How-To: Getting into Online WOM
5 Tips from Weber Shandwick's Robert Ricci
Not every online tactic is right for every campaign. "My colleagues, like lots of other advertising and marketing folks, are stuck on what's the hot buzzword of the week," says Robert Ricci of the Web Relations Group for Weber Shandwick. "They say, 'I want to do viral marketing,' but they don't even know what viral marketing is."
Here, he offers five tips on easing into the waters of online WOM:
Tip #1. Want a blog? Start by posting on other blogs
Do a search related to your industry product or service and identify the most relevant blogs. Watch the dialogues that are taking place, and when there's anything you can add to the conversation, join in (being transparent about who you are, of course). That way, when you begin your own blog, readers may think, "I recognize him, he's the one who started that thoughtful thread."
Doing this will help you understand the medium without having to maintain a blog of your own.
Tip #2. You can't create a viral email
Most of what people consider viral has become viral by accident and is rarely attached to a brand. You can introduce pass-along elements and hope that it's shared (such as "invite five friends and enter the contest") but you can't ever guarantee that it will "go viral" on its own. It's almost always an accident.
Tip #3. Message boards are a lot like blog conversations
When you find a message board related to your topic, interject when you can (again, honoring the rules behind transparency).
For example, if you're reading a message board about the Yankees you wouldn't go in as "Joe Yankee Fan." Rather, you would identify yourself as someone who loves the Yankees but also works for the Yankees.
Tip #4. Follow up
After you post messages, whether on a blog or a message board, be sure to follow up and see if a conversation got started around your idea. If you post something that's exciting enough to be responded to, you should be there in order to respond back. It's a process: enter a site, post, check back to see if something has bubbled up.
Tip #5. It's about relationships
Just as PR revolves around creating relationships with journalists, word of mouth is about cultivating a relationship with a consumer. Ultimately, your job is about gaining their trust.
Special note: You can learn more from Robert and meet him in person at WOMBAT 2. He's set to speak on a panel during Day 1 about blogger relations and working with bloggers the right way.
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