Website or Experience?

“Social networks aren’t about Web sites. They’re about experiences.”

Mike DiLorenzo

I agree with Mike DiLorenzo’s comments regarding Social Networks being about the experience rather than the actual website.

From where I sit, the users of Social Networks – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc – aren’t using these networks en masse because the websites are interesting or flashy or even very engaging. These websites are merely the vehicle to the Social Media experience. I log onto Facebook at least once a day not to surf the website, but to experience and be witness to the posts of my friends via the website. The site allows me to experience a little slice of their day - to catch a glimpse of my brother’s trip to Berlin, to experience the anticipation of my old high school friend who is running in the Toronto Waterfront Marathon, and so forth. It’s like a quick phone call to say hello – and that’s what keeps me coming back for more. “What’s everyone up to today” I subconsciously think as I log on each morning. That is a rewarding experience. Mind you, there are days where I scroll through Facebook and think, “God my friends are boring! Post something to entertain me!”

Furthermore, the very nature of these Social Networks lend each user a unique experience – my network of connections on Facebook will be different than the next person’s, and therefore each of us will have a unique experience each time we log in. The Social Network websites are not unique for each user – that’s not what keeps us coming back. It’s the experience we get from visiting the site and connecting with our online world that has created millions of users for these networks.

In some ways, I also feel these Social Networks also lend themselves to a new generation of “keeping up with the Jones’” – a whole other type of experience. By scrolling through updates or reading the latest tweet in your network you can’t help but compare the quality of your shared experience. Was your latest tweet or shared photo as creative or original as that of your network of contacts? Do your posts on the Social Network make your life seem exciting, one of a kind or exotic? I admit when my friends are posting photos of their third trip to Europe this year, I can’t help but think about how mundane my latest “Is it Friday yet?” post must be in comparison. A plain old website doesn’t bring about such shallow feelings in me. For example, if I saw a website about fancy exotic vacations, I generally don’t think about how my last vacation stacked up. A website is more anonymous – like Hollywood. It’s so far removed from your reality you know it’s never going to happen. In comparison, when you look at the content of the Social Network, you’re looking at the experiences of your peers, friends and family – people of similar backgrounds and opportunities – a far more realistic experience.

In short, I agree with DiLorenzo – a Social Network website is far more than just the sum of its parts. It’s truly about the experience one has when using these sites.

Citation:

Mindjumpers.com, (July 25, 2012). How to Uncover Negative Feedback on Your Facebook Page. Retrieved on October 14, 2012 from http://www.mindjumpers.com/blog/2012/07/negative-feedback

Monsternetworking.com (June 18, 2012). Twitter is Serious, Are You Serious About Using it? Retrieved on October 14, 2012 from http://www.monsterworking.com/2012/06/18/twitter-is-serious-are-you-sereious-about-using-it