Echo Chambers, Information Discovery & Role of Weak Ties in Social Networks

Do social networks give you a more diverse perspective on the world through helping you see more people's opinions?
OR
Are they an echo chamber that just reinforces your opinions since the people you share with probably have similar opinions to your own?


Here's a gist of a rather longish Facebook paper on the diversity of information within networks:

• Information we consume and share on Facebook is actually much more diverse than conventional wisdom might suggest
• Facebook is not a echo chamber
• We are exposed to and spread more information from our distant contacts than our close friends.  Since these distant contacts tend to be different from us, the bulk of information we consume and share comes from people with different perspectives. 

The long version of the research paper is here

Designing for Social

Heard this a while ago at a Facebook Workshop and this simple sense check has stayed true for me till today.

Transcend Social By Design from concept to practice by asking 2 basic questions of the content, events, participation ideas etc.... you introduce into your conversations:

1. Why would people care?
2. Why would they share?

And take culture, context, a specific behavioral insight, purpose & equity of the brand to shortlist.

Key Trends for Success in Social & Mobile

Great presentation by my former CEO Jay Shapiro on  Living at the intersection of Social & Mobile" - focusing on 8 key trends in mobile app development that will help you succeed in the social arena 

Facebook f8 Keynote Summary

Facebook's F8 Conference keynote is another indication of things to come on the Social Web. 


In summary:

• Facebook has your present, and wants your past.
• The social web is moving from nouns (Like) to verbs (Read, Listened, Watched). And extends this from Communications & Games to Media & Lifestyle interests & activities via Apps. Adjectives next?

The fresh batch of new features can be lumped into three major categories:

• Profile changes: Users will have a "Timeline" page that reconfigures profiles into a scrapbook.
• Sharing changes: The network's sharing features will be deeper than ever, especially across ones media and lifestyle activities
• API changes: Applications won't have to constantly ask for permission to post content.

More details on Facebook's F8 at: https://www.facebook.com/f8

CRM - Fishing analogies & theories

When it comes to CRM there’s no dearth of theories but what’s with the analogies? And lots of fishing ones at that.

“Fish where the fish are.” OK.

"Let’s go ONLY after the big fish with LTV.” Yes, makes absolute sense on an XL.

A wise old CRM fisherman quips: “Son, everyone is after the big fish. Focus on the small ones with potential and farm them well.” Sage advice that.

And just when conflicting advice was hurting my gills, today, a CRM strategist compared CRM to, hold that guffaw, an aquarium. My interpretation of the analogies (in brackets):

• Running a CRM program is like maintaining an aquarium (Yes it’s delicate, agree)
• Introduce new fish to keep the energy going (read focused acquisitions) 
• Keep the fish moving (read planned activation, X sell, tier management etc…) 
• Create an environment for the fish to survive – moss, algae all included (read create deep bonds with the brand & program – emotional, structural & financial) 
• Make sure focus on the big fish, doesn’t kill the smaller ones or makes the big fish indifferent (read stop over promoting. Move them to a new pond (tier) if possible) 

Jokes aside, I think the CRM strategist was on to something, even if probably on something.

Combine that with the sage advice of the CRM fisherman and we have a recipe for success. Seafood allergy not guaranteed.

End of bad fish puns.

Google Buys Zagat

Google+ hasn't really taken off, yet, but is news of Google Buying Zagat an indication Google is taking the Expert route along with Peer recommendations?

Stephen Fry on Persuasion - BBC 4

Stephen Fry interrogates advertising & telemarketing practitioners among others on the language of persuasion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2rgeSKLc-E

The audio is now available via BBC Audio GO at http://www.audiogo.co.uk/audiobook/32225/frys-english-delight-series-4