I extremely dislike those online shops on Facebook when they keep tagging their Friends randomly in a particular photo of the product to promote their New Arrivals or Sale Items. I mean, can’t you just perhaps post the photos without tagging us randomly?
I did not post any link to this online boutique, since it may not be the most legal thing to do. But, as you can see in this photo (the shop name was edited), many girls are tagged and most people will be annoyed. In my opinion, they could have just post the album with clear and attractive descriptions so that the friends won’t be disturbed by the tag notifications. Do you agree with me or do you have any other suggestions on how to market products through Facebook?
The great example of using social media as a way to promote their products is this small company run by a group of boys in the US, called Wong Fu Productions. I first watched one of their many videos unintentionally which was shared by my friend on Facebook, titled Good Hygiene Gets Girls. I really like that video because it was very honest and hilarious, not to mention the excellent quality of picture they have. Up to today, the video has drawn 441,409 views! And the number is growing!
Since then, I went to their Youtube site, making me wanting to know more about them and leading me to their website. It’s great how they interlinked those social media pages (Youtube, the website, Twitter and Facebook page), creating a more powerful connection. They also have been featured in some university visits to talk in a seminar about video-making and online business. You can check the Wong Fu Productions website for more detail.
Looking at those two examples, it is obvious that even people love Facebook or other social medias to connect with their favourite online stores, artists, or other public figures; third party communication is much better and proved to be more effective than trying to put your product all over your customers’ Facebook page. Not misusing digital marketing or utilizing those online promotional medias in the proper way gives you more power to communicate with your audience.
Share your experience dealing with a very annoying marketing communication on Facebook or an excellent company that successfully use Facebook as their marketing tool (and getting more sales than complaints).
Thanks for reading!
Keep reading for more new entries next week!
=)
Two great examples Natalia. Don't be afraid to link to examples so that we can directly experience them - there's certainly nothing illegal about linking to a website!
ReplyDeleteHave the people who have been tagged on the first example given permission to be tagged? Are they fans of the brand? If not, this is potentially spam!
Here's the link to the online shop's Facebook page I was talking about: http://www.facebook.com/Moo2Shop#!/Moo2Shop
ReplyDeleteI am not picking out that particular shop only since there are so many online shops promoting their stuffs by the same approach (tagging their friends on Facebook randomly). Yes I'm sure the persons tagged are friends with the online shop; they might like or dislike it.
It could be potentially great for their sales for those who don't mind being tagged. But for those who are annoyed would delete the brand as friend (and that's why I did to other shop) and probably spread negative WOM - which cant be good for the brand!
Now I've got 8 posts on my Most Recent Facebook page from different online shops (who are not even my friends on facebook) tagging my friends on their albums! Dont you think that's annoying?
That might be annoying if you are being tagged. But if you are tagged at the albums that you are interested, may be that's a different story. (Most of the time, it's really annoying for me) Hihihi
ReplyDeleteI had never noticed this tagging before until just recently! one of my facebook freinds kept getting tagged in photos so I had a look at what they were and by the end of it i spent about an hour looking through all the clothes!!!
ReplyDeleteI think that in a way this tagging can be invasive and irritating for those who are 'used' - but for every person that is tagged, if one of their friends has a look that is opening their store to a huge range of people!!!
So in a way i tihnk it is a really smart tactic but it does raise certain ethical questions about what is 'right' to do in using social media as a marketing avenue.
Yup I do agree with both of your comments. As long as we don't mind being tagged, then it's fine. It all depends on how often they tag us or the product itself.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to see both positive and negative sides of tagging people on Facebook. For anyone who reads this comment, what do you think of other way(s) of promoting a brand/product on Facebook?
And what do you think about the 'good' example I posted above?
Some people do become friends with those online shops in Facebook, so they are deliberately wanting to be targeted by these shops.
ReplyDeleteI think I agree that it is an example of ethics - sort of a grey area in marketing because there are no legal boundaries to this.
Talk about annoying advertising in Facebook - if you look at to the right of your page, you would look at all these random advertisings. From like these Facebook games to ads that tells you to join these online dating sites.
Great to see so many thoughts stimulated out of your post and I also love that you have chosen a vertical to focus on.
ReplyDeleteThis will be a real winner if you keep it up!
Hi Natalia, nice blog!love it!! and I think it really is one of the current issue that we are dealing while using facebook.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes also feel that tagging photo stuff kind a annoying, because they keep tagging you even though you have untagged the previous one. it seems like they are so persistent.
Im afraid if they keep doing this,people will start to spread a negative word f mouth of that particular store.
I think it would be better if the store make sure not to tag photo to people who used to untag the photo.
And it would also better, if they dont tag photo to random people constantly. They would probably want to focus on tagging photo to the customer that used to purchase from the store.
@vandar: absolutely agree with your statement about no clear boundaries in marketing on Facebook. It all depends on how the customers perceived a brand and how appropriate the marketing strategy is.
ReplyDeleteBtw, those ads on the right side of your Facebook page is actually quite smart and very targeted since they might use the relevant information you posted on your profile to target you. You might choose "Single" status on your profile that's why they offered you online dating sites hahaha..
@josh: thanks for your comment! I would love to see more discussion in my posts to get readers' opinions and maybe their related experiences that might be interesting to talk about. You are most welcome to share your experience here as well!
@gracia: thanks for reading my blog! hope it's relevant for you. I have friend who experienced the same thing as you, and she deleted that online shop from her friend list - again negative WOM. That's a very good suggestion you wrote for them to consider.