Using Consumer Generated Media to Grow Your Business  © Chris Bloor

When a consumer writes about your products or services on the internet (in forums, blog posts, discussion lists, wikis, etc.) this is called Consumer Generated Media.

As a business owner you can use Consumer Generated Media to your advantage. You can start by encouraging it.

Undoubtedly you've noticed how Amazon encourages customer reviews for each of its products. Many customers make their purchase decisions based on these reviews because they are perceived as unbiased reviews. 

Even if there are negative reviews, customers are smart enough to sort through both the positive and negative reviews and make their decision accordingly.

A smaller business can also encourage reviews of their products.

1. You can create a forum for your business or product. This is one of the best ways to have conversations with your customers. Make sure you have enough moderators on hand to keep an eye on the discussions and to delete any spam posts or other inappropriate posts.

Before too long, you'll find out what common questions people have about your product. You'll be able to make the appropriate adjustments the next time you update your product.

You might even find brand new products ideas as a result of what customers say in the forum. You'll also be able to find many testimonials for your product in the forum and can use those on your main website or other promotional literature.

2. Another way to encourage consumer generated media is to create a blog and invite comments. End your blog posts with a question, such as "what do you think?" This will help invite comments and spark conversations within your comment threads.

Make sure you have a "subscribe to comments" feature activated for your blog so that people will get e-mail updates each time there is a new comment.

4. Videos are yet another form of consumer generated media. If you aren't careful, people might make videos that criticize your products.

There are countless videos on You Tube about the horrors of certain fast food meals, for example. Or if there is a negative news report about your product, someone will post the clip on YouTube where it will get yet more exposure again and again. You'll want to keep an eye on what's happening on You Tube.

If appropriate, you might even want to make You Tube videos about your product or business and invite your customers to view the video and leave comments.

In conclusion, don't isolate yourself from your customers and remain distant. This no longer works in the Web 2.0 environment we now live in.

Be respectful of consumer generated media and actively encourage it.  Your business will grow as a result.