Social marketing

[sukarof]

I read something that Devils advocate wrote earlier and got me thinking.
I am a bit curious how you all look at social marketing.
Social marketing is promoting a product in forums for example. It doesnt necessary have to be paid by the vendors.
As you can see I have a avatar for a free firewall. I use it because I am a fanboy of that product. I know the vendor likes if the users spread the word. This way they will build their brand. The FW is not the product that they sell. I dont get paid (other than I get the firewall for free, and so does anyone even if he/she doesnt promote it so it is not a demand to get the product) it´s a bit like MultiLevelMarketing (MLM), but without the pyramid (and sometimes the scam) effect.

I assume there are paid users who do the same with other products. I have often wondered if some users here are paid (getting the license for free or money) by some software makers. I personally have bought software after following such users recommendations. They are not so easy to spot (as oppose to me or a couple of other over obvious fanboys of other products here ;) )

Personally I dont see it as wrong. As long the information they provide is true. It is me as a user who ultimately decides if I want to buy.
But maybe this is not so good as I imagine? I wouldnt mind opposite views.

[bigc73542]

Word of mouth advertising can be great. But on a forum such as this I don't like the Idea as it could give the false impression to new members or even long time members that the forum promotes that product. We have vender support forums here but that does not necessarily mean that the forum promotes the products that have a support presence here. All we do is supply the platform for them to use.

[sukarof]

Thank you for your reply bigc73542.
I was new once, but I did not confuse the forum with their users (when promoting of a product) but I see what you are saying, there might be people who does. I have found basicly all of my software (paid and free) from "word of mouth advertising" which I am glad for.
btw, do you, as a moderator, have any objections to avatars like mine? Avatars that promote a product? Does it matter if the product in a avatar is free or not?
I have earlier used another avatar promoting another (payware) product and since no one objected about that I figured out this is OK. But maybe it is not good netiquette? If it is not seen kindly here, I will remove it.

[bigc73542]

I personally don't have an issue with it, just look at my profile. ;)

[mercurie]

I'm not that big a "fanboy" of any product (close on BOClean ;D ), but wow there are bumper stickers, teeshirts, ballcaps you name it for all kinds of things being promoted. Your avitar is just an expression of brand loyality to the security product talked about here at the forums. I think it is somewhat effective too.

I don't think the the forum promotes any product but is a place to discuss advantages, disadvantages features, likes and dislikes of certain products. I think it's fine.

Security products can fall out of favor for good reasons. I certainly do not want to tie my avitar symbol to a particular product they may be super today and a failure down the road for various reasons. ;)

[TOMxEU]

I have the signature based on social marketing as well. I use it on every forum I visit.
It says, who I am, which software I use and trust, that makes my PC faster and safer.

[wilbertnl]

I like to think that people do some research and make a founded decision before they create an avatar or signature with information about their findings. Generally speaking, I'm always open for reasonable opinions of others.
That is also why polls interest me.

[Peter2150]

Hi Sukarof

May be I am just tired, but if I hadn't seen this thread I wouldn't have even noticed. About my only feeling is I wish Ron would go back to the Lone Ranger.;D I also agree with being objective. I know I feel it important to buy the products I beta test. It just eliminates the "oh he just says that cause he gets the product free"

Pete

[the Tester]

Mentioning programs in this forum can be good.I have found some excellent programs to try because of that.Someone posts their experience with a particular program and that will affect my interest somewhat.

I won't use a program icon for an avatar no matter how much I like it.
That's just me.

The developers usually identify themselves.Rightfully so.
Compensated users..I have two thoughts-
How do I get the free software and I don't care that users are compensated in this way as long as they are honest in their posts.

[wilbertnl]

-{ Quote: "How do I get the free software and I don't care that users are compensated in this way as long as they are honest in their posts." }-
Recently I worked with tech support of software that I was evaluating to get a nasty bug fixed, at first they were not able to reproduce the situation like was on my computer. So they asked me to continue with some debug testing and offered me free registrations as compensation.
I also sign up for beta tests for antivirus software, which is usually compensated with a free subscription for a year.

I don't have to ask, I usually find the promotions on the websites. :)

[the Tester]

-{ Quote: "I also sign up for beta tests for antivirus software, which is usually compensated with a free subscription for a year." }-

Wilbertnl,
I haven't experienced that benefit yet.
I did recieve a discount on a license from one company.That's the closest I have been to a free license so far.

[nadirah]

It helps generate user awareness of a particular product. ;)

[wilbertnl]

-{ Quote: "Wilbertnl,
I haven't experienced that benefit yet.
I did recieve a discount on a license from one company.That's the closest I have been to a free license so far." }-
Here are examples:
Trendmicro Beta Portal (https://www.trendbeta.com/)
eazsolution.com (http://kb.eazsolutions.com/article.php?id=003)
Rollback RX referral offer (https://www.horizondatasys.com/177162.ihtml)

[ErikAlbert]

I'm only interested in the software itself, all the rest around the software usually amuses me, but isn't important to me.
Once I'm interested in a specific software, I try to break it in any possible way I can.
If I can't break it and like it, I keep it. If I can break it and like it, I will try to fix it with the company. If the company doesn't co-operate, I ditch the software and try another one.
If I ever find a much better software, than the one I use, I replace it as quick as possible.

I can't be a fan of any software, even the ones I use myself. because they can disappoint me at any moment. I always have a wish-list of additional functions/settings or stuff in the GUI I don't like. Why would I be a fan ? I never have reasons to be a fan.
The only reason why I keep it is that it has great advantages for me and disadvantages I can live with and it has to work properly in the way I want of course.
Discussing a software is OK with me, fighting over a software or getting personal is a waste of time. If I get personal comments, I always show them to my wife, she likes to read them, especially the negative ones. I think it's to her some kind of sweet revenge for being a computer widow.

Social marketing is OK with me as long it amuses me, but I never take it seriously. Words and graphics are just words and graphics. :)

[King FN Kong]

lol theres so many fanboys though they dont know it. but its good coz members get to check em out (the software)

-{ Quote: "Mentioning programs in this forum can be good.I have found some excellent programs to try because of that" }-

yep thats itin a nutshel

[Notok]

IMO word-of-mouth is probably the best way, as it depends almost entirely on the quality of the product/service. You also get a chance to actively interact. You don't have a chance to rebut a billboard or TV advertisment, not unless you have the money to put out your own. My stepfather was a boat builder (and also did any kind of remodeling project he could get). He relied entirely on word of mouth and going out and talking to people. For those that knew him, he had a reputation for doing top notch work. If he didn't have top notch work, he wouldn't have any business as nobody would have ever recommended him.

Going out and hard-selling the general public in a in-your-face kind of way is not good, on the other hand, and nor is setting up shop in someone else's yard (so to speak), but I don't think that's really what we're talking about.

[Fencing]

clearly very mixed opinions on this. i voted no, because as much of a spammer as i may be with these sig links, i think participating in forums is a rather cold give-and-take scenario, whereas using your close friendship with others as a basis for gaining a bit of extra profit is disgusting behaviour in my opinion.

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,
For me, people's sigs are an interesting read.
As to the influence of information contained therein and in would-be ad-posts, well I build profiles of people who post here and deduce relevant conclusions based on my observations over a period of time. If a certain poster seems a bit "shaky" to me, even after 2,000 posts of 3 years of participation - for example - I will not much be swayed but his social input. As to newcomers, I tend to listen what they say, but with certain reservation, until I feel that they offer a reliable source of opinion or experience that can benefit me.
But there are people who seem quite credible and their input is valuable.
Social engineering is all the way up to the user.
It's the same like surfing. There are links that you will follow and there are those that you will not. Not every product saying "best" will get the desired attention.
As to the issue of advertisement for profit, regardless of what a certain poster intends: I think it's innocent. Because every time a person says they like this or that, in a way they are favoring a product and advertising it. But since most of us do not work for any security company and earn money from their products, it's just opinions. And as such, they can be quite valuable.
Mrk

[Fencing]

and there are many who do think "cool! i'm rich" when you tell them they've just won a million pounds ... click here to claim it.

we have a certain responsibility not to mislead the suseptible (however u spell that word) and not to encourage addicts to follow their habbits...etc

[marcromero]

I voted yes in this poll, that's how I discovered Dr.Web Antivirus in this newsgroup.

[aigle]

Non- paid is good but paid-one I don,t like at all. It,s an evil to me unless it is disclosed openly but in that case it can only be on the official forum of that product.

[herbalist]

I don't see a problem with a user recommending a piece of software they use. When it turns into a sales pitch, then it's another matter. Although I recommend SSM regularly, I'm not affiliated with the company beyond being a beta tester. I also recommend Kerio 2.1.5, an older firewall that's not supported by the vendor anymore, and Proxomitron, both free items. When a piece of software works, why not share it with others. I learned of all of these from recommendations by others, tried them, liked them, kept them. Personally, I'd rather see word of mouth recommendations and some good discussion about the items much more than I want to see another hyped vendor ad that makes their product sound like the final solution to every problem.
Rick