Forum Seeding (as called as Online Seeding) is a popular form of Online Marketing on the Internet today. Forum Seeding is just the seeding on forums, on online communities, on the means that computers and networks can reach for the purpose of conveying a beneficial message to the brand.
In other words, forum seeding can be used to create a public opinion, a trend, or even to direct consumers in a certain way.
Doing forum seeding will have 2 purposes
1 / Provide viral information, bring your products to everyone and get feedback.
2 / Hopefully someone that is searching on Google will fall into the trap that is already available in the topic.
When do I need to use Forum Seeding?
Attention: with products prepared or newly launched to the market.
The message must be impressive with the main goal is to attract attention and curiosity to potential customers.
Interest & Share: create dialogues revolving around the brand, thereby leading the story in a beneficial way for the brand: maybe the article about the brand in a gentle and skillful way.
Search: type the keyword you see on the first page of Google. This problem is called “Social Media Optimization”.
The format of Forum Seeding
1/Articles: introducing, analyzing, evaluating objectively about brands, products, services …
2/Short discussion: Create a short discussion around brand, product;
From there, lead the story in a way that benefits brands and products.
Or join Seeding on available topics.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages: Simple, effective Cost-saving can be assessed and measured and has long-term effect.
Disadvantages: May cause the opposite effect due to negative feedback from users, or competitors, need human resources, take time to monitor and update regularly.
Implementation process
Step 1: Analyze, determine the goal and the target customers
Step 2: Choose a suitable Forum and Social Network
Channels that make Forum Seeding popular are Yahoo, Google, Vat Gia, Facebook, Zing Me, Go.vn, …
Step 3: Select the message, seeding format
Step 4: Implementation (Account Registration, Post …)
Step 5: Predicting risks – Handling crisis:
– Looking ahead to the criticism, preparing plans for appropriate situation
– Delete offensive comments from opponent’s
– Delete the topic (in case of a backlash)
– Measure, evaluate and adjust
– Use Google Analytics tool to traffic statistics
– Comment, Like, Vote, Thanks … Review comment
Request & Note
Content should ensure objectivity, intimacy and keep abreast of search trends and habits of users. Stick to the topic, answer members’ questions promptly. Create good relationships with the Admin of the Forum to be able to handle risks as quickly as possible (Delete topics, delete comments, etc.). There is an intuitive and accurate statistical tool to analyze user reactions to give solutions for editing and changing the content appropriately.
Seeding without Seeding: Today’s users are very “smart”, if you are not skillful when Seeding, it is very likely to be offensive. In addition, the owners of the forums almost “do not like” your “free advertising” in their home. If you are not clever, your seeding pattern will be “thrown in the trash” after one day.
Currently, it is a booming stage of forum seeding, so every forum member sees it, everyone also considers it as a viral form of marketing. Creating product topics, skillfully introducing products quickly becomes a new way to market, which can also be considered as a new takeover of the marketing market.
China has an adage that says, “If you advertise once, no one can believe, you continue to advertise for the second time, maybe nobody will believe it, but if you advertise for the third time, people will believe.”
And lastly and most importantly: “Forum Seeding is not Spam”!
Good luck to you!
Source: onlinemarketing.inet.vn