creativematch: Microsoft launches 'Word of Mouse Guidelines for Advertisers'

The research shows 73% of consumers visited the personal space of a brand, and 16% have a dialogue with a brand. Consumers will interact with brands online. With 215 million user accounts estimated to exist on social networking sites globally advertisers can identify influential social networkers as independent brand advocates.

Chris Ward, Commercial Director, Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions, said: “Social networking has changed the rules of the game and consumers now have the power to make or break a brand.

"This type of relationship provides a two way dialogue where the brand receives feedback and the social networker could be monetised for their efforts – positive or negative.”

The challenge for advertisers is how to approach this savvy online community. Jaap Favier, Senior Research director at Forrester Research points out: “Senior marketers are dying to get in touch with the valuable, but hard-to-reach 25-35 year olds. They see social media as a channel that is cost effective, and, more importantly, a channel that adds credibility to their brands with that target group.”

The ‘Word of the Mouse’ Advertising Guidelines recommendations:

1. Understand consumer’s motivations for using social networks

- 75% of British users use the sites to keep in touch with friends and family

- Approximately half use it to express opinions and views on topics of interest

- 49% use social networks to deepen relationships with like-minded people.

2. Express themselves as a brand

People are using social networks to express their individuality. Networks can be used to express a side of a brand people don’t normally see and encourage them to interact with it – but it needs to remain authentic.

3. Create and maintain good conversations

Individuals are powerful in this environment – they are the content creators, conversation creators and community creators. Brands that are willing to have a dialogue could benefit.

4. Empower participants

You are entering a world of empowered participants who control their own content, are expressing their individuality and would welcome having this power over branded properties on their Space.

5. Identify online brand advocates

Advertisers need to identify relevant networking sites i.e. a site which includes people who already use/buy a company’s product and align to this audience and existing customer segmentation models.

By researching blogging habits or comments on a product in this environment, advertisers can reach out to influentials and begin a dialogue, for example by offering free samples or advanced product releases.

6. Behave like a social networker

A fundamental principle is that the best advertisers on Spaces will behave like the best Spaces owners by:

- Being creative

- Being honest and courteous (ask permission)

- Being individual

- Being conscious of the audience

- Updating regularly

The research identified the different trends in social networking across eight European markets (Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and UK) helping to reinforce the importance of this landscape to advertisers.

The adoption of social networking was high in the UK. 37% of British social networkers visit networks daily and 41% a few times a week. In general, it’s a popular evening activity, with 52% of UK social networkers logging on between 8pm and 11pm. On average 24% of UK social networkers spend at least 15-29 minutes interacting on social networks; whilst approximately a third spend between 30-59 minutes.

http://advertising.microsoft.com

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