Sticky Marketing

Sticky marketing refers to employing tactics that make people willingly expose themselves to a promotional message again and again. Specifically, the term is usually used to refer to web pages; a sticky web page is one that people choose to return to repeatedly, thereby increasing the likelihood that they will learn, be persuaded, and perhaps even purchase something. Sticky marketing enables targeting, personalization, and [Page 789]interaction with surfers, who may then become patrons. Children may be quite receptive to sticky marketing techniques, which has led policymakers to implement restrictions relating to websites targeted at children.

There are numerous ways to make a site sticky; the most effective ones do so in a way that is integrated with the company's brand image and other promotional messages. For example, a website may offer visitors the opportunity to email a web page to a friend, thereby creating the potential to increase the site's reach. It can provide customized content in the form of a horoscope, local weather, or updated headlines. It can provide free email or downloadable programs, such as screensavers or wallpaper. It can create a forum where people may chat or post messages; again, not only does this increase the likelihood of repeat visits from the original user, it also increases the likelihood that new users will discover the site. Anything that brings a visitor back to a web page is a form of sticky marketing: It makes visitors “stick” to the page. In this sense, the brand associated with the site gains credibility and longevity.

Research shows that young children are unable to understand the consequences of revealing their personal information and that vast amounts of such information from children have been collected by marketers. Concern over this led the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 1998 to present Congress with a report on the subject that ultimately led to the passage of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which took effect in April 2000.

The act requires commercial websites directed at children to obtain parental consent for collection of personal data from any child under the age of 13 and prohibits disclosure of that information to other commercial entities. It also stipulates that there can be limited collection of personal data during participation in online contests and games, as well as from home pages, pen pal services, email services, message boards, and chat rooms. These are all sticky marketing tactics.