05.23.07

When online meets offline

Categories: Industry Take

Recently I thought about what can make a successful community site. So far it seems that any successful social software explicitly or implicitly imitates offline behavior of its users. In short, people like to do what they always do without the need to learn something revolutionary new or adopting unrelated new action patterns.

When you muddle through Wal-Mart signs, you hope to catch a glimpse of what you need instead of getting down to the product placement system. It’s funny how much time you can spend on that. Finally you ask an assistant to tell you exactly where your cornflakes pack hides. The same approach you use when you navigate sites. No will to understand the 4 level menu hierarchy, no time to read everything through, you just shoot everywhere until you find whatever seems to resemble what you originally need.

Extreme cases of such behavior are not-so-savvy Internet users. Frankly saying your business hunts exactly for them. Smart sites know that and adjust accordingly. Of course, this applies to every aspect of user experience, including how your features work to help you interact with other people. Maybe later Internet is going to change human behavior dramatically, so far using offline-dominating trends gives great benefits.

Blogging example

Why is blogging a phenomenon as a widespread and successful communication/self-expression tool? Blogging is basically a good way to let people know that you’re still kicking. On the other hand, reading blogs is finding out how the person has been since the last time you interfered. Recent posts on various topics are the answer to your “what’s up?” question that you face your friend with after a couple of days.

People say a lot of things - their own thoughts, thoughts on others’ thoughts, their take on events, well-known things, plain had-breakfast-with-jeff-and-jenny talkings are also an important part of everyone’s life. Other people listen to it, express their own opinions, comment and argue. In fact, if you are listened by other people, it encourages you to talking further, refining your thoughts. If you are an authority on some questions, people listen to what you say and quote you later to other people. In fact, gaining some respect and authority makes you addicted to gain even more. Up to the point when you can make money out of thinking, talking, and writing. Now, recognize all this in blogging.

While forums do not really belong to anyone of the participants, blogs are `homes` for authors and they are taken appropriate care in terms of design and content.

Social networking sites

Imagine, you are in your teen age and got a cool new friend. What do you do? You talk the hell out about yourself. You introduce her to your best friends; you take her home to show what your bedroom is like; show all your photos, childhood and prom videos; play all your favorite CDs; get her know all your weird hobbies. And you want the same shower of information in return.

It’s good that MySpace offers something more than that, like viral marketing and promotion opportunities, its primary use is still showing off, self-expression and what’s-up communication. There are a lot of social networking sites nowadays, of different sizes, features and level of user-friendliness. I believe those of them adopting better offline life imitations will eventually win users. Thus MySpace stole Friendster traffic for just loading pages faster and implementing on-demand features.

So, how do modern community sites reflect our offline life? Your take?
And the corresponding question: How can the most obvious offline life people habits and patterns of behavior be reflected on the Web to create successful startups?

Posted by Emil Sarnogoev · Permalink