Internet Brand Management: The Role of Social Media

Internet brand management has become a critical consideration and skill for nearly all companies and marketers. The rapid and pervasive emergence of all things online has added new opportunities and challenges for every organization to engage with their customers in new ways. In the context of social media, Internet brand management requires a different attitude and a new set of tactics to ensure that you are able to shape perception of your brand in an environment that is actually controlled by your consumers.

In fact, your brand only exists in the perceptions of your customers and potential customers; in other words, your brand is not based on the definition you give it but in how consumers see it. When managing a brand, you traditionally strive to shape that emotional perception by creating a persuasive story around the product or service you are selling, and you try to present and control that brand image very closely. Given this history, it’s no wonder that companies are nervous about maintaining brand integrity in new media spaces, particularly with respect to social media and user generated content, where consumers are in charge.

So how do you use social media to help create and maintain a successful brand image? In social media, providing a compelling reason for consumers to participate with your brand is critical. While previous marketing strategies were highly focused on brand presence, new media marketing strategies need to use “goodwill messaging” and provide something of real value -- such as education, entertainment, or access -- to consumers to create a successful engagement campaign. Engagement marketing campaigns are most successful when they tie consumer lifestyles and values with those of the brand.

In social media, Internet brand management can also be challenging because engagement marketing requires companies to be open to a two-way conversation with consumers. Your campaign needs to provide opportunities for visitors to respond to your positioning and message. Brands need to be willing to listen and respond or risk losing customers who will find a willing replacement elsewhere.

For example, when Stouffer’s wanted to increase awareness and position themselves as a great-tasting, time-saving alternative to cooking dinner, they partnered with Gather, a social network for the over-30 crowd, to create an engagement campaign that focused on “special dinner moments” and “spending more time at the stove and more with your family.” Gather helped Stouffer’s select members who received product coupons in exchange for reviews. These reviews encouraged hundreds of members to discuss their experiences with Stouffer’s and to recommend their favorite entrees. These recommendations cascaded throughout various “friend networks” on Gather, ultimately visible to tens of thousands of members. The campaign worked so well because Stouffer’s provided value to consumers and allowed open discussion about its meals, creating a positive emotional perception of the benefits its products provide to families.

As you are developing your engagement marketing plans, carefully consider the level of brand presence, the benefit you are offering to participants, and how you will facilitate conversations. Internet brand management is still possible in this new age; it just requires different methods and a focus on how you will invite interaction with and among your customers. You can’t just talk at them.

Gather.com is the leader in implementing successful engagement marketing campaigns. For more information about starting your engagement campaign, contact sales@gatherinc.com.