A New Age of Marketing: How to Talk With the Groundswell

The rules have changed in the world of marketing and communications and companies can no longer rely on any traditional models of communication and advertising to customers. As the authors of Groundswell: A World Transformed By Social Technologies note, gone are the days of shouting out at consumers and potential buyers. Traditional models of communication, like The Marketing Funnel seen below, are no longer relevant thanks to the groundswell. 

Groundswell: Bernoff, Li, 2008

It can be a confusing time for companies unsure of how to get their messages across. The audience is no longer an obedient child but is instead a rebellious teenager ready to talk back, share its opinion, and be heard. Notice how The Marketing Funnel depicted above appears linear. If you were to draw up a new model for marketing in the age of the groundswell, what shape would it take? Perhaps it would be 3D or take the form of a web like the image below depicts.

YoungUpStarts.com

In Groundswell: A World Transformed By Social Technologies, Li and Bernoff outline different techniques for talking with the groundswell. The first of these describes posting a video online and letting people share it! The second is to engage with social media and user-generated content sites. Kylie Jenner's business, Kylie Cosmetics is a good example of how to use these models of marketing well. One of Kylie's main methods of marketing is her presence on Instagram and within that she heavily uses Instagram Stories to announce, launch, and gain feedback on her cosmetic products. Check out the video below to see how she engages with the groundswell.

Notice how this video compilation of her Instagram Stories made its way to YouTube and is published by someone other than Kylie. This is the groundswell at work. When you give your audience content to engage with they share it with others in their own circles. As Li and Bernoff note, People learn from each other. If you follow someone who really likes and uses Kylie's line, it is likely you'll see them post when she is releasing new products that they are interested in. Maybe some of these products might interest you too. This is effective marketing.

Another tip that the authors of Groundswell recommend is to create a community where you can engage with your audience. There are multiple ways to do this and Kylie implements a few of them over the span of her social media platforms. Her website has a "Kylie's favorites" section and a "Best Sellers" section where consumers can see products that other consumers like best as well as products that Kylie prefers. This not only creates a sense of community among fans but allows them to feel "In" on what the celebrity likes. 

Kylie's Instagram Story

Kylie's Instagram

Back on her Instagram, Kylie fosters a community by posting intimate pictures and stories of her friends and family alongside posts of products. She'll even occasionally feature a fan's post with her products in it on her story which adds to the feeling of connection and excitement consumers might feel with her and her products on social media. 

Why do you think that featuring fan made content is a good way of marketing using the groundswell? How does this idea of celebrity fit into the marketing model when the celebrity owns there own brand? How is marketing different for celebrity owned companies? Let me know in the comments!