Product reviews, retail sales, and advertisements of all ilk litter people’s social media feed. Every now and again, one will stand out because the algorithm has done its job properly and knows you’ve been looking for a purple velvet cloak to complete your perfect Halloween costume. However, most of the time these flashy, noisy images and videos are simply annoyances that you scroll past, until you see that not just one, but three of your close friends have liked and/or shared that ad. Suddenly, this may be something that you too may be interested in.
It’s been known for centuries that social influence is a huge driver of consumer behavior. With all the social media platforms and applications that exist today, advertisers have a huge opportunity to leverage social influence to successfully push their product. However, knowing that ‘other people’ rated the product they bought as a 5/5 or thought that the trendy new restaurant’s food was impeccable sometimes isn’t enough. A recommendation or review coming from someone you personally know is much more highly valued and trusted.
Incentivizing brand fans to share their experiences and thoughts about a brand and what they have to offer is key in casting a wider net to capture others who can potentially become fans, or at the very least, new users. Some brand fans may not need much convincing – they just love the product or service so much that they want to share that love with those near and dear to them so that they too can experience the joy. Most, however, want to know how they will benefit from leaving a good review or sharing the trendy new ad on Facebook. That said, a coupon or some type of referral program can go a long way.
Though not a new phenomenon, multi-level marketing companies have recently been thriving via social media venues. Names such as Rodan & Fields, LipSense, LulaRoe and others have been taking over newsfeeds and gaining new users as well as increasing their sales among existing users. The key to their success? Your friends and family are selling the product! If your friends are selling the product and they love it, then you’re probably going to love it too, right?
The power of getting consumers to share a brand’s content on social media is strong. Advertisers need to move beyond a single-minded focus on algorithms that may or may not be targeting successfully. A big opportunity awaits those who discover effective ways to convince their users to share the love – love for the brand, that is.
Aleena Roeschley Research Director and Multicultural Expert
