Web 2.0 Rule #2: Focus on creating Brand ROI, not here-today-but-gone-tomorrow "Brand Buzz."

Note: This post is part of a current series for B2Bs and B2Cs that explores 10 (essential!) Rules That No Marketer Should Pass The "Web 2.0 Go" Without. All posts in the series are archived here. In this post we illuminate:  

Web 2.0 Rule #2: Focus on creating Brand ROI, not here-today-but-gone-tomorrow "Brand Buzz."

I'm seeing a lot of brands seeking buzz--and I'm seeing a lot of companies and consultants promising it. What I'm hearing A LOT less of is talk about results (or, ROI). It’s sorta like… actually, it's exactly like… when the commercial Web debuted in the 90s and companies were seeking “eyeballs.”

Hey, eyeballs are great but if they’re not attached to your target market--meaning, those people who will buy from you now, will buy from you in the future, or who will recommend to others that they should buy from you now or in the future--then they’re just eyeing your site, not buying your product.

This sounds pretty darn obvious, eh? Yeah, I think so, too. But you would be amazed at the multitude of contests, videos, sites and promotions that my fellow marketers and I witness daily that were obviously concocted with the sole goal of "generating buzz."

And we do buzz about them...

... for one whole day. 

(But I do not think the things that we say are the type of buzz that the companies were aiming for, though.)

But sure as the seasons and twice as quick, there's another here-today-but-gone-tomorrow buzz-oriented scheme set to debut the very next day. And so on and so forth. You get the picture. Problem is, these companies aren't yielding results, they're just generating (fleeting) buzz. What a waste of brains, budget and bandwidth.

Yes marketers, you absolutely want people talking up (or, buzzing over) your brands. And you really want them saying great things. But you want the buzz you've worked so hard for to lead somewhere.

Think of buzz as a bridge.

That bridge leads from your strategy to a destination (your revenue goal). But the bridge (the buzz) is not THE destination in and of itself. In other words, that buzz is a means to an end. It's not THE end.

In fact, most times buzz is just the beginning.

So, what is the end that you seek? Well, it could be many goals, including buzz that:

• Creates awareness of your brand with your target audience
• Encourages people to buy your brand
• Prompts people to re-purchase your brand
• Moves people to refer your brand to others who will actually buy your brand, and hopefully refer it to even more people who will buy your brand
• Facilitates more brand advocates and evangelists
  
• Increases the perceived value of your brand so that people will pay more for your brand or so that other companies might be interested in buying or investing in your brand (or company)
  
• If you're a cause then you want for your buzz to increase sales (donations) or involvement (volunteers) with your brand, too.

Ergo, all of your buzz-oriented programs need to:

• Resonate with your target audience(s). They do not need to resonate with the entire World Wide Web. A $99,000 piece of construction equipment does not need to resonate with a teenage boy, but a $.99 mp3 does.
  
• Encourage your target audience(s) to act (see list above for the actions you want them taking!)
• Make a lasting impact on your target audience... not just a day of buzz that is quickly replaced by a day of buzz by another brand with the sole goal of "generating buzz."
  

The way to remedy this "buzz-over-brand-ROI mentality" is pretty darn simple. And with all your other goal-setting across all other media, should be a forethought not an afterthought. Work with your team and/or professional/agency/firm/consultant/expert to:

• Clarify not only the amount of buzz you are seeking to attain but the end results of it -- that way you're not sitting in a traffic jam of buzz on a bridge to nowhere.
• Pinpoint how this particular program targets your particular audience(s) of interest -- that way you're not selling steak to vegetarians or dentures to teenagers.
• Map out how Brand ROI will be evaluated, and over what period of time. ROI is not always instant, these things take time and effort.
  
• Identify how the buzz will be monitored. Many times you will need to optimize your program and or messaging, thus you need to learn from the qualitative nature of the buzz, not just the quantitative number of impressions. That means you need mortals reviewing the buzz, not just machines citing the number of impressions.
  

Remember, you're looking for maximum impact, not maximum impressions. Less noise, more signal. You want to increase earnings not just eyeballs, I assure you, your boss will agree. Now, go forth and buzz with a real revenue purpose.

(And yes, all of the above holds true whether you're in consumer, business or cause marketing.)

Here are some supporting posts to provide you with more insight and direction stemming from this rule:

• The basics of WOM (buzz): Learn how it works right here.
• WOM is freeing, but not free: Find out why here.

Rule #3 comes your way next...

(Psst! all posts in this series are archived here)

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Comments

[Denise Bean-White]

CK you are right on. I LOVE the bridge analogy. Bring it home via the Bridge. Thanks Denise