It’s no secret the Internet continues to evolve from being largely an information gathering and ecommerce tool in the past decade to now a very social gathering place. Yet while social networking is hot, there’s actually a Holy Grail that has been on the Web for years. And because not many marketers have successfully tapped this hidden gem, the opportunity is immense.
What are we talking about? Conversational media. That is, the chat rooms, blogs and forums where online users can share information and tips on everything under the sun with other like-minded people.
More and more marketers are realizing that the people they’re trying to reach are sitting, chatting and engaging on these more rogue-looking Web pages every day.
If you’re after a specific audience, typically they’re in one place. In our case, it’s athletes and active consumers discussing how to change a bike tire, prepare for an upcoming triathlon or plan an adventure trip abroad. Slowtwitch.com is a great example. On a regular basis, pros chime in with amateurs and connect on the love of their sport.
You could say the same for just about any other niche market. Take the knitters of the world, for example. They’re out there chatting about yarns, needles and the right stitch. Or moms talking about illnesses, family travel destinations and what they think of particular kids’ products. Whatever the audience, it’s clearly going to be a focused and engaged audience.
Think about the opportunity, folks. You now can connect in “real life” and engage these folks at their passion point. What better place to be--the Holy Grail. For advertisers that successfully become part of these conversations, it’s the opportunity of a product’s lifetime.
Over the past few years, large brands have arrived online like a huge freight train. Their ad dollars are everywhere. Yet the funny thing is that the “bullet train” to their audience is only half full. In fact, even these big brands are beginning to realize that vertical channels and conversational media is where they need to be. The “long tail” they’ve been chasing is right in front of them—it’s conversational media. Strong marketers such as HP, Dell, Citibank, Chase and American Express are jumping onboard, so it’s an exciting time!
We also have smaller, smart marketers, such as specialized apparel company Pearl Izumi, that immediately realize the value of connecting with their audience via conversational media. For example, Pearl Izumi consistently reaches out to runners in related blogs and forums. Makes sense, right? But this media opportunity is not just for endemics—those focused solely on a particular subject or market. Non-endemics often strive to reach a targeted psychographic or demographic audience, too. As long as the shoe fits and the online media is respected, marketers should be welcomed.
To date, the struggle for advertisers—and even buyers—is not with the concept. Rather, it’s understanding what conversational media and niche marketing is all about. And most important, how to engage in the conversation.
“Niche” often carries the wrong connotation. In Active Athlete’s case, it’s not “small;”, it’s “premium.” comScore recently came out with the first metrics for measuring and valuing these types of sites, so the tide is shifting. Yet it’s still early. The good news is that every day we see another leading brand that has figured it out. We know the value as they up their buy, and we see planners “testing” the system, then adding clients.
The risk for all of us is the potential to screw it up. We need to respect the conversation. We must appreciate why those forums and chats are occurring naturally and not disrupt the conversation. We have to work hard to be a natural extension of the conversation and the topic. We must help, not hinder, by being relevant and adding value to the conversation.Therein lays the opportunity—the unprecedented Holy Grail.
