AdTorrent & Social Media

In December 2003 I was asked by the CEO [at the time I was working for a large consumer electronics internet retailer] for my analysis of our current marketing programs and my projections on the future of online advertising in the next year.  It was simple, stick more cash into what worked [paid search, lead generation, email, affiliate networking] and less cash into what did not, namely at the time we had a blog which was seldom updated and a forum that no one used.  I explained, “Blogs are a passing fad, no one is reading them anymore“, and I felt that Social Media was not the place to address the negative feedback we received through our call centers and support emails. I perceived Social Media as a communications channel that left our company powerless to customers, who could portray our Brands’ message in whatever fashion they choose.

I could not have been more wrong - Blogging exploded. In 2006 the number of blogs was up to 30 million, 30 times what they were in 2003. Forum use blossomed also, and Social Technology had reached the point that the average internet users now used it to express their frustrations and voice their criticisms about the Company.  The kicker was that all of this feedback was indexed and searchable on internet search engines. Try it for yourself, type in “aol sucks” into Google and see what comes up.

Our Company had a problem. Negative feedback was pouring in from the Social Media Landscape, and we had no infrastructure in place to respond to it.  We were very reluctant, and in some cases down right opposed, to joining the fracas for fear that we would be chewed up and spit back out.  We were afraid that our customers weren’t going to listen or wouldn’t like what we had say.  In fact, what our customers wanted most was for us to join the conversation and show them that we were listening and willing to change.

I have learned from past mistakes. I watched companies - like Dell - succeed in Social Media, save money, save time, and increase customer satisfaction with an incredibly functional online support forum.  They answer hundreds of questions by solving one persons problem on a message board - and it doesn’t take a phone call! Dell also successfully utilizes blogs to reach out to their customers who aren’t coming to them for solutions but still want to hear from them.  I studied businesses as they adapted infrastructure and development plans, to meet the demands of Social Media Communications.  I took these lessons with me; and guided AdTorrent, at every stage of development, to embrace the principles of Social Communication.

AdTorrent is a company founded on new ideals. We built this company on the certainty that traditional marketing no longer reigns supreme over Social Media Communications. Over 90% of both our marketing and customer support takes place in Social Media. Nearly every communication we have with our customers contributes to the conversations consumers are having with each other.  As a result  I’ve found AdTorrents’ operations have to be both transparent and customer-centric; both good things of course!  We view ourselves as members of a market community, not as owners of market share, because we understand the value of our brand belongs to the market - not to the company.  The company is only a tool to create value for the brand.

-Beau Bergquist, President AdTorrent