the virtual engagement typology

FestIM2014FestIM2014

The Virtual The Virtual

Engagement TypologyEngagement Typology

Dr Robin CroftDr Robin CroftReader in MarketingReader in Marketing

University of BedfordshireUniversity of Bedfordshire

BackgroundBackground

The accidental 'expert'The accidental 'expert'

Writing about word of mouth since the 1990sWriting about word of mouth since the 1990s

Curiosity about the digital spaceCuriosity about the digital space

Sharing digital images since 2006Sharing digital images since 2006

Joining in the communitiesJoining in the communities

Studying the phenomenon from withinStudying the phenomenon from within

The ethnographyThe ethnography

More studies sinceMore studies since

OutlineOutline

Blurring boundariesBlurring boundaries

Audience and performerAudience and performer

Producer and consumerProducer and consumer

User generated contentUser generated content

A co-evolutionary dynamicA co-evolutionary dynamic

Audience involvement Audience involvement

Virtual word-of-mouthVirtual word-of-mouth

Blurring boundariesBlurring boundaries

Audience and performerAudience and performer

At cultural eventsAt cultural events

2011 sharing the audience experience2011 sharing the audience experience

Eg Reading Festival, Champions LeagueEg Reading Festival, Champions League

2012 performers sharing the performance2012 performers sharing the performance

Eg London Olympics, Notting Hill Carnival,Eg London Olympics, Notting Hill Carnival,

Having an interesting narrativeHaving an interesting narrative

The community imperative to shareThe community imperative to share

2121stst century connectedness century connectedness

User-generated contentUser-generated content


Sharing experiencesSharing experiences

To engage with our community / audienceTo engage with our community / audience

Using products, services, brandsUsing products, services, brands

To tell a storyTo tell a story

Rich contentRich content

Pictures, movies, text, audioPictures, movies, text, audio

Apps: Facebook / Google+ checkin, FoursquareApps: Facebook / Google+ checkin, Foursquare


Is (usually) immediateIs (usually) immediate

Value of feedbackValue of feedback

Cost-freeCost-free

To produce and to disseminateTo produce and to disseminate

Is credibleIs credible

It comes from a trusted source, orIt comes from a trusted source, or

Is real, from a non-commercial producerIs real, from a non-commercial producer

Creates its own buzz, momentumCreates its own buzz, momentum

Consumer needs,Consumer needs,technology providestechnology provides

Audience scalingAudience scaling

One to one, one to manyOne to one, one to many

Time compressionTime compression

Synchronous, asynchronousSynchronous, asynchronous

Democratized, accessibleDemocratized, accessible

Easy to use, mobileEasy to use, mobile

Private space, public spacePrivate space, public space

Rich contentRich content

Tells better storiesTells better stories

Audience involvement Audience involvement

Technology changes audiencesTechnology changes audiences

We have opinions we want to shareWe have opinions we want to share

Technology gives us that microphoneTechnology gives us that microphone

We share even live, broadcast eventsWe share even live, broadcast events

Twitter, IMTwitter, IM

Producers give audiences things to shareProducers give audiences things to share

Get feedback, improve the experienceGet feedback, improve the experience

Makes a virtual (huge) live audienceMakes a virtual (huge) live audience

Types of communityTypes of community

Concentric NetworksConcentric Networks

Examples Examples

Facebook, RenRen, MyspaceFacebook, RenRen, Myspace

CharacteristicsCharacteristics

Closed by default, or invitation onlyClosed by default, or invitation only

IncludingIncluding

Friends, family, co-workersFriends, family, co-workers

Almost everyone personally knownAlmost everyone personally known

PurposePurpose

Sharing, bonding, dealing with life, hanging outSharing, bonding, dealing with life, hanging out

Building social capitalBuilding social capital

Ad Hoc NetworksAd Hoc Networks

Examples

LinkedIn, Flickr, Youtube, Twitter

Characteristics

Open by default, public

Including

Business contacts, co-workers, distant friends

Often complete strangers, but soul-mates

Purpose

Networking (career), advancing knowledge

Building social capital

Porous boundariesPorous boundaries

Tools can be used for both concentric and ad hocTools can be used for both concentric and ad hoc

By changing privacy toolsBy changing privacy tools

Eg users migrating from Facebook to TwitterEg users migrating from Facebook to Twitter

Community members in different categoriesCommunity members in different categories

Eg boring family members into ad hoc, friendly Eg boring family members into ad hoc, friendly co-workers into concentricco-workers into concentric

We can get intimate with complete strangersWe can get intimate with complete strangers

Where we find a lot in commonWhere we find a lot in common

Virtual word of mouthVirtual word of mouth

BackgroundBackground

We are social beingsWe are social beings

We need to share storiesWe need to share stories

They make our communitiesThey make our communities

We discover who we are, what we believe inWe discover who we are, what we believe in

Technology gives usTechnology gives us

A wider audience / communityA wider audience / community

An audience that is always thereAn audience that is always there

A range of creative tools to use to tell better A range of creative tools to use to tell better storiesstories

Differentiators of Differentiators of Virtual Word of MouthVirtual Word of Mouth

Real consumption experiencesReal consumption experiences

Telling our experiences as we consume thingsTelling our experiences as we consume things

Products, brandsProducts, brands

Service encountersService encounters

EventsEvents

Proxy consumption Proxy consumption

Our reactions to the experiences of othersOur reactions to the experiences of others

Synchronous and asynchronousSynchronous and asynchronous

Virtual Virtual Conspicuous ConsumptionConspicuous Consumption

Sharing a positive experience in real time Sharing a positive experience in real time

ExamplesExamples

Sharing my holiday, my new car, my new house, my new shoes, Sharing my holiday, my new car, my new house, my new shoes, my dinnermy dinner

PurposePurpose

Ostentatious – I can afford this, I am enjoying this, I deserve thisOstentatious – I can afford this, I am enjoying this, I deserve this

Sharing – Isn't this interesting?Sharing – Isn't this interesting?

Managerial implicationsManagerial implications

Provide photo-opprtunities, triggersProvide photo-opprtunities, triggers

Provide infrastructure to share, eg WiFiProvide infrastructure to share, eg WiFi

Engage with users, encourage recognizeEngage with users, encourage recognize

Keep changing formats to encourage further sharingKeep changing formats to encourage further sharing

Virtual Display ApprovalVirtual Display Approval

Sharing something in real time, uncertain liking Sharing something in real time, uncertain liking

ExamplesExamples

Shopping for clothes, shoes. Eating out, eventsShopping for clothes, shoes. Eating out, events

What do we think of this?What do we think of this?

PurposePurpose

Helping to establish liking by reference to community Helping to establish liking by reference to community norms – Is this me?norms – Is this me?


Encourage sharing – infrastructure, check-insEncourage sharing – infrastructure, check-ins

Change formats to encourage sharingChange formats to encourage sharing

Engage with audiences, encourage themEngage with audiences, encourage them

Virtual admonitionVirtual admonition

Sharing an experience that is going wrong Sharing an experience that is going wrong

ExamplesExamples

Complaining on provider's Facebook / Twitter Complaining on provider's Facebook / Twitter pagespages

PurposePurpose

Get this sorted out!Get this sorted out!

Warning community membersWarning community members


Monitor traffic, engage with issuesMonitor traffic, engage with issues

Defuse the crisis, convert criticsDefuse the crisis, convert critics

Move vocal critics to private channelsMove vocal critics to private channels

Virtual self-descriptionVirtual self-description

Sharing a positive experience from the pastSharing a positive experience from the past

Often reacting to another community member Often reacting to another community member

ExamplesExamples

Recommending places to eat, musicRecommending places to eat, music

PurposePurpose

Ostentation – as per conspicuous consumptionOstentation – as per conspicuous consumption

Sharing knowledge, helping peopleSharing knowledge, helping people


Monitor conversations, react and respondMonitor conversations, react and respond

Engage with audiences, encourage themEngage with audiences, encourage them

Virtual catharsisVirtual catharsis

Complaining about something from the past Complaining about something from the past

ExamplesExamples

Posting negative experiences to FB and TwitterPosting negative experiences to FB and Twitter

PurposePurpose

Getting even with poor providers, humiliating themGetting even with poor providers, humiliating them

Warning others in the communityWarning others in the community


Engage with the complaints, learn from feedbackEngage with the complaints, learn from feedback

Move complainant to private channelsMove complainant to private channels

Virtual Virtual Vicarious ConsumptionVicarious Consumption

Expressing a liking for something outside one's Expressing a liking for something outside one's immediate experience, but potential future immediate experience, but potential future consumptionconsumption

Often triggered by another community memberOften triggered by another community member

ExamplesExamples

'liking' somebody's holiday postings'liking' somebody's holiday postings

PurposePurpose

Reinforcing social bonds, reciprocatingReinforcing social bonds, reciprocating


Feedback, engage with audiencesFeedback, engage with audiences

VirtualVirtualAspirational ConsumptionAspirational Consumption

Expressing a liking for something that one is Expressing a liking for something that one is unlikely to be able to enjoy unlikely to be able to enjoy

ExamplesExamples

'liking' luxury goods, exotic destinations'liking' luxury goods, exotic destinations

PurposePurpose

Personal branding – If I had the money then...Personal branding – If I had the money then...


Establish brand personalityEstablish brand personality

Exploit merchandising and other opportunitiesExploit merchandising and other opportunities

VirtualVirtualAttitude FormationAttitude Formation

Reacting negatively to something one has no direct Reacting negatively to something one has no direct experience ofexperience of

Often triggered by other community members Often triggered by other community members

ExamplesExamples

Emotional responses, eg to luxury goodsEmotional responses, eg to luxury goods

PurposePurpose

Personal self-branding – this is who I am, what I Personal self-branding – this is who I am, what I believebelieve


Monitor brand personality, market segmentationMonitor brand personality, market segmentation

SummarySummary

The balance of power has switchedThe balance of power has switched

From companies, organisations, brand ownersFrom companies, organisations, brand owners

To connected individuals and communitiesTo connected individuals and communities

Audiences, performers, producers – the Audiences, performers, producers – the boundaries are blurringboundaries are blurring

Content gives audiences new ways of telling Content gives audiences new ways of telling storiesstories

Brand owners must learn from theseBrand owners must learn from these

Organisations must respond to theseOrganisations must respond to these

the virtual engagement typology

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