Social Media

There are six main types or demographics of social media users. These types are usually grouped according to the activities they pursue in Social Media. As you may already know, there are various activities that you pursue online. You can post and publish blog entries, watch videos on YouTube, and comment on content, among others. Unknown to many, these activities are used as indicators to classify the people involved in Social Media.

According to a survey conducted in the United States, with over ten thousand people as respondents, the most common activity done online is watching videos  (29 percent), followed by reading discussions (28 percent), reading reviews (25 percent), reading blogs (25 percent) and visiting (not maintaining or updating, which occupies another slot in the list) social networking sites (25 percent). What an Internet denizen primarily does is what dictates his standing on the Social Media demographics ladder or hierarchy.

Here are the six demographics of Social Media users. It should be noted, however, that the percentage given here overlap (for example, a person who is part of one hierarchy can also be part of another). Also, this only involves online individuals, since offline individuals, obviously, cannot participate.

1.    Producer. The first among the six types is the producer. The producer is on top of the hierarchy, an online consumer who also creates content. It could either be an article, a blog post, a podcast or a video among others; as long as the person creates content regularly (at least once a month, although a number of producers create more content). Of the people involved in Social Media, 18 percent are producers, the second lowest in terms of participants. However, this statistic is only valid in America; countries like South Korea who have more active participants also have more producers. Europe, on the other hand, has fewer producers than America.

2.    Commentators. Second in line are the commentators, which form 25 percent of the population. As the name suggests, commentators are primarily the people who react, comment, and critique the content posted and published online. They react by posting reviews, rating content such as articles, blog entries, videos, and music. Commentators are responsible for editing wiki entries, since this activity concerns the evaluation of content; they will edit it only when the content is below their standards. Not surprisingly, there are more commentators than producers, a truth that holds true even outside the realms of Social Media. Similarly, more than 30 percent of Japan’s online denizens are commentators, while one out of five European adults are commentators (in America, the figure is one out of four).

3.    Gatherers. Gatherers, the third in the hierarchy, are the fewest in percentage: only 12 percent of all the people involved in Social Media are gatherers. But while they have the least participants, they are often considered as an elite group. They are the ones responsible for collecting URLs and tags on sites like del.icio.us and vote on services such as Digg.com. They also use RSS feeds. All these are essential in the Social Media process, since their actions are responsible for organizing and collecting content, making it easier for the others below the hierarchy to search for information online. For example, someone who searches for a particular item will stumble upon sites collected through del.icio.us, or content with high ratings on digg.com. Gatherers will become more popular in the near future, when gatherer-type activities become more available. In contrast, gatherers are not as popular in Japan, but are more in number in countries like Hong Kong and South Korea. South Korea, of course, is a country with a staggering and amazing number of Internet users, so activities such as these attract more attention and participants.

4.    Joiners. The fourth in hierarchy, and 25 percent of the total participants, joiners do what their name implies. They join social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook, a site that is fast gaining the attention of Internet denizens. They are members in sites like YouTube, where they view videos uploaded by the other members. They maintain their social networking sites actively, and they even participate in the activities of these sites. They use the applications of Facebook, among others. They do not produce any content that others will consume, but they are more active compared to the ones above in the Social Media hierarchy. Again, there are more joiners in South Korea than in America (40 percent, almost more than half compared to the number in America). However, there are fewer joiners in Europe, with almost less than half of the joiners in America.

5.    Observers. The demographic with the most number of participants (48 percent), the observers consume what the producers and the commentators produce. They may or may not be part of the joiners, but they nonetheless are the consumers in this hierarchy. They read the articles and the blog entries, watch the videos, and listen to the music — practically anything the rest produces. Observers have the most number of participants anywhere else in the world, mainly because it takes less effort to be observer than to be a producer, commentator, gatherer, or joiner. In more colloquial terms, they are considered as the “lurkers” in these websites; their presence is not felt, but they are there in any case, making them an important audience just the same. Around 37 percent of European adults are observers. In Japan, a country similar to South Korea, two-thirds of their online adults form the observers, an amazing and overwhelming number which shows how active the online lives of the Japanese are. The same goes for large Chinese cities, where online activity is active.

6.    Inactives. Considered as the non-participants, inactives form the second largest number in the hierarchy (46 percent). They are also the least important audience since all efforts on them will be futile, since they do not consume or create. There are more inactive participants in Europe than in America, and fewer inactives in South Korea, which form only around 35 percent of their online population.

Undeniably, Social Media today is already an integral part of the lives of millions of people worldwide. In fact, it has become so popular that it is already integrated in many aspects of our lives, changing the way how we interact with people and how we communicate with one another. Likewise, Social Media made it possible for companies and brands to talk to their audience directly using several Internet tools and strategies. These tools make it possible for companies and brands to communicate with the right market easily with very minimal cost.

The appeal of Social Media is also clear; it is a venue for ideas, information, and values, formed by people who also want to share their knowledge through text, videos, and other related files and content. Social Media makes it easier for people to keep in touch with one another, or for people to make new friends. This is done in a venue where they can transmit and pass information to one another. But why do people use Social Media? What motivates a person to sign up in websites such as MySpace or Facebook, to visit sites such as YouTube? Here a number of reasons why people use Social Media. It should be noted, however, that the reasons are not limited to these; after all, there are as many reasons as there are people.

1.    To keep in touch with friends. Social Media websites such as Facebook and MySpace make it easier for you to keep in touch with a number of your friends who are also members of these websites. Not only do they have instant messaging functions which enables you to send messages instantly to your friends; these websites also have features such as Notes (where you can post content) and Journals (or blogs). These features let members write down and publish whatever is happening to them at the moment. If you want to let your friends know that you passed your examinations, you got your dream job, or you lost your mobile phone on your way to work, certain functions in Facebook or MySpace will enable you to inform your friends easily.

2.    To make new friends. Of course, members of Social Media websites are not limited to your friends; these websites have millions of members around the world, and their features make it easy for you to communicate and, in a way, mingle with them through a number of programs within the website. There are also Social Media websites that function especially as an online dating website.

3.    To succumb to peer pressure. If a number of your friends are members of these websites, it is apparently that you will be forced to join the Social Media website yourself sooner or later. This is especially true if your friends bombard you with several invites. After some time, you will give in to the pressure, especially if a lot of people in your immediate circle are members of these sites and you begin to feel left out since you cannot relate with their online activities.

4.    To see if the rest of the site is worthwhile. According to a number of studies, many members of Social Media sites such as MySpace and Facebook spend countless of hours exploring the site just to see if the rest of the site is worth visiting. This applies when these members have stumbled upon a feature in the site which they think is worthwhile or useful. In the same way, although their use of the site is limited, they continue to be members because of this minor function. In essence, even if these Social Media sites have minimal usefulness for a number of people, they will continue to use the site no matter how minimal its usage is.

5.    To interact with and to observe different types of people. This is different from item number two, where the site is used mainly to make friends. Here, people use these Social Media sites to watch people. Due to the characteristics of online networking sites, it is possible to do a number of things people may not be able to do in real life. This can be considered as a form of exhibitionism, and the inner voyeur in us can’t help but look, stare, watch, and follow the happenings in the lives of other people. This is usually why a number of blogs have huge followings, even if these sites are very personal in nature.

6.    To express creativity. Not everyone can be a photographer or a graphic designer in real life. It takes a certain amount of talent to become a published writer. And it certainly takes a lot more than guts to become a musician. But Social Media websites make it easier for members to post their creative photographs, literary or any written work, or musical compositions, bypassing certain gatekeepers such as editors and the likes.

7.    To get validation. In relation to the previous item, people use Social Media sites to get praises and validation for their work, their knowledge, and even their lives. Other members can post comments on videos posted on YouTube, or pictures posted of Flickr, and those responsible for the content relish on these comments, something they cannot easily get in real life, outside the realms of the Internet.

8.   To be part of a community. Normally, if you’re a fan of a television show or musical band, or a basketball team, you want to interact with other people with the same interest or affinity. This is made easier with Social Media sites. Members can create groups and start discussions related to their interest and affinity. This gives the members a sense of affinity, since they are part of community or a circle where they know they belong, although only online.

Regardless of what type of business or organization you are engaged in, chances are, Social Media is affecting the way you operate right now. Currently, you may think that Social Media has no effect on your field. However, if it is not happening now, it will happen sooner or later. Therefore, you should care about Social Media because it has already affected every field or industry you can think of; and by being aware of its use and influence, you can use Social Media to your advantage.

The effects of Social Media are inevitable. People, in the real world, do not change instantly; perception and preference takes time and effort to completely change. However, it is a different story online, where people’s decisions can be influenced easily, especially when they see something better. With the way Social media works, this occurrence happens easily and frequently. The number of people involved combined with the rapid changes in technology make Social Media a force difficult to deal with.

For instance, look at how Social Media has changed the way we look at entertainment. In the movies and television, traditional advertising and promotional tactics rarely work. Instead, entertainment companies use the Internet to promote their goods. Movie producers feed trailers and “exclusive” movie clips to Social Media users to generate interest. The producers do not even have to lift a finger; thanks to Social Media, information such as movie clips, pictures, and videos can easily be sent to the end-user through a variety of ways. Television producers use websites to promote their shows. They promote these “real” websites based on the show to generate buzz, as in the case of NBC Television’s Heroes and ABC’s Ugly Betty and Lost.

Traditional Media outlets now have to compete with Social Media due to the existence of Google News and Digg and besides these they also have to compete indirectly with bloggers. Journalists have to contend with bloggers for scope and even though most professional journalists have the funds and the means to compete with bloggers, the blog authors still have the advantage. After all, bloggers simply need to write a story or create a video; and instantly post them online. Journalists, on the other hand, have their pieces edited with a fine-toothed comb - and then wait for their newscast to air or their newspapers to get published. Hence, we see the rise of Internet celebrities such as Perez Hilton or the famous/infamous website TMZ (which, ironically, spawned a television show thanks to the popularity of its site). Even mainstream entertainment media has to adjust; powerhouse publications such as People, Entertainment Weekly, and even the News York Times have entertainment blogs now.

If you own a brand, you should be on the lookout. Social Media users, who are also customers and consumers of various products, constantly talk about various services and consumer items. And most likely, they are talking about your brand, defining how other people will perceive your organization or your business. You may have spent millions on brand imaging, but this effort is futile against the words of Social Media users, who redefine image through blogs and discussion forums. They talk to each other about their ideas regarding your brand, affirming their opinions and, ultimately, adhering or disagreeing to how you see your own brand.

As a retailer, you do not only have to contend with online vendors; Social Media users can now buy items from each other. Social Media users can easily compare your prices with the prices of your competitors. They can easily see who provides the better service for a much reasonable price. Your shelf space, no matter how big it is, is no match against the infinite selection of online retailers.

Customers may see financial service companies as a useless luxury, since they can get free financial advice at Yahoo! Finance or Motley Fool. With PayPal, consumers do not need credit cards to order online. People are rating the services of businesses. Even the people inside your own organization are scrutinizing and comparing your every move through social networks.

As these examples show, Social Media has ultimately changed the balance of power in business. Now more than ever, it is truly the consumer who holds the power, who indirectly affects decisions and changes within various industries and fields. But it also works both ways. You can use Social Media to change the consumers. Specifically, you can change the way they perceive your brand. If you do not use Social Media, you will see the results sooner or later. Your brand will become less competitive. This, in turn, can eat your profits and diminish the source of your organization’s strength.

This chart is part of a 2007 TNS Cymfony study titled: “Harnessing Influence: How Savvy Brands are Unleashing the New Power of Blogs and other Social Media“. They queried 70+ marketing execs, from leading companies around the world, and the overall consensus was that Social Media is an essential business operation that needs to be monitored at the executive level.  So how do you get your executives on board a Social Media transformation? develop a game plan.

Using Social Media to improve the operations of your company or your brand is a very popular strategy these days, especially with the popularity of blogs, discussion boards, social networking sites, and other Internet-based features.

Your company can benefit from using Social Media, especially when you successful use it to listen, talk, energize, support, and embrace your customers. However, using Social Media can be risky, since it can do more harm than good. This is especially true if you weren’t able to make Social Media work for your operations. Using Social Media is like a double-edged sword. The features that can supposedly help your business can also damage it. Of course, this isn’t to say that you should not use Social Media; however, you have to be more careful when you are using it.

This effort fails mostly due to lack of preparation; you will fail in using Social Media for your company or brand if you do not properly prepare your organization for Social Media. While not entirely new, Social Media can be a revelation for many people in your company, which explains the need for orientation and preparation. Here are some tips in order to prepare you company for the Social Media transformation:

1.    Start small. It is best to start your Social Media transformation slowly. Let the change take its course without forcing it. If your company has several brands and products, pick one and start from there. Use this as the stepping stone for the Social Media transformation in your company. You can only change so much inside your organization, so choose your battles wisely.

2.    Orient the executives. Before you start off, make sure the people inside your organization understand Social Media properly. Again, this is not a new technology, but this is also not something everyone understands. Many people think Social Media is for kids and not for the customers—and definitely not for a company that deals with a serious business and thousands (even millions) of dollars. You have to make sure the executives understand how Social Media can help your organization. You can start by using Social Media inside your company: set up a corporate blog or a social network - use the same strategies on the people in your company that you would use on your customers. When the executives see firsthand the power of Social Media, they will have more respect and fewer reservations regarding your efforts and endeavor.

3.    Find the right people to handle the transformation. You need sufficient manpower to successfully prepare your organization for embracing Social Media. You need to find the right people to handle this endeavor, otherwise it will inevitably fail; the people behind this effort should be passionate - passionate and enthusiastic about building a relationship with your customers and your target market. Do not delegate this task to the person with the least responsibilities. This job needs specialization and passion, not just free time.

4.    Sync the technology. Your marketing or PR agency should have the right resources in order to turn your plans into reality. Otherwise, find a new agency. Your agency should be able to understand Social Media, because only then will your efforts become successful.

5.    Plan for the long term. Granted that your initial efforts worked, where will you take it? Do you know what the following steps you will have to employ? At the beginning, you should start small, but you should plan big in case your plans do work. Your plans should go beyond making Social Media part of your organization; instead, your plans have to be long term—and everyone in your organization should be prepared. Using Social Media means putting a premium on the role of the customers in your organization. This can be daunting and unsettling, so proper planning is required.