Nowadays Internet is an interactive place, where people are not only passive observers any longer, but also active participants and even content co-creators, characterized by communicative cooperation. Social media has become a global powerful phenomenon, which has increased the degree of social online activities among many consumer segments. After it has been neglected from the luxury brands for a long time, they have now considered what communication force they can achieve by implementing more active online presence. One of the reasons for which luxury brands have been so reluctant to adopt social media strategies so far is that they are trying to balance their exclusive appeal with the social masses. Social media for the luxury brands has been seen as more negative as it can reduce the brand value and perception and even make the brand more accessible. (Wright, M., 2009)
Read moreTribal Marketing: What Every Marketer Must Know about Tribes in Social Media
Brand communities, consumer tribes and tribal marketing, are much talked about terms in the social media discourse, coined by Web 2.0 luminaries as Seth Godin. Yet, do you fully understand the phenomenon behind the buzz? To successfully adapt tribal marketing strategies you first need to understand what tribes are and how their rise in social media has changed the way we connect and consume. Find out about the three factors that drive tribe experiences online and see how they change marketing as it used to be.
Read moreUsers’ 5 Needs When Seeking eWOM in Online Travel Communities Part 2
With its online travel communities Flying Blue Club Africa and Flying Blue Club China, the Dutch airline KLM offers its business travelers a digital meeting place to connect and network with fellow travelers. On the platform #1 social needs are addressed as customers can share experiences, either travel- or business-related, maintain valuable contacts as well as learn from others’ insights into the Chinese/African business world. The stimulated knowledge exchange fosters the required reciprocity and social ties. By starting discussions, the airline attempts to promote communication and the integration of members. This form of active moderation needs to be considered critically, though as users might feel disrupted in their freedom of posting travel experiences or opinions and thus, possibly perceive the brand community as an implicit advertising tool. The airline places strong emphasis on stimulating #2 intellectual needs. KLM considers its online travel communities as rich sources of expertise which allow the exchange of invaluable experiences and knowledge (KLM, 2015). Several steps are taken to ensure high-quality: the continuous monitoring of user-generated content as well as the airline’s effort to thoroughly check travelers’ subscription first in order to keep the brand communities’ nature of exclusivity and expertise.
Read moreUsers’ 5 Needs When Seeking eWOM in Online Travel Communities Part 1
Times are gone when travel experiences only started at the chosen destination. In times of online travel communities like-minded users can already build relationships, share travel experiences, information and tips during their planning process. The Web has turned into a ‘travel square’ (Wang et al., 2002) that allows the stimulation of interaction and exchange, also known as electronic word of mouth (eWOM), to happen on a common platform. Speaking of those, travelers can choose from numerous opportunities such as social networking sites, fan sites, travel forums and blogs or brand-based sites. Focusing on user-generated content in online travel communities, special emphasis is placed on the latter, namely brand communities in the tourism sector. This form of firm-consumer-consumer interaction represents a renewed version of traditionally applied firm-customer engagement methods.
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