The problem with this is that it relies entirely on the reader being duped into thinking the blogger supports the product or service and is promoting it of their own free will. That’s a problem ethically, but it’s also a terrible idea because it destroys the company’s credibility if they’re found out. Internet users aren’t getting dumber, and schemes like that won’t work for very long.

I don’t think that’s exactly what’s going on with Twitter, but it can give the same feeling. Advertisers are not(yet) social entities and in order to capture that market they’re going to have to try something other than pleading with users to be their friend.

I really liked your observations about the current skepticism about advertising online–and that rather than complaining endlessly, marketers have to spend energy figuring out how to make ads palatable.

I’m also sure you’re right that young folks, in particular, are way to hip and jaded where online stuff is concerned to buy any sort of deceptive approach. Humor, silliness or even straight ahead pitching, sure, but sneaky or sleazy, no way.

Have you had an experience where someone pitched you online (in a social medium or not) in a way that felt deceptive? I’d love to learn from it, and I’m betting my readers would too.

-Anne

There’s a natural skepticism about this kind of thing among the younger, tech-hip set, due in part to the ubiquitousness of spam (though, yeah, legitimate companies almost never actually spam) and viral marketing. It’s scary when marketers blur the line between advertising and reality, and everyone who has ever fallen for a viral ad naturally becomes a little more skeptical.

So, what? Should they just give up on advertising through social networking? I don’t think so at all, if only because most users are totally okay with this kind of thing (it seems like every five minutes one of my friends on Facebook is becoming “a fan” of this product or that). Even if they weren’t, getting frustrated with the target audience’s wariness isn’t any more productive than their outrage is. I think it’s up to the advertisers to work around that and present their product or service in a way that actually makes people want to accept them. Google Adsense and (I think) Facebook have been doing this for a while with targeted ads, but there’s only so far you can take that. One of the last posts mentioned coupons and discounts, which is a great idea if presented in a context where it makes sense (though I disagree about the survey aspect).

I think what this comes down to is two things: ads that utilize social media have to be a) (relatively) non-intrusive and b) self aware. People don’t want to be sold things when they’re trying to interact with their friends or family (see: club promoters or telemarketing calls during dinner time). They also can’t go to lengths to hide that they are, in fact, advertising something. It feels disingenuous, and is likely to turn just as many people off as increase awareness. And anyway, aren’t the funniest commercials the ones that know exactly what they’re doing and venture into the completely ridiculous? They’re funny because we’re more comfortable when people are talking straight.

If we have this same discussion in ten years, it’ll be entirely different. I wouldn’t be surprised if people were fine with all sorts of things that are now considered unacceptable or bizarre. Regardless, this is the climate that marketers have to deal with at the moment, and while I think breaking into markets like Twitter and Facebook is a step in the right direction they’ve got a long way to go.

http://mdurwin.wordpress.com/2008/07/12/twitter-spam-it-had-to-happen-sooner-or-l8r/

Your vision of Twitter spam-bots is terrifying, agreed. I hope it never comes to pass. Do you have any sense of whether that’s technically possible in the near future?

Nuno:

Sorry you’ve already run afoul of the self-righteous types on Twitter. Nothing you’ve described sounds abusive to me, but even if it were, as we’ve both noted, people can easiy tune it out–so where’s the hostility coming from?

By the way, while I’m not really a podcasting person I’d be interested in yours. If you need a guest I’m totally ready, baby.

-Anne

In short, I have 2 Twitter accounts. One is my “personal” one (NunoXEI) in which I follow people whom I have close affinity to, either personally or on a high interest level or fanboy level.

The second one is my “podcast” one (@TheLowdown) in which I follow groups of like minded people whom MIGHT either have an interest in my video project OR end up being someone I’d have liked to look further into but would never have found out about. For those who DO like my work, I encourage them to feel free to get to know me more personally by adding my @NunoXEI account as well.

On that later point, I’d like to define said Twitter accounts (more followings than followers) as “listener” accounts. I ENJOY scanning my podcast account and quickly reading through the textual noise. If anything I actively launch myself into a torrent of self-inflicted spam pools seeking for nuggets of golden information or inspiring/helpful links. I say “spam-pools” because Twitter–on the BEST day is filled with people typing mundane and negligible stuff (on a public level); stuff like “my cat just ate his food” or “a man is screaming on the street” or “I’m swarty”…

It’s ultimately MY choice to be bombarded with all that. To those I follow: I never understand those who blindly follow people who follow them and then COMPLAIN about what they have to read. 1. Don’t follow strangers, 2. Set your account to Private, 3. Stop using Twitter if you don’t like strangers reading your thoughts.

Anyways, my rant is over now . Thanks for getting your thoughts out there… I may yet do a Lowdown on this topic if this phenomenon continues!

Your post gave me a vision of a horrible future where the signup CAPTCHA is cracked and then the bots set up accounts named “buy-cheap-meds-at-bobs-pharma” which will be emailed to every new followee.

Aaargh! Just as I was typing this comment, I got a follow from http://twitter.com/Insurance_Jobs Nooo!