Whatʼs the
social graph
got to do with it?
Beyond social media: data portability and digital marketing

So what the heck is this “social graph”
everyone keeps talking about?

Me
People I have expressed
rela0onships with online

Simply put, the
social graph
describes a digital
map of users and
how they are related
to each other online

Right now, a userʼs social graph is often
fragmented across multiple networks…

Each time I sign up for a new
service, I have to create a whole
new identity and re-invite or add
friends…Arrrgh!

Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends
Create login, upload content, add friends

But would if we had one identity
and our friends & data
could automatically be wherever we went?

data
portability:
“[The ability of] individuals to have
control over their data by determining
how they can use it and who can use it.
This includes access to data that is
under the control of another entity.”
–data portability workgroup

There are several protocols and initiatives in
development to help realize data portability

Google Friend MySpace Data
Facebook Connect
Connect Availability
…And major networks are adopting open strategies enabling
forms of “data portability” or graph access on third-party sites

the Web is literally becoming an
entirely social experience

So what
does this
have to do
with digital
marketing?

Its not about just setting up shop in social spaces
User Brand
expectations
experience
Its building brand experiences that embrace the graph

Data portability
means
The promise of a ubiquitous, social brand experience

…and that the barrier to adoption for long tail services
and applications becomes significantly reduced

Ok, so lets
see it in
action…

TheInsider.com + Facebook Connect
Users simply
login using
their
Facebook
credentials

Its still a bit wonky,
with an awkward,
automatically
derived
screenname
Facebook profile
photo auto-
populates, so
no need to
re-upload
Friends who also have
signed up appear (and
users can easily invite
The Insider.com now provides an
their Facebook friends)
enhanced user experience with all
the aspects of a social network, but
without requiring extra effort to participate

CNN + Facebook Connect
Still have to create a separate login…
But once registered, users can access friends and
share forum activities back through Facebook

Users opt-in to spread forum debate comments
instantly to their Facebook friends
Millions may now be prompted to join the forum…
without advertising

Consider how easily accessible
graph data could enhance the
brand experience online

…Or how it could impact online sales
Friends who also purchased this item
Example of how existing graph data could be used
within the Amazon model of merchandising

A userʼs social graph creates a highly customized
and relevant online experience…
Ubiquitous access to that data would make for a truly
useful experience without over-taxing users

Cool, so what next?

Food for future thoughts
For marketers
• Site usability Web usability
• Usability = Portability (content + identity)
• No silos: creating a network-centric brand
For geeks
• Data Wars! Social Network as data storage vs. the Cloud
• Beyond portability: Data ubiquity and a decentralized graph
(FOAF, XFN, microformats oh my!)
• Ubiquitous social data and the promise of semantic Web (and VRM)

So very trapped in
the social graph

Thanks much
Alisa Leonard Hansen
Sr. Social Media Analyst
iCrossing
alisa.hansen@icrossing.com
@alisamleo
The Web is Social Dot Com