BuzzMetrics Marketing VP Max Kalehoff says that “perhaps the most important function of consumer search in the not-too-distant future will be the ability to help navigate the world of user-generated media and consumer opinions.”
Many of these platforms have been around for years: message boards, product ratings sites, wikis and public e-mail groups among others…The platforms are contributing immensely to the rising importance of word of mouth in our society. But when it comes to specialized search tools for consumers, social media platforms often are left behind in the blog hype’s dust.
So how rich and important are these other social platforms for citizens of the world? Extremely! Consider patients who go to WebMD’s cancer support groups to share experiences with various chemotherapies, recommend doctors and HMOs, or simply offer emotional support. Or consider the forums on FordFestiva.com where thousands of passionate Festiva car fans gather to showcase their aftermarket genius, organize group rallies and share repair tips. Or take CNET’s MP3 Players Forum, where music fans are in a heated debate over which is better—the iPod or Creative. Of course, we can’t omit the booming MySpace…The list goes on and on.
There are tremendous databases of archived and living discussions, but they often reside in disparate silos and too often are buried or searchable only amidst other staid, commercial or editorial content. There’s a huge opportunity to empower consumers with more powerful capabilities to search and join conversations about issues that really matter.
Think about a Technorati not just for blogs, but for all online discussion. Consider an engine that could span and filter myriad social platforms to enable citizens to identify, select and engage in discourse in a more meaningful, efficient way. What if such an engine could help determine not only blogger credibility and popularity, but also the reputation and authority of distinct communities side by side, along with their individual members? Such a service would be deemed not only an important public utility, but would further the value and reach of our individual conversations.
Mitch Shapiro at 7:17 PM|Comments(0)
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