Building Trust in Social Media

Social media refers to the tools which allow a message to be communicated explicitly through an electronic or digital source. Networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are examples of social media tools that permit instant communication rather than have to pick up a phone and wait for a response or schedule a physical meeting to relay a message. This allows for more effective communication and eases the barrier for those who get uncomfortable in face to face situations. Unfortunately, many members of social networking sites experience lack of trust between the site and their own self-interest. People feel as if they cannot send out a group invitation publicly without drawing a bad crowd. Posting pictures has become a problem for many users who have insecurities. Facebook allows a user to post pictures of their friends with the option to report the picture inappropriate;the picture usually remains up and no one from the team contacts you. Circumstance's like these cause users to trust less. Companies are starting to ask customer's feedback through online surveys and discussion boards. Starbucks for example, has a "My Idea Website" on which coffee drinkers can submit new drink ideas and improvements they would like to see take place at Starbucks. Many people come across this site and other large brand sites with a reluctance to share an opinion because they feel as if they're just one opinion amongst many in the social space. So much feedback is submitted yet the majority remain not reviewed contributing to the lack of trust. In the technological world, whether it be a company site or a networking site, the issue of trust must be dealt with. Rather than focusing so much on advertising or trying to reach out to the user the needs of the individual should be catered to. If Facebook had more customizable features rather than generalized selection tools, a user may not be as reluctant to sent out that event invitation. In addition users would feel more comfortable about taking photos with their friends knowing that the picture could be taken down at their request for whatever reason they deem it hurtful. If Starbucks worked more intimately with their online community and actually reviewed all of the suggestions of consumers even if they do not approve of them, maybe Starbucks patrons would feel like they had more of a voice and trust more in the Starbucks name. These issues all relate to the absence of trust and are critical in improving relationships between individuals.

Social Networking: A source of Gratification

In the past, loneliness has held a negative connotation as having no social interaction or being a misfit. Loneliness is not necessarily the act of being alone; someone could be with a group of people and feel isolated solely because they are unsatisfied. We may become lonely because we are unsatisfied with being by ourselves or just because we seek companionship in another. One way to suppress loneliness is by receiving some type of gratification. Fortunately, Social Networking sites allow people who are lonely to receive instant gratification. A workaholic for example, has no time to pick up the phone and make plans during the week. Hence when the weekend comes, the loneliness sets in. Websites like Facebook and Twitter facilitate interaction between the workaholic and his network, allowing hint to make plans or see what other's are doing. "The impulse for social connection- though it is stronger in some people than others - is rooted in the basic need to survive." The need for connection among individuals whether through a networking site or phone app alleviates feelings of being alone. Virtual connections can give us what we need, a sense of instant gratification as long as the privilege is not abused. If a virtual connection is used as a supplement to physical relationships, loneliness will only get worse. Yet if you have circumstances which don't allow for physical contact to facilitate plans, the Internet is a great way to make connections and decrease feelings of isolation. Continual contact does not necessarily guarantee happiness but some interaction can reduce negative feelings. Even if we are not physically alone, sometimes we feel mentally alone due to lack of communication between ourselves and our friends.

Techology: An Educator?

Education and technology have served as complements since early innovations. Technology has a reputation for impacting the way we learn but we cannot further our knowledge of technology if we are not educated. Unfortunately most schools don't permit the use of certain technology like cellphones during school hours but in Bangladesh students are encouraged to keep their mobile devices on. This is because teachers in Bangladesh want their students to have access to Janala, (also known as "window"), a learning service created by BBC development which gives anyone with a mobile device the chance to call a number and learn the English language. Janala offers three-minute audio lessons and SMS quizzes all in English. Mobile users are able to chose their performance level ranging from basic English to more difficult levels such as story-telling. The purpose of this service was to assist in language barriers; in addition the standard of living is not very high for the majority in Bangladesh, hence if more young people start to learn English, they may have a competitive advantage in the international business world. 84% of Bangladeshis view English as a necessity in attaining a quality job and making a better life for their family. With a log-in record of over 400,000 calls in Bangladesh, Janala is growing very popular contributing to the large, pre-existing mobile telecommunications industry there.

Google Buzz : A little too personal?

In the recent week, Google has apologized for the privacy issues arising out of their recently launched Google Buzz service which provides a new way to communicate through g-mail. The application has five specific features : auto-following, a fast sharing experience, public and private sharing, inbox integration and favorites. The "Buzz" tab provides immediate access to social networking sites and other recently viewed sites. One can access the service through from Google Mobile’s website, from Buzz.Google.com with either iPhone or Android , and from Google Mobile Maps Yet Google users are finding the application is a conflict of interest between the Buzz's capability and right to privacy. The feature received the most criticism for its ability to show the world who each e-mailer corresponded with the most. In addition, individuals who would correspond with co-workers about work were annoyed that these same co-workers were included in their social circle and not classified into a different category. G-mail users were automatically members of the service, hence Google is now making a turn-off option for all users who do not wish to be part of the community. Google Buzz can now only make friend suggestions rather than include all correspondences in a general circle and hide their followers/followings as well. These changes are supposed to be effective over the next few days and will hopefully improve the impact of the new service.

Facebook : A social networking site or a marketing platform?

Facebook, one of the leading networking site's on the web is no longer just a virtual place to reconnect with friends. What used to be a virtual world primarily to communicate with friends, Facebookis evolving into a advertising haven where companies can target users all at once. Brands and business are starting to use Facebook as an advertising tool whether through ads, contests or games. With Valentine's day coming up, Victoria's Secret has utilized the site's features to market their products to the fullest. Facebook users are able to become a fan of the brand on the site and are forwarded to a contest on Victoria's Secret homepage where they can win up to a $500 gift card. Target on the other hand, has a more charitable approach with the "Super Love Sender" application. This application allows the Facebook user to send cards to other users and vote for one out of five charities to receive a $1 million endorsement by Target, reinforcing the brand's image of being charitable. The number of votes determines the money alotted to each particular charity. Ebay India, in attempt to promote their online marketplace, is offering an Ipod Touch to those Facebook users that express the most love for themselves on their status'. Brands are gaining much recognition due to the location of these ads. When users login and see all of these applications that either sponsor a charity or offer the possibility of winning something, chances are that user is going to use that application or enter that contest. Whether it be networking or marketing, Facebook is emerging in the social space as an effective communicator.

Appealing to the Senses: I hear you, I see you"

James Cameron's epic picture Avatar has been gaining popularity with its three dimensional character concept design and unique script. The film is able to capture the viewers attention within minutes and keep the viewers interested till the end, "I hear you, I see you" is a quote expressed repeatedly throughout the movie and can be interpreted many ways. Hearing and seeing are two sensory behaviors which allow an individual to recall some type of mental impression. Often we remember experiences by physical characteristics that were sensed in the process.Whether it be a visual image or auditory sound, the senses are being manipulated in some way causing an individual to correlate that sound to a brand image. Studies conducted by advertisers have shown that if a customer can recall a sensory impression conveyed by a particular brand, they are more likely to be a loyal customer. The most important aspect of marketing is the lifetime value of the customer which is furthered by brand loyalty.
In today's social space phone applications are becoming more and more sensory whether through touch or voice activation. Blackberry, for example, has a voice activated feature that enables the caller to say the name of a contact in their address book and have the name automatically dialed eliminating the strain of manual dialing. The VoiceControl feature on the I-phone not only allows for hands-free dialing but allows the user to use their voice to play music. Applications that appeal to the senses are becoming more and more popular. Being able to verbalize a need to a cellular device and linking the need to an image derived by the phone will allow the consumer's satisfaction increase. In addition, the consumer will now link their phone manufacturer to a positive brand image with high capability. With advancements like these, who knows what the social space will hold for the future. We can only anticipate products that will make networking easier and allow for more mobile device - human conversation. We are the future of technology and must focus on catering to our senses as they broaden. Like James Cameron wrote, "I hear you, I see you," if a consumer can say that about an element of technology, the program is a success.

Our First "Official" Blog Post

First and foremost, welcome to our web-blog!  We hope you'll come back here to catch up on all the amazing things TrustCloud is working on.  Second, we encourage you to follow us on Twitter as we like to showcase some of our ideas and research on that feed.  Third, we moved into our new offices about a month ago and we went a little bit overboard with the iPhone photos.  After the removal of a select few (who wants to see air conditioning ducts anyway?), we thought we'd share some with you.

 

Thanks for reading, and we look forward to sharing some exciting things with you in the next few months!