Citizen Marketers

About the Author

Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba are renowned speakers and business advisors who have spent nearly a decade researching customer loyalty. They are the authors of "Creating Customer Evangelists" and run the popular "Church of the Customer" blog. Their work focuses on the power of customer loyalty and the impact of social media on modern marketing strategies. With "Citizen Marketers: When People Are the Message," they delve into the transformative role of social media in shaping consumer behavior and brand influence.

Main Idea

The main idea of "Citizen Marketers" is to highlight how a select group of social media users, known as citizen marketers, exert significant cultural influence through their authentic and passionate promotion of brands, ideas, and products. These individuals are not traditional marketers but hobbyists who leverage the power of social media to create and spread content that resonates with a wider audience. This democratization of content creation has shifted the dynamics of marketing, allowing ordinary people to shape public perception and drive business success.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction: The Rise of Citizen Marketers
2. The Power of Social Media
3. The Four Types of Citizen Marketers
4. The 1 Percenters and Their Impact
5. The Democratization of Everything
6. Everyone is a Publisher; Everyone is a Broadcaster
7. Responding to Citizen Marketers
8. The Future of Marketing

Introduction: The Rise of Citizen Marketers

In the digital age, the ability to influence public opinion has shifted from traditional media outlets to individuals armed with laptops and smartphones. McConnell and Huba introduce us to the concept of citizen marketers—individuals who create and share content that promotes brands, ideas, or products they are passionate about. These citizen marketers are hobbyists, not professionals, yet their impact can be profound.

"All it takes is a broadband connection, a laptop and maybe a cell phone to create the 'next big thing' that spreads like wildfire." - Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba

With the democratization of content creation, anyone can become a powerful voice in the digital landscape. This shift has allowed for a more authentic and grassroots approach to marketing, where the message is spread by real people with genuine enthusiasm.

The Power of Social Media

Social media platforms have revolutionized the way information is shared and consumed. Unlike traditional media, where content flows in one direction from creator to consumer, social media allows for a dynamic and interactive exchange of ideas. This participative nature of the internet has given rise to a new breed of influencers—citizen marketers.

These individuals harness the power of social media to create content that resonates with their audience. They are not constrained by traditional reporting methods and can collaborate and share information freely. This transparency and authenticity make their content more relatable and trustworthy.

"Social media describes the participative, 'democratized' nature of the Internet, where information flows not just from sites to users but from users to sites and to other users." - Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba

The Four Types of Citizen Marketers

McConnell and Huba categorize citizen marketers into four distinct types: Filters, Fanatics, Facilitators, and Firecrackers. Each type plays a unique role in the social media ecosystem, contributing to the spread of ideas and the influence of brands.