FreshNetworks Blog

I’ve only recently started reading the Novactif blog and it’s in French so sadly it didn’t make it onto our list of Five blogs you should read in 2009, but perhaps we’ll add it as a late sixth blog on this list. Just before Christmas, Frédéric Lopez wrote about the role that Facebook is playing in society (Facebook : le prozac des temps modernes) and raised a number of issues and ideas that rung true for me.

We’ve written before about the differences between social networks and online communities. About how social networks are very much a ‘me’ space, where I go to see and show of my photos, connect with my friends, find out what they are doing and tell them what I’m doing, plan my events. Social networks are a very me-centric space, and one that is difficult to engage people in on other topics. They contrast well with online communities, which is focused on a shared goal or aim, and where the personal focus is less pronounced.

Frédéric’s critique of Facebook takes this further, for him the ability to both see what others are doing and, perhaps more importantly, to broadcast what you are doing as a constant stream can be a form of self-affirmation. In his words (apologies in advance for any change of emphasis in my translation), he says:

…more than anything, Facebook acts as a kind of digital antidepressant, providing us with both self-affirmation and mass-voyeurism

He goes on to cite the apparent desire people have to gather millions of friends, to make their profile interesting and attractive and then to let these friends see what they are doing at all times.

…[it] pushes us towards an unhealthy exhibitionism: “to really have fun, I have to show people just what fun I’m having”, “to really succeed in life, I have to show people that I’m succeeding”…

For me this critique of Facebook is true, but just plays on an inherent human desire to have your voice heard and tell your own story. At FreshNetworks we are often asked why people will take part in online communities. The answer is that if you get the planning and launch right, you will have no problems getting people to take part. We are social beings that like having our voice heard and our thoughts listened to.

This teaches us much when we are working with social media and building online communities. We need to make sure there is sufficient opportunity for people to see that their opinions are seen by others, that they are adding to the discussions and others know that. This has implications for the way we design and build communities, the way we manage and moderate them and the way we interact with members. We need to truly understand motivation and then make sure we use this to maximise the benefit we get.

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Some more reading

• Not all social networking sites are created equally
• Time Enough for Social Media (Subtitled, “When Real Life Crashes Into Social Media Life”)
• Web Technology: Impact on Social Media and Community
• Marketing on the Web: How to Profit From Social Networking
• Social Marketing in ‘09… Good Content Is The Key To Buy-In