Buzz Marketing, also known as word-of-mouth advertising, is an innovative marketing method that goes beyond traditional techniques. Although this method is not entirely new in popular usage, people have been recommending products and services and sharing their experiences for centuries. The modern version of Buzz Marketing is built on strategically managing and directing this natural communication process.
What is Buzz Marketing?
Buzz Marketing is a marketing strategy that develops through social dissemination. This method uses the oldest form of information sharing—word-of-mouth communication—to maximize the popularity of campaigns.
Buzz Marketing campaigns invest in unusual content to get everyone talking, which does not incur additional costs for the company.
Types of Buzz Marketing
There are two types of Buzz Marketing: organic word-of-mouth marketing and amplified word-of-mouth marketing. Here’s what you need to know about these types:
Organic Word-of-Mouth Marketing
People naturally become brand advocates when they are satisfied with a product or service and feel the need to share this satisfaction with others.
For example, a user may share their satisfaction with a purchased product on their social media account and recommend it to their followers.
Amplified Word-of-Mouth Marketing
This type of marketing involves advertising campaigns created by marketers to encourage existing or potential customers to become brand advocates. It typically aims to have customers promote the brand by offering special offers, discounts, or rewards.
For example, a company may offer discount coupons or free products in exchange for customers sharing their products on social media.
Both types of marketing help brands reach wider audiences and build customer loyalty.
Importance of Buzz Marketing
Buzz marketing is essential for businesses that want to go beyond traditional marketing channels and promote their brand and services through viral methods. It is an effective strategy to increase customer engagement, boost brand awareness, and ultimately drive sales.
People trust recommendations from friends or family more than traditional advertisements. This makes buzz marketing one of the most reliable ways to build brand awareness and promotion.
How to Implement Buzz Marketing?
Follow these steps to effectively implement buzz marketing. However, you can also develop your buzz marketing methods according to your brand goals.
Step 1: Know Your Target Audience
Before marketing any product, you must know your target audience well. While you can reach a broader audience with Buzz Marketing, you need to target the right audience to achieve conversion. Therefore, when creating your content, think about who will be most influenced by your brand and develop your strategy accordingly.
Step 2: Pre-Promote Your Campaign
Do you want to test the waters for your campaign? Use teasers for this. Teasers excite potential customers about your upcoming product or service. They draw attention, create anticipation, and increase your reach. At this stage, you can encourage people to sign up for your newsletter, building a potential customer list.
Step 3: Create a Branded Hashtag
After launching your campaign, plan how people will talk about your brand. Creating your own hashtag makes it easier to track consumer feedback and helps you gather data about your campaign. By using this hashtag in your campaign content, you can ensure that your audience reaches your brand and talks about your campaign.
Step 4: Encourage Customer Engagement
Once the basic preparations are complete, start building your campaign. A good content marketing strategy will be your greatest ally for successful buzz marketing. Create your texts in an attention-grabbing and action-inspiring way. The goal of every Buzz Marketing campaign is to provide value to the customer. Use the triggers you have learned to your advantage to attract customers’ attention.
Step 5: Create a Video Marketing Campaign
Compared to other types of advertisements, video marketing is more likely to succeed. Try to produce ideas that can be turned into visual content. Videos create a larger impact, are easier to share, and are highly engaging. Keep this element in mind when creating your campaign.
Step 6: Find the Right Influencers
If you want your buzz marketing to reach a wide audience, choose influencers who will share your campaign with a large audience. Reputable influencers have already built a relationship with your target audience, and their shares are likely to be received positively.
Step 7: Monitor and Learn
After launching your campaign, it’s time to analyze the results. Use tools like Google Analytics to learn how many people visited your website or watched your YouTube video during the campaign. Evaluate your performance by comparing it to periods when you did not use Buzz Marketing. Each campaign is an opportunity to learn and grow, so document each stage to improve future campaigns.
Examples of Buzz Marketing
The following examples show how Buzz Marketing can create a significant impact with the right strategies:
Old Spice
During its rebranding process in the 2010s, Old Spice achieved great success with the video “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like.” The humorous commentary by former NFL player Isaiah Mustafa made the ad go viral, and the brand was talked about for weeks.
Apple
During Steve Jobs’ era, Apple created high expectations by using the phrase “One more thing…” in its presentations. This trigger was used in the introduction of products like the iMac G4, iPod Mini, and MacBook Pro, causing people to talk about Apple for weeks.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Buzz Marketing
While Buzz Marketing may seem like a good strategy, it also has some disadvantages. Therefore, to create an effective digital marketing strategy, it is important to carefully evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of this strategy.
Advantages
- Credibility and Engagement: Buzz marketing has a high level of credibility because it is supported by recommendations from friends or family. People trust the advice of people they know more, which helps them form a stronger bond with the brand.
- Cost-Effectiveness: It can be less expensive compared to traditional advertising campaigns. Especially organic word-of-mouth marketing can increase brand awareness without additional costs.
- Viral Potential: With the right strategy, campaigns can go viral and spread rapidly to a wide audience. For example, Old Spice’s “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign went viral quickly and helped the brand regain popularity.
- Customer Loyalty: Amplified word-of-mouth marketing can increase customer loyalty. Encouraging customers to promote the brand by offering special deals or discounts can build long-term customer relationships.
Disadvantages
- Uncontrollability: Due to its natural nature, brands cannot fully control the buzz marketing process. Negative feedback or misunderstandings can negatively impact the brand image.
- Measurement Difficulty: Compared to traditional marketing methods, it is more difficult to measure and analyze the effects of buzz marketing. Properly analyzing data from social media and other platforms requires additional effort and expertise.
- Risky Investment: Especially in amplified word-of-mouth marketing, the return on the invested time and resources is not guaranteed. If the campaign fails, the invested resources may be wasted.
- Reputation Risk: If the campaign is not well-planned or executed, the brand’s reputation may be damaged. For example, inappropriate behavior or negative comments from influencers can harm the brand.
By understanding and carefully considering these aspects, businesses can effectively leverage buzz marketing to enhance their marketing efforts and achieve greater success.
