Next Big Call-to-Action

Do you remember calls-to-action before the Internet domination? Before toll-free vanity phone numbers? Do you remember the printed cut-on-the-dotted-line ad coupons with “mail to” addresses?

In the 90s, a toll-free vanity phone number was the way to engage customers in a creative, customized manner. An 1-800 telephone number is easy to remember — it spells something, and means something (think 1-800-FLOWERS, 1-800-CONTACTS, 1-800-DENTIST, etc.).

Businesses used these easily-recognizable vanity numbers in radio, print, and television advertising religiously. It was the next big thing, and it showed status. In fact, some companies shelled out millions of dollars just to acquire a specific vanity number – it was (and still is) a big deal.

The emergence of the Internet as a business platform saw new calls-to-action. If you were an established business, you bought your own domain name. And if you lacked the funding to do so, you might have opted for a free web service (homestead.com, geocities.com, etc.) which gave you a web presence, but with a web address that was difficult to remember.

The smart vanity phone number businesses leveraged the Internet to establish a brand consistent web presence utilizing the same vanity name used in their phone number (1800flowers.com, 1800contacts.com, 1800dentist.com, etc.).

And now, with the birth and rapid acceptance of social media, we’re seeing global brands ditch their own domains in favor of social media addresses.

Notably, the Volkswagen and Vitamin Water brands have launched ad campaigns which use Facebook.com addresses (facebook.com/vitaminwater, facebook.com/vw, etc.) as the one and only call-to-action.

So why would they do that? Why would they send prospects to a web site that isn’t monitored by the company? Why would they send prospects to a social networking site that may require a sign-up to view and interact with site elements?

Let’s answer those questions, with another question. Why would customers go back to your simple domain website? What compelling reason do they have to go back? Chances are there isn’t a reason — that your simple, domain website exists to give information in a one-way conversation.

Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter allow brands to engage with customers in a tangible, viral and influential manner.

For customers, they have access to the brand in an often-transparent way — they’re the first to know about a new release, they’re offered exclusive discounts because they’re fans of the brand.

And for the brand, they’re actively establishing a loyal tribe of followers – working on the brand’s behalf to grow it’s popularity.

And while I’m in favor of engaging your customers in any means possible, I’m not sure pointing your customers/prospects to an outside domain is necessarily the best way to do so. Instead, opt to incorporate similar engaging techniques into your own website.

In doing so, you’ll retain focus on your own domain, and you won’t be wasting limited ad money on a narrowly-targeted campaign that may or may not reach social media-focused consumers.

Social media is certainly the hip, got-to-have web presence of the ad industry. But if you’re working with limited budgets, creating a campaign around one social media platform won’t be the most cost-effective or efficient option.