Brand networking
Encyclopedia
Brand networking is the engagement of a social networking service around a brand by providing consumers with a platform of relevant content, elements of participation, and a currency, score, or ranking. Brands are using brand networking to create communities that serve as a fully encompassing interactive destination to incentivize brand participation online and off. This evolved level of user participation with the brand creates strong relationships with consumers and leverages sales and generates fan equity.
The development and growth of social networking in the early 2000s gave birth to brand networking. Brands saw the immediate potential to reach and interact with consumers through online platforms like Facebook
and MySpace
. At first the ability to reach consumers by way of these platforms was inadequate; brands had the option to join as members or simply advertise on these sites. The potential existed to not only display advertisements to consumers, but to engage them to interact with the brand. This is when brands made the shift to create their own networking platforms.
Less evolved attempts to connect brands with consumers via networking typically are built as online platforms meant only to complement a product/service and are limited in functionality. Typically these sites offer consumers the opportunity to interact through discussion boards and group pages. The Guiding Light Community was built to complement the popular CBS
television soap opera. The site offers members reward points for contributing content to discussion boards and blogs (which is all geared toward the show).
• Websites in conjunction with other media types (TV, radio, print, etc.…) present relative content around a vertical industry or sector of interest or cultural/social issues for a brand. This can be in the form of weight loss, marketing, or business—any content relative to your brand message. Relative content is not only provided by the brand, but also in the form of consumer generated media. By creating a network consumers interact and create content for online site.
• Next a brand provides participation with consumers online and off. This is accomplished through the combination of typical social networking features online (personalized page, friends, groups, messaging), to interconnect fans, and elements of involvement offline. This is not simply connecting online platform with mobile devices, but providing separate mobile features jointly with a secondary media type to drive online usage and build relationship with brand on the go. By participating in mobile campaigns users are interacting with the brand outside of traditional brick and mortar or e-commerce destinations.
• The final element of brand networking involves incentivizing participation with the other two elements. The addition of a currency or point system acts as an anchor to your brand and your network in addition to creating a competitive nature between consumers. These points are distributed for activity outside of the networking site. By incentivizing usage offline the brand image is re-enforced for the consumer and strengthens the relationship. Turning a brand message into an interactive competitive element of a network, consumers are turned into promoters for both the brand and the users benefit. When done properly a brand can effectively interact and network with consumers for the long term. Once a consumer is locked into your brand network with the combination of these three key elements they become fans of the brand.
History
The development and growth of social networking in the early 2000s gave birth to brand networking. Brands saw the immediate potential to reach and interact with consumers through online platforms like Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
and MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
. At first the ability to reach consumers by way of these platforms was inadequate; brands had the option to join as members or simply advertise on these sites. The potential existed to not only display advertisements to consumers, but to engage them to interact with the brand. This is when brands made the shift to create their own networking platforms.
Less evolved attempts to connect brands with consumers via networking typically are built as online platforms meant only to complement a product/service and are limited in functionality. Typically these sites offer consumers the opportunity to interact through discussion boards and group pages. The Guiding Light Community was built to complement the popular CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
television soap opera. The site offers members reward points for contributing content to discussion boards and blogs (which is all geared toward the show).
Structure
Brand Networking is more than a social networking platform; it is connecting consumers together and constructing relationships directly with the brand. Three key elements, in unity, create brand networking: relevant content, elements of participation, and a competitive currency.• Websites in conjunction with other media types (TV, radio, print, etc.…) present relative content around a vertical industry or sector of interest or cultural/social issues for a brand. This can be in the form of weight loss, marketing, or business—any content relative to your brand message. Relative content is not only provided by the brand, but also in the form of consumer generated media. By creating a network consumers interact and create content for online site.
• Next a brand provides participation with consumers online and off. This is accomplished through the combination of typical social networking features online (personalized page, friends, groups, messaging), to interconnect fans, and elements of involvement offline. This is not simply connecting online platform with mobile devices, but providing separate mobile features jointly with a secondary media type to drive online usage and build relationship with brand on the go. By participating in mobile campaigns users are interacting with the brand outside of traditional brick and mortar or e-commerce destinations.
• The final element of brand networking involves incentivizing participation with the other two elements. The addition of a currency or point system acts as an anchor to your brand and your network in addition to creating a competitive nature between consumers. These points are distributed for activity outside of the networking site. By incentivizing usage offline the brand image is re-enforced for the consumer and strengthens the relationship. Turning a brand message into an interactive competitive element of a network, consumers are turned into promoters for both the brand and the users benefit. When done properly a brand can effectively interact and network with consumers for the long term. Once a consumer is locked into your brand network with the combination of these three key elements they become fans of the brand.
Fan Equity
Fan equity is the idea by locking in consumers to a brand; they are turned into fans of the brand. As fans they are promoting, interacting, and consuming on a daily biases and become assetsApple Inc. is one example of a company possessing fan equity. Customers of Apple are extremely brand loyal and are assets to them.Existing Communities
There are several examples of brand communities already in existence.| Community Site | Company | Purpose | Engagement | Relevant Content | Participation Element | Score or Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guiding Light Community | CBS CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of... /Procter & Gamble Procter & Gamble Procter & Gamble is a Fortune 500 American multinational corporation headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods.... |
Connect fans of Guiding Light TV show | Reward Points, Groups, photos, and polls | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mixing Bowl | Meredith Corporation Meredith Corporation The Meredith Corporation is a media conglomerate based in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The company has two divisions, National Media and Local Media.-History:... |
Users share recipes and cooking tips | Connects to Facebook, Groups, Contests, Blogs, Recipes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Mom Junction | Procter & Gamble | Connect and interact with moms | Build network of moms, groups, Q & A, local moms | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pink for a Cure | General Mills General Mills General Mills, Inc. is an American Fortune 500 corporation, primarily concerned with food products, which is headquartered in Golden Valley, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. The company markets many well-known brands, such as Betty Crocker, Yoplait, Colombo, Totinos, Jeno's, Pillsbury, Green... /myspace Myspace Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors.... |
Connect and share stories of breast cancer survivors | Connected through MySpace | Yes | Yes | No |
| CarSpace | Edmunds.com Edmunds.com Edmunds.com is a provider of automotive information via Web sites, books, and other media. The company is headquartered in Santa Monica, California and maintains an office outside of Detroit, Michigan... |
Connect with automotive enthusiasts together | Friends, Groups, Blogs, Photos, Mailbox, videos, connects directly to Edmunds for car listings | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| GDGT | PastFuture, Inc. | Connect with gadget enthusiasts to engage and provide information | Friends, discussion boards, reviews | Yes | Yes | No |