CHAPTER 4: DIGITAL COMMUNITIES

Chapter Objectives

What are the characteristics of online communities? How do ideas travel in a community?

In what ways do opinion leaders develop in communities? How do these influentials influence others?

What role does social capital play in the value of social media communities? What types of ties do we have to others in our communities?

How has social media leveled the playing field and created a source of power for consumers?

2-4

Online Communities

Online communities are groups of people who come together for a specific purpose, who are guided by community policies, and who are supported by Internet access that enables virtual communication.

3-4

Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Networks: The Underlying Structure of Communities A social network is a set of socially relevant nodes

connected by one or more relations. Nodes are members of the network. Members are connected by their relationships with

each other. Interactions are behavior-based ties such as talking

with each other or attending an event together. Flows are exchanges of resources, information, or

influence among members of the network. Object sociality is the extent to which an object can

be shared in social media. Vertical networks are sites designed around object

sociality.

4-4

It’s a Small World After All Six degrees of separation is an

observation that everyone is connected to everyone else by no more than six ties.

5-4

Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon

Source: http://meta.stackoverflow.com/questions/59939/area-51-and-seeding-non-tech-topics-do-we-unintentionally-select-for-high-web

Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Characteristics of Online Communities The interactive platforms of Web 2.0

enable online communities to exhibit the following basic characteristics: Conversations Presence Democracy Standards of Behavior Levels of Participation

7-4

Influence Network

How Ideas Travel in a Community Network structure and composition

play a role in the community’s ability to support its members.

There is evidence of community culture in the memes that evolve within the community A meme is a snippet of cultural

information that spreads person to person until eventually it enters the general consciousness.

Rickrolling: The Meme

Group Influence and Social Capital Opinion leader – a person who is

frequently able to influence others’ attitudes or behaviors.

11-4

Social Capital

Social capital is accumulated resources whose value flows to people as a result of their access to others.

Reputational capital is based on the shared beliefs, relationships, and actions of those in the community such that norms, behaviors, and values held and shared by individuals ultimately support a community reputation.

12-4

Strong and Weak Ties

Emotional support is one form of social capital. Core ties – those people with whom we

have very close relationships Significant ties – those individuals with

somewhat close connections, but less so than core ties

Weak ties – those individuals with whom your relationship is based on superficial experiences or very few connections

13-4

Strong and Weak Ties

Power users are those others view as knowledgeable sources of information Five characteristics help to describe

them: Activists Connected Impact Active minds Trendsetters

14-4

Strong and Weak Ties

The Bases of Social Power Reward power: ability to provide others with

what they desire Coercive power: the ability to punish others Legitimate power: authority based on rights

associated with a person’s appointed position Referent power: authority through the

motivation to identify with or please a person Expert power: recognition of one’s

knowledge, skills, and ability Information power: one’s control over the

flow of and access to information

15-4

Node-to-Node Relationships

Your level of activity in a social network is based on: The mix of people with whom you are

connected The artifacts (content) you create on the

site The feedback you receive from others The distribution of the artifacts and

feedback

16-4

Influence

Word of mouse – online word of mouth and a very strong influence on consumer decision making

Ad equivalency value - what would the value of the unsolicited online mention be if it had come through a paid advertising placement?

Social proof – works by encouraging consumers to make decisions that mimic those of people in their social network

17-4

Influence in Social Media

Source: Gianluca Fiorelli, September 20, 2011, What social influence is and tools to

measure it, http://www.iloveseo.net/what-social-influence-is-and-tools-to-measure-it/

Influence Impressions and Posts

Recap Discussion

Reminder: Visit www.zonesofsmm.com to read daily news and search for examples related to each chapter.