Share and share alike, we’ve all heard the phrase. Many of us often practice the principle. Now this noble concept of give and take will play a major role in propelling marketing into a new realm of possibilities.
GE has unlocked the doorway with a recent test campaign. To quantify the value of online buzz, the company distributed their ‘GE Show’ video through two separate channels — paid placements and sharing. The results told a fascinating story – there was a marked difference in recipient attitudes, depending on how the video was received.
As it turned out, viewers of the shared content responded with greater gusto than people who saw the paid placements. The former group awarded GE very high marks for creativity and innovation. From a quantitative standpoint, the sharing folks were 83% more likely to view GE as creative as the paid placement group. The results were culled from thousands of responses to online surveys.
Based on this study, content shared through online word-of-mouth reaches much further and deeper than the paid variety. Undeniably, platforms ranking high on the share meter have a distinct advantage over their lower ranking rivals. Marketers would do well to take note. Nevertheless, experts believe that both paid and shared content are necessary components for a successful campaign. One seems to feed off the other.
The hope is that quantifiable results garnered from studies such as the GE test will help marketers determine the potential value of their media campaigns. It’s important to remember, however, that we still are only in the early stages of this new approach. Only further research will tell the full story.
Do you have any questions or comments about shared content, or about any other marketing topics? Feel free to send them our way. You can connect with the Young Company team at 949-376-8404 #205 or byoung@youngcompany.com. And be sure to follow us for the latest industry news and tips.