Your take on Social Networking/Media
Horton
New member
It won't last, for a couple simple reasons..
1) People will eventually realize that much like MMO gaming social media can consume a significant portion of your life and massively reduce your productivity/happiness in the process.
2) You really think that in 10 years all the kids coming out of high-school will think "Man, I totally need to get on facebook. My Mom is on there all the time, it's really cool." :bulgy-eyes:
Everyone thought myspace was an unstoppable juggernaut, how long did that last? Facebook is already over-complicating itself while trying to stay ahead of the curve.
Will it die completely? Probably not.
But will its usage be reduced drastically in the future? Certainly.
1) People will eventually realize that much like MMO gaming social media can consume a significant portion of your life and massively reduce your productivity/happiness in the process.
2) You really think that in 10 years all the kids coming out of high-school will think "Man, I totally need to get on facebook. My Mom is on there all the time, it's really cool." :bulgy-eyes:
Everyone thought myspace was an unstoppable juggernaut, how long did that last? Facebook is already over-complicating itself while trying to stay ahead of the curve.
Will it die completely? Probably not.
But will its usage be reduced drastically in the future? Certainly.
TC
Keg Thrower
It is pretty crazy how it works. Yahoo! is unique in the fact that they only deliver ads for customers to "active" searchers/shoppers. Once the consumer stops their activity in certain arenas for a period of 30 days, they stop delivering. Very indepth stuff.
If you have a Yahoo! account (and this would be just for fun), click on the travel section and pretend like you're going on vacation somewhere like say, San Francisco. Research airfare, maybe read some reviews, etc. I can garauntee that within 24 hours you'll see ads for hotels in the Bay area. Pretty wild stuff.
Sorry, I know this isn't social networking per se, but my point is, what we "tell" each other on Facebook gives them so much information to sell to potential advertisers.
Facebookers, if you're a female and single, change your relationship status to "engaged" and see how flooded you get with wedding related businesses. Wild stuff I tell ya.
- Admin
- #29
People using Myspace going under as an example in my opinion does the opposite. MySpace not "making it" has nothing to do with Social Media not making it. In fact it strengthens the argument that it will. Because as people saw bigger and larger social media, they flocked to it. People want more, companies are delivering more, and consumers are reading it more.
RatFink
Carnivore
Super Tuna
You can't scale this!
You can have your disagreement JB but I have numbers and reports from giant companies about the gain/loss metrics due to social medial that back me up. I don't know anything about the golf industry from this perpective and likely won't (unless one of them wants to save gobs of money and comes to me for a virtual MPLS network connection) so I have no disagreement to SC making a difference for them.
I do however feel the tech industry perspective I'm discussing keeps getting missed in the rush to defend the medium. Tech companies don't carry about you and don't really want to talk to you. They couldn't care less if you bought a laptop from company X instead of company Z (The markup on the hardware is minimal and all the real money is from royalties on the underlying technology or servers/networking) They talk to you because it's the thing to do now days but they don't generate squat for leads that are worth while. If you're coming to IBM to do a datafarm chances are you didn't learn about the company or that they can do datafarms from Twitter. Doing things like Watson in the meantime is merely to maintain good relationships to the public. Sure, a CTO that is brought a budget for some hugely expensive IBM parts might be more willing to approve it since he just say Watson on Jeopardy and thus IBM is on the brain, but that only happens in lala land. Anyone spending that much money is going to be swayed for entirely different reasons.
TC: Digital advertising is not SC to me. SC is merely another place to stick the targetted banner and to cyper stalk people. There's a reason why Google does digital advertising but doesn't host a SC medium.
Don't take that is anything against targetted advertising. I like the process and find it useful from many aspects, but SC it is not.
- Admin
- #32
I strongly disagree with you SuperTuna. You are saying that social media is best for the start up companies yet every major golf manufacturer uses social media and they are seeing great results from it. Remember the Wear In the World contest put on by adidas? That was to hire a person to work solely on social media. These companies have created jobs so people can handle their SM. In fact they now have SM departments.
Like JB and TC said being able to bring the consumer closer to the company is doing wonders for these companies.
Spaceman_Spiff
Active member
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But 10 years or even 6 for arguments sake at a $25billion dollar clip I'd say is alright. Why do most young Hollywood celebs start on a Disney show with big cast, create their own spin off, sell an album, a movie and then a sex tape all before they're 21? Because you've got to make what you can while you can. If Facebook isn't around in 10 years I'd actually be surprised, will it be smaller? Likely. But its new incarnation will be there promptly to pick up where it left off. I think Facebook is actually an exception to the rule though too. They started small and grew it with a long term plan. When my grandfather joined facebook that was a shocker. But the fact that it is reaching into all generations right now tells me it has longevity. Myspace did not have that kind of pull. I'm already talking about Myspace in past tense as most are. Twitter, I'm not sure what else they can do necessarily to improve it or make it different so I'm not sure what their longevity might be.
- Admin
- #34
What I think people don't understand is that the new owners have to have those ads in order to sustain that website. I don't even wan to think about how expensive it must be to run a site with over 15,000 members. I will say it again though, if I have to deal with 15 second commercials or a site with ads I will do it because I know they are doing it to stay running and continue to bring me the valuable information that I am seeking.
I will be honest, if I didn't own this site and have back end knowledge of how these things operate I will most likely have the exact same viewpoint as you. But now that I know how these things work, I have a totally different perspective.
RatFink
Carnivore
- Thread starter
- #35
Agreed, I can live with a 15 second ad at the beginning, but the ads on this board are so intrusive that it has made load times for EACH thread/page up to 20 seconds longer, even with my wicked internet connection at home. And then these ads are laced between posts, posing as embedded videos and things.
- Admin
- #36
I too have numbers and can give them to you anytime. Not just in golf, but with many lines of companies. One segment (in this case tech), does not make or break social media. Because one segment is not succeeding with it, does not mean the other 50 cannot. You are using a single example and saying it will result in the failure of something. Unfortunately there are hundreds of other examples with large companies showing success. We are seeing social media change the way consumers view things and it has helped a country in a recession getting people to spend money. Consumers feel important speaking with a company directly and there are many examples on how well it has worked for Fortune 500 companies. Things such as hirings, spreading news, etc... are all easier and cheaper to do for a company than ever before due to direct access to consumers.
As for tech, there are quite a few tech companies embracing it as well and while some would argue software is not tech, I would argue that few are as influential as Microsoft in the ever changing world of technology. Microsoft and Bill Gates (despite his control not being the same) are starting to fully embrace it. Saying social media is destined for failure right now based on one segment of business is like saying that the internet was destined for failure because prodigy and compuserve were doomed for failure as well.
- Admin
- #37
I can see what you are saying. That is just bad design on their part then. They are trying to find any space they can to put an ad. What they need is to redesign their site so there are better ways to have ad placement in order to make the ads most visible without disrupting the user from viewing the page.
I think they they are great outlets in theory for businesses and for friends and family who are scattered across the world as a tool to stay in touch. That said I personally am not on Facebook as I think the people I know who are on it "misuse" it. I know, how do you misuse it? They simply brag about themselves, their kids, their house... spew political view points. It's one thing to share some pictures and talk a little bit about what's going on in your life but constant hourly updates on how great your life is? I don't really care or need to look at it. Just my opinion.
tdinbr
Water hazards are tough!
There is a great hour long special on CNBC right now regarding "The Facebook Experience". Watch it if you get a chance and you will see exactly how much Facebook knows about their users and how they sell that information to other companies. They even monitor individual users and watch as they click through pages, claiming it as "market research". There are several interviews with current and ex employess detailing Zuckerburg's questionable ethics regarding mining user's personal data and selling it for his personal profit.
On another note.....was out to eat a few weeks ago with a large group of people at a restaurant near our college campus here. Overheard from adjoining table of young 20 somethings, "Facebook is for old people now..."
On another note.....was out to eat a few weeks ago with a large group of people at a restaurant near our college campus here. Overheard from adjoining table of young 20 somethings, "Facebook is for old people now..."
StLCardsFan
Well-known member
I don't use Facebook and have no desire to. I know tons of people that do and really enjoy it. Some people are obsessed with it. Just not my thing. From observing my wife using it, it seems like it can almost get overwhelming at times and I don't have the time or patience for it.
Twitter I like. I find it a great source of information. I'm not into following the famous people just to see what they do on a daily basis. I follow a few but none are very active. What I enjoy is getting the information that is out there for the teams that I like. If you follow the right people, all the info you may want is out there. If the NFL dispute is resolved, it will be on Twitter 1000 times before it is ever on a TV or radio news report. The thing I don't like are the people and companies that only post a link to something on a website. If you want to tell me something, do it in 140 characters, not a link. Those types will never get followed by me.
Twitter I like. I find it a great source of information. I'm not into following the famous people just to see what they do on a daily basis. I follow a few but none are very active. What I enjoy is getting the information that is out there for the teams that I like. If you follow the right people, all the info you may want is out there. If the NFL dispute is resolved, it will be on Twitter 1000 times before it is ever on a TV or radio news report. The thing I don't like are the people and companies that only post a link to something on a website. If you want to tell me something, do it in 140 characters, not a link. Those types will never get followed by me.
Horton
New member
tdinbr
Water hazards are tough!
Indeed. If anything, it is a new form of a marketing tool.
bigskyirish
Well-known member
I have somewhat split views on social networking, which I definitely think is here to stay. For business purposes, I think it is a fantastic tool. I think JB and GG have done a good job emphasizing that golf companies and others have had great success using sites like Facebook to reach consumers in a new, faster, more efficient way. That is precisely my impression and, if I were in a different profession, would absolutely use it.
My aversion to Facebook is from the "social" aspect. Given that I'm posting on this internet message board, I obviously do not have a problem with using the internet to interact with others. My experience with Facebook, though, has been that people become a bit obsessed by it and use it as a substitute for real life social interaction. And I don't mean the extreme cases that you read about in the news about acts of violence over a farm game, etc. My experience have been that there are two very large downsides: 1) in the same way that people are more willing to say rude/mean things in an e-mail or on the phone, but not to someone's face, people use Facebook as a sort of shield to act in ways that they would not act in the "real world." This in turn, causes hurt feelings, fretting about what so-and-so said on Facebook, etc.; 2) people use being Facebook friends as an excuse not to engage in actual, real-life interaction (i.e., I'll just post it on their Facebook page instead of calling them). Clearly, this is not universal and I fully appreciate the positive aspects of Facebook. There have been many times I have thought about starting an account to better keep up with college friends, relatives, etc.
Twitter, I think is a different animal. While I certainly wouldn't do it (nobody cares what I have to say in 140 characters or less), I think it can be a fantastic news source because the story can be broken and/or told first hand, without the middleman and in real time. I also agree with those who think it is a good tool for gaining some insight into the athletes, famous people, etc. who interest us.
My aversion to Facebook is from the "social" aspect. Given that I'm posting on this internet message board, I obviously do not have a problem with using the internet to interact with others. My experience with Facebook, though, has been that people become a bit obsessed by it and use it as a substitute for real life social interaction. And I don't mean the extreme cases that you read about in the news about acts of violence over a farm game, etc. My experience have been that there are two very large downsides: 1) in the same way that people are more willing to say rude/mean things in an e-mail or on the phone, but not to someone's face, people use Facebook as a sort of shield to act in ways that they would not act in the "real world." This in turn, causes hurt feelings, fretting about what so-and-so said on Facebook, etc.; 2) people use being Facebook friends as an excuse not to engage in actual, real-life interaction (i.e., I'll just post it on their Facebook page instead of calling them). Clearly, this is not universal and I fully appreciate the positive aspects of Facebook. There have been many times I have thought about starting an account to better keep up with college friends, relatives, etc.
Twitter, I think is a different animal. While I certainly wouldn't do it (nobody cares what I have to say in 140 characters or less), I think it can be a fantastic news source because the story can be broken and/or told first hand, without the middleman and in real time. I also agree with those who think it is a good tool for gaining some insight into the athletes, famous people, etc. who interest us.
All4's
Need. More. Eagles.
GG I absolutely understand the symbiotic relationship between advertising and programming and agree with your point. As I mentioned I was a little over halfway though (until tuition reimbursment was dropped due to bad economy) grad school for marketing. Better programming yields more viewers which demends the biggest advert $'s. The point I was making is twofold:
1. when your ads begin to interfere with consumption of programming, consumers will leave due to the sea of options available these days, so tread lightly, very lightly
2. SC is great when the interaction is participatory and personal, but dangerous to the brand when it is involuntary (pop ups, unsolicited offers, video adverts during replay, expanding banners, rollovers, etc)
You said you are willing to sit through them because from your vantage point of owning a website you understand they are necessary evils. I'm just saying in the information age, as a consumer I have so many options that I won't and don't have to sit through the a 25 second commercial to see the 45 second clip I wanted, so I won't. It is the cowpath management philosophy; it is more telling to follow the herd to what they want and see how they want to get there than to try to push the herd where you want them to go. So if CNN tries to make me watch a video and Daily Beast doesn't, then Daily Beast wins because they found a way to deliver what I want. The trick is to recognize these reaction trends quickly, before you lose the viewer to other options.
- Admin
- #45
Please don't take this the wrong way, but it's your way of thinking that puts companies out of business. You don't want to watch the commercial so you go to another site who doesn't show it. If everyone follows suit then that site loses it's advertisers and goes out of business. Then the site that everyone flocked to gets bigger, can't afford to sustain the site without ad revenue so they start to put up commercials and then the cycle continues. It also reminds me just how lazy we all are (and this is not directed at you because I am the same way) that we cannot wait for a 15-30 seconds for a commercial to past. This also goes to show that as consumers or viewers we want things and we want them immediately which is exactly what outlets like Facebook and Twitter bring to the table.
I was talking to a company this past week who told me they have cut their print advertising by over 1/3 and reallocated that money into digital advertising. This trend, at least in golf, is happening more and more because companies can reach a wider audience much faster.
I've only been to two golf related social media websites: TM and Callaway...and that was only to plug The Morgan Cup.
interlooper
Wishing I was golfing now
I think THP qualifies, in some sort, as a golf-related social media website.
Oh, I thought they were referring to FB, Twitter, and the like.
Golf 'N Gator
Formally HoosierGolfer
GG. I agree 100%. With facebook, I'll use Ping Golf as an example. With Pings presence on FB, I have been able to get almost instant replies to questions I have had. You also get to see out in public or in the open what products others are interested in, and what products Ping has that people don't like.
New product's are often announced there before other places, even their own website in a few cases.
I, with Pings permission, created a Ping FB page for collectors of Ping products and it has been well received in the short time it has been up. It would have been harder in years past to start that page without the open connection on Pings company FB page.
I also often catch new things about this site at FB first. I think that type of media is here to stay. It is far from being a fad that is slipping away. It is a great way to stay connected with family and friends and like anything to do with the internet, you have to do things to protect your information yourself.
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bogey_russ
outside operations
ppl seem to think its a new thing... i can name a ton of social networks before even myspace facebook and twitter
heck remember when yahoo was a power house? anyone ever heard of aol? and even before aol there were companies that were big that some ppl younger might never even heard of
social media is here to stay like it or not... its just going to change its name and be run by another giant company
this whole argument can be said about anything from land line rotary telephones to cell phones to smart phones
betamax the be all end all... buahaha
or how about reel to reel?
vinyl?
gimme a break... these things never die... they just evolve
rocks turned to jacks turned to monopoly turned to atari turned to xbox/playstation etc etc
the world has gotten to be a very small place
i literally have friends on every continent on the planet (that i have actually met face to face)
and the best way to keep in touch with them is... drum roll pleeeeeze
social media... and yes we migrate from geocities to friendster to myspace to stickam to facebook to twitter to gawd knows whats next