The Facebook Effect Review

Since Facebook was first introduced to the world on Harvard University’s campus, it was quite clear that it would be an important and highly influential company. Throughout his book, The Facebook Effect, David Kirkpatrick worked to outline and explain just how Facebook grew so quickly and why it was able to reach the level it is at today. In his book, which was published in 2010, Kirkpatrick went into significant background detail as he explained Facebook’s history- from Mark Zuckerberg’s Harvard dorm room to Facebook’s world headquarters. Ultimately, David Kirkpatrick’s The Facebook Effect is a great chronology of the development and history of Facebook and gives its readers particular insight into this fascinating subject.

Firstly, Kirkpatrick’s book is quite straightforward and can be read and understood by almost anyone. He utilized a chronological approach in order to explain just how Facebook got to the point at which it is today. He began the book by providing background on Facebook’s founder, Mark Zuckerberg, and some of the other projects he did prior to Facebook. Alongside this, Kirkpatrick introduced important individuals as their contributions to Facebook’s history became relevant. Next, Kirkpatrick explained how Facebook was able to systematically grow and spread from different college campuses, and ultimately other demographics. Ultimately, Kirkpatrick ended The Facebook Effect by discussing possibilities for its future, and ended the book with, “Zuckerberg cares deeply about Facebook’s potential to serve as a bridge between people. He will work to turn it even more into a town square for the global village….Maintaining the enthusiasm of hundreds of millions of people who joined originally to communicate with their friends will remain his ongoing challenge” (Kirkpatrick 333).

Kirkpatrick does not necessarily have a main argument in The Facebook Effect. Instead, he used his work to allow people to understand just how Facebook grew, and why it grew so rapidly. In order to successfully outline and explain Facebook’s history, Kirkpatrick did a significant amount of research. Throughout The Facebook Effect, it is quite obvious that Kirkpatrick did extensive research for the book. Kirkpatrick utilized several important documents and accounts throughout the book in order to piece together key events and developments. These accounts also included direct and in person interviews with key Facebook figures, including Zuckerberg himself. The firsthand accounts and descriptions undoubtedly played an essential role in allowing Kirkpatrick to write an accurate and fair book.

Alongside this, while Kirkpatrick worked to explain Facebook’s history, he also worked to illustrate its effect- hence the book’s title. Throughout The Facebook Effect, Kirkpatrick demonstrated exactly how Facebook was able to have such a great effect on the population with its amazing communication techniques and opportunities. For instance, once Facebook allowed its users to post photos and tag friends in them, Kirkpatrick explained, “Facebook executives were seeing the Facebook Effect in action themselves for the first time. Zuckerberg was beginning to talk about what he would come to label the ‘social graph,’ meaning the web of relationships articulated inside Facebook as the result of users connecting with their friends” (Kirkpatrick 157). Ultimately, Kirkpatrick demonstrated exactly how Facebook was able to have such a great impact of social networking and consequently connecting people so well.

While Kirkpatrick’s book is extremely well researched and laid out, there are certain aspects of it that are questionable. Due to the fact that Kirkpatrick was able to interview many key people at Facebook for this book, he obviously had a lot of contact with them- especially Zuckerberg. While this is the case, Kirkpatrick definitely takes a more so protective tone when he wrote about some of Zuckerberg’s questionable actions and attitudes. In many other pieces about Facebook, including the recent film, The Social Network, Zuckerberg is typically shown in a much less flattering light. However, while Kirkpatrick did admit to and discussed these negative qualities Zuckerberg has become known for, he tended to then defend or protect him against them. While Kirkpatrick certainly used a tone that he believed was most relevant and necessary, his approach to Zuckerberg is very different than other works, which is quite interesting and may cause some questions.

Finally, while Kirkpatrick’s book was really interesting and well written, it is slightly outdated now. The Facebook Effect was published in 2010, and quite a bit has happened at Facebook since then. Due to this, it would be really interesting if Kirkpatrick updated this book and also made further predictions for the future of Facebook now that it is a public company and has grown even more since 2010.

In the end, David Kirkpatrick’s The Facebook Effect is an extremely interesting and engaging book. Kirkpatrick was able to outline and explain the history of Facebook very well. Alongside this, Kirkpatrick was able to successfully explain just how Facebook was able to have such significant effects in the short time it has been around. Ultimately, while The Facebook Effect may be slightly outdated, it is still a very informative and interesting book that allows people to get a great deal of insight into one of the world’s most fascinating companies.

How the Simplicity of Netflix is Important

As someone who is on a computer quite a bit throughout the day, I certainly visit a lot of different websites. As I go to each of these different sites, I notice how they each have certain unique qualities and set ups that help guide their visitors. From my experience, I have typically had good experiences with different websites. One site, which I visit pretty often, that is a definite standout for me is Netflix’s website.

For me personally, it amazes me just how simple Netflix’s website is to navigate. Although this website actually uses detailed algorithms and data to suggest appropriate material for its visitors, the website itself is very easy.

For instance, the layout of it is very simple to navigate. Starting at the top of the page, the site lays out what it believes the visitor will want to watch the most. As you make your way down the page, you are able to scroll through a variety of different suggestions and only have to click on the picture shown to view the material. I do not think it can get much simpler than that.

I personally believe this is a huge reason why Netflix is so popular. Due to the fact that almost anyone can easily navigate the website and select a film or television show, Netflix is able to captivate almost any demographic. 

Ultimately, Netflix has certainly mastered giving its visitors two of the most important things for customers: simplicity and exactly what they want. I personally find it really interesting that Netflix is able to suggest appropriate films and television shows for its visitors while also keeping its website simple. This subsequently makes it a really strong website and one that can accommodate almost anyone.

Pete Dannenfelser’s Two Questions

In the beginning of our previous class, Pete Dannenfelser came to speak with us about his experiences and expertise in the digital marketing field. After he finished, he left us with the following two questions: what roles does digital marketing influence your purchase, and which social media platforms will be gone next year, why?

Both of these questions are quite interesting and made me really think. In regards to the first one, the world of digital marketing and advertising plays a relatively big role in my purchasing decisions. As a college student, I am constantly online, both on social media websites and other sites; therefore, when I see an advertisement, it is typically online.

More often than not, when I see an interesting advertisement online, I want to learn more about the product, especially if I already had some interest in it. Whether the ad is on YouTube, Facebook, or some other site, I am oftentimes influenced to at least learn more about the product if it is able to resonate with me or a particular need I want met.

Next, I am not too sure which social media platforms will be gone next year. I think this is pretty difficult to definitively say since these platforms are constantly changing. For instance, Facebook has changed twice already since the beginning of this year, with different formatting and also acquiring other companies like WhatsApp http://money.cnn.com/2014/02/19/technology/social/facebook-whatsapp/.

Despite this, if I had to choose a platform to be gone next year, I would have to say Foursquare https://foursquare.com/. This social media platform seemed to never really gain much popularity, and was seriously damaged when Facebook allowed its users to “check in” wherever they were too. Although Foursquare is essentially dead already, I have a lot of trouble definitely saying that it will be gone next year since it certainly has the potential to gain some more popularity. If it were to reassess some of its business model and platform, and change some of the things it offers its users, I think it could gain enough popularity to at least still be around in a year.

Ultimately, digital marketing is certainly an ever-growing platform in today’s society. I personally am greatly influenced and affected by digital marketing due to the fact that I rarely see other advertisements. Alongside this, I find it difficult to say for sure which, if any, social media platform will not be around anymore next year due to the fact that they are all constantly changing and trying to evolve with their users. Therefore, I think each of these platforms have the potential to still be around next year, despite some of their current standings.

10 Rules for Businesses to Now Follow

In the book that we read for class, The Cluetrain Manifesto, 95 theses are listed in regards to social media and digital marketing. Ten that stood out to me, and can be converted into actual rules for companies to follow are:

1. The Internet is enabling conversations among human beings that were simple not possible in the era of mass media.
2. Markets are conversations
3. Already, companies that speak in the language of the pitch, the dog-and-pony show, are no longer speaking to anyone.
4. You want us to pay? We want you to pay attention
5. We are waking up and linking to each other. We are watching. But we are not waiting
6. Markets consist of human beings, not demographic sectors
7. You’re too busy “doing business” to answer our e-mail? Oh gosh, sorry, gee, we’ll come back later. Maybe.
8. We want you to take 50 million of us as seriously as you take one reporter from The Wall Street Journal
9. Don’t worry, you can still make money. That is, as long as it’s not the only thing on your mind.
10. We are immune to advertising. Just forget it.

After reading these theses, they can be converted into rules for businesses to follow when it comes to social and digital marketing. These rules are:

1. Businesses must make sure that conversations that are happening between people around the world are appropriate.
2. Businesses need to recognize that markets are now full of two-way communication.
3. If a company fails to engage with and listen to its customers, it will not succeed.
4. Companies have to be willing to listen to their customers if they want them to return.
5. Businesses need to realize that the world is connected and communicates, and it will not wait for companies that catch up too late.
6. Companies need to understand that customers want to be talked to as humans, not demographics.
7. If a company is not willing to listen to a customer, a customer is not willing to give them business.
8. Customers need to be attended to and shown that they are cared about.
9. Companies must recognize that there are other very important things that need to be attended to than just making money.
10. Businesses need to understand that customers are too smart for traditional advertising.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Cluetrain-Manifesto-Anniversary-Edition/dp/0465024092

Samsung and the Rules of Engagement

The other day in class, we discussed the Rules of Engagement that apply to companies who use social media marketing. Our textbook outlines nine of the rules. They are:

• Use social media channels as intended
• Don’t be a dirty spammer
• Assume people don’t care about the product
• Have a personality
• Provide context when seeking connections
• Be transparent
• Talk about the topic
• Social media profiles are not billboards
• Be nice

While many companies are able to successfully follow these rules a lot of the time, some seem to fail. One company that has failed to follow these rules is Samsung. Recently, Samsung made an advertisement in which its latest phone took the Ice Bucket Challenge 

. This advertisement was met with a great deal of backlash and negative feedback due to the fact that it violated a number of these rules.

Among the rules that this advertisement violated is “talk about the topic.” In my opinion, Samsung did not follow this rule at all. The company simply interjected itself into a “conversation” that it was not a part of. The Ice Bucket Challenge was designed as a fundraising effort- not a marketing one. Therefore, once Samsung just decided to challenge itself to the Ice Bucket Challenge and make it a marketing tool, it completely went against this rule for marketing.

Next, Samsung also violated “don’t be a dirty spammer.” I say this because, since Samsung just put itself into the Ice Bucket Challenge, it essentially spammed people with its advertisement. Alongside this, as Eric Mack from Forbes explained, Samsung also “trolled” http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericmack/2014/08/22/samsung-uses-ice-bucket-challenge-to-troll-apple-htc-nokia/ consumers and competitors. Ultimately, this commercial was entirely random and inappropriate, and only took up space on individuals’ pages.

From a business perspective, this has probably meant a number of things for Samsung. Quite possibly the biggest effect is that Samsung may have received some negative press; however, this commercial may have actually helped its business. Although this advertisement was made in poor taste and was quite inappropriate, it actually demonstrated a unique quality of its product. By dumping ice water on the cell phone, Samsung was able to show how the phone is waterproof and also spotlight some issues with iPhones.

Ultimately, the Samsung Ice Bucket Challenge undoubtedly violated a number of the Rules of Engagement that are outlined in our textbook. While this is the case though, this advertisement may have actually helped Samsung’s business in the end. This just goes to show that sometimes companies need to violate some rules in order to gain significant attention and spotlight for their products.