Below is my latest article for iMedia Connection Asia.

It is important for brands to know how and why netizens connect with each other if they want to jump in and participate.

In a previous article here, I described the architecture of internet word-of-mouth (IWOM) in China, i.e. bulletin board systems (BBS), blogs and social networking sites (SNS), among others, where netizens connect with each other. However, more than just knowing where, it is important for brands to know how and why netizens connect in each of these different spaces if they want to jump in and participate.

In answering the how and the why, let’s focus on the three most popular places for participation, namely blogs, BBS and SNS, and identify what makes each of them unique from a netizen participation standpoint. In other words, let’s take a look at the DNA of each of these platforms.

Blogs: Content driven by personal expression
In blogs, participation is “me” centered. Why do bloggers create content? They create in order to express themselves as a person or at least a persona. Even with all the different types of blogs such as celebrity blogs, individual industry blogs and personal “diary” blogs, the content is written to reflect “me”. Yes, you can comment on my articles, but I can moderate or even block comments at my discretion.

If brands want to “participate” in the blogosphere, it is important to recognize and leverage this “personal” attribute found in blogging. For example, on a personal blog, Lancôme last year found a brand fan who composed a powerful poem about the iconic Lancôme Rose. The moving poem serves as a good example of the very personal brand advocacy and “love” that can be found on blogs. This poem inspired Lancôme’s “Rose Beauty” poetry campaign which invited others to write their own poems. The campaign in turn inspired netizens to compose their own couplets about the Lancôme Rose.

BBS: Content driven by information
In BBS, the discussions are all about information — information about areas of interest such as automobiles, mobile phones, cosmetics and just about any topic imaginable. Why do BBS forum members create content? In order to solicit and share information about the designated topic for which the community has a shared interest. In BBS, it is a shared passion for particular topics that drives the community. This is backed up by a survey of efluencers, or online opinion leaders, conducted by my firm CIC, which found that the top three motivations for participating on BBS are sharing opinions (73 percent), seeking help (50 percent) and helping others (43 percent).

In participating in BBS, brands should then realize that the asset they bring is information that netizens are seeking. In automobile BBS forums, for example, questions about problems owners are having make up a large percentage of the content. In the popular PCauto community, brands can officially answer questions posed by netizens in designated, branded “expert centers”. Most important to realize here is that the information provided is what is actually wanted and needed by netizens. It is real, two-way communication, NOT seeded marketing messages that are only serving the interest of the brand.

SNS: Content driven by relationships
Sites like Xiaonei and Kaixin001 combine the community aspect of BBS with the personal expression aspect of blogging using “real name” identities. Why have netizens come to SNS? To more efficiently connect, share and play with the people they know. Networking games like “Parking Wars” perfectly display the two key drivers of the internet community: gaming and socializing.

When participating in SNS, brands should consider how they can leverage the “network” effect found within SNS. For example, in Apple’s “Campus” community on Xiaonei, whenever Campus members share content, all of their contacts will see that they have participated. Apple has provided a platform where netizens genuinely wish to share information about its products and which utilizes an SNS viral effect unfound on BBS sites.

The DNA of participation: A necessary sixth sense for marketers
A common mistake by brands is to assume that IWOM is a media, and only a media. In fact, it IS a media, but this is a by-product of IWOM community and conversations being published. Brands cannot selfishly assume what they want to say is what netizens want to hear in this particular context. Like any good conversationalist or community member, brands need to shape their communication approach based on understanding the motivations and purpose of each communication space.