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The Pros and Cons of Echo Chambers in Social Media

December 6, 2011 By 6 Comments

The Pros and Cons of Echo Chambers in Social Media

Let’s face it; we are all completely obsessed with social media. I’m extremely guilty of this; not a day passes when I haven’t checked my Facebook (several times!), fired off a few tweets and had a browse through Pinterest. However, I recently read a blog post by Ciaran Norris in which he questions whether the internet has in essence become a big echo chamber- we hear what we want and do not venture far from our own personal safety nets where people share our opinions and beliefs. He argues that debate is dead due to this evolution of online media. A really interesting read, that got me thinking; what is the impact of these echo chambers on social media networks?

When you take a step back and look at it, it would seem that the big social networks are inherently designed to allow these echo chambers to form; on Facebook you only see news from your friends, the people whom you have decide to allow into your community therefore have some shared interest or relationship with. Likewise on Twitter, you choose who to follow and interact with.  It could be argued that social media sites such as StumbleUpon and Pinterest somewhat attempt to alleviate this, allowing us to find new and interesting things. However, I don’t think these sites are as free from echo chambers as you would hope.  You can set preferences and interests on StumbleUpon and follow boards and people on Pinterest that interest you.

So what does this mean for social media? My initial reaction was one of horror! I have always believed that the internet is a brilliant way to discover new and exciting things and broaden our horizons, not become stuck parroting each other’s views and staying where we feel safe in the knowledge that our views and ideals are the consensus. Where is the innovation and interest?

However, after closer inspection, I believe there are both pros and cons to the echo chamber effect- we should be aware of both of these before deciding whether they are bad or good for the social media.

The cons of echo chambers are clear to perceive:

  • We are less likely to find new and interesting articles and opinions on the internet, decreasing interesting  debate and discussion
  • We are so embroiled in our own social media echo chamber that it might become detrimental if we are utilizing our social media networks to promote a business; I have seen businesses become so excited about getting involved with social media that they forget to target their customers, rather engaging in echo chambers with others in their field.
  • Social media is completely dependent upon seeing something that someone you follow has followed, Retweeted or liked;  if we restrict ourselves to these safe little communities how can we find anything completely new? This could prove very problematic for businesses trying to get the word out about their company.

Yet, I think that if you are using social media as a business, there are some very distinct pros to be found from echo chambers:

  • Find the echo chamber communities of your customers and engage with them. This could bring a whole new range of clients to your business. Find the most frequent tweeter or poster and communicate with them, meaning information about your company may filter more quickly to those less active members
  • Communicate with key players in your field of business. As long as you do not ignore your customers, engaging in the community of the big fish in your field could be invaluable for advice, tips and ideas.

I think that echo chambers are interesting in both good and bad ways for social media and internet usage.  When used cleverly, this effect of social media could be a brilliant marketing tool. Just be careful not to let them take over your internet usage; keep investigating fresh and exciting things and engaging with your customers.

 

This post is written by Lianne Froggatt, Digital Communications Manager at IdeasByNet, a UK promotional gifts distributor. Interested in internet marketing and in particular social media marketing and SEO, she would love any feedback or comments you might have. Find her at lianne.froggatt@ideasbynet.com or tweet her @Lianne_Froggatt.

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Filed Under: Social Media Tagged With: Business, echo chambers, Internet Marketing, pros and cons, social media, social networks

Building a Peer Network

February 25, 2011 By 3 Comments

Helping each other

The online world is slightly larger at times than the offline one, and while that gives us access to more information than at any other time in history, it can often be so overwhelming as to be almost useless to us. So where do you turn when you need help with your software, website, marketing campaigns, etc.? Well probably one of the best sources of information will come from your peers, those same people who are working toward similar goals as far as building up their blog, or business. Make it part of your business strategy to develop and cultivate contacts with likeminded people so that you have somewhere to turn when you run into trouble.

It’s important to realize that many of us are facing many of the same challenges day in and day out, we are trying to develop social media campaigns, and drive traffic to our websites or offers, were busy building our list of subscribers, and just about a million other things on a day to day basis. Chances are that you and I have faced many of the same problems, and have quite possibly come up with different solutions to them.

Now I don’t know about you, but if I’ve spent a day or two researching solutions to a problem I have, then I’d love the chance to share that with others who are having the exact same problem, because otherwise they will be stuck doing the exact same research as I did, and it is a waste of valuable time and resources. Likewise if you’ve already struggled with adding a Facebook “Like” button to your posts, and have then in turn gone to the trouble of outlining a tutorial and posting the code for me then I’m going to appreciate the fact that you’ve done it, and that it has in turn made my life easier, or more efficient.

The website I’m referring to is Bill Erickson’s, and if you need a tutorial on adding the “Like” button to either Genesis, or Thesis he has written a great post here:  http://www.billerickson.net/wordpress-facebook-like-thesis-genesis/ (Thank you Bill for your help)

Another reason to build relationships with your fellow bloggers, or internet marketers, is because it allows you to pool your knowledge and experience and draw on it in times of need. Now I’m sure you can imagine how much of a benefit it would be to have someone to call in times of need for a WordPress issue, or any number of other that we run into during the course of our business lives.

This is also a great way to give back, because as I’m sure you can imagine no one person is expert in all areas, and you’ll have your chance to help out, and contribute the knowledge that you gain over time. Don’t think that just because you’ve been working with as aspect of your business only a short time that you can’t possibly have anything to contribute, quite the opposite in fact. It’s in the beginning that we make the most mistakes, and hence do the most searching for solutions to our problems online. If you came up with a solution to a problem that had zero current information available regarding it, then by all means, please share it with the rest of us!

Another reason someone new to the industry can contribute could just be because you’ve picked up a copy of some new software that just launched and has no tutorials written for it yet. By being one of the first to jot your experiences down you could open yourself up to a huge source of traffic you might not otherwise have had.

You often hear stories about the bad experiences people have online, but there are also a ton of stories that perhaps aren’t as well known about individuals who took time out of their busy days to help someone else simply because they could.

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Filed Under: Internet Marketing Tagged With: contacts, helping each other, Internet Marketing, peers, relationships, solutions, tutorials

Social Media Tools

August 13, 2010 By 2 Comments

Social Media Tools

The explosion of social media on the internet is a relatively recent phenomenon, perhaps originating with sites like MySpace and more recently evolving into global networks such as Facebook and Twitter. While the majority of people use these sites primarily for keeping in touch with friends, planning events, and sharing photos, news, and more, many businesses have also taken advantage of the way they work in order to promote new products and services. Here, we’ll go over how to use social media as internet marketing tools, as well as how your real world or e-business can benefit from using them as promotional techniques.

Social media websites provide a unique playing field for businesses, because of the unusual relationship that consumers have with the site. One of the most useful aspects of social networking sites, such as Facebook, is that users typically enter a fair amount of personal information to the site. Businesses that want to purchase advertising space on the site have the benefit of not only having their ads seen by literally hundreds of millions of people (Facebook has over five hundred million users), but also of being able to target their advertising at certain users based on the personal information entered.

For example, suppose you run a company that makes clothes designed for women between the ages of sixteen and twenty-eight. You can use these parameters to ensure that your ads are displayed only on the pages of women in this age group, thus increasing the likelihood of those viewing the ad actually being interested in your product. You could specialize it further and advertise clothes made from sustainable materials, and have those ads be displayed on the pages of users who create notes, status updates, and other posts with a few key terms. Web 2.0 internet marketing tools can take great advantage of the way social networking and media sites work, allowing you to get significantly more effective results.

Another type of internet marketing strategy that is particularly effective on social media and networking sites is viral marketing. Viral marketing relies heavily on individual users who are not affiliated with the original advertiser helping the advertisement reproduce. This self-perpetuating style of advertising is often best suited to ads that are funny, strange, or otherwise stand out. By allowing users to do the advertising for you, you can simply sit back and allow the marketing strategy to work for free.

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Filed Under: Internet Marketing Tagged With: Business, e-business, Facebook, global networks, Internet Marketing, internet marketing strategy, myspace, social media, Social media tools, twitter

Ways To Make Money Online

August 9, 2010 By 34 Comments

Make money on the internet

Many of us struggle from paycheck to paycheck, trying to make ends meet and simply have enough money to cover all of our bills and obligations. Some have to end up taking a second job or working extremely long hours to help make it financially. Many do not realize that they can easily supplement their income if they have an Internet connection, some free time, and a little motivation. There are many ways to make money online.

Do you have a hobby? If so, you can easily turn this into a steady stream of income. There are thousands of freelance workers who have turned their passion into a money making opportunity. If you enjoy writing, photography, web design, marketing, programming, or interior design, there will be job opportunities out there. You will just have to find them. There are a number of reputable freelance sites on the Internet where you can find work and advertise your service.

You can also sign up with some survey companies on the Internet. Keep in mind that this will not be a substantial income, but you could earn some extra spending money. The ultimate part of survey taking is that sometimes you will be able to qualify for focus groups, which pay very well.

You could create your own website or blog to net some income. This will require a little work and know how to get started, and you will have to keep up with it and be passionate about it if you really want to succeed. Unkempt blogs and websites do not keep a steady stream of traffic incoming.

Working with affiliates can truly bring you in a good steady stream of income if you have traffic coming to your site. Some have actually quit their day job after realizing the potential that was possible through this venue. But it has to be right for you.

You could earn money online by selling things. There are several websites that are set up for vendors to sell things so you do not need to worry about maintaining a website. You could also put things up for sale on auction sites, although the income from this is never as certain. Many simply sell unwanted items from around their house and make a nice amount of spare cash each month.

There really are people making money on the Internet, and anyone can do it. However, it is easier than it sounds, and will require two things: work and motivation. If you need to take charge of your financial future, this is a great place to begin. And the best part is that you can work from the comfort of your own home. You can work while you relax and sit with your feet propped up, drinking your favorite drink and enjoying the company of your family.

Remember, nothing is free; if you want to earn extra money, you will have to work for it. If some company on the Internet claims to earn you thousands with little effort involved, beware. Also, never ever sign up for any money-making opportunity that requires you to pay something. This should immediately alert you to a probable scam.

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Work Tips: How To Make Money Online

July 20, 2010 By 2 Comments

MAKE MONEY ONLINE

Earning an income from the Internet is an approach to working that is growing in popularity. Certainly, the profit potential of online working is being realized in virtually every sector, from finance, to publishing, to sales. The following suggestions will give you inspiration for how to make money online.

There is a staggering number of websites on the Internet. This can be good news if you want to earn income online. The number of websites means that there is a great demand for writers to supply text. Writing for websites is an increasingly popular way to make a living. Before you start, make sure that you are prepared by following these rules. Only work with reputable and credible clients. It is also important to be well-acquainted with copyright issues and laws. These will protect your work as well as the work of others.

A website designer job is another way to earn an income from the Internet. This is quickly becoming a more mainstream career, so there are a wealth of opportunities for training. Check with your area college or community center to find out if there is a course in website design on offer.

Online selling is another idea for gaining an income from the Internet. Even if you have a very small business, you can sell online. Before you start, educate yourself about any legal issues relating to your product. Furthermore, make sure that you have planned out how customer service and shipping will be handled.

If you already have an established business, consider expanding to the Internet. This will allow you to draw upon your existing customer base as well as many potential new online customers. It can have a significant positive impact on profits.

A lot of companies are making the most of hiring staff to work from their homes. This approach to work can save money for both companies and employees. It eliminates costs for office space rental as well as employee travel.

For those who want to work from home, the following advice can help. One of the most challenging aspects of working from home is developing discipline. Try to create a regular working schedule and stick to it. Plan out your working hours and don’t forget to incorporate short breaks.

You should also create a designated place to work at home, preferably a quiet office room. Decorate the room in soothing colors and eliminate clutter. Make sure there is a tidy desk for working. These small style touches can lend professionalism and polish to your work space.

A few last tips will help to prepare you to make money online. Small steps can be the key to successfully building your business. Using this approach, take on a few small online projects at first. Gradually, take on more online opportunities so that you can cut back on other types of work. This strategy can assist you in slowly and steadily building your Internet business. The advantage is that you take less risk and are less likely to feel overwhelmed by a heavy work load.

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Learning How To Work From Home Easily

July 15, 2010 By 2 Comments

WORK FROM HOMEIn this day and age, people are constantly looking for a way that they can work from home and do it easily. People like the idea of not just being at home to work but also making their own hours and not truly reporting to anyone but themselves. The entire idea is something that a lot of people are considering, but how can you actually make a decent income and work from your house? Well, that is what we are going to talk about in this article.

First and foremost, you need to understand that it is not easy to work from your house, as there are a lot of different distractions. You also need to make sure that you make enough time in your day to actually complete the work that you are going to be doing from home. This is the biggest challenge for a lot of people.

After you have done that, what are you interested in? This is where most people get stuck. Now that they have made up their mind that they are going to work from home, they do not exactly know which options they have and what exactly they are going to be able to do. That is where the internet comes into play.

To be honest, there are a number of things and businesses that you can do from your house; you just have to make sure that they are pretty easy for you. That is what we are going to talk about next, what types of jobs are out there and what you should be looking for.

First up, if you have a good sense of the English language, why not do some article writing or even blogging? Freelance writing is something that a lot of people are turning toward now that jobs are down and they are looking for something to supplement their income. You can choose from an array of different topics and tons of blogs.

However, if you are first starting out, you have to realize that you are not going to make a bunch of money right up front, you have to gain clients, which then you can ask for a raise from. You have to make sure that you gain a base and once that is completed, you will be able to get more and more clients and more and more money.

If you are not a writer by trade, there are other things that you can do and one is sell things online. There are a ton of different websites nowadays that allow you to sell items online. These items can be things that you found and then you will be able to sell and gain a profit off of. This is a harder business to break into, so remember that and make sure that you do all of your research.

As you can see, there are quite a few different options available for you to work from home; you just have to make sure that you not only research but that you understand that you are not going to make a bunch of money right up front. However, working from home can certainly pay off, if you find the right niche that is.

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Home Based Business Ideas – Starting a Home Based Business

July 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

home based business ideasStarting your own business can be an overwhelming project, especially if you are strapped for ideas on how to get started. The advent of online marketing and internet businesses has made it easier to create a business that you can run from home, although it has also inundated the market with a flood of similar home based business ideas. It is tricky to think of an idea that will help you either deliver a unique product or service, or offer a similar product or service of higher quality or for less money. However, doing this successfully is crucial to succeeding in the online market, so here we’ll go over some ideas that you can take into account when starting your own business.

Home based business ideas often rely on the business owner’s ability to conduct business over the internet, and the internet provides a variety of advantages over real world businesses. For example, online businesses cost less to start and maintain than real world businesses, and do not require as extensive a staff. Online businesses also have access to a significantly larger customer base than real world business. Taking these advantages into account when you consider ideas for your own home based business can make it easier to get the hang of running a business online.

If you are at a loss for home based business ideas, keep in mind your limitations and skills. If you do not have inventory or storage space but are good at providing a service like personal assistance, then offering the service digitally can often be a good solution. On the flip side, if you have access to a particular product for cheap but not a lot of technical training, running a website selling that product (or marketing it) can offer a solution as well.

Coming up with home based business ideas is simply an exercise in knowing your strengths and weaknesses, as well as the unique playing field the internet creates. There are literally thousands of new online businesses being created all the time, and standing out in the increasingly crowded market can be extremely difficult. Having a way to effectively market your business is crucial, as well as a way to stand out from the rest of the competition. Essentially, online business requires that you attract a customer, make the sale, and then attempt to keep that customer coming back for more later on.

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e-Business – Starting a Successful e-Business

June 11, 2010 By 10 Comments

ebusinessStarting your very own business is not an easy task to set about doing, although starting an e-business is often significantly easier. Running a business over the internet can provide several advantages, and there are a number of emerging business models that are only possible when done online. If you are considering starting your own business, then taking it online can make things a lot simpler. Here, we’ll go over some of the advantages online businesses enjoy, as well as how to get your business off to a strong start.

There are a number of benefits to running an e-business that those with real world business do not get to take advantage of. One of the largest advantages to an online business is that there is no necessity for a real world location, thus eliminating the need for rent, hiring a staff to run the business, business equipment, and much more. Online businesses also gain access to a significantly larger customer base (numbering in the hundreds of millions) than do real world businesses, which typically only serve a limited local area. Essentially, if you want to get the most bang for your buck out of your own business, and if it can operate just as well (or better) online, then taking it to the internet is probably the best course of action.

There are several important differences between e-business and real world business that you will want to be aware of when setting up a strategy. For example, getting noticed online is even harder than it is in a real world setting, and it is important to not only find ways to separate your business from the competition (better products, lower prices, unique ideas, and so on), but to make sure that users are aware of your business in the first place. Fortunately, there is a wealth of different internet marketing forms that can provide easy and effective means for you to help your business take off.

One of the easiest ways to make sure your e-business is noticed is through a process called search engine optimization. This type of marketing is designed to help your website appear early on in the search results for key terms that relate to your business. You can also purchase articles, video, and other content, and then edit them to suit your needs under the private label rights license. By following these easy tips, you can help your business get off to a great start.

Get your Free copy of my book E-Business, “The Insider’s Edge”

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