What Is Crowdsourcing And How Can It Be Used In Digital Marketing

Interacting with the audience and knowing how to address the public is an integral part of a marketing strategy, listening to what the audience has to say about the brand and what problems or needs the company can cover. Although there are different ways to obtain this information, crowdsourcing has become one of the best options. We explain what crowdsourcing is and how it could be applied to a digital marketing strategy.

What Does Crowdsourcing Mean

Crowdsourcing is a term that was born in 2006 by Jeff Howe, journalist and editor of the electronic magazine Wired, to refer to the moment in which the public can contribute ideas and actively participate in some way in the development of a product or service to find the solution to a problem or fill a need.

This marketing strategy aims to collect information from a wide variety of consumers, which can be used to develop or improve the brand’s products and services or obtain economic financing. In turn, the public feels part of the company, creating a much closer relationship and one of greater trust. Crowdsourcing can also be used as an advertising campaign since all those who have participated in developing or improving a product or service will speak after it, as well as the brand.

Types Of Crowdsourcing

There are different types of crowdsourcing, so depending on the objective, one or the other can be used:

• Crowdfunding: Is a type of crowdsourcing in which a large group of people come together to finance a project. Typically, all the participants get something in return, such as a gift, a discount, and access to an exclusive event.
• Crowd wisdom: A crowdsourcing that seeks a large group of people’s opinions and suggestions to develop or improve a product or service.
• Microtask: Unlike the previous ones, in this type of crowdsourcing, what is sought is the distribution of the different tasks that make up a project among a large group of people. 

Although the best known is, perhaps, crowdfunding, many brands have successfully applied crowd wisdom and microtasking.

Benefits Of Applying Crowdsourcing To Marketing

Crowdsourcing has several benefits for brands, especially those on a very tight budget who cannot move forward with the project without help. One of these main benefits of crowdsourcing is the relationship established between the brand and the public since by feeling that they are part of the project, the relationship is much more solid, and there is a much stronger feeling of trust, as well as being easier to reach customer loyalty.

It is also worth noting that it is much easier to innovate since you have the opinions and suggestions of a wide variety of people. Typically, the participating group is very diverse, so the information obtained will also be diverse. Another advantage of resorting to crowdsourcing is that it is one of the marketing strategies that attract the most ambassadors, which leads to publicity. 

Of course, the more attractive and striking the project and the better the rewards the participants obtain, the easier it will be to get the commitment. And finally, this action saves time and money, which is why it is one of the best strategies for brands with a tight budget who do not have enough means and resources to carry out the project. 

How To Apply Crowdsourcing In Marketing

To carry out a project through a crowdsourcing strategy, it must be done correctly and with planning. These are some aspects that should be taken into account:

• Be specific and specify very well what the participants have to do. First of all, it is imperative to make a presentation or a document that specifies, in a very straightforward way, what is expected of each participant and the requirements and conditions. This part is essential to avoid little and excessive participation since what is sought is that those who are really interested in the project sign up and fit in in some way.
• The concept should be as simple as possible. The best crowdsourcing campaign aims to create a simple product or service that can be easily adapted to the consumer’s needs.
• Results must be measured. All good and bad results should be recorded to know what is going well and what is not. These results must also be shared with all participating in the project.
• To be organized. The participation of many people requires different organizations. Having someone responsible for each of the parts or tasks that are carried out, especially if you opt for a microtask type, would be ideal.
• Appreciate the efforts of all the participants. In crowdsourcing, each person who participates is essential, so the brand must thank them in some way, be it with discounts, exclusive offers, gifts or access to events. 

All these tips are applicable in any company regardless of the sector to which it belongs. The success or failure of the project will depend on how interesting it is for the audience and how it is presented.

Also Read: Leverage Digital Marketing To Reach More Customers