How to Generate Buzz for a Product

A common marketing ploy these days is to generate buzz for a product before launch. Sometimes, way before. Just think of Cyberpunk 2077 as an example. And its subsequent disastrous launch! However, when the buzz is done right, using various methods such as audience targeting, web media, and a chosen style, it can be a boon for your new product or service. Whether you do it alone or hire a marketing service, here are some handy tips.

Schedule a Progressive Timeline

There needs to be a steady timeline for rolling out a product, and this can begin long before the launch date. Taking the video games industry as an example, it isn't uncommon to generate buzz with teaser clips at game shows that lead to full-blown campaigns with tidbits in between. Monthly updates lead to weekly updates, for example. However, you will need a quality printer service with a fast turnaround time to handle mass marketing materials and merch orders.

Identify and Understand the Audience

One of the most valuable tools you have for generating buzz is the audience. Without an audience, nobody hears about the product. This is why targeting the right audience is essential. But how do you go about this? It is rather complex, but here are some quick suggestions:

• Determine the characteristics of the product that align with an audience.
• Test audience engagement via multiple marketing channels and platforms.
• Consider purchase intention, audience interests, and the subculture.

The audience becomes a core part of a campaign and will help launch a product successfully or contribute to failure if you don't get it right. This is becoming more common in video games and movies as developers use external consulting companies that alienate the core audience.

Generate Buzz for a Product with Promo Videos

Potential customers who are already interested and invested in a product or service love to see how something is made, why the product is valuable for them, and what it will offer as a solution. Promotional videos are, therefore, an integral part of any marketing campaign for a startup or new product. Recent surveys suggest that about 22% of startups fail to adapt to a solid marketing campaign that includes promotional materials and other core marketing concepts.

Offer Early Adopter Deals

For the most attractive prospects of a new product launch, there is nothing more enticing than becoming an early adopter. We see this in the tech industry with new smartphone launches. And the video games industry has this nailed down with early access for AAA games. The main reason is that it capitalizes on the "Fear of Missing Out" (FOMO), which has become one of the catalysts for many marketing campaigns. Social media users especially have this tendency.

Tell the Story of the Product

People are more likely to purchase a product if they feel connected to it. One of the most powerful ways of creating buzz is to tell the story of what you are creating. From apps to smart tech, there is always a reason for development, and users will feel more connected when they see the company and development team as human. However, this isn't as easy to do as you may think. Staying true to the brand and being as genuine and authentic as possible is valuable.

Use the Web to Generate Buzz for a Product

Traditional marketing, such as print media, is a valuable tool. But in almost all cases, there are extra costs, exhausted time, and segmented audiences. Today, the web is a much more valuable tool because it costs virtually nothing to promote something online. Here are some tips:

• Consider releasing a behind-the-scenes video of development on YouTube.
• Pay for advertisements on the target audience's preferred social media platform.
• Create a hashtag marketing campaign across social media such as X and Facebook.
• Increase engagement with audience contests for merchandise and early access.
• Improve audience connections using a founder's list of early adopters.
• Time social media posting ideally based on target audience engagement.
• Develop an SEO-rich blog and landing page around the excitement of the new product.

YouTube is a valuable resource, and it doesn't even cost anything to upload videos. In fact, you can make money with some commitment. Other online methods, such as hashtags, allow you to creatively take advantage of trends. And SEO will attract free traffic to a blog or landing page.

Include Branding in the Marketing 

Branding is one of those concepts that most people take for granted. Of course, a logo is a great start and helps an audience form an idea around a product. But is that all there is when it comes to branding? No, of course not. Branding methods such as taglines, messaging, and even colors should be focused on the target audience. It takes a lot of time and research to really understand a core audience, but it connects massively when you get this one right.

Carefully Consider the Date of Launch

You may not even notice it, but product launch dates are very carefully considered by most companies who know what they are doing. A launch can tie in with a seasonal holiday, for example. But the dates you choose can also be focused on the times when people are more likely to buy it when they have spare money. Or it can even be timed so it doesn't clash with a competitor's product. Even building buzz for a global release is a valid marketing tactic.

Generate Buzz for a Product with User Engagement

Engagement is critical for a launch, especially when interacting using web methods. Web methods include social media platforms, blogging, and video uploads. LinkedIn is a popular space to build buzz around professional products and services, and around 40% of LinkedIn users engage with pages based on business. An upcoming tech product, app, or online service can take advantage of this with engagement, such as contests, dialog, and even polling.

Decide on the Style of Buzz Marketing

Buzz marketing is powerful when it focuses on triggers. Whether you want to attract one segment and repel another is down to how you want to manage the campaign. But it is proven effective. Types of buzz marketing include secret, funny, and unusual, but powerful ones are:

• Taboo marketing works by having an audience talk based on something controversial.
• Outrageous marketing capitalizes on a controversial topic through a loyal audience.
• Remarkable marketing focuses on the audience to inspire an overall experience.

Social media campaigns are the driving force behind most buzz marketing strategies in the 2020s. They are valuable to companies because they offer instant feedback, never-before-possible interactions, and valuable methods of addressing customer concerns.

Include Testimonials by Industry Leaders

If you can get industry leaders onboard early, then your product is almost guaranteed to succeed at launch. Imagine if Bill Gates spoke publicly about how impressed he was at a tech demo of your upcoming app. That's marketing and publicity you can't buy. Holding closed events for leaders who would benefit from your product and allowing them to speak about what they saw will generate enormous buzz, and you can include these statements in marketing materials.

Summary

Rolling out specific information about your project on a scheduled timeline is a powerful way to generate buzz for a product launch. This is seen a lot in the tech and entertainment industries. Using the web with methods such as social media marketing, YouTube videos, and SEO to attract traffic can generate a lot of free buzz while a product or service is still being developed. Having industry leaders speak about your product will almost guarantee its eventual success.