A Milestone for CGM

March 25th was the day the world changed, at least the online world as it pertains to consumer-generated media, according to a MarketingVox article. YouTube hosted its first video awards and the turn out was a great success! One winner had 13 million consumers trafficking their video.

Online video sharing is something that is accessible to consumers and businesses, so lets wed the two. Marketers can place ads alongside the videos, sponsor the videos and add their own online videos to YouTube.

Demand for this medium is high and marketers need to respond quickly. Advertising content targeted at different segments can easily be applied and should. Some marketers fear openness of content as they think it could compromise the brand's identity, but really what a corporation is doing is building a relationship with its target markets by way of social media.

Retail Dresses up Online Videos

Online video is taking over! With all the studies on consumer generated media, retail outlets finally realized the impact they can have on consumers by utilizing this medium. Stores like Kohl's are using this medium to target its consumers by allowing its viewers to click on ads to find out product information, like its price and whether or not it is available, according to a MarketingVox article.

These videos are dubbed by Video Hyperlink, a program from Microsoft and its adCenter Lab development group. It is the first program from this group and offers numerous videos by both businesses and consumers. This service is similar to YouTube as it offers news and other consumer generated content, but it should provide great results for marketers as this is the new way of addressing the market. Retailers need to harness this new technology to continue adding value for the consumer.

Lawsuits may Lead to Policing CGM

Ethics. A term that, for some, works on a sliding scale. Robert Tur is upset because someone took his video and published it on YouTube, which he found unethical.

Tur is pressing charges saying "that You Tube is encouraging users to violate copyright law," when in fact it is a service that complies with all Digital Millennium Copyright Act provisions. This law offers protection to web service providers, which limits their liability when a user infringes on copyrights.

YouTube has user-generated content in the form of online videos and trusts users to make the best judgment concerning copyright laws. Taking that trust away and pre-screening videos for content is a descent from the original mission of YouTube, which is "empowering people to become the broadcasters of tomorrow. " There is a delicate balance that must be kept, but as the pendulum swings toward censorship and more lawsuits arise, social networking may be forced to change its practices indefinitely.

Building Loyalty Through Relationships

Building affinities with consumers is key to maintaining a long-lasting relationship and Enclave Affinitive has developed the components to establish that contingency. The site provides a community where consumers can research and educate themselves on everything from advertisements to products, and give their feedback. The site also allows consumers to develop their own content, using videos, reviews, banners and icons.

By providing such a range of self expression, viral marketing takes off. Users can invite others to this site, which creates buzz around the site's abilities. Enthused users will remain loyal and build their trust with one another and the various brands discussed.

The benefit of sites like Enclave to other businesses is all the consumer-generated media it provides. Consumers share their likes and dislikes while providing an abundance of information on themselves. Businesses can then use this information to better target these groups through modified products and advertising.