Ticketmaster will expand its recently launched ratings and reviews platform next year to include its e-mail marketing program, as well as major social media networks.
The vendor began its ratings and reviews program this summer, as a part of a two-year strategic overhaul of Ticketmaster.com. The company hired Bazaarvoice earlier this year to manage its online reviews.
“We added user reviews because we found in our research that people wanted to hear what other fans said about events,” said Kip Levin, SVP of product and digital at Ticketmaster.
Since the program’s July launch, Ticketmaster has worked to build its review database. Every time a customer goes to an event, they are sent an e-mail the next day asking them to review the show. The concept of the outreach is to help users decide which concerts to attend.
“You can see what people have been saying about that tour as you decide to buy tickets,” added Levin.
Sam Decker, CMO of Bazaarvoice, added that “Customers are much more invested in the brand and the Web site if they can participate in it.”
“You can get them to participate again and again,” he said.
The revamp also included personalization and recommendations. For example, if a consumer purchases tickets to a Radiohead concert, site might recommend that he or she see The Shins.
“We are evolving the site to be more of a great e-commerce platform,” said Levin. “Our goal is to be like the Amazon of live events.”
This month, Ticketmaster is focusing on adding user reviews to artist pages. In the New Year, the company will expand this to its e-mail program and to social networks.
“It makes sense to integrate this content with social networking because entertainment can play a big role in the social world,” said Decker.
