Measuring Influence in Social Media and the Future of Marketing Communications

January 16, 2008
Author: Timo Paloheimo
Category: Future, Theory

Jonny Bentwood has witten a white paper that outlines views from several prominent individuals on the topic of measuring online influence. It’s called “Distributed influence: quantifying the impact of social media“.

Some interesting ideas presented in the paper:

Popularity is a meaningless measure when talking about influence in social media.

Today, it’s not the people with the money who are in control, it’s people with the content.

But the most interesting thing is in the conclusions:

Bentwood placed marketing communications programs in a matrix according to two dimensions: whether the programs are open or closed and if they are designed with communication or collaboration in mind. These axes divides marketing communication programmes into four quadrants:

1) Controlled Communication:
One-way tactics such as TV advertising, online advertising and
media relations that are great for branding and visibility, but
are seldom collaborative
2) Open Communication
Online initiatives, such as viral videos, that are designed to
generate discussion, but not necessarily produce a shared
outcome
3) Controlled Collaboration
Programmes that facilitate participation but are more
controlled, for example numerous efforts to solicit consumer
generated ads
4) Conversational Collaboration
Win-win initiatives that open a dialogue toward reaching a
broader goal

This matrix helps marketers and agencies to think about marketing communications in a new way as the emphasis shifts from communication to collaboration.

Download the white paper.

Tags: collaboration, corversation, Future, marketing communications, social media, white paper