The Future of the Social Web

Description

Prior to leaving Forrester to join Altimeter Group, Jeremiah Owyang, along with Josh Bernoff, Cynthia N. Pflaum, and Emily Bowen, published a report that attempted to bring the future of the Social Web into focus. If we viewed the content of his research as a social object, the conversations that would transpire could in fact expedite the development and implementation of the most valuable predictions and observations contained within.The first part of the report observes the state of the Social Web and summarizes its direction:Today’s social experience is disjointed because consumers have separate identities in each social network they visit. A simple set of technologies that enable a portable identity will soon empower consumers to bring their identities with them — transforming marketing, eCommerce, CRM, and advertising. IDs are just the beginning of this transformation, in which the Web will evolve step by step from separate social sites into a shared social experience. Consumers will rely on their peers as they make online decisions, whether or not brands choose to participate. Socially connected consumers will strengthen communities and shift power away from brands and CRM systems; eventually this will result in empowered communities defining the next generation of products.In the report, Forrester documents the evolution and direction of the Social Web in several distinct stages:1. The era of social relations – Starting with AOL and others in the mid-1990s, this era witnessed the connection of people through simple profiles and friending features that served as the foundation for online conversations through connections.2. The era of social functionality – Evolving from friending to platforms that supported social interaction through ...

Original URL

http://www.socialmediatoday.com/SMC/138686?utm_source=smt_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter

http://www.socialmediatoday.com/SMC/138686?utm_source=smt_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter