An article on Adage shows how social media is an effective tool that allows companies to get the word out about their product. Many companies use Facebook and Twitter to reach out to their target audience and inform them about the benefits of their product. Ford did something similar to this, but not in a beneficial way. Ford had a Facebook page for its 2012 Focus model, which attracted 43,000 users to “like” the page. Ford also used TV and Yahoo in hopes of getting consumers to visit the page. The total of Ford’s campaign for advertisements totaled to $95 million and only reaching out to about 26,000 customers. Where this goes wrong is that Ford was having people on Yahoo see a Ford ad and then having them go to Facebook to find out more information. This is more of a hassle and is inconvenient for the consumer.
Eventually, Ford stopped buying ads on Facebook and started posting them on Yahoo and other websites in hopes of getting more consumers to visit their Facebook page. It is clear the Facebook sponsored ads are easier and more appealing for the customer whereas Facebook units is more distracting for the consumer and pushes them away from the product.
This just goes to show you how a company can get wrapped up into the increased importance of social media yet still not be sure how to use the medium effectively. Were talking millions of dollars wasted here. In this economy that is not something to mess around with especially with a company that just got bailed out by the government. Ford should have done some testing on how this type of marketing would work before they put all their eggs in one basket.
ReplyDeleteSocial media is very strategic. Unfortunately Ford's strategy didn't work. Online consumers have an attention span of a 2-year-old. If you make the consumer "like" a page in order to find out more information or make them do more clicking than needed, then it becomes a lost cause. Consumers online are looking for a quick fix and Ford did not provide that to them this time around and actually made it more complicated.
ReplyDeleteEven though it was a failed idea, I can see the thought process behind Facebook being a medium Ford thought would attract customers. The challenge they (and other companies) have, however, is how to have customers see there is a Facebook page to get more information without being inconvenienced with other websites. My suggestion would be to have the same basic information about sales, new products and vehicles and locations on every medium they have such as print, TV and radio ads and at the end, mention the Facebook page. This way, the the consumers know about it but they don't have to go there specifically just for the basic information.
ReplyDeleteSocial media integration within a company's marketing strategies seems to be a true challenge once you read most of the posts in this blog. Paul's point of a consumer's attention span of a 2-year-old could be one of the key elements in making social media effective as far a getting consumers to like a brand. And, if consumers have to click continuosly, companies better make sure there is a benefit to it or at least a "WOW" factor at the end (ex. an interactive video or game that informs the consumer).
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