When we look at the social nature of the web, we are often surprised at the changes that have taken place in a relatively short period of time. We have moved from simple, static sites to information repositories, through animated and “interactive” destinations to a now decentralised, integrated social experience.
The early websites were conceived as locations on the otherwise barren “cyber” landscape – outposts from which we could hang our shingle, push forward our position and shout out to the world. But over time, we realised that shouting was not working. There was a shift in the BEHAVIOUR of our web visitors which saw them drift away from our expensive, shiny sites.
It is this behaviour that has come to dominate our digital thinking and strategies. Or perhaps, more precisely, it is this almost constantly shifting behaviour that we have become obsessed with. The challenge, however, is not just the behaviour – it is determining the insight which connects consumer or business behaviour with our brands, products and services. This is where the Wave reports can serve as a useful reference.
The Wave reports from Universal McCann delve into the facts and figures but also provide some analysis to help you make sense of the data. As the report suggests:
A deeper understanding of consumer needs and motivations is the key to unlocking a real understanding of social media and its users.
Take some time to wade through the report. I have no doubt you’ll start seeing the information, results and recommendations appearing in a powerpoint deck near you!
Interesting and useful article. Thank’s.
Nice post and thanks for the link. I think that your right with the internet being such a fast moving place it is hard to keep track of whats happening right now never mind the next bigges thing. My take is to appeal to fundamentals.