Marketing to the Social Web: How Digital Customer Communities Build Your Business

Chapter 10. Step Six: Promote Your Community to the World (Get 'Em Talking and Clicking)

Because there are a bazillion web sites on the Internet, how do you get people to visit yours? What if you invited a community and nobody came? Clearly, you have to promote your community just as you have to promote a new product or a new service. Compelling content is only the beginning. You have to use the social media to get people talking so they'll come to your community and get involved. Yes, you can use traditional advertising and direct marketing, but these efforts should be focused on sending people to your digital community to be informed, entertained, and heard.

Suppose, as an example, you were in charge of Aéropostale's marketing; how would you promote your community to the world? The principles of promoting your community apply to both consumer and business-to-business markets (and small and large businesses alike). Because you've probably seen Aéropostale's clothing stores in local malls all over the country, I'll use it to illustrate a few ideas.

What If: Aéropostale

First, a bit of background. Aéropostale's target market is 14- to 17-year-olds who buy fashion and active clothing and appreciate "compelling values." The company sells proprietary brands through its 800-plus mall stores and its web site.

If I were the head of Aéropostale's marketing and wanted to reach my market in a new, effective way, I would first identify the online communities in which my key constituents are active. ...