Web 2.0 and Social Networking, All Rollocks?

[hero]

I joined facebook less than 2 days ago and I'm already bored with it (well, ok, not yet, but haven't spent that much time on it). As Jess says, nothing really new there for someone who's not 16 or has been using the internet for the past 10-15 years.
However, all those poor marketing people who are now entering online, they do need a new buzzword, they do need to impress...

Personally, I think that, hype aside, it's a good thing, social media. People engage more online, they feel more in control, catch up with people they haven't seen for a while (sad, yes, but a good thing nonetheless), do business, not to mention that you get a virtual aquarium to stare at in the middle of the night (perfect for insomnia!)

[axod]

I saw this great pic quite a while back but can't find it now...

It was of a trailer park, and outside this persons trailer was a ton of crap. Gnomes, ornaments, garish neon lights, a TV playing some old crap. Broken stuff all over the place, things that didn't fit in. Stuff piled on top of other stuff.
Right at the front of their 'lot' was a big sign stuck in the mud saying "Wanna be my friend?"

*That's* what myspace is.
Have to say facebook is a bit more for grown ups, although still a bit dull after a while - "Poke me? superpoke me? play rock papers scisors? wtf..."
LinkedIn is probably the most grown up.

I too hate the term web2.0... I think the best description given for it was "We've worked out how to use javascript now".

[Qui Gon Jinn]

Stephen,

I 'll claim my £5

BTW Have you got any pics from Miami or are you on "Facebook".

All the best BTW

[hpops]

Hmmmmm - have to say we're playing in the 2.0 SMO style shenanigans industry on behalf of clients and its phenomenally effective. Of course the basic concepts and technologies have been around for ages but there is a clear shift in user behaviour. And that, at the end of the day is what drives commerce. Squidoo has some nice monetisation features - other commercial interests tend to he a bit subtler and often involve offline elements, brand elements - consumer connection stuff. It isn't as "aquisitiony" as we're used to - although aquisitions can be made far more efficiently by ceasing to concentrate on them.
There is most definitely a MAJOR shift and it may not directly effect the affiliate community, but anyone advising advertisers on digital marketing would be crazy to not investigate it further - sure as hell is working for us!

[D-Mac]

Originally Posted by hpops sure as hell is working for us!

Do your clients come to you asking for SMO, or do you sell to them? I.e. have they heard of it before they become involved with your company?

[hpops]

We sell it, but they have heard of it and are interested(if you see what I mean).We do have a couple of inbound examples though.

[Mogga]

'I don't think bloggers read' | Technology | Guardian Unlimited Technology

Andrew Keen says the internet is populated by second-rate amateurs - and that it is swiftly destroying our culture. Tim Dowling meets the man cyberspace loves to hate

The Cult of the Amateur is a broadside attack on Web 2.0, a term we may hastily define here as that growing sector of the internet which serves mainly as a platform for user-generated content, including sites such as MySpace, Facebook, Typepad, Blogger and YouTube. The main thrust of his argument is that all this home-made content - blogs, podcasts, amateur videos and music - is an inadequate replacement for mainstream media.

[getvisible]

I think all this Web 2.0 stuff is just a lot of hype...

that's because it's not been monitized fully.

The main thrust of his argument is that all this home-made content - blogs, podcasts, amateur videos and music - is an inadequate replacement for mainstream media.

No, it's just an alternative. Just some like tabloids and others like the broadsheets. Some like documentaries and other's like soaps. There is a big anti-establishment culture at the moment as individuals are becoming disatisfied with the bias and narrowmindedness of media sources which are controlled by the few with their vested interests. Traditional media (press and tv) is suffering a huge fall in consumption at the same time when youtube and blogs are seeing a massive increase in consumption. Whether we think they're an "inadequate replacement" is neither here or there. People are voting with their feet and heading in the opposite direction.


View sites such as youtube as ways of drawing traffic. For example a DIY tools site could place videos on it about how to use tools - people will search for it and review. Then traffic will be sent to the producers site. The same for property sites or whatever sites. Fraser uses podcasts and has them listed on other sites where people can comment - that's social media.

Big brands add their adverts to youtube before they go to mainstream tv so they build hype and traffic.

Lilly Allen started her music career on Myspace - you can't say that it doesn't work!

I run a lot of blogs and have pr agencies contacting me to write about various products. Companies are seeing the worth of engaging with social sites. But some are still living in a static world where commication between you and your visitors are done by email - great your customers will love you for that!

Foster communities around your products and brand and then you'll have a distinct advantage over those that wish to have very narrow and controlled interactions with their customers.

Is it that just some affiliates are scared that merchants are now starting to communicate with their target audience in the way that supercedes the affiliate's "route to market"? Have affiliates lost the stranglehold on merchant marketing to the general public that may not be are that they can earn from their views?

I'm turning this threat into an opportunity on both sides of the equation - you may wish to ignore the expansion of online communication - but that's up to you.

[axod]

The big difference though is that companies like google have a clear easy way to make money.
People come to them to find things, and they can show advertising to them which is relevant to what they want to find.

However, with social networking sites, people don't go there to find things. They don't want to buy a TV, they want to interact with other people.
They want to find *people*. Not companies trying to sell them things.
I'm really unsure how facebook etc is going to survive. Yes it has the users, but they don't click on any adverts. As I say google had the clear way to serve up relevent adverts to the user that WOULD fulfill their aim - find what they were looking for.
You can't do that on a social networking site....

I go on, look for old friends from school, and Pepsi comes up as an answer saying "Can I be your friend? Do you want to buy some Pepsi?"
Sorry but it just doesn't work.

The one thing the social networks definately can do is generate buzz and popularity. Which can sometimes translate into sales and profits, possibly offline.... For example bands that become big from myspace then people go out and buy the CD.

Personally I think facebook are raving mad turning down all the stupidly over-hyped offers they've had. They seem to believe they're the next google......
Then again maybe I'm just jealous

[D-Mac]

Originally Posted by axod I go on, look for old friends from school, and Pepsi comes up as an answer saying "Can I be your friend? Do you want to buy some Pepsi?" Sorry but it just doesn't work

Pepsi don't need the click for the ad to be effective though.