Crowd sourcing is all the new rage. Anywhere from gaining
user developed content to having users spread awareness to the ever popular
fundraising – getting people involved in your cause, organization, or business
is the best way to gain free publicity.
Marketing groups have been using crowdsourcing for years,
way before the popularity of internet – think back to refer a friend programs –
but with the ever growing availability of the internet and accessibility to
different types of people from all over the world crowdsourcing is more popular
than ever.
I worked in the tourism industry for years and crowdsourcing
ideas were a very popular way to gain content without paying for it.
The State of Georgia tourism council had a great marketing plan
to have people “Twist and Shake” throughout the state of Georgia and video tape
themselves doing it. The idea was that tourist and locals alike could show them
twisting and shouting at their favorite location or area in Georgia, send their
video into the state tourism office who would in turn promote the video on
their social media sites, developing free content. This could also get local
businesses and other Georgia tourism councils involved and promoting their
organization as well.
Tourism groups also use hashtags to encourage users to tag
their destination in their travels. Savannah has signs all over the city and on
printed promotional material to use the hashtag #VisitSavannah when on Twitter
or Instagram. They then take user generated content and share promoting both
the content developer but also selling the idea of visiting Savannah through
real-life experiences. When people see their peers doing things and having fun
it inspires them to also join in.
Crowdsourcing has also gone from just information to also
crowdfunding also. The idea started as raising money for small-business\start
up’s and has evolved into crowdfunding for almost anything. On February 1, 2015
Evan Leedy started a “Go Fund Me” campaign in hopes to raise $25,000 for a
Detroit man who walked 21 miles one way to his job at a neighboring factory.
The campaign was called “Help James Robertson Get a Car”. James Robertson was a
factory worker who for the last 10 years has been walking daily to work. Leedy
wanted to help him purchase a car to help him safely travel to and from work in
the Detroit elements. Within 14 days, 13,248 people have helped raised $350,001
to go towards the purchase of a new car, help provide gas, and insurance. Over
24,000 people shared this story via social media to help raise the funds. Not
only did Robertson receive a new car but a local Detroit dealership gave him a
brand new Ford for free. This campaign is just one example of the power of
social sharing and crowdsourcing in movement.
Not only can you use crowdsourcing to develop and share
content or raise funds but you can also use crowdsourcing to share skilled
workers. Sites such as Fiverr or Creative Market allow people with skills to
sell their skillset for a profit.
Fiverr is a website that allows people to purchase products
or skills for a mere $5. Anything that can be done via the internet is offered
on this website. Do you need a poem written for your love? Do you need someone
to interact with your Facebook account? Do you need a proofreader? All of this
can be purchased for $5 through Fiver. There are also people who draw pictures,
develop logos, voiceover, translations – you name it, you will find it. Creative
Market is similar but instead you purchase premade digital items that are ready
for download. This includes fonts, photographs, logos, invitations, posters,
HTML code.
Companies are even jumping on board with the crowdsourcing.
Companies are starting to use fan developed content in their marketing
campaigns. I had a college friend who wrote and directed an ad for a Sprite Films
contest. She was a top 5 contestant and was awarded “Fan Favorite”. Her “See
Your Dreams Sprite” ad was viewed at the American Film Institute’s AFI FEST
2014 in Los Angeles, California. This was a two way crowdsourcing contest.
Sprite received great advertisement content and publicity while Olivia was able
to promote her cause and gain followers to help promote her dream. Which
resulted her in a win.
Crowdsourcing is an amazing way to promote products,
destinations, needs, events, people, causes, organizations, companies, and
more. By getting people involved within the cause you can create a full viral
effect.
Sources:
http://www.sprite.com/2014studentfilms/
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