The Future of Public Interaction on the Web
People around the world are having conversations on the internet. They are interacting by commenting, giving advice, reading about each other’s experiences, etc. This is just the beginning of this swelling of interactivity as many users are just getting into blogging or finding out what it is. There are some out there, though, who are already looking towards the future and what this phenomenon might mean for social behavior and social media.
Alexander van Elsas’ blog discusses why he believes public interaction will become less important. The idea is pretty simple. If you begin interacting on the web, you can sort of become anonymous just as we all were before any of this was possible. Before social media, few of us were heard by such a large audience. It is difficult to grasp the idea that 6 billion people are listening to you (OK not literally, but it’s possible). Now that we have been exposed to public interaction, it will stay around out of necessity, but conversations may move to smaller networks of people. The web is becoming centralized around the user; so, we will need smaller networks that reflect this. In this way, we will evolve.
Perry Belcher, an independent podcaster, has his own thoughts about where social media and public interaction are heading.
Belcher mentions:
1) The growth of Twitter and online advertising, while TV advertising drops dramatically.
2) He believes companies will start using spokespeople again, whether they be famous or not. The importance of using someone who is “real” to their audience rises. People will be able to show their personality via the internet.
3) He thinks that Google will begin ranking influence of not just company websites, but individual bloggers. This will be important information for advertisers.
So, according to Belcher, 2009 will be the year of the individual versus van Elsas’ belief that anonymity will return.
These are two interesting outlooks on how public interaction will change on the web. Which one do you agree with? Do you have your own opinion?
Both of those ideas a very interesting. I agree with both in some ways. Balcher talks about social media growing for big businesses and companies. So companies are becoming more available to customers and more interactive by using social media. Where van Elsas’ is talking more about the individual. Yes there are millions of blogs out there, but how many of them actually have a followers? Even though more people read blogs then keep up with their own, there are only the few that are rated top blogs.So the more and more blogs made that are not being read people still are annonymous.
blogs made by people like you and me are probably just followed because they have to for a class or someone that is already your friend. They are more self-pleasing to get thoughts and ideas out, hoping someone will comment. So social media even though created for online journaling or meeting people, are becoming more useful for companies that want to connect with their publics.
I agree with Belcher’s view in the rising influencing of social media rather than van Elsas’. Belcher really does stress the importance of interactivity through networks and groups while van Elsas is more set on the postmodern view of individuality and anonymity on the web. Though I believe that the web makes anonymity easier, it does not make it more profitable especially where social media is heading today. Belcher sees a shift happening from television and corporate-controlled advertising to a mroe conversational nature happening on networking sites such as Twitter. In this way, consumers create advertising for each other because they are forming trusting relationships. Personally, I know that I would much rather take advice on purchasing a product from a trusted friend rather than what an advertisement on television says. I believe this connection between all consumers will swell and eventually take over.