Comments on: Do Social Media Power Users Matter at All?

By: Web Design India

Web Design India — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 05:30:52 +0000

Oh! I have this great stuff to share with you…

By: Seo Company

Seo Company — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 05:30:18 +0000

I agree with what you have to say…..

By: Bill Scully

Bill Scully — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 15:28:54 +0000

I didnâ€™t need a study to tell me that. But like most studies you need to view it in context. Besides giving away your product to everyoneâ€™s friend, whatâ€™s the best way to influence a buying decision online? Thereâ€™s no doubt that itâ€™s online reviews, and brand advocates, assuming your a fan of the advocate. As an example I am very likely to consider a product, even if I’m not in the market for one if it’s mentioned in podcast. As a SEO pro I am very suspect of positive reviews, those tend to be search engine link building a social media optimization efforts. But I do give a lot of weight to negative reviews.

PS: I’m trying to find the original study, it’s not easy, can someone please provide a link?

By: Bill Scully

Bill Scully — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 15:28:54 +0000

I didnâ€™t need a study to tell me that. But like most studies you need to view it in context. Besides giving away your product to everyoneâ€™s friend, whatâ€™s the best way to influence a buying decision online? Thereâ€™s no doubt that itâ€™s online reviews, and brand advocates, assuming your a fan of the advocate. As an example I am very likely to consider a product, even if I'm not in the market for one if it's mentioned in podcast. As a SEO pro I am very suspect of positive reviews, those tend to be search engine link building a social media optimization efforts. But I do give a lot of weight to negative reviews.

PS: I'm trying to find the original study, it's not easy, can someone please provide a link?

By: Bill Scully

Bill Scully — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 13:28:54 +0000

I didn’t need a study to tell me that. But like most studies you need to view it in context. Besides giving away your product to everyone’s friend, what’s the best way to influence a buying decision online? There’s no doubt that it’s online reviews, and brand advocates, assuming your a fan of the advocate. As an example I am very likely to consider a product, even if I'm not in the market for one if it's mentioned in podcast. As a SEO pro I am very suspect of positive reviews, those tend to be search engine link building a social media optimization efforts. But I do give a lot of weight to negative reviews.

PS: I'm trying to find the original study, it's not easy, can someone please provide a link?

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 18:23:36 +0000

Thanks for pointing this out to your readers Nick.

It’s been apparent to us for some time now that the recommendations from even the “elite” reviewers had little influence in a person’s life and what really matters are the opinions of the person’s friends and family. In fact, our company (Helpr Inc.)has built the largest social recommendations application on Facebook (DoYa) around this idea. (http://apps.facebook.com/do-ya-know-a)

Whereas most of our competitors are striving to become a destination which houses vast amounts of reviews/recommendations from strangers, we are striving to be the best way to ask for, and share, recommendations amongst friends. We think that this difference is key and it’s nice to get another point of validation.

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 18:23:36 +0000

Thanks for pointing this out to your readers Nick.

It's been apparent to us for some time now that the recommendations from even the "elite" reviewers had little influence in a person's life and what really matters are the opinions of the person's friends and family. In fact, our company (Helpr Inc.)has built the largest social recommendations application on Facebook (DoYa) around this idea. (http://apps.facebook.com/do-ya-know-a)

Whereas most of our competitors are striving to become a destination which houses vast amounts of reviews/recommendations from strangers, we are striving to be the best way to ask for, and share, recommendations amongst friends. We think that this difference is key and it's nice to get another point of validation.

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:23:36 +0000

By: Dan Thornton

Dan Thornton — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 11:33:10 +0000

I think most of the arguments for and against will be the same as the ones that came up after Duncan Watts work on viral marketing questioned the role of influencers:

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/122/is-the-tipping-point-toast.html

Influencers aren’t essential to spreading an idea, but they do spread it somewhat further and faster than if they aren’t included. And even if influencers aren’t instrumental in the final call to action, they have a place in raising awareness, just as traditional media still has.

It’s an ‘and’ approach, of varying increments, to the eventual end of an action…

By: Dan Thornton

Dan Thornton — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 11:33:10 +0000

I think most of the arguments for and against will be the same as the ones that came up after Duncan Watts work on viral marketing questioned the role of influencers:

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/122/is-the-...

Influencers aren't essential to spreading an idea, but they do spread it somewhat further and faster than if they aren't included. And even if influencers aren't instrumental in the final call to action, they have a place in raising awareness, just as traditional media still has.

It's an 'and' approach, of varying increments, to the eventual end of an action…