The perils The perils of of popularity popularity (or how to create (or how to create hits)hits)

Rashmi Sinhawww.slideshare.net

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5 5 observationsobservations about today’s about today’s

web web 3 3 modelsmodels of popularityof popularity

10 10 principlesprinciples for designfor design

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5 5 observationsobservations

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1. 1. Second Second generationgeneration social networks social networks

Sharing in large networks, versus own siteHuman crawlersUrban sociality

Sharing in large networks, versus own siteHuman crawlersUrban sociality

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How it works•People connect to each other•Six degrees of separation•“Are you my friend” awkwardness

First generation Social Networks(Friendster, LinkedIn…)

1) I am linked to ->

-> to you

--->You are linked to her ->

-> to her…

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HiHiI found you while I was I found you while I was searching my network at searching my network at LinkedIn. Let's connect LinkedIn. Let's connect directly, so we can help each directly, so we can help each other with referrals. If we other with referrals. If we connect, both of our networks connect, both of our networks will grow…will grow…

X

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Object mediated Object mediated social networkssocial networks

“… sociality along lines that include objects in the concept of social relations.” Katrin-Knorr Cetina

“… sociality along lines that include objects in the concept of social relations.” Katrin-Knorr Cetina

Coffee

Tomatoes

1) I share my pics ->

-> with you --->

-->You share your pics ->

---> with him

How it works•People share objects | watch others•Connections through objects•Social info streams: emergence of popular, interesting items

Model a: Watercooler conversations (around objects e.g., Flickr, Yahoo answers)

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How it works•Individual to individual to individual•Popularity based navigation track “viral” items

Model b: Viral sharing (passing on interesting stuff, e.g., YouTube videos)

1) I send video I like -> -> to you. You pass on -->

--> to her, who sends on

to her, who passes on…

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1) I tag my bookmarks

-> you see my tags

-->You share your tags ->

How it works•Saving & tagging your stuff (creating bookmarks).•Tags mediate social connections•Formation of social/conceptual information streams. Emergence of popular, interesting items

Model c: Tag-based social sharing (linked by concepts. e.g., del.icio.us)

politicslebanon

Global voices

politics

technologyGlobal voices

webJAVA

CNN networksblogs

science

science

science

brain

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1) I find interesting story

-> you rate story

-->Others rate stories

How it works•Finding and rating stories•Popular stories rise to top

Model d: Social news creation (rating news stories, e.g., digg, Newsvine)

5

4

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Urban socialityUrban socialityCrowds in MMORPGSAlone together Passive presence of othersPlaying for the audience, but not interacting(Ducheneaut et al. CHI 2006)

Social facilitation passive presence can influenceObserved in cockroaches!(Zajonc, 1960)

Crowds in MMORPGSAlone together Passive presence of othersPlaying for the audience, but not interacting(Ducheneaut et al. CHI 2006)

Social facilitation passive presence can influenceObserved in cockroaches!(Zajonc, 1960)

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2. Sharing is 2. Sharing is relevant to relevant to searchsearch

Conversations around objects: community meets catalog

Conversations around objects: community meets catalog

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Popularity Popularity is popular is popular

on sharing siteson sharing sites

No multi-level menus!Navigation = Top100 lists, tag clouds

No multi-level menus!Navigation = Top100 lists, tag clouds

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Did Paul Ford speak too soon?Did Paul Ford speak too soon?

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The sharing imperative

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is starting to influence search

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SharingSharing compared to compared to searchsearch

shared by creatorsmaller reachhigher qualitycentralized repositoriesrelatively homogenoussocial activity inside indicates relevancy, popularity

shared by creatorsmaller reachhigher qualitycentralized repositoriesrelatively homogenoussocial activity inside indicates relevancy, popularity

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3. 3. conformity conformity effectseffects in social decisions in social decisions

sequential decisionseven 3 is enough

sequential decisionseven 3 is enough

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Information Influence

Normative Influence

Interpersonal Influence

How Influence WorksHow Influence Works

The individual

Compliance

Conversion (private acceptance)

Independence

Counterconformity

SocialInfluence

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Social influenceSocial influence in in web-based systemsweb-based systems

Cognitive Diversity

IndependenceDecentralizationEasy Aggregation

Cognitive Diversity

IndependenceDecentralizationEasy Aggregation

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3. 3. rich get richer rich get richer effects effects at network levelat network level

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Duncan Watts Duncan Watts experimentsexperiments

Two worldsIndividual

Social Influence – 8 separate worldsTheory of cumulative advantage

Two worldsIndividual

Social Influence – 8 separate worldsTheory of cumulative advantage

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4.4. Era of hits Era of hits is not over is not over

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Long tailLong tail hypothesishypothesis

democratized production > more inventorydemocratized distribution > more consumption lowered search costs > reach niches

democratized production > more inventorydemocratized distribution > more consumption lowered search costs > reach niches

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N Sync N Sync vs.vs. lonely girllonely girl

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System designer System designer as as studio bossstudio boss

People want a shared realityMechanisms emerge to create trends

People want a shared realityMechanisms emerge to create trends

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Creating trendsCreating trendsEverything starts as equalPeople can connect locally

Highlight alternative viewpointsSystem should be flexible

Everything starts as equalPeople can connect locally

Highlight alternative viewpointsSystem should be flexible

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33 models of models of

socialitysocialityGoogleDiggYouTube

GoogleDiggYouTube

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Google -Google - Blind sociality Blind socialityless social engagementsequential conformity reduced

less social engagementsequential conformity reduced

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No way to navigate social network

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Digg as a laser Digg as a laser beambeam

Focused in timeon tech topicsyoung male users

Focused in timeon tech topicsyoung male users

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encouragesencourages mobsmobsQuick, engaging, transparent metric

Sequential decisions

Quick, engaging, transparent metricSequential decisions

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Youtube - Youtube -

promiscuouspromiscuous

popularitypopularityMany metricsDifferent strokes for different folks

Many metricsDifferent strokes for different folks

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Popularity onPopularity on SlideShareSlideShare

Metric GoalFavorite & tag Remember stuff, tell someone

you like their stuff

Comment Interact with others

View Watch it

Embed Share on your blog

Download Keep it on your desktop

Email Share with your friends

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Most viewedMost viewedshown on front page

content it surfaces

shown on front pagecontent it surfaces

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Most Most favorited & favorited & taggedtagged

balance individual and socialreflect back tags in social streammain social gesture

balance individual and socialreflect back tags in social streammain social gesture

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10 10 principles to principles to design for sharingdesign for sharing

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Forget the ipod!Forget the ipod!

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Give up controlGive up controlThis is messy!This is messy!

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1. Make system1. Make system

personally usefulpersonally usefulmemorable personal snippets (e.g., Del.icio.us & Flickr)Self-expression (e.g., Newsvine)Social status: Digg

Don’t count on altruismthrive on people’s selfishness

memorable personal snippets (e.g., Del.icio.us & Flickr)Self-expression (e.g., Newsvine)Social status: Digg

Don’t count on altruismthrive on people’s selfishness

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2. Symbiotic relationship between2. Symbiotic relationship between

personal & personal & socialsocial

Small individual contributionscan be collected and mashed-upSimple, guessable URLs for everything

Personal snippets > Social streamPictures > by EventsMusic > by Playlists

Small individual contributionscan be collected and mashed-upSimple, guessable URLs for everything

Personal snippets > Social streamPictures > by EventsMusic > by Playlists

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3. Porous boundary 3. Porous boundary between public & privatebetween public & private

Personal desktop software vs. social websites

People will share for the right returnsdefaults to public, can change to private

user has control individual pieces & sets

Personal desktop software vs. social websites

People will share for the right returnsdefaults to public, can change to private

user has control individual pieces & sets

Privacy settings on Flickr

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4.4. levels of levels of participationparticipation

Everyone does not need to create!Implicit creation (creating by consuming)Remixing—adding value to others’ content

Everyone does not need to create!Implicit creation (creating by consuming)Remixing—adding value to others’ content

Source: Bradley Horowitz’s weblog, Elatable, Feb. 17, 2006, “Creators, Synthesizers, and Consumers”

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5. Let people feel5. Let people feel presence of presence of othersothers

Sense that others are out therewhat paths are wornreal time updating

Sense that others are out therewhat paths are wornreal time updating

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6. and yet,6. and yet, moments of moments of Independence…Independence…

Choreography: when alone, when part of group

prevent mobsnot too easy to mimic othersincentives for originalityallow for alternative viewpoints

Choreography: when alone, when part of group

prevent mobsnot too easy to mimic othersincentives for originalityallow for alternative viewpoints

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7. Add in7. Add in serendipity serendipity navigation not just about popularityaccess to some popular stuff (keep this fast moving)make “long tail” accessiblepopularity as a jump off point to other ways of exploringpersonalization & recommendationsad-hoc groups?

navigation not just about popularityaccess to some popular stuff (keep this fast moving)make “long tail” accessiblepopularity as a jump off point to other ways of exploringpersonalization & recommendationsad-hoc groups?

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8. Complete 8. Complete circle of circle of sharingsharing

I share

You use it

??

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9. Add in a9. Add in a dash of dash of expertsexperts

contest on SlideShare: both judges & popular votes

contest on SlideShare: both judges & popular votes

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10. Most of all,10. Most of all, allow for allow for playplay

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Finally Finally your slides athttp://www.slideshare.net/tag/yrb

find me at http://www.slideshare.net/rashmi