A new tribe: the "WEBAPP NOMADS"

Robert Scoble discusses the how much the world has changed in the past decade. Obviously social media have developed because of early adopters and passionate people. The wide range of webapps that has been launched over recent months and years and the opportunities arising from them are fascinating.

The Internet seemed promising from its beginning but nobody would have imagined its full potential - even today's users do not know where it will end up ... in quality offline relations, probably?

However, starting with simple one directional information websites the Internet developed to be a multidirectional networking platform enabling communication and relationship. Numerous social networking sites, blogs, wikis, microblogging services, social bookmarking, etc. have emerged on the Internet where people share their thoughts, experiences, bookmarks, and link their virtual identities with others. Seth Godin points it that way: “Social media, in fact, is a basic human need, revealed digitally online. We want to be connected, to make a difference, to matter, to be missed. We want to belong, and yes, we want to be led.” 

Many new site, mash-ups  and services require continuous moving and exploring. Users - especially early adopters - follow the new trends, use new tools and thus, I name them the WEBAPP NOMADS!

A qualified list of micgroblogs to find market intelligence

Today I wanted to start a list of micgroblogging services. Before I started I stopped! I instantly realized that an unqualified list would be a waste of time because it already exists. If you are not afraid of a huge list visit the Top 250 list of twitter clones sites. 

I therefore plan to compose a qualified list that offers microblogging tools to assist companies in finding market intelligence easily and focused.

Thanks for any suggestions and keep you updated. Don't expect the list immediately it will take some time - be fair with me!

Hesitate or engage!

Marketing strategies even in postmodern times are still often described conventionally. While many Marketers still think Marketing is about selling stuff and create good viral campaigns they do not listen enough to the customers. Online polls and conventional Advertising on Social Media sites illustrates that the medium may have changed but the old way is still dominant.

There will be some circumstances where the Internet lacks of reliability when listening to customers. But you must be conscious that the Internet is powerful - even if you might hesitate.

Do not upset prospective customers!

Opening a new thread in a discussion forum without having checked if the topic already has been treated will instantly uncover you to be a newbie and upset other forum users.

Likewise consumers will react if companies start surveying without having checked existing conversations. Market Researchers, thus, must rethink their techniques and take into consideration existing information. They must not start from scratch and ask boring questions that were answered long ago. Market Researchers must be part of the discussion, adopt the language of (prospective) customers, and engage in a dialogue.

Research teams therefore need people who participate in conversations and get sensitive for the word that spreads. They must look out for trends, weak signals, and understand the core of discussions. This ongoing process takes time. Ambitious companies rather start now even if they don’t now exactly what they are heading for.

The Internet is bottomless - and Market Research is out!

Poking around the Internet I am always impressed of its bottomlessness. (Agreed, a net has no bottom anyway.) 

Since having learned that even as a nobody it is possible to communicate easily and at marginal costs with the world I realized that this potential has not yet been discovered from many organizations. However, the number of companies engaging in social media is increasing still many of them have their long-established marketing practices and are novices in the field. Definitely those still applying traditional Market Research are quite a back number. Traditional Market Research is out!

The New Rules of Marketing and PR by David Meerman Scott demonstrate a systematic approach for Marketers new rules of Market Research are scarce. That's why I will investigate on this topic within the scope of my Master Thesis at the University of Liverpool. The idea is to share latest insights directly with readers of this blog and initialize a dialogue.

 

Comments, examples, and suggestions are very welcome! - Tell me what do you know about Social Market Research / Market Research 2.0 / Strategic Listening / ...

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Mein Blog wird englisch. Für meine Masterarbeit zum Thema "Social Market Research" (Arbeitstitel) werde ich zugleich ein Experiment starten. 

Ich werde einen Teil der Untersuchung am Beispiel dieses Blogs durchführen. Da die Studiensprache Englisch ist werde ich die Sprache umstellen. Wer sich auf das Experiment einlassen will soll einfach weiterhin die Updates lesen, eifrig Fragen stellen und dieses Blog weiterempfehlen.

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