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Social Media Marketing – Would You Buy Fans?

Social media marketing is all about building a base of loyal followers and connecting with them in such a way that it builds your brand and, eventually, your customer base.  Search Engine Journal has an interesting post that discusses buying fans and relates the exercise to pay-per-click or cost-per-action marketing (you can read it here). When it comes to Twitter, Facebook or any other social media site, would you consider ‘buying’ fans or followers?

I know some would question the ethical side of ‘buying’ followers yet, in reality, it is an old marketing technique that goes back for centuries. In the offline world, it was often referred to as ‘promotions’. This involved producing products that were branded (such as coffee cups, pencils, calenders etc) and giving them away for free. Sure, the recipients didn’t ’sign-up’ for anything, however, the general thrust of the promotion was the same – get followers to your brand and to your business. The online world has just taken the process to a new level.

Email marketing has seen similar processes with ‘freebies’ on offer to those that sign up for newsletters and email marketing material. When it comes to social media marketing, the process is no different. Sign up and become a fan or follower, and receive something in return. So, ethically, it’s little different to age old marketing and promotion efforts.

Does it work? That’s the biggest question. Sure, you can buy followers, but how long will they stay with you? This is where clever marketing takes over. They say the ‘money is in the list’. That list is not necessarily an email list now, it can be a list of fans or followers on social sites. To maintain their interest, you have to communicate with them in acceptable ways and this can be the most difficult aspect of social media marketing.

Bombarding followers with daily offers may not be appreciated. Providing daily (or more often) tips with the occasional promotional offer may help to build credibility and trust, and they are the most important components of any social media marketing campaign.

Buy fans if that works for your business, but be sure to treat them well. Abuse them in any way and they will leave in droves.  How you build your list is often not important, it’s what you do with that list that determines the success of any social media marketing campaign.