Comments on: I’m not a number - or a user - or a visitor http://thewayoftheweb.net/2008/06/im-not-a-number-or-a-user-or-a-visitor/ Social media marketing, digital publishing, PR, communities and engagement Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:17:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: TheWayoftheWeb » Great question about data - does Facebook have more than Government? http://thewayoftheweb.net/2008/06/im-not-a-number-or-a-user-or-a-visitor/#comment-173 TheWayoftheWeb » Great question about data - does Facebook have more than Government? Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:14:51 +0000 http://thewayoftheweb.net/?p=293#comment-173 [...] anything if it really tries, the interesting point is that Facebook has accrued all this data by participants self-submitting it. No census, no artificial rewards, no incentive schemes, and no forcing [...] [...] anything if it really tries, the interesting point is that Facebook has accrued all this data by participants self-submitting it. No census, no artificial rewards, no incentive schemes, and no forcing [...]

]]> By: nickbroom http://thewayoftheweb.net/2008/06/im-not-a-number-or-a-user-or-a-visitor/#comment-171 nickbroom Mon, 30 Jun 2008 23:37:34 +0000 http://thewayoftheweb.net/?p=293#comment-171 Interesting post and one that I sympathise with, having paused a thousand times during proposals, never quite happy with "user" or "visitor". I struggle a bit with participant, though I see the fit. I tend to lean toward "prospect" or "client" when focussed on exactly what the person in my sentence is doing on my proposed site at that point as they are usually there due to some action that another marketing tactic (social or otherwise) has caused. To be a "user" implies some kind of consumption or acquisition has taken place, which is rarely true of service websites. To be a visitor implies a flitting, cursory glance at a site; I think we have to aim to use terms that cover their action (or intended action) at that particular point in the site. It's made me think a little more though, as often sites are trying to create and engage with communities, though we are all individuals and its the engagement with <b>individuals</b> that is our aim, not simply the community as a whole? Interesting post and one that I sympathise with, having paused a thousand times during proposals, never quite happy with “user” or “visitor”. I struggle a bit with participant, though I see the fit. I tend to lean toward “prospect” or “client” when focussed on exactly what the person in my sentence is doing on my proposed site at that point as they are usually there due to some action that another marketing tactic (social or otherwise) has caused. To be a “user” implies some kind of consumption or acquisition has taken place, which is rarely true of service websites. To be a visitor implies a flitting, cursory glance at a site; I think we have to aim to use terms that cover their action (or intended action) at that particular point in the site. It’s made me think a little more though, as often sites are trying to create and engage with communities, though we are all individuals and its the engagement with individuals that is our aim, not simply the community as a whole?

]]> By: Dan Thornton http://thewayoftheweb.net/2008/06/im-not-a-number-or-a-user-or-a-visitor/#comment-170 Dan Thornton Mon, 30 Jun 2008 22:31:28 +0000 http://thewayoftheweb.net/?p=293#comment-170 I agree that members is an aim, although I think a lot of users would participate more, and grow into members, if they weren't presented with a registration barrier early on - for instance, sites which stop you from reading an article unless you've registered. And yes, a lot of times you're aiming for leads - but in some markets, a lead on average makes a purchase every 3 years, or perhaps every 6 months - so other revenue is important, which comes from traditional display advertising at the moment, but also from new ideas about how to create value out of interaction... If you're making a product, then leads work very well. If you're providing a service, such as a portal, it becomes a lot harder, because you're not relying on a good product to make the sale - you're relying on all the stuff around it. I agree that members is an aim, although I think a lot of users would participate more, and grow into members, if they weren’t presented with a registration barrier early on - for instance, sites which stop you from reading an article unless you’ve registered.

And yes, a lot of times you’re aiming for leads - but in some markets, a lead on average makes a purchase every 3 years, or perhaps every 6 months - so other revenue is important, which comes from traditional display advertising at the moment, but also from new ideas about how to create value out of interaction…

If you’re making a product, then leads work very well. If you’re providing a service, such as a portal, it becomes a lot harder, because you’re not relying on a good product to make the sale - you’re relying on all the stuff around it.

]]> By: Chris http://thewayoftheweb.net/2008/06/im-not-a-number-or-a-user-or-a-visitor/#comment-169 Chris Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:38:00 +0000 http://thewayoftheweb.net/?p=293#comment-169 Doesn't it depend on the site and purpose of it? If they are not in some way in the category of "lead" what do you want them for? Just curious. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sales_lead Doesn’t it depend on the site and purpose of it?

If they are not in some way in the category of “lead” what do you want them for? Just curious.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sales_lead

]]> By: Jo http://thewayoftheweb.net/2008/06/im-not-a-number-or-a-user-or-a-visitor/#comment-168 Jo Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:37:02 +0000 http://thewayoftheweb.net/?p=293#comment-168 How about initiators, elaborators and observers corresponding to the 1:9:90 rule. And then cross-tabulate them with real-life categories: waiters, chefs, front office, housekeeping, F&B, etc. Any good? How about initiators, elaborators and observers corresponding to the 1:9:90 rule.

And then cross-tabulate them with real-life categories: waiters, chefs, front office, housekeeping, F&B, etc.

Any good?

]]> By: Michael Clarke http://thewayoftheweb.net/2008/06/im-not-a-number-or-a-user-or-a-visitor/#comment-167 Michael Clarke Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:11:13 +0000 http://thewayoftheweb.net/?p=293#comment-167 What we really want, of course, are members - people who have registered, who engage with our sites/communities -community members specifically, actually. Participants includes a lot of that but sounds ephemeral - perhaps its the first layer of a model of levels of engagement? What we really want, of course, are members - people who have registered, who engage with our sites/communities -community members specifically, actually. Participants includes a lot of that but sounds ephemeral - perhaps its the first layer of a model of levels of engagement?

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