THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SOCIAL
Michelle Goodwin tw: @_MyMichelle www.AMPAgency.com
What drives and motivates strong affinities for social media?
self
respect + prestige
esteem
intimacy + relationships
belonging
safety + health + employment + freedom
security/comfort
air + food + water + sleep + shelter + warmth + sex
physiological/biological
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
It’s All About Us!
Connections
Identity
Establishment
Attachment
Self-Esteem
Importance of Connections
5
• Common experience • Common interest • Idolatry
• News or updates • Exclusive offers
Do I need this person or brand for “survival”?
“Feel good”
reasons
Utilitarian
Reasons
How does this relationship
serve my needs?
No
Yes
Connections as Social Media Experiences
• Share experiences • Learn about others’ lives • Establish community presence • “Collect” friends/followers • Look at pictures or videos
Short term need: Establish connections
• Get details on products, events or life’s happenings
• Read news and updates • Remain “in the know” • Look at pictures or videos • Share personal perspectives or comments
Long-term Need: Become Attached
Legacy Social Media Usage
Initial Social Media Trial
Need State: Connection
After Effect: Attachment
Meaningful Social Media
Targeted content is the key to building immediate connections
and long term attachments
Driving Connection Through Content
Emotional Decision Makers
Rational Decision Makers
Skeptics
Personal Recommendations
End Benefit
Reputation
User feedback, ratings, rankings, reviews, sharing, personal profiles
Offer details, comparisons,
rankings, feedback, special offers
User feedback, comparisons,
rankings, reviews
Individuals Drivers Content Needs
Building a Meaningful Presence
A result or change
Have an influence on Affect
Effect
VS
The Future of Social Media
Need: Deeper emotional and physiological
connection
Harnessing the social web
Constant communication
Harmonious social experience
Audience mapping
Social media convergence
Social media integration
The future is all about satisfying connection need states.
Harnessing Social Web
– Where and how is our audience engaging in conversation?
– Create content tailored to how individuals seek and consume content on different channels
– Build stronger relationships with influencers in those spaces
Social Media Convergence
– Emotional and physical connection to our devices leads to continued convergence of technologies
– Social connections further infiltrate all aspects of our media diet
– Social profiles, location based services, and mobile payments converge to create one-step-from-purchase lifestyle
Social Media Integration
– Creating seamless experiences with common themes and messaging from one channel to another
– Fostering connections with others by creating content that fulfills their needs
– Building identity by creating likable and sharable content
Questions?
