Recently, there has been a rising trend in social media called silent tagging.  Silent tagging, is a quick and cheap method of increasing the number of Facebook “likes” on a business page.

The process involves joining a group with your personal Facebook profile, which hosts “tagging sessions” or “tagging Parties”. When a session starts, users post their business’ page link in a reply thread to a comment. If you post your business, you are expected to like the other businesses, on that page, and vice versa. Typically users of these parties will gain 20-30 new fans on Facebook.

It may sound promising method to grow your business, but don’t be fooled. This type of gimmick is known as incentivised traffic, and it’s been plaguing the internet for ages.

Companies that provide incentivised traffic typically lie to internet users to entice them to click a link. It is very reminiscent of the old “punch the monkey” ads. In the same way these ads invited consumers to “click to win a prize”; silent tagging is enticing users to like a Facebook page for their own benefit, other than to appreciate the company.

Incentivised traffic is highly frowned upon as it leads to huge drops in conversion rates.

Unless your goal is to gain a bunch of not purchasing Facebook ‘leaches’ (remember you are liking their page as well), users of silent tagging are a perfect example of measuring for the wrong metrics. Users think they are gaining fans of their products, when really they are lying and deceiving their potential buyers.

Facebook has a ton of metrics to measure your social media growth. If you don’t notice an increase in responses to your comments and updates as your fan base grows, you’re most likely targeting the wrong groups.

If you want success in your social media marketing, it all boils down to integrity. Let your product speak for itself, and be transparent about it. Talk about what makes your company special, and say something worth a response. If you need a fanbase to display that message, start a targeted campaign to get people into your group.  Give away something small and valuable as a result of liking a page. Start a contest. The value of your company should not stem from a gimmick or by lying to your customers.