Newsletter #162 Personal Analytics & Why They Matter
Ian Chee in his article "The Instagram Rule of 11" points out that on Instagram once you reach 11 likes, the list of likes shrinks to just a number. The interesting thing is that Instagram users have taken this number as a form of social validation - if they don't make 11 likes on a photo many users will take the photo down!
You see this repeated right across the social media spectrum. 'Muse' in this post talks about his Flickr addiction and how 100 'favs' became his yardstick of success - if a photo achieved less he felt mildly depressed. I'm sure Facebook users out there can easily relate.
What lessons can we find in these 'personal analytics' from a marketing and branding perspective?
- How is your audience motivated? The social examples above show that those motivations may not be the ones you expect. How does your message make them feel better about themselves, their family or their business? It could be a subtle change in emphasis - should we be marketing our Web design services less on the angle of 'staying ahead of the competition' but rather 'appearing more sophisticated than the competition'?
- Is the message you put out there good enough to be shared, either off or online? Does it meet the Instagram Rule of 11 or is it just cluttering everyone's inbox or social media feed?
- How do you want people to react to your brand in a personal way? Are you a business that dehumanises prospects and existing customers when you market by the numbers and buy Facebook Likes? Jon Loomer refers to them as the “beautiful, amazing men and women who are passionate about a topic to which I can contribute. They like and dislike things. They have problems. They have emotions. They have limited patience.”
All connections are personal, we shouldn't forget that.
Best wishes
Alex Garden