The 3 C’s of Internet Marketing: Community, Content and Commerce

Marketing on the Internet is quite different from your traditional marketing efforts.  


The Internet is content driven and your marketing efforts also needs to be centered around the same. 


The Internet marketing model based on the 3C’s, is helping businesses all over the world drive growth by unlocking the true potential of the Internet. It is worth mentioning here that the model of 3 C’s has CONTENT as its central theme.

The Internet marketing model based on the 3C’s have the following themes central to it:

  1. Community 
  2. Content 
  3. Commerce 

We will now discuss each of these themes, from the prospective of a marketer, in greater detail. 


1. Community


A community is defined as a group of people sharing similar likes and interests. For a community to exist there must be ‘interaction’ among its members. 


The Internet is rife with such communities where people with similar interests come together and discuss issues that are of interest to them. 

Social Media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are examples of such communities existing on the Internet. For an Internet marketer, such communities present opportunities to discover and interact with potential customers. 


According to Hootsuite, “Your social media community isn’t just composed of prospective buyers; it’s also full of potential advocates—the people who will spread your message beyond your reach to their own networks.”


2. Content


Given the fact that the Internet is content driven, content needs to be at the center of any internet marketing efforts. 


Our marketer can build acceptance within the chosen community by sharing content that might be of interest to the community members. Content can take the form of news, views, information and solution to problems.

Information sharing can bring people together and create trust and mutual respect. 

Our marketer can draw from his vast knowledge and experience to share such information with the community members which would otherwise not be available to them, and thereby become indispensable to them. 

Remember that your entire social media presence will be founded on interactions with the community members. The interactions must be two-way for it to be effective. 

As per Mashable, “two-way conversation, then, is a strategy that a brand uses to exude a human quality, showing (or pretending to show) that they care about what you have to say. Instead of broadcasting, they’re engaging”.

3. Commerce


This is where the real fun begins. The marketer now uses his new-found status among the community members to suggest products or services that might be of interest to them. He shares product ideas that can solve existing problems. He might also offer community members special discounts or freebies and inculcate in them a sense of belonging. 


However at the end of it all, it is also important to ensure that the marketer that does not overdo the promotion.

According to Impact, “80% of your posts should be adding value. Share news and ideas, even if they aren’t yours. The idea is to educate, inform, and delight.”

The Internet marketing model based on the 3C’s mentioned above; if used effectively can lead to substantial benefits for the marketer. However the final results will depend upon how well the marketer is able to use the model to his advantage.

Thanks for reading!

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