Defining influence isn’t an either-or proposition. And I’m tired of it being framed that way. It’s subjective, and it’s fluid, and it requires CONTEXT and BALANCE related to what you’re trying to influence and why.
The Numbers Hounds
These are the folks that will tell you that influence is about eyeballs. They subscribe to the notion that influence is a direct result of total reach in terms of absolute quantity. Numbers Hounds focus on things like number of blog subscribers, number of Twitter followers, Diggs, website hits, or what have you. For them, it’s all a numbers game. The bigger the number, the higher the likelihood that you’ll be able to move the needle on a conversation or get the right someone to listen to what you’re trying to say.
The Community Purists
These folks eschew any notion that quality and quantity have anything to do with one another. They’re of the mind that it’s not the number of eyeballs you capture, but their notion of the quality of said spectators (or participants). For them, you cannot put stock in numbers at all, but rather it’s the idea that small voices carry weight if what they have to say is valuable enough. Community prevails, and the quietest voice can still have a large impact. Numbers don’t matter.
The Reality
When it comes to business, neither of the above works entirely. The first is about casting the net wide and hoping desperately that someone will stop long enough to listen, the second is unrealistically thinking that you have the scale and capacity to do big things with forever tiny numbers.
The fatal flaw in either scenario is that influence is in the eye of the beholder. If I’m interacting with a company, their influence and the weight of their brand in my eyes is the result of several factors.
If they have big reach, they’d better have something important and valuable enough to say to me *personally* that I don’t feel like just another sheep in the flock. I need to feel like the company invested enough thought to talk to their big numbers in a way that engenders trust, even if that means creating more than one message. So in this scenario, quantity matters but only when quality follows.
If they don’t have big reach but they have something big to say, that message better be portable and personal enough (and backed by my trust for that brand) for me to have a vested interest in carrying it forward. In which case, the quality matters but eventually that quality will be directly responsible for growing a large following, and the eventual quantity doesn’t negate the value of the information in the first place.
If I’m either of those businesses, I’d better be considering WHY exactly I care about influencing anyone, what I expect to do with that influence if and when I earn it, and how it furthers my business goals.
You’re never going to have a solitary definition of “influence” because what moves the needle for me or my customers is NOT the same as what moves you or yours. And you’ll find failure on each end of the spectrum and everywhere in between.
The only constant in influence is trust. It doesn’t matter how big or small the numbers are or how “pure” the community is. It’s about context and balance, and anyone who says otherwise is digging their heels in the sand and being obstinate to make a point rather than evaluating each situation on its own.
So now that I’ve had my say, tell me what constitutes influence for you? Do you automatically laud the quality of a contribution if it’s backed by big numbers? Do you do the opposite and think an indie band is only cool until it goes mainstream? Why does your business care about influence, and how are you building it with balance?
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Thank you for your common sense approach!
Cyndee Woolleys last blog post..cmwooll: Please give a warm Twitter welcome to @russellabudd … Construction guru, Gator and all around good guy!
Thank you for your common sense approach!
Cyndee Woolleys last blog post..cmwooll: Please give a warm Twitter welcome to @russellabudd … Construction guru, Gator and all around good guy!
For me, influence means being able to affect somebody’s life. In my business, I concentrate on giving each client personal attention. I don’t build generic websites, because it’s not a one size fits all situation. If I’ve given my client the exact product they envisioned, than I feel as if I’ve influenced them. If I’ve done my job right, the bigger numbers will come. So I suppose I would say it’s quality first, numbers follow.
Scott Mahlers last blog post..Content Management for Your Business Website
For me, influence means being able to affect somebody’s life. In my business, I concentrate on giving each client personal attention. I don’t build generic websites, because it’s not a one size fits all situation. If I’ve given my client the exact product they envisioned, than I feel as if I’ve influenced them. If I’ve done my job right, the bigger numbers will come. So I suppose I would say it’s quality first, numbers follow.
Scott Mahlers last blog post..Content Management for Your Business Website
@Scott Right. But what I’m hearing a lot lately is that someone having big numbers somehow negates their ability to produce and provide quality. And I don’t agree. Quality eventually begets numbers, and we can’t stop calling someone influential just because they’re popular. I know we sometimes don’t like the idea that popularity and quality can go hand in hand – and there are plenty of examples that prove that they don’t always – but we have to consider BOTH in business, not one or the other.
I’m a community purist but I won’t deny that numbers have some influence. They are just not what is most important, they are not the goal.
I think I am most influenced when I can see someone can be influenced by others, that is they are not a brick wall or a billboard but are open to hearing what other people think, responding to them and, maybe, changing their opinions if they hear a persuasive argument.
Unless a person is open to the possibility of being changed by others (and I’m not saying it is easy!) then it just becomes a matter of who can talk the loudest or claim the most importance and that’s a game I have no interest in playing.
One can say one is authoritative, it is bestowed on someone by others. And, for better or worse, it can be lost as well if people think someone has lost their credibility or authenticity.
There will always be those impressed with degrees, awards, and numbers. But that is just the surface and usually says little about the quality of the person or their work, IMO.
I’m a community purist but I won’t deny that numbers have some influence. They are just not what is most important, they are not the goal.
I think I am most influenced when I can see someone can be influenced by others, that is they are not a brick wall or a billboard but are open to hearing what other people think, responding to them and, maybe, changing their opinions if they hear a persuasive argument.
Unless a person is open to the possibility of being changed by others (and I’m not saying it is easy!) then it just becomes a matter of who can talk the loudest or claim the most importance and that’s a game I have no interest in playing.
One can say one is authoritative, it is bestowed on someone by others. And, for better or worse, it can be lost as well if people think someone has lost their credibility or authenticity.
There will always be those impressed with degrees, awards, and numbers. But that is just the surface and usually says little about the quality of the person or their work, IMO.
Where’s the edit button?! I meant to say, “One CAN’T say one is authoritative”, meaning that authority is recognized in a person by other people either because of their skill, talent, experience, age, quality of their work, or character. I can say I have authority but if it is not acknowledged by others, it is simply a claim without any basis in reality.
This is such an important point. Influence is extremely subjective as things that influence you may not influence me (and maybe not to such a degree one way or the other).
Overall, I think this is tough ground for all. It would be nice to measure influence in some way but at the same time, does measuring influence begin to water it down?
Where’s the edit button?! I meant to say, “One CAN’T say one is authoritative”, meaning that authority is recognized in a person by other people either because of their skill, talent, experience, age, quality of their work, or character. I can say I have authority but if it is not acknowledged by others, it is simply a claim without any basis in reality.
This is such an important point. Influence is extremely subjective as things that influence you may not influence me (and maybe not to such a degree one way or the other).
Overall, I think this is tough ground for all. It would be nice to measure influence in some way but at the same time, does measuring influence begin to water it down?
@Liz You’re absolutely right about that, and I agree that pure numbers should never be the GOAL. I like what you said about influential people being ABLE to be influenced themselves. It shows a level of realism that builds that important word: Trust. And yep: authority is bestowed, not claimed. 🙂
A few days ago, I wrote about one post quintupling my blog visitors: http://www.ariwriter.com/2009/01/how-one-post-quintupled-my-blog-visitors/
My first paragraph encapsulates a lot of what you’re talking about regarding authority and popularity:
“I don’t obsess over metrics. But I enjoy comparing numbers now and then in relation to certain events.”
I didn’t write about a Facebook scam to influence anyone, but to provide value. However, those readers who were victimized and came across my blog post virally marketed it to their friends and my blog became the authority.
Ari Herzogs last blog post..Roundup: 5 of 49 Ways to Share Online
A few days ago, I wrote about one post quintupling my blog visitors: http://www.ariwriter.com/2009/01/how-one-post-quintupled-my-blog-visitors/
My first paragraph encapsulates a lot of what you’re talking about regarding authority and popularity:
“I don’t obsess over metrics. But I enjoy comparing numbers now and then in relation to certain events.”
I didn’t write about a Facebook scam to influence anyone, but to provide value. However, those readers who were victimized and came across my blog post virally marketed it to their friends and my blog became the authority.
Ari Herzogs last blog post..Roundup: 5 of 49 Ways to Share Online
Thanks, Amber, for such a cogent discussion of what I too find an often irksome subject. I absolutely bristle at the ‘numbers are everything’ concept because it turns influence into a popularity contest (“Why do you like this?” “Because everybody else does!”) Most people won’t admit it, but that’s the way we often think. And I think that’s wrong.
Context is everything in my opinion. I want to feel as though a brand is speaking to me rather than forcing me chase its proverbial bandwagon.
And as an aside, the indie band analogy is a spot-on as well. I have no use for people who turn up their noses at a band just because they hits the mainstream. That’s the height of poserism IMO. You gave me what I wanted when nobody else knew you, so why should anything change when more people have discovered what you have to offer?
Anyway, great post! 🙂
AJ in Nashvilles last blog post..Somebody Must Be Tryin’ to Tell Me Something
Thanks, Amber, for such a cogent discussion of what I too find an often irksome subject. I absolutely bristle at the ‘numbers are everything’ concept because it turns influence into a popularity contest (“Why do you like this?” “Because everybody else does!”) Most people won’t admit it, but that’s the way we often think. And I think that’s wrong.
Context is everything in my opinion. I want to feel as though a brand is speaking to me rather than forcing me chase its proverbial bandwagon.
And as an aside, the indie band analogy is a spot-on as well. I have no use for people who turn up their noses at a band just because they hits the mainstream. That’s the height of poserism IMO. You gave me what I wanted when nobody else knew you, so why should anything change when more people have discovered what you have to offer?
Anyway, great post! 🙂
AJ in Nashvilles last blog post..Somebody Must Be Tryin’ to Tell Me Something
As, they say in project management, let’s begin by defining “What does good look like?” And as you point out, there is no uniform answer to that question. My good may not be the same as your, our expectations may differ, and therefore, “influence” is a fluid and subjective notion.
As, they say in project management, let’s begin by defining “What does good look like?” And as you point out, there is no uniform answer to that question. My good may not be the same as your, our expectations may differ, and therefore, “influence” is a fluid and subjective notion.
Ah, the old “It’s not how big it is, it’s what you do with it” syndrome. Something us guys have been happy believing for years… damn you fairer sex! 😉
Like you say, Amber, it’s a quantitive argument. Funnily enough, I was talking about this very point with @BeverlyMacy and @CoachChic last night on Twitter.
I’m a firm believer that it doesn’t matter how many numbers you have, you can still influence many. Of course, the more numbers you do have, the more chance your message is likely to be shared or repeated, which dictates influence and reach.
But (using Twitter as an example), if one person has 10 followers and all 10 re-Tweet something because of its message, isn’t that more influential than someone with 10,000+ followers getting 200 re-Tweets?
It’s a doozy, all right! 😉
Danny Browns last blog post..Conversation Is Good
Ah, the old “It’s not how big it is, it’s what you do with it” syndrome. Something us guys have been happy believing for years… damn you fairer sex! 😉
Like you say, Amber, it’s a quantitive argument. Funnily enough, I was talking about this very point with @BeverlyMacy and @CoachChic last night on Twitter.
I’m a firm believer that it doesn’t matter how many numbers you have, you can still influence many. Of course, the more numbers you do have, the more chance your message is likely to be shared or repeated, which dictates influence and reach.
But (using Twitter as an example), if one person has 10 followers and all 10 re-Tweet something because of its message, isn’t that more influential than someone with 10,000+ followers getting 200 re-Tweets?
It’s a doozy, all right! 😉
Danny Browns last blog post..Conversation Is Good
@Danny that all depends. “more influential” to whom? In what context? Based on a dictionary definition, maybe. But if those 10 retweets out of 10 followers aren’t people I care much for, then no, it’s not influential to ME at all (even if it is to you). It’s not about the ratio. It’s about the relationship I have with the “influencer”. Do I trust them? Do I care what they have to say? And what made me care in the first place?
Great article Amber… I totally agree here:
“The only constant in influence is trust.” What a great quote! I find this holds true for myself… Thank you.
@liamvickerys last blog post..liamvickery: I WILL follow you back, I’m interested in what everyone has to say.. But I DON’T want to get buy-my-ebook SPAM before we’ve even talked. Ta.
Great article Amber… I totally agree here:
“The only constant in influence is trust.” What a great quote! I find this holds true for myself… Thank you.
@liamvickerys last blog post..liamvickery: I WILL follow you back, I’m interested in what everyone has to say.. But I DON’T want to get buy-my-ebook SPAM before we’ve even talked. Ta.
@Amber. I hear you, but the same could be said in reverse for the 10,000+ follower angle. Do I care for their views? Do I have the relationship with that person? Possibly, possibly not.
Though it’s certainly not always the case (and there are some great examples of how to manage large follower numbers) there’s more chance of building solid and trusting relationships with 10 people than there are 10,000.
Many re-Tweets happen purely because of who the person is, from an almost “hero-worship”-like approach. “Oh, so-and-so just said something, let’s re-Tweet”.
I’m not saying that’s wrong per se – but if 10 people trust someone enough to offer such support and pay it forward, then that (to me, anyway) shows more influence.
Danny Browns last blog post..Conversation Is Good
@Amber. I hear you, but the same could be said in reverse for the 10,000+ follower angle. Do I care for their views? Do I have the relationship with that person? Possibly, possibly not.
Though it’s certainly not always the case (and there are some great examples of how to manage large follower numbers) there’s more chance of building solid and trusting relationships with 10 people than there are 10,000.
Many re-Tweets happen purely because of who the person is, from an almost “hero-worship”-like approach. “Oh, so-and-so just said something, let’s re-Tweet”.
I’m not saying that’s wrong per se – but if 10 people trust someone enough to offer such support and pay it forward, then that (to me, anyway) shows more influence.
Danny Browns last blog post..Conversation Is Good
@Danny You’re right, the reverse is true too. Which is why I contend that you can’t “define” influence globally. It’s all dependent upon context and circumstance. You can only point toward things that are likely to have influence in a *given scenario*.
As for the hero worship, that’s a very real issue in the influence discussion. Does creating a flock of sheep constitute true influence? Much depends on how that person GOT to that place to begin with. Did they do it by building upon created value? Or did they pimp for numbers and create a popularity contest? One works, one doesn’t.
Then we could start talking about whether and how an influencer should be judged by the characteristics of those they tend to influence, but I’m not going to open that can of worms…. 😛
@Amber. But you feed those worms so well… 😉
Look forward to that discussion happening – you know it’s coming, Ms. N 🙂
Danny Browns last blog post..Conversation Is Good
@Amber. But you feed those worms so well… 😉
Look forward to that discussion happening – you know it’s coming, Ms. N 🙂
Danny Browns last blog post..Conversation Is Good
I addressed very similar topic in my weekend class with students. There is no such thing as an industry standard. You must define success for you and you only. A combination of your quantitative and qualitative findings addressing personalized objectives is ideal.
Lauren Vargass last blog post..Zany: I resolve not to be resolved
I addressed very similar topic in my weekend class with students. There is no such thing as an industry standard. You must define success for you and you only. A combination of your quantitative and qualitative findings addressing personalized objectives is ideal.
Lauren Vargass last blog post..Zany: I resolve not to be resolved
Once again, you have beautifully articulated the heart of this issue around the context of numbers vs. numbers alone. While I am more closely aligned with the ‘Community Purist,’ I am not unrealistic in thinking that only ten quality members trump 1,000 for achieving results on a grand scale. Or that numbers are important for reaching critical mass.
I also believe that if you offer a quality product or service, and consistently deliver value, you will inevitably attract large numbers. So, numbers are definitely not meaningless on the influence meter, but numbers alone are also not the ultimate indicator.
That’s where context and relevancy come in, and that often overused word ‘quality.’ I’d offer 3 scenarios to demonstrate this:
1. A meat company sends a message to 10,000 vegetarians. Obviously, the message won’t resonate with the group or move the needle at all.
2. A meat company sends a message to 100 carnivores. The audience is pre-disposed to the message and primed to take action but still offers minimal market penetration overall.
3. A meat company sends a message to 10,000 carnivores. Not only is the audience pre-disposed to the message and primed to take action, but they represent a more significant share of voice in the market, and can therefore advance the effort much further into the mainstream.
In scenarios 1 and 2, the smaller sample would still produce greater return. But scenario 3 demonstrates that numbers exponentially increase that return when still part of a quality subset of the population.
As always, it must be reviewed on an individual, case-by-case basis based on product/service type, vertical and other key factors that contribute to message penetration, absorption, adoption and action. And the metrics used to define success should not be solely numbers-based.
But what holds true across the board is that you have the greatest influence — and produce more significant results — when you are reaching a relevant audience. At the end of the day, in large or small quantities, QUALITY MATTERS, and is still the main underpin of success.
Gennefer Snowfields last blog post..Tenets before Traffic: When it Comes to Digital Branding, Focus on the Basics
Once again, you have beautifully articulated the heart of this issue around the context of numbers vs. numbers alone. While I am more closely aligned with the ‘Community Purist,’ I am not unrealistic in thinking that only ten quality members trump 1,000 for achieving results on a grand scale. Or that numbers are important for reaching critical mass.
I also believe that if you offer a quality product or service, and consistently deliver value, you will inevitably attract large numbers. So, numbers are definitely not meaningless on the influence meter, but numbers alone are also not the ultimate indicator.
That’s where context and relevancy come in, and that often overused word ‘quality.’ I’d offer 3 scenarios to demonstrate this:
1. A meat company sends a message to 10,000 vegetarians. Obviously, the message won’t resonate with the group or move the needle at all.
2. A meat company sends a message to 100 carnivores. The audience is pre-disposed to the message and primed to take action but still offers minimal market penetration overall.
3. A meat company sends a message to 10,000 carnivores. Not only is the audience pre-disposed to the message and primed to take action, but they represent a more significant share of voice in the market, and can therefore advance the effort much further into the mainstream.
In scenarios 1 and 2, the smaller sample would still produce greater return. But scenario 3 demonstrates that numbers exponentially increase that return when still part of a quality subset of the population.
As always, it must be reviewed on an individual, case-by-case basis based on product/service type, vertical and other key factors that contribute to message penetration, absorption, adoption and action. And the metrics used to define success should not be solely numbers-based.
But what holds true across the board is that you have the greatest influence — and produce more significant results — when you are reaching a relevant audience. At the end of the day, in large or small quantities, QUALITY MATTERS, and is still the main underpin of success.
Gennefer Snowfields last blog post..Tenets before Traffic: When it Comes to Digital Branding, Focus on the Basics
It seems sad on Twitter when I see someone trying to provoke a person with a high profile or flatter them with a reTweet just to get their name acknowledged in a responding Tweet.
It’s so much better to slowly build up your own community of friends than depend on drawing the attention (for good or ill!) from a person of higher status (at least higher for that moment). And, bottom line, I don’t think it’s very effective. I’ve found that people who start following me for shallow reasons usually unfollow me because they were expecting something different than who I am.
I guess this is a little off-topic from influence but there have recently been some discussions on tips to gain followers which seem aimed to get short term gains in #s instead of creating lasting relationships. People can follow in a second and unfollow with an equal amount of ease.
It reminds me of the inflated housing market…people only think their numbers will rise when these trends can be reversed as when Twitter deleted all of the suspended accounts. Large readerships and high follower counts are flattering but they are an unstable foundation to build a career on.
If we’ve seen anything in the past 10 years, it’s been that people’s attention spans are getting shorter and shorter, news becomes dated after 24 hours, and clients/readers/friends can evaporate when the next thing comes along unless you can offer them something real, authentic, and substantial. Bright & shiny things that get attention are outdated as soon as they become popular.
It seems sad on Twitter when I see someone trying to provoke a person with a high profile or flatter them with a reTweet just to get their name acknowledged in a responding Tweet.
It’s so much better to slowly build up your own community of friends than depend on drawing the attention (for good or ill!) from a person of higher status (at least higher for that moment). And, bottom line, I don’t think it’s very effective. I’ve found that people who start following me for shallow reasons usually unfollow me because they were expecting something different than who I am.
I guess this is a little off-topic from influence but there have recently been some discussions on tips to gain followers which seem aimed to get short term gains in #s instead of creating lasting relationships. People can follow in a second and unfollow with an equal amount of ease.
It reminds me of the inflated housing market…people only think their numbers will rise when these trends can be reversed as when Twitter deleted all of the suspended accounts. Large readerships and high follower counts are flattering but they are an unstable foundation to build a career on.
If we’ve seen anything in the past 10 years, it’s been that people’s attention spans are getting shorter and shorter, news becomes dated after 24 hours, and clients/readers/friends can evaporate when the next thing comes along unless you can offer them something real, authentic, and substantial. Bright & shiny things that get attention are outdated as soon as they become popular.
You’re quite right that influence comes from a base of trust. To influence someone is to change their behaviour and people will only change for you if they trust you and what you say. On a practical note, Tesco in the UK do this very well within their loyalty programme. Every quarter they send money off vouchers – 8 of them will be for things you buy now (building trust through personal recognition) – 2 of them will be for things they want you to try (influence). Works very well for them.
Mark Sages last blog post..The futures bright – the futures open
You’re quite right that influence comes from a base of trust. To influence someone is to change their behaviour and people will only change for you if they trust you and what you say. On a practical note, Tesco in the UK do this very well within their loyalty programme. Every quarter they send money off vouchers – 8 of them will be for things you buy now (building trust through personal recognition) – 2 of them will be for things they want you to try (influence). Works very well for them.
Mark Sages last blog post..The futures bright – the futures open
Thank you for this blog and all you follow ups. I’ve been on twitter for 60 days and this is a continuing discussion. I am very much on the quality side yet what got me to twitter in the first place was Guy’s article “How to use Twitter as a Tool”, where quantity is king and for him promoting his company, I can see it is. I am still evaluating how I would meet a potential client on twitter, however I do understand the building of trust through communication, as that is what I do via email.
Meeting any potential client for me is almost always in person first and facilitated by a personal recommendation. Any comments?
I have to admit my motivation to join Twitter was not to promote my company and obtain clients but to research this incredible phenomena of Social Media, so found this all very helpful @CASUDI
Thank you for this blog and all you follow ups. I’ve been on twitter for 60 days and this is a continuing discussion. I am very much on the quality side yet what got me to twitter in the first place was Guy’s article “How to use Twitter as a Tool”, where quantity is king and for him promoting his company, I can see it is. I am still evaluating how I would meet a potential client on twitter, however I do understand the building of trust through communication, as that is what I do via email.
Meeting any potential client for me is almost always in person first and facilitated by a personal recommendation. Any comments?
I have to admit my motivation to join Twitter was not to promote my company and obtain clients but to research this incredible phenomena of Social Media, so found this all very helpful @CASUDI
Amber, I think your correlation between influence and trust is spot on and also presents the same conundrum. How do you measure trust that others have in you? How do you build infulence or trust?
I think it’s something that you can’t slap together in a business plan or a powerpoint deck- as one of the other commenters pointed out trust, like influence, is something that generates as the result of your actions. It’s the same for companies as it is for individuals.
To me, influence is something that you can’t measure directly but from a distance. It’s the efficiency of the message and how it is delivered. I would say that an entity has more influence if it can deliver its message to 10 people and watch that message reach 10,000 rather than having to deliver the message to 10,000 initially. It means that the people who follow you have influence, which also means that those influential people trust you or your brand enough to stake their reputation on your message. That’s really what influence boils down to for me: that someone trusts what you say enough to repeat it to others with confidence that it is worthwhile.
But it all comes down to building that trust and influence slowly over time. I still think the best way to attract followers (quality followers) on twitter is simple: be honest and be interesting.
Amber, I think your correlation between influence and trust is spot on and also presents the same conundrum. How do you measure trust that others have in you? How do you build infulence or trust?
I think it’s something that you can’t slap together in a business plan or a powerpoint deck- as one of the other commenters pointed out trust, like influence, is something that generates as the result of your actions. It’s the same for companies as it is for individuals.
To me, influence is something that you can’t measure directly but from a distance. It’s the efficiency of the message and how it is delivered. I would say that an entity has more influence if it can deliver its message to 10 people and watch that message reach 10,000 rather than having to deliver the message to 10,000 initially. It means that the people who follow you have influence, which also means that those influential people trust you or your brand enough to stake their reputation on your message. That’s really what influence boils down to for me: that someone trusts what you say enough to repeat it to others with confidence that it is worthwhile.
But it all comes down to building that trust and influence slowly over time. I still think the best way to attract followers (quality followers) on twitter is simple: be honest and be interesting.
Geoff, thanks for yet further clarification. I am beginning to realize I don’t have to change the way I inspire trust and influence people I know or are introduced to in person, now that I have a (not known to me) group of 42 people following me on Twitter. When one comes in cold to Twitter the first thing one thinks is, how does one do it differently, and I’ve spent quite a bit of time trying to figure this out!
@CASUDI
Geoff, thanks for yet further clarification. I am beginning to realize I don’t have to change the way I inspire trust and influence people I know or are introduced to in person, now that I have a (not known to me) group of 42 people following me on Twitter. When one comes in cold to Twitter the first thing one thinks is, how does one do it differently, and I’ve spent quite a bit of time trying to figure this out!
@CASUDI
I’m always amazed when this question comes up, particularly in the context of measurement and evaluation. Most companies come to the table with the notion that they want to reach as many eyeballs as humanly possible, be damned whether or not the message resonated or even reached whatever target audience you were hoping to reach in the first place.
I think you’re general approach here is good in that a frank discussion needs to take place before the project even begins. What are the goals? What is our audience? What medium are we going to be using? All the while measuring your progress along the way. It isn’t enough to just say this is the way we’ve always done it. Or, best practices suggest that we do X, Y and Z.
All of this is made even more true because communication dollars are more finite than they’ve ever been given the economic climate.
Great post!
@chuckhemann
Chucks last blog post..Measuring during an economic downturn
I’m always amazed when this question comes up, particularly in the context of measurement and evaluation. Most companies come to the table with the notion that they want to reach as many eyeballs as humanly possible, be damned whether or not the message resonated or even reached whatever target audience you were hoping to reach in the first place.
I think you’re general approach here is good in that a frank discussion needs to take place before the project even begins. What are the goals? What is our audience? What medium are we going to be using? All the while measuring your progress along the way. It isn’t enough to just say this is the way we’ve always done it. Or, best practices suggest that we do X, Y and Z.
All of this is made even more true because communication dollars are more finite than they’ve ever been given the economic climate.
Great post!
@chuckhemann
Chucks last blog post..Measuring during an economic downturn
The numbers game came from the corporate, and society, mantra of numbers = measurement. In the past this was very true as most people saw math as the only metric available, however, the internet and the growth of individuals and their knowledge has now pushed metrics past the math point and into the context area like you mentioned in the article.
You really hit the nail on the head with this. We are in a time where the old ways of measuring are not enough to truly measure anymore. It is time to grow our measurements just as we have grown our society. Great Job Amber!
The numbers game came from the corporate, and society, mantra of numbers = measurement. In the past this was very true as most people saw math as the only metric available, however, the internet and the growth of individuals and their knowledge has now pushed metrics past the math point and into the context area like you mentioned in the article.
You really hit the nail on the head with this. We are in a time where the old ways of measuring are not enough to truly measure anymore. It is time to grow our measurements just as we have grown our society. Great Job Amber!
I think the focus on influence and numbers is a hangover of the debate over ROI. For years, marketers have relied on obtuse metrics such as “reach” and “frequency” — meaning that the real focus of business (top and bottom line) has been left to others.
While I agree (especially for branding), that numbers are the be-all and end-all, finding a way to tie our work to the metrics-that-matter is what will give us a seat at the boardroom table. All the rest is just tactics in the echo chamber.
Gavin Heatons last blog post..Leave Your Shoes at the Door
I think the focus on influence and numbers is a hangover of the debate over ROI. For years, marketers have relied on obtuse metrics such as “reach” and “frequency” — meaning that the real focus of business (top and bottom line) has been left to others.
While I agree (especially for branding), that numbers are the be-all and end-all, finding a way to tie our work to the metrics-that-matter is what will give us a seat at the boardroom table. All the rest is just tactics in the echo chamber.
Gavin Heatons last blog post..Leave Your Shoes at the Door
Amber: thanks for letting this “fall out of your head”.
To me, the argument between the “numbers hounds” and the “community purists” reflects a divide in society between a modern perspective, which emphasizes skepticism to be proven by the numbers, and post-modernism, which is reflected by a distrust of the numbers and a focus on relationships. And I think the prophecy about Harry Potter applies here: “Neither can live while the other survives.”
If you think about it, influence is really the value of our relationships. The problem lies in how we measure that value. There’s always going to be pressure to put a dollar sign in front of it.
(P.S. Yes, I just made a Harry Potter reference in your comments.)
Caleb Gardners last blog post..The World is Now Your Neighbor
Amber: thanks for letting this “fall out of your head”.
To me, the argument between the “numbers hounds” and the “community purists” reflects a divide in society between a modern perspective, which emphasizes skepticism to be proven by the numbers, and post-modernism, which is reflected by a distrust of the numbers and a focus on relationships. And I think the prophecy about Harry Potter applies here: “Neither can live while the other survives.”
If you think about it, influence is really the value of our relationships. The problem lies in how we measure that value. There’s always going to be pressure to put a dollar sign in front of it.
(P.S. Yes, I just made a Harry Potter reference in your comments.)
Caleb Gardners last blog post..The World is Now Your Neighbor
Thanks for putting this out there. IT is not black and white. It is gray. Influence is when your brand resonates with the customer it can be positive and it can be negative (and being negative could be beneficial as well.) Number of eyeballs does not matter. I do not care that 1MM eyeballs saw an ad or an email, or whatever. What I care about is did they interact, did they share with others and are they talking about it. Now how do I measure that? I know there are ways to but they feel so one dimensional.
Thanks for the discussion. I think I just rambled on.
Thanks for putting this out there. IT is not black and white. It is gray. Influence is when your brand resonates with the customer it can be positive and it can be negative (and being negative could be beneficial as well.) Number of eyeballs does not matter. I do not care that 1MM eyeballs saw an ad or an email, or whatever. What I care about is did they interact, did they share with others and are they talking about it. Now how do I measure that? I know there are ways to but they feel so one dimensional.
Thanks for the discussion. I think I just rambled on.
I completely agree.
But… isn’t arguing about how to frame influence kind of like arguing about the ideal height of telephone poles?
olivier blanchards last blog post..Archetypes and Brands
I completely agree.
But… isn’t arguing about how to frame influence kind of like arguing about the ideal height of telephone poles?
olivier blanchards last blog post..Archetypes and Brands
Of course not, Olivier. We ALL know that the ideal height of telephone poles is 30/60/90 feet. Depends on your need …
Or is that what you meant 😉
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_average_height_of_a_telephone_pole
Gavin Heatons last blog post..Leave Your Shoes at the Door
Of course not, Olivier. We ALL know that the ideal height of telephone poles is 30/60/90 feet. Depends on your need …
Or is that what you meant 😉
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_average_height_of_a_telephone_pole
Gavin Heatons last blog post..Leave Your Shoes at the Door
Great topic, and you have moved this discussion forward brilliantly.
Katia nails it – your Brand. A business, no matter what field, has a brand. If that brand resinates/translates well with people, they will build a community of fans. Those fans then can become influencers themselves, not just the Brand. Apple is a great example of this.
As for Social Media and the numbers game, I am of the Community Purists end of the spectrum. On Twitter, I go the natural route: I share content I find valuable and my expert opinion within my realm of business. From there, I follow those who I’d like to learn from or that I look up to as an example of success.
I’m taking a guess but, people follow me because they feel I have something to offer. Something I posted, said or pointed to resinated with them in some way. Do I care how many there are? No. I do, however, look at the numbers once in a while out of curiosity, and I do go through all of my new followers to see how I can integrate them into my community. I love going through and seeing so many wonderful and creative people there are in the Twittersphere.
Great topic, and you have moved this discussion forward brilliantly.
Katia nails it – your Brand. A business, no matter what field, has a brand. If that brand resinates/translates well with people, they will build a community of fans. Those fans then can become influencers themselves, not just the Brand. Apple is a great example of this.
As for Social Media and the numbers game, I am of the Community Purists end of the spectrum. On Twitter, I go the natural route: I share content I find valuable and my expert opinion within my realm of business. From there, I follow those who I’d like to learn from or that I look up to as an example of success.
I’m taking a guess but, people follow me because they feel I have something to offer. Something I posted, said or pointed to resinated with them in some way. Do I care how many there are? No. I do, however, look at the numbers once in a while out of curiosity, and I do go through all of my new followers to see how I can integrate them into my community. I love going through and seeing so many wonderful and creative people there are in the Twittersphere.
I bought Gym Dandy TT-220 Teeter Totter a few weeks before christmas as my own present from http://www.dealsshoppie.com/product/search.php?ID=B000J3MK7Y&product=Gym+Dandy+TT-220+Teeter+Totter! I love this thing and someone will probably have to pry it from my cold dead hands some day30 users rated the product with an average of 5.0.The information provided there was very helpful.
I bought Gym Dandy TT-220 Teeter Totter a few weeks before christmas as my own present from http://www.dealsshoppie.com/product/search.php?ID=B000J3MK7Y&product=Gym+Dandy+TT-220+Teeter+Totter! I love this thing and someone will probably have to pry it from my cold dead hands some day30 users rated the product with an average of 5.0.The information provided there was very helpful.
Awesome post and very thought-provoking. Ok here’s my take – I see your point on the argument of is it influential if you don’t have big numbers. But whether we like it or not at some point some kind of quantifiable ROI must come into play here. As a PR pro no matter how frustrated I get with clients that only care about circulation numbers on a clips report, the fact remains that’s how many of my clients see the world. I have to find a way to appease them. All that being said, do know that I’m on your side on this issue.
Awesome post and very thought-provoking. Ok here’s my take – I see your point on the argument of is it influential if you don’t have big numbers. But whether we like it or not at some point some kind of quantifiable ROI must come into play here. As a PR pro no matter how frustrated I get with clients that only care about circulation numbers on a clips report, the fact remains that’s how many of my clients see the world. I have to find a way to appease them. All that being said, do know that I’m on your side on this issue.
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