"Folksonomies" - a New Viral Marketing Tool

A new consumer phenomenon is called "tagging" or "folksonomies" (short
for folks and taxonomy). Tagging is powerful because consumers are
creating an organizational structure for online content. Folksonomies
not only enable people to file away content under tags, but, even
better, share it with others by filing it under a global taxonomy that
they created.



Here's how tagging works. Using sites such as del.icio.us - a
bookmark sharing site – and Flickr - a photo sharing site -
consumers are collaborating on categorizing online content under
certain keywords, or tags.



For instance, an individual can post photographs of their iPod on
Flickr and file it under the tag "iPod." These images are now not only
visible under the individual user's iPod tag but also under the
community iPod tag that displays all images consumers are generating
and filing under the keyword. Right now Flickr has more than 3,500
photos that are labeled "iPod."



Tagging is catching on because it is a natural complement to search.
Type the word "blogs" into Google and it can't tell if you are
searching for information about how to launch a blog, how to read
blogs, or just what. Large and small sites alike are already getting on
to the folksonomy train. They are rolling out tag-like structures to
help users more easily locate content that's relevant to them.



Although tags are far from perfect, marketers should, nevertheless,
be using them to keep a finger on the pulse of the American public.
Start subscribing to RSS feeds to monitor how consumers are tagging
information related to your product, service, company or space. These
are living focus groups that are available for free, 24/7. Folksonomy
sites can be also be carefully used to unleash viral marketing
campaigns - with a caveat. Marketers should be transparent in who they
are, why they are posting the link/photos and avoid spamming the
services.

About The Author

Brian McQuirk


Webmaster and owner of http://www.pinp4u.com

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Distributed by Hasan Shrek, independence blogger. Also run online business , matrix, internet marketing solution , online store script .
Beside he is writing some others blogs for notebook computer , computer training , computer software and personal computer
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