The Singapore Forum

Lots of businesses are having this discussion now on the advantage of using social media to advertise - has anyone here actually purchased online because of a link on your facebook screen? I use a variety of places to advertise, the internet being one of them - the print media is still preferred given the cost versus reward ratio however given the diminishing role of newspapers, this dynamic is changing in most markets. Is social media giving your business expected returns?

http://retailindustry.about.com/b/2011/ ... r=facebook

I have never bought anything via link from FaceBook. I have, however, noticed certain sites for discounted shopping, groupon etc, but have never clicked through. I have friends with art, crafts, cottage industries and boutique shops, both online and brick and mortar, represented on FB and they get a lot of fan support this way. Very grassroots stuff gets my love. If a big company starts an FB page, I think it risks having the comments turn into a shit show.

As someone who frequently has to do work that crosses into social media territory I must admit to being pretty skeptical about how clicking a 'like' button on FaceBook translates into real sales. While I know that social media has worked pretty effectively for Burger King but fast food is a very different kettle of fish to your area. Even in some of the Singapore Advertising Effectiveness Awards (Effies) that proudly demonstrate the outstanding effectiveness of some FaceBook/YouTube campaign, you'll find that all this social media was backed up by a pretty heavy above the line campaign (press, TV out of home etc).

For your kind of market Joseph, I'm pretty sure that press ads are still pretty effective.

"has anyone here actually purchased online because of a link on your facebook screen?"

Yep, from the recycle shop original web page sent to me by Kooky, now my facebook (The Bower - Picked up seriously cool 100 year old ceramic chemical bottles that are massive, with Ajax and Sydney chemicals printed on them). I've linked through to jewelry web page from my cousins page off facebook and spent some time contemplating until I realise they're now all over Sydney (Polli Jewelry). Have followed through someones video of that cool Japanese cat, and ended through them buying the song (Hundred Little Reasons) off I-tunes. And a couple of my favoured boutiques are now on my like page and I see when they have discounts, and actually planning to head in this weekend, which will might result in a sale. But it's not my only medium, it's just added to a few others, but I've bought things I never would have found any other way... Oh yeah and by linking on a musicians facebook page / liking, was able to find the name of the favourite song of their and linked through to their on line shop...

Not into the bigger corporates via facebook, print and television are still my only link to them that might influence

Thanks for the feedback.... I personally haven't bought anything even though I have clicked like on a number of occasions. I do get my groupon advert daily and am sometimes tempted by mani/pedi packages and a few times I will try the massage deals though obviously the service providers are keen to get you on a package which ends up costing you and the hard sale pitch is annoying when you are trying to relax. Groupon charges these guys 40% of the advertised price for an advert for the number of units sold - so a $50 massage costs $20 a piece sold and they of course track it plus of course any paypal charges associated. Great business for groupon but I am trying to establish if that's a good investment for the advertiser?

The positive aspect is that you get a market straight away but you also bastardize your price before the customer knows who you are? So if you are providing facials at $120 a go - and provide a great service, the customer gets their first massage at perhaps $28. For your company if you sell 100 packages its cost you $1120 however its also cost you 100 customers at $16.80 a go. Factoring in rent, labor costs, materials costs - you are locked into the upsell to recoup any hope of profit. I have read a lot of pro's and con's and am still trying to factor in the true worth of this advertising.

that's a totally different thing than my use. mines more in tune with the grassroots aspect of lilli post, no idea what all that group on and discount business is, and wouldn't be my cup of tea.

i don't even notice advertising on web pages. i completely filter them out.

I dont notice advertising on FB (or most online webpages). If it is one of teh pop-up ones, I'd immediately close the window and wouldn't even know what it was about other than it being an advert. But could it be my age group? Maybe if you are targeting younger audience, they may notice it.

I think print media is more effective on me.

Damn it I think we are getting too old....

All depends, when was the last time you went on a hot date? Stayed up til sunrise? Went skinny dipping?

If more than a year ago to all three, then yes, you're getting old. Me ain't!

I wouldn't expect social media to be much use for advertising. However, as a PR tool, it might work in terms of raising awareness. If you used it well in conjunction with a traditional advertising campaign, it might just be a factor in raising its effectiveness.

But it's an uncontrollable beast. If you need or want total control over your message, then advertising is your best bet.

Fat Bob wrote:All depends, when was the last time you went on a hot date? Stayed up til sunrise? Went skinny dipping?

If more than a year ago to all three, then yes, you're getting old. Me ain't!

That's a bloody narrow definition of ageing.

cromasaig wrote:I wouldn't expect social media to be much use for advertising. However, as a PR tool, it might work in terms of raising awareness.

Yep, huge in the non-profit/campaigning world. Also so easy to get wrong - just ask Nestle

Kooky wrote:

cromasaig wrote:I wouldn't expect social media to be much use for advertising. However, as a PR tool, it might work in terms of raising awareness.

Yep, huge in the non-profit/campaigning world. Also so easy to get wrong - just ask Nestle

Exactly. If you've got skeletons rattling in a closet somewhere, then run away from social media. Just as fast as you can.

And if you want to use it for cheap PR, just man up and accept that it's not under your control. Then you just might get very lucky.

The coupon/item a day type thing to me always just seems like a bit of a con, however I do know people who use them and they are becoming more popular. Don't know if anyone would go back to the places without the discounts though. The talk I have heard is mainly from people who use them all the time and never seem to pay full price.

I have looked at things through advertising on FB etc. Like Lily it is mainly small business things, however there are a couple of big companies that I "follow" for the same reasons as Tas...I get to know when sales etc are on and as a result buy something.

The Social Media advertising is like any online advertising - it has to be targeted, and then yes it works. Jsut asking someone Hey, Wanna buy a car? on their profile page is unlikely to result in anything.

Fat Bob wrote:All depends, when was the last time you went on a hot date? Stayed up til sunrise? Went skinny dipping?

If more than a year ago to all three, then yes, you're getting old. Me ain't!

Skinny dipping with a hot date at sunrise?

cromasaig wrote:

Fat Bob wrote:All depends, when was the last time you went on a hot date? Stayed up til sunrise? Went skinny dipping?

If more than a year ago to all three, then yes, you're getting old. Me ain't!

That's a bloody narrow definition of ageing.

But how good is it?

It's a while since I did that 2000 I think. Mauritius.

Skinnydipped with my husband at midnight (and various other hours of the day and night) in Bali a few times since - does that qualify?

BoD wrote:

Fat Bob wrote:All depends, when was the last time you went on a hot date? Stayed up til sunrise? Went skinny dipping?

If more than a year ago to all three, then yes, you're getting old. Me ain't!

Skinny dipping with a hot date at sunrise?

Sounds like your a teenager again, yeah?

Guess I'm a bit confused by the question now, is it about advertising on Facebook Twitter etc, online ads? Don't use twitter and I shut down the advertising on the little cross whenever I get annoyed with it. Or are you talking about social network in terms of specific web page and commentary in the context in the social sense that I thought you were referring to, ie following through on friends recommendations or interst pages?

Actually interested in all forms of online and identifying where consumers are attracted. Although younger consumers are generally going to be drawn to a social networking environment, they will more likely lack the buying power to make a lot of advertising viable from tradition bricks and mortar sellers. It would seems arguable that brands and vendors can manipulate an online presence a lot more easily than a retailer generally can.

Lots of more work to do on this... its a pet project I am slowly pursuing...