:: Social Networks and Our Need to Belong

As social networks compete for popularity amongst web users looking to do whatever, the question remains…what are users looking to do? Over the past three years we’ve seen MySpace and Facebook try out applications ranging from uploading music, videos, and photos to giving virtual gifts and becoming fans of celebrities…heck, you can even become a fan of a consumer product! So, what’s the point? Are we that bored?

While the draw to social networks for consumers is, at times, ambiguous, the value proposition for advertisers is obvious. Social networks are a gold mine of consumer eyeballs and personal, behavioral, and demographic data. The holy grail of 1-1 marketing based on behavior and direct communication with consumers is easily achieved on these platforms.

Again, I ask, why do we so readily give up our personal information?

I think the answer is rooted in the very nature of our species. We are a social animal. In fact, the need to belong to a group is magnified when others ASK us to belong to their groups. It is viral. Another reason we are drawn to these networks is our desire to recapture our past. Users are lured by the prospect of reconnecting with past friends, flings, and memories. It is low-impact interaction with the past and a way to relive the “good times.” The clear winner, therefore, will be the network that is best able to provide us that access.

Jonathan Lupo VP / Information Architecture - Empathy Lab