UserVoice Promotes Social Media Based Community

Social Media is a catch phrase that everyone and their dog is using. I’m not trying to use the word lightly when I use it in the post, just so you know. Social media is a strategic decision that is implemented by businesses to engage with their customers and listen to and meet the needs that their customers have. There are a lot of ways that this is being done and using a user feedback forums is one way that is being entirely under used. Not all user feedback forums offer the same functionality. I ran into one a while back that seems to offer superior features, UserVoice.

What Do I Mean By a User Feedback Forum?

If you click the side feedback button on this page you can select “go to our feedback forum” or simply leave feedback within the box that opens. The feedback forum provided by UserVoice is a page that is hosted through their third party site. Although you can rewrite the URL like I have to direct users to a sub-domain of your site. In my case the feedback forum can be found at http://forum.todaysbesttools.com The site allows users to browse, search, leave comments and suggestions, even vote for comments and suggestions that they would like to see implemented.

In What Ways Does a Feedback Forum Promote Social Media?

Lets start with a quote from Wikipedia:

“Social media are primarily Internet-based tools for sharing and discussing information among human beings. The term most often refers to activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and the construction of words, pictures, videos and audio. This interaction, and the manner in which information is presented, depends on the varied perspectives and “building” of shared meaning among communities, as people share their stories and experiences.”

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_media 4October2008)

Certain words stick out to me as applied to UserVoice. UserVoice is an Internet based tool that allows users of a site the ability to share…post, comment, and voice their opinions with a community of other users. It also allows users the ability to vote for the content that they want to promote. It provides social interaction among users. While the Wikipedia article seems to cover a portion of Social Media it barely touches on Social Media Marketing and the importance of businesses engaging their customers.

Social Media Marketing Is Still Social Media

Within Social Media users interact with one another and with companies. Smart companies with a customer driven mentality understand the necessity of listening and communicating with their customers. When Social Media companies communicate with customers they are participating in Social Media…with marketing goals in mind. This does not mean that they stop being social and focus on sales. This does mean that they simply listen, ask questions, solve problems and concerns, and learn. A company that listens to users is able to meet customers needs and create community.

I’ve read blogs and articles that derided Social Media Marketing as a gimmick to manipulate customers and sell more junky products. I’m sure there are companies that have that mentality. Smart companies see social media through an entirely different lens and focus on the customer. The customer centric mentality creates lasting value, community, and evangelists for a product or brand and there is nothing wrong about a company that is successful because they listen and interact with their customers.

UserVoice is a Social Media Tool That May be a Good Fit For You

UserVoice is a tool that companies or sites can use to listen to and interact with their customers. It is also a tool that allows a company or site to communicate with their customers. You can see features of the site that I have not talked about in the Screencast above. Take a moment and watch the screencast or visit the Todays Best Tools feedback forum to see for yourself.