you think it's a great place to eat. So if you and your friend are trading stories about the Papa Johns email, you might have other friends that want to get in on the joke, so they sign up. OR, the next time Papa Johns makes a "gift" available to you or your friend, you might be more inclined to purchase it through Facebook which gives them a share of profit, but also allows you to keep your joke running.
Considering the recent article I read about Pizza Hut creating a Facebook app to order pizza, I imagine that Papa Johns is attempting to figure out how to monetize their presence on Facebook as well.
About
Badge
Digital Influence Mapping
Loading feed
© 2009 Created by John Bell on Ning. Create a Ning Network!
You need to be a member of Digital Influencers to add comments!
Join this Ning Network