Friday, November 09, 2007

Marketing segmentation through social media



From Paul Gillin's blog - Social Media and the Open Enterprise

Please go to Paul's blog to read the full post.

Then go to the Umbria web site.

"For an apparel maker, Umbria analyzed postings to blogs and social networks to identify the following segments:

Fit Finders (39% of the population), Self Expressives (19%), Bargain Seekers (17%), Label Whores (11%) , Style Gurus (8%) and Dissenters (6%).

Here’s an example of segment characteristics: Fit Finders are Generation Xers looking for appropriate jeans for their changing physiques. . Low-waisted jeans aren't working for them any more, but “old person jeans” aren't appealing either. Plus-sized Fit Finders are looking for fashion-forward styles rather than shapeless designs.

Self Expressives want control. They want to distress their own jeans, design clothing reconstructed from jeans and add personal style to jeans through patches and embroiders.

Style Gurus are looking to be unique. They're looking for authenticity and real inspiration. "Some men are actually starting to become interested in wearing women's jeans because they view them as more stylish," he said. These insights emerged from online conversations."

1. How accurate or useful do you think this segmentation is?
2. Can the results be skewed or manipulated?
3. What are the ethical and privacy issues?



3 comments:

Mark Kasprzyk said...

Hi there! I have left this comment as an example.

Jonathan said...

As long as marketers will aim to understand the needs and wants of consumers, they will always look for ways to more accurately segment the target audience.
Social networking sites do offer a unique insight into what the current trends are, and why those trends have developed, so it is natural for marketers to want to use this insight in developing products that meet the current trends.
The ethical question of whether or not it is right to peruse social networking sites for this information is important, as privacy issues could be a concern. Have the people that are posting on these sites given their authorisation to allow companies to use their information in this way?
Social networking (SN) is also a trend. It could be argued that SN is an extension of the reality TV phenonemon, where looking into real peoples lives becomes more interesting than dramatisation. Perhaps that is the appeal of sites such as Facebook and Myspace.
Once trust in the sites is deminished, or a new technology comes along that replaces the current format for these forums, marketers will have to learn new market segmentation techniques.

Anonymous said...

that great Jonothan. You made some good points.