You can use crowdsourcing for all kinds of problem-solving: get feedback on products, ask users to help solve a problem, and even ask for help in completing projects – and you probably already know this. What you may not know, however, is that there are lots of ways to leverage crowdsourcing for the simple sake of marketing your brand.
The best part of crowdsourcing is that it engages both potential and current customers. They get to be a part of something bigger than just being your customer. Now they’re part of a solution that can help others. It’s in this spirit of empowerment that crowdsourcing can be a huge marketing tool for your organization. Before jumping in to crowd sourcing, however, check out some of the best ways to use crowdsourcing marketing for your brand.
Cross-Marketing
An easy way to crowd source is through cross-marketing. Cross-marketing involves eliciting the use of content written by different bloggers and other writers about your company. Then you either publish it on your site or promote it on your site.
Why this is good:-
- first of all, it draws from your actual customers. Yes, it could be a little on the amateur side writing-wise, but you can always check out their previous work (from personal blogs and other guest posts) to see if they know how to write quality posts.
- additionally, this allows your customers to get a wider range of readers for their work (positive for them), and they will send all their friends and family to the site their work is published on (positive for you).
Crowd-Pleasers
Honestly, one of the best ways that you can both brand yourself and do some crowdsourcing marketing is through creating a contest that allows your audience to guide your marketing designs. Be it logo or slogan, offer some sort of incentive and let your customers do the rest. Make sure that you have clear guidelines for your contest as far as deadline and stipulations goes.
Post updates on submissions and progress of the contest through Twitter, Facebook, or other social media. If you can, mention specific people. This will ensure that they will retweet you, getting others that follow them to see your company as well. Allowing customers to have a say in the look and feel of your company will gain customer loyalty as well as brand you as a company through the process.
Another way to post contests for your marketing design is with a crowdsourcing platform. For instance, DesignCrowd allows businesses to host contests for logo design, business card design, or any other graphic design related project. Or you could use Crowdrise to crowdsource a fundraising project you are planning for a charity your business supports. This gives you some positive PR, drawing customers to your generous brand.
Candid-Camera
Social media is your friend with crowdsourcing marketing. Utilize Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogs, etc.
- With Facebook you can post as your status a question about your company or product. Sit back and wait for the flow of responses. People love to give their opinions about things, people love to feel heard, and people love to see their own names. This is that opportunity for them.
- In the same idea, Twitter allows for them to respond to you in a more direct and public way without the need to be verbose.
- YouTube will allow you to post videos of your company or even videos of you out in the public getting people’s opinions on your brand problems or questions. Again, them, their friends, and their families will be all over that video to see their buddy giving an opinion.
- Blogs, like Facebook, allow people to respond to a particular question or company project via comments or social media in a way that makes them feel valued and heard. This brands you by creating a bond between you and your customer.
So, has your company used crowdsourcing marketing tactics before? If so, what success or struggles did you have? Feel free to share with the rest of us!
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Images: ”People crowd texture. People background / Shutterstock.com“
