Look who’s talking: understanding social influence online
Do influencers really exist? Way back in 2000, when Facebook was but a twinkle in Mark Zuckerberg’s eye, Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point introduced the concept of “mavens”, the so-called super-consumers brands hungrily pursue as the Holy Grail of engagement. We all knew then that word of mouth was a powerful tool – but really, how influential could an individual be? The Future Foundation’s Karen Canty investigates.
In the last few years brand strategists the world over have been devoting ever more energy converting the well-connected social networker into that fabled brand ambassador, whose views and endorsements send others rushing out to buy the latest products.
Indeed, you can’t help but notice the number of brands attempting to target them explicitly, often in conjunction with services such as Klout and Peer Index. We’ve seen Cathay Pacific Airlines opening up its airport lounges to those with a strong influence score; Air New Zealand and Dell offering financial rewards to those whose recommendations lead to purchases from others; and, most recently, Ford looking to recruit 100 influencers for its “Social Remix” campaign.
It’s also hard to avoid the numbers surrounding social networking. We may hear relentlessly about the supposed “death” of Facebook, but the truth remains that nearly two thirds of UK adults are classified as social networkers, with 45% saying that they “like” or “follow” brands. These figures are set to rise further; by the end of the decade, around 75% will be using social platforms, with a jump to nearly 100% among the youngest tribes.
Social influencers aren’t going anywhere in a hurry. And nor are brands’ attempts to isolate, categorise and engage them.
The drunk guy at the party
The problem is, there aren’t all that many brands doing it well – many are simply talking at their social audiences, something about as welcome as the drunk guy at a party; no-one wants them to be there, let alone listen to what they’re saying.
It’s also too easy to under-estimate the potential of those not categorised as “super influencers”: 37% of consumers agree that they’re “always telling friends and family members about new services or products” they’ve discovered (rising to nearly 60% among those who follow brands on social networks).
And another third neither agree nor disagree – suggesting they are at least sometimes recommending products. That makes for a lot of potential influencers.
Why do we share?
Status is a huge driver. When we ask networkers if they like it when other people endorse or share the content and posts they place online, around 60% say yes – a figure that climbs to 75% among 16-24s. This need for recognition is not new, nor is it exclusive to social networks; they have simply fuelled the desire to gain outward validation still further.
We’re also increasingly selective about who we engage with and why. While the early days of Facebook mainly consisted of telling the world you were eating a ham sandwich or sharing 64 pictures of a party, apps like unbaby.me and Undrip are now springing up precisely to avoid this sort of unfiltered irrelevancy and implement a little more control [there’s one for advertisers now too, Ed].
We are now much more likely to share on a one-to-one or one-to-a-few basis, broadcasting less and curating more. It’s all about showing your expertise.
Due to this increasingly self-conscious approach to networking, a more thoughtful approach to social sharing is ripening and will undoubtedly characterise behaviours in the years ahead. In turn, we expect a greater number of consumers to adopt a digital etiquette routine when engaging in digital communications and to demand a greater level of quality in the content shared by their online contacts – whether individuals or brands.
The focus will be on connections and messages that are genuinely relevant, entertaining, purposeful.
Meanwhile, the thoughtless status update or branded intrusion will seem just as unwelcome as a piece of junk mail. And for those who subscribe to the super-consumer model of influence, it seems inescapable that these shifts and changes will shape the criteria by which influence is defined. Today’s super-influencers might simply be tomorrow’s drunk guys at the party.
Karen Canty is head of news at the Future Foundation.