SOCIAL MEDIA WEEK – ROME 2011 February 7-11, 2011 - Rome

RESEARCH FOR SMW: THE NETWORK TRENDS IN 2011 analysed by Freedata Labs Social Intelligence. The partnership between Freedata Labs and SMW, which started with the Milanese edition, continues with new research being developed for the Roman exhibition. Freedata Labs is the technical sponsor at Social Media Week and it uses its expertise based on Social Intelligence to provide a comparative description between Italy, France, England, USA, Canada, Brazil and Hong Kong concerning the topics identified as the most popular on the Web in 2011. The topics chosen are:

Video Calling Mobile Blogging Cyberbullism Netiquette F-Commerce

THE APPROACH: SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE The approach adopted for the research is based upon Social Intelligence, an innovative technique providing tactical and strategic insights – obtained listening to the web - to the marketing division of companies: the information are then analysed with a statistic accuracy typical of quantitative research.

 

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Web listening was not possible until a few years ago, it is today widely applied thanks to software and platforms able to extract and organize in a database any information present on the web about a specific topic. The analysis of Talking Styles is among the most innovative used by Freedata Labs in this research. Referring to an approach used in Psychology for over 50 years, the analysis of Talking Styles allows us to identify the writer's personality for every analysed text. The analysis of Talking Styles is a marketing opportunity since it provides “a complete palette of colours” i.e. words to communicate in an empathic and targeted way with a great number of various individuals. It underlines the differences in the conversation style among the various channels, among the social groups and it relates to a single brand or to a topic under analysis. It suggests the best words to use in communicating with a certain people, social groups or single contact partner. Social Intelligence provides important tools to “netnography”, ethnography of the Internet, which differs from the Social Intelligence by its use of merely qualitative and sociological analysis. OUR TOPICS VIDEO CALLING The USA is the Country where Video Calling is mostly discussed; Italy is right after it being the keenest among the European Countries on this topic. In Italy, Video Calling discussions deals with “free call video”, whereas the USA discusses media and information.

 

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Definition: Video Calling is an evolution of the classical call, enriched by the possibility of seeing one's contact partner (Source: Wikipedia). It's a much-talked topic on the web; we monitored 13.000 results (buzz) in the last year.

Chart 1

As shown by the chart 1, the buzz has a trend in time characterized by sudden peaks related to the iPhone ads or to the Skype software new release for free calls. The topic is discussed mainly by Online media and taken up by Blogs, whereas it seems to be definitely the less chatted in social networks, in forums and in microblogging (Chart 2).

Video call Historical Series

 

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Chart 2

This partition by web channels is quite similar in all the analysed countries and it's a consequence of media pressure exerted by the main phone networks (in particular) and technology networks (in general) to launch new products. Comparing the different countries on the buzz pro-capite per million of Internet users (calculated by comparing the ratio of number of results collected in each country to the number of internet users of the same country), we note that the country where Video Calling is more used is the USA, followed by Italy that pays more attention to the topic than any other European country, following at a greater distance we find England, France, Canada, Brazil, Hong Kong.

Video call % per Channel

 

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Chart 3

As anticipated, analysing the content of the buzz regarding the topic of Video Calling in all of the countries, quotations and discussions about the main mobile networks such as Nokia, Samsung, Apple, Ericsson, Sony and of course Skype emerge. In the comparison between countries we note some topics of differentiation, in fact, regarding Italy and Canada where the “free video call” discriminates the two Nations. In England and in the USA emerge the “review” and the comparisons of different brand topic. However, what really characterizes the USA and UK (and partly France) is the use of video calls applied to the media and information world in general (WORLDNEWS for the USA, BBC for UK). The video call, therefore, is meant not as something free and personal but as a technologic service for different types of information and social media.

Buzz pro-capite per Million Video call

 

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Analysing Talking Styles for this subject it is clear that all the countries have a difference style of buzz comparing forums and micro blogging in respect to media online and blogs. Forums are definitely more open to the experience, sometimes critical, and use a technical language. Media, instead, tend to use a more popular language; they express mainly a positive view in a composed and correct way. In particular, in the USA and the UK users with a “geek” profile (that are more open to experience, more technical and critical) tend to use more frequently the Twitter channel. What all this means: Briefly, when speaking of video calling in Italy we intend to mark the means of communication features and its costs. The topic appears particularly relevant for phone network companies, which can extrapolate directions on the market potential. In countries such as UK, France, USA the topic is more relevant for media which should start consider to rethink the relationship between journalist job and user generated content.

MOBILE BLOGGING Mobile blogging is most talked in the USA, whereas other countries follow at a great distance. Bloggers mainly talk about it.

Phone companies don't communicate the opportunities that technology may provide. Is it a missed opportunity for them?

 

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A definition

Mobile blogging (moblogging) is a way to publish a post or a comment on a web site or a blog from a handheld mobile phone or from any other mobile device.

It's very common among people that enjoy video and picture uploading which can be posted on a web site or any blogging platform with “Mobile posting” compatibility (Source: Wikipedia). In the last year we monitored 8.500 conversations on this subject, managed mostly (66%) by bloggers (an unrelieved result for all the analysed countries).

Chart 4 Topics emerging from blogs are strictly related to technology and its use in mobility. Most occurring words are both related to different kinds of mobile devices, smartphones, tablets, laptops and social networks, mainly Twitter. A lot of attention is paid also towards new Apple Apple both for iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Mobile Blogging % per Channel

 

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Words more often used in media are instead mainly the big brands of telephony Nokia, Apple, and Samsung...etc along with Skype. Comparing the different countries on the buzz pro-capite per million internet users (calculated by the ratio of number of results collected in each country to the number of internet users of the same country) we see that USA is the country where Moblogging is mostly talked about, far from the other countries who are actually very close to each other.

Chart 5 Eventually, the Talking Style is very similar for all of the channels: only bloggers seem more open, positive and enthusiastic without exceeding in techniques but their way of communicating is simple, comprehensive and accurate and shows a language typical of a simple but innovative practicability.

Buzz pro-capite per Million Mobile Blogging

 

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What this all means: In brief, phone companies are not communicating the chances that technology offers for Moblogging. Perhaps it's a missed opportunity to communicate topics that instead are discussed by users with great interest and attention. Anglo-Saxon markets are surely more mature and users who lead these conversations appreciate and propose innovative issues and solutions pushing to a “Gottabemobile”.

CYBERBULLISM Canada is the country where it is most debated; Brazil denies the issue, Italy confronts it with scandalized tones and tends to blame innovation and technology.

A definition

Cyberbullism is a word referring to acts of bullism and harassment perpetuated via electronic devices such as emails, instant messaging, blogs, mobile phones, pagers or/and web sites.

Like physical bullism, cyberbullism may sometimes be a breach of the Civil Code, of the Criminal Code and of the Privacy Law (D.Lgs 196/2003) (Source: Wikipedia).

In the last year we monitored 5.200 conversations on this topic.

Conversations about cyberbullism are clearly drawn by user-generated contents, in particular, by blogs, microbloggings and social media.

 

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Chart 6 However, attention of media to this topic is different from country to country. As the chart 7 shows, the Share of Buzz as for user-generated contents is not uniform for countries analysed.

Chart 7

Cyberbullism % per Channel

Media Buzz % by Country

 

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It appears relevant the attention media are giving to the topic in Canada, Italy, France in full contrast with the Brazil, where media neglect is almost total while users talk about it lively and with great interest.

Comparing the different countries on buzz pro-capite per million of internet users (calculated by the ratio of number of results collected in each country to the number of internet users of the same country) we see that Canada is the country where Cyberbusslism is more discussed, followed by Brazil and Italy while all other countries are very similar.

Chart 8 The topics emerging from blogs concern school, education, teenagers, Facebook and parents for almost all the countries and also paedophilia, no profit consultancy and information.

Buzz pro-capite per Million Cyberbullism

 

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In Brazil bloggers use the same keywords as the rest of the world, while the media talk about security on the Web and environment, almost denying the issue.

Tag cloud outlines the most used words for Italy, which resumes most of the subjects common to the different countries. Last, regarding Talking Styles in Italy, slight differences emerge between media and user-generated contents. A slightly more placid tone and a greater emotional balance characterize media. There is a marked difference between communication style of Anglo-Saxon (USA and UK) and that of Italy where the tone of conversations on these topics is often negative, destructive and scandalistic. Other countries are more positive and are continually trying to find solutions both technological and educative to protect and help young people to deal with the subject. What all this means:

Cyberbullism is a phenomenon, which must be faced and discussed as it concerns our youth, school and education. These subjects should be faced up to in a clear and constructive way to find the appropriate educative and

 

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technological solutions. In Italy the media do not try and hide these subjects (as occurs in Brazil) although the discussion tone tends to blame innovation and technology.

NETIQUETTE Italy is the country where it's most discussed. Unlike abroad, it is discussed in a solely negative way and concentrates on the negative aspects and not on the web opportunities.

A definition

Netiquette is a set of social conventions that regulate user's behaviour in interacting with other users via sources as newsgroups, mailing lists, forums, e-mails in general (Source: Wikipedia).

In the last year we monitored 6.200 conversations on this topic.

Conversations on Netiquette are shared in a similar way among the sources.

 

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Chart 9

It soon emerges an important difference concerning Italy where the Share of "User-Generated Contents" is much higher than the average of the other countries. It's interesting to note the great attention given to forums on this topic.

Netiquette % per Channel

 

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Chart 10

Furthermore, Italy is by far the country where this topic is discussed the most.

Netiquette % per Channel Italy

 

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Chart 11 Strict legislation adopted in Italy both in terms of online private data protection and related to limitation of netsurfing without an individual identification has caused a strong delay on the diffusion of WIFI in Italy.

Buzz pro-capite per Million Netiquette

 

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A difference emerges between Italy and other countries concerning all the topics taken into consideration. In Italy, conversations are about Facebook, marketing, censure, rules, etiquette, privacy, whereas in other countries they are mostly about digital, social, e-learning, e-mail, church, civic-mindedness. Talking Styles show a very relevant difference between Italy and Anglo-Saxon countries. As already observed for cyberbullism, while in the USA and UK the topic is faced with positive tones since Netiquette is considered as a sort of good social education within the Web, in Italy (except for forums now more mature as for the issue), the style of communication shows a lower urge and willingness towards dialogue due to the negative attitude used by Italy for this topic. What all this means: It's a topic, which media do not deal very much with despite its importance to Web users. In the “technologically more advanced world“ one speaks of Net-

 

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Etiquette, civility and respect. In Italy, the conversations on these subjects, as for cyberbullism, are negative and tend to uncover issues about technology diffusion and not the great chances offered by the web.

F-COMMERCE On a global level, it creates the most of conversations. Italy, regarding conversations, is second after the USA. A definition: The definition of F-Commerce was coined recently. It comes straight from the Social Media world; F-Commerce means buying or selling on a Social Media or specifically on Facebook. Many companies have launched in the last months applications on their fan page allowing their fans to do E-Commerce (on their sites) by buying directly from Facebook. Are clients obliged to be also Fans? Can they do share of the purchases and publish them on their walls? Can we call it viral marketing? (Source: http://www.contextisking.co.uk)

Last year we monitored 140.000 conversations on this topic and for all the countries the most important channel is Social Network and in particular Facebook. In the USA these conversations spread vividly and outdistance the other countries. Undoubtedly, F-Commerce is drawing the highest number of conversations.

 

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Chart 12 Although a far from the USA, we note that Italy and France are at the second and third place. This shows how important this topic is in Italy.

F-Commerce % per Channel

 

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Chart 13 Talking Styles are very similar in all the countries and denote great openness to the experience, enthusiasm and negative emotional balance. Style is not technological but simple, popular and clear. Everybody discusses with an open attitude towards new experiences with a consistent and plain language. Topics too are very similar in all countries and as expected: social media, Facebook, E-commerce, news, as marked in the tag-cloud.

Buzz pro-capite per Million F-Commerce

 

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What all this means: F-Commerce is nowadays the most discussed topic, there's a great enthusiasm on this innovation and many try to imagine new possible scenarios of development. Users discuss with extreme liveliness. Media are its followers. As relatively a new topic, discussions and tones are the same in all countries. The USA discussions lead and influence those of the other countries.

 

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GLOSSARY Social Intelligence: an approach of research and analysis based on web listening with statistic accuracy typical of quantitative research. It's able to provide tactical and strategic insights to the company marketing (Source: Freedata Labs). Netnography: literally “ethnography of the Internet”. It differs from Social Intelligence for the focus on analyses of data extrapolated from the Web to the typical qualitative, ethnographic, anthropologic and sociologic dimension (Source: etnografiadigitale.it, Freedata Labs). Analysis of Talking Style: it is an approach of textual analysis based on the model wildly applied in Psychology for over 50 years, which allows identifying the writer's personality for each analysed text (Source: Freedata Labs). Video calling: It's an evolution of the classical call, enriched by the chance of seeing our contact partner (Source: Wikipedia). Mobile blogging (moblogging): it's an approach to publish a post or a comment to a web site or a blog via mobile phone, or other handheld mobile device. Moblogging is very widespread among people enjoying pictures and videos uploading which can be posted on a web site or any blogging platform with Mobileposting compatibility (Source: Wikipedia).

Cyberbullism: it's a word referring to acts of bullism and of harassment perpetuated via electronic devices, as emails, instant messaging, blogs, mobile phones, pagers and/or web sites (Source: Wikipedia).

Netiquette: it is a set of social conventions that regulate user's behaviour in

 

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interacting with other users via sources as newsgroups, mailing lists, forums, emails in general (Source: Wikipedia).

F-Commerce: it's the activity of buying or selling on a Social Network or specifically on Facebook (Source: contextisking.co.uk). USER LICENCE This research is published in licence Creative Common- BY-NC. This means that who wants is free to use this work, in a non-commercial purpose, quoting the author (it will be kind to let us know via Twitter). We suggest instead to who wants to use it in a commercial purpose to contact us.

If you download the research, send us a tweet, we'll be glad to get your comments! CONTACTS Valeria Severini

Email: valeria.severini@freedatalabs.com Twitter: @ValeSev @FreedataLabs Web Site: http://freedatalabs.com

Valeria Severini is a charter member and CEO of Freedata Labs.

 

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She starts her carrier in 1983 for Gruppo Ricerca Statistica of Nielsen Italia. From 1987 she teaches Statistica economica, Teoria dei Campioni e Metodologia at Bocconi University in Milan.

Freedata Labs was founded in Milan in 1933 as a consultancy for statistical analysis, data mining, business, marketing and CRM modelling.

In 2003 Freedata Labs Ltd was founded in London.

With the birth of Social Media, Freedata Labs fulfils its potential skills of analysis and management of data by developing in 2007 “The Brand Race Quadrant” a tool of social intelligence aimed at analysing deriving directions from the web 2.0 database. The latest development allows a better identification of the Influencers through the application of psychometric profiles to conversations, by spotting different Talking Styles.

Freedata Labs is part of DMA, WOMMA UK.