Commenting on competitors’ content: Bad form or fair play?
Nov/090
Is it ok to comment on a competitor’s blog or content? You can be forgiven if even passing mention of such a crazy idea makes your skin crawl. For many marketers, the concept is akin to being forced to sit in the middle of Fenway Park during a tied-up World Series, wearing a Yankees jersey. But seriously, is it ok? We talk a lot about the world of social media being fueled by transparency and dialog, but should that conversation extend beyond the exclusive company-to-customer relationships that we’re all so feverishly trying to build?
To be clear, direct references to the competition in marketing are nothing new. Verizon’s “iDon’t” campaign is just the latest in a long line of high-profile rivalries. But when it comes to marketers engaging with their competitors (or competitors’ customers) via social media, public or fully-disclosed examples can be hard to come by – although there are doubtless tons of anonymous postings and comments out there.
Don't be one of these guys
I would venture that whether or not you should submit that comment/forum post/Twitter DM/whatever all depends on what you’re saying. Making anonymous, disparaging comments about competitors (possibly in an effort to drive their share prices down, prior to buying them, for extra negative karma points)? Bad. Nobody likes a troll, and acting like one while representing your company just damages your brand in the eyes of the customers you were trying to woo away from your rival (or at least attracts weirdos who enjoy that sort of thing). Contributing valid and valuable information to a discussion hosted or started by a competitor? Good, so long as the customers viewing it get something out of it. Even if they possess a deep-seated loyalty to your competitor, you’ve just popped up on their radar as a credible alternative source of information – and that’s where it all starts, right?
Remember that commenting goes both ways - expect a response from your competitors, and engage them in a positive dialog.
I think this line of questioning is especially valid for a space such as home building, where the entire industry is collectively dipping its toe in the social media waters. When done correctly, cross-competitor engagement helps create a more informed consumer, which benefits the overall industry. Remember, though, that it goes both ways: you’ll need to resist the urge to shoo your competitors off your front lawn, if you see them contributing valid comments. Instead, engage them! Show your customers that you’re not afraid to debate your merits openly and in a constructive way.
What do you think? Is commenting on competitors’ blogs or content stepping over the line, or is it a valid way of engaging with customers? Let us know in the comments!
Social media a game-changer for homebuilders
Jun/092
I’m just returning home from speaking at the Pacific Coast Builders Conference (PCBC) in San Francisco, where I led a presentation on social media marketing for the homebuilding community. And although I was there to teach along with Jason Baer and Lora Heramb, I was also there to learn. And I learned a great deal about where homebuilder marketing is headed.
Happily, I can report that the homebuilding community is wholeheartedly embracing the new world order. Everyone I talked with understands that as the economy sparks back to life (and it is) and homes start selling again (and they are) that it will not be business as usual in homebuilder marketing. I keep saying this economic downturn has been a game changer, and it every sense of the phrase, it has.
Homebuilders will not return en masse to the newspapers where they dropped thousands — if not millions — of dollars in advertising over the past many years. Print advertising will not go away, but it will become much more targeted, more selective. Broadcast media will experience the same new order – when the dollars do come back from builders, those now-savvy marketing directors will be asking about TV and radio station’s websites, email databases and other forms of online marketing tools. Behavioral online advertising, pay-per-click, search engine optimization, and e-marketing are the stuff of strategic marketing discussion now.
This is no surprise. All marketing executives now know the web is the place to be. But what’s interesting is watching the homebuilding community eagerly gathering information for the upswing that is to come. When the tide changes and the marketing dollars start to flow again, those “mature” dogs are learning some great new tricks. They will be armed and ready.
SOOOOO cool. Let the games begin.
Homebuilders on Twitter (or not)
Jun/091
As part of a recent exercise on social media for a homebuilder client, I searched for examples of other homebuilders using Twitter as a marketing tool. Yep, you guessed it — not so much. There are a few examples of builders doing it really well (check out @lennar for example), and yet there is so much more that can be done.
Twitter is a tool that builders can embrace because of it’s immediacy, intimacy and personality. Relationships can be built with potential homebuyers through twitter, or at the very least those relationships can be strengthened through continued communication via builder tweets. For example, a residential community could tweet about price changes, incentives and — yes, they are actually happening — new phase releases. Sales associates could direct message buyers with updates on the construction of their new home, send links to photos of the development, and let them know about upcoming milestones and special events. A builder could be tweeting about his or her blog (ahem, Steve Doyle) and letting all its existing and future homeowners about news and trends. Twitter really is a very powerful tool for homebuilders, just waiting to be tapped.
Builder Magazine recently published a list of builders using twitter. Let’s hope that since it was released in March, this list has grown substantially along with the growth of twitter.
And another recent article in Brand Republic News ranked that top 100 brands most mentioned on twitter. And no surprise – not a single homebuilder brand made the list. But give us a little time — I’ll bet by next year builders and real estate developers are all over twitter like bees on honey. It’s just a natural combination
Follow me @jonjonbailey for more…
Homebuilders Embracing Social Media
Jun/092
I’m preparing a presentation on social media marketing for homebuilders at the industry’s preeminent annual convention, The Pacific Coast Builders Conference (PCBC). As leaders in this relatively new marketing field, our marketing experts are asked frequently to speak on social media as it relates to a variety of industries — and part of our process is to identify success stories to share. What’s difficult about this particular case is the dearth of examples I can cite in my presentation — homebuilders are still in the very early stages of adoption of social media tactics.
Now, this is a movement that has been slowly gaining in the real estate community for some time. Over the past two years, most builders decided to cease their print advertising in the local daily newspapers and other print outlets — whether that was forced by budget restraints or a desire to forge new territory. But still, with so many incredibly smart marketing professionals in this category, there are surprisingly few cases studies to share of savvy social media use.
And so, there is tremendous opportunity. Homebuilders have some catching up to do, but they are a resourceful group and will tackle this new marketing world quickly.
My co-panelists, Lora Heramb from Brookfield Homes and Jason Baer from social media strategy firm Convince & Convert, report similar findings — or lack thereof. There are a few examples of real estate developers and companies out there giving it a go:
lennar.com – their home page is optimized for social media, with their Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and other links easily accessible and right up front.
Builder Magazine’s Twitter list – A listing of builders using Twitter to connect with buyers.
A new blog started for Sales & Marketing Directors in the building industry called smartdirectors.com.
Steve Doyle, our Brookfield Homes client, has had tremendous success with his blog on the homebuilding industry.
Yet, there is still much opportunity for success and leadership in the building industry. As we start to work our way out of a devastating downturn that has left the entire industry reeling, those that are in place to do the rebuilding are generally the more seasoned professionals with years of industry experience. They know the industry has to change, that we will never go back to the ways we did it before. Some will try, and will soon realize the consumer has shifted – forever. Those that shift along with the consumer mindset will see the greatest success.
Stay tuned for more success stories and case studies about homebuilders using social media. Our agency is leading our clients into the deep end, and others are as well. I’m sure next year at PCBC, we will have tons of great examples as builders innovate and expand.