It has often been said that the truth shall set us free. In a perfect world, this would still be the case. However, modern society is far from a utopia. This observation is even more relevant when we consider the smoke and mirrors often associated with the online marketing community. So, is it still possible to determine fact from fiction?
The best way to answer this question with any level of reliability is to speak with Ian Zerafa. Often billed as a modern guru when it comes to content management, digital culture, and the latest research methodologies, this Maltese journalist has already made a name for himself at a relatively young age. When it comes to vetting online claims, Mr. Zerafa is nothing short of a modern-day oracle. Let's see what he had to say during an informal interview with one of our team members.
A digital Sherlock Holmes with a penchant for getting to the bottom of things
We wanted to begin by asking Ian Zerafa when his passion for digital content creation first emerged.
"I suppose that you could say I was hooked during my tenure at the University of Malta," he begins. "I was studying for a degree in Digital Culture, so I was naturally drawn to the nuances of online marketing. However, I soon realised that some of the methods being taught were far from transparent. This caused me to dig a bit deeper."
He went on to explain that the digital marketing ecosystem is murky at best, and at worst, downright misleading to the point where consumers no longer know where to turn for the truth.
"This is a real shame," Ian Zerafa continues with a slight air of indignation. "There are plenty of solid business models out there. Unfortunately, these can be easily overshadowed by modern snake oil sales tactics. The question is how to cut through the fluff, and separate the wheat from the chaff.
Who is actually at fault?
One of the confounding factors noted by Ian Zerafa goes far beyond contemporary marketing methods. It instead involves the consumers themselves. We asked him to elaborate further.
"You see, digital customers have allowed themselves to become entranced by lofty promises, even if these don't happen to be entirely realistic. The viral nature of such campaigns can generate massive amounts of interest, and many simply follow the masses. This creates a cascading effect, and buyers don't realise they've been hoodwinked until after the fact."
He was also happy to provide us with an example. A 2017 event known as the Fyre Festival was promoted as one of the most exclusive holiday events of the year. Consumers were lured with promises of luxurious accommodations, live music performances from the most talented artists, and organisers were even able to obtain several celebrity endorsements. These claims were far from the truth. Those who chose to purchase extremely expensive tickets were met with nothing more than a handful of disaster relief tents, and cheese sandwiches. The entire event was a fraud.
"This is when you encounter a phenomenon known as FOMO (fear of missing out). We're afraid to not be included, so we choose to suspend our traditional critical thinking skills. Many cases of online fraud are rooted in a similar type of psychology."
Pulling back the opaque curtains
This is only one example of how shrewd marketing techniques can lure a substantial number of consumers into committing to less-than-altruistic promises. Indeed, Ian Zerafa has alluded to several additional instances from time to time across his professional networking portals. While the fault ultimately lies with the marketers, a certain amount of blame can also be placed on the consumer. This is why it is so important to embrace pragmatism over idealism.
"I often use the expression 'if it's too good to be true, it's normally false'. Although this might sound a bit pessimistic, you can't put a price tag on caution."
Although this altruism holds a great deal of water, we're still faced with a conundrum. Are there any ways in which we can verify online information? If so, are some methods better than others? Ian Zerafa took a few moments to think before answering.
"This is a great question, and there isn't a single strategy that works all the time," he admits. "We instead need to look at the big picture. The first step involves vetting the information through the use of third parties. For instance, perform an online search to back up, or to refute, any claims being made."
He also states that this can represent one step of a much broader process. Some additional approaches can include:
- Reading about what others have had to say about their personal experiences.
- Ensuring that the website, and the business, are both legitimate entities.
- If published by a named author, researching the personality in question, and discovering what other campaigns he has been involved with.
- Analysing the terms and conditions (which should always be present when referring to any type of contractual agreement)
Furthermore, a touch of common sense goes a long way. Ian Zerafa provides another example to reinforce this final point.
"Consider the average smartphone e-commerce app promising savings of up to 50%. Only after downloading do you realise that you first need to pay for a subscription, and the rebates apply to a handful of products."
Ian Zerafa notes that the prevalence of such advertising campaigns is on the rise; further contributing to the muddled nature of the modern e-commerce community.
"We can no longer take things for face value," Ian Zerafa affirms. "It is crucial to verify any information before taking the first step. This is why I refer back to the steps highlighted previously to ensure that I don't become a statistic."
However, he also states that numerous e-commerce portals prioritise the needs of their clients.
"Transparency still exists," Ian Zerafa promises. "It's just a matter of knowing when to become involved, and when to walk away."
