The human web
On online communities, social media, social
networks and the difference between the three
Clo Willaerts, 3 Jan 2009
Guest Lecture @ KHLim, Lichtaart

Clo Willaerts?
Sanoma Magazines
Belgium
http://www.bnox.be
brusselsgirlgeekdinner.
be

Sanoma Magazines Belgium

Sanoma Magazines Belgium

1999: Cluetrain Manifesto
• http://www.cluetrain.com/
• Markets are conversations and
the Internet is a facilitator of one
of the grandest, most global of
those conversations.
• “Their members communicate
in language that is natural,
open, honest, direct, funny and
often shocking. Whether
explaining or complaining,
joking or serious, the human
voice is unmistakably genuine.
It can't be faked.”

Definition: online community
An online community is a group of people with a
common interest along with an online
infrastructure that allows its members to create
value for themselves and the group as a whole.
Examples: the wikipedia community, Limewire,
groups/fan pages on Facebook, Quakenet,
Runescape, Slashdot, Digg, Fark, Deviantart

Strong communities

www.zappybaby.be
“life stage”
community
•pregnancy,
•birth,
•babies,
•toddlers.

The baby conspiracy 1/2

The baby conspiracy 2/2

Content: schisis

Definition: social media
Social media are the online technologies and
practices that people use to share opinions,
insights, experiences, and perspectives with each
other.
Examples: blogs, Flickr, twitter, Facebook,
Youtube

Social media starfish

Decentralised publishing
model

Power shift

The echo chamber

Money shift

The real reason
go where the
consumers are:
social media
websites
natural search
results
search engine bots
like social media!

Corporate policies
Air Force: http://
www.webinknow.com/
2008/12/the-us-air-
force-armed-with-
social-media.html
Intel: http://
www.intel.com/sites/
sitewide/en_US/social-
media.htm

Humo blogs

Flair blogs

Content: the 1% rule
(but that’s ok)

Zappybaby parent blogs

Zappybaby baby video’s

Definition:
social networking services
Social networking services give users the
tools to connect with each other and
communicate.
Examples: Bebo, Facebook, Friendster,
Habbo, Hyves, Last.fm, Linkedin,
MySpace, Netlog, Orkut, Skyrock,
tribe.net

Traffic (US)

Traffic (UK)

Traffic (Facebook, BE)

Facebook vs corporate 1/3

Facebook vs corporate 2/3

Facebook vs corporate 3/3

Online = real world = online

http://www.slideshare.net/TrendsSpotting/social-media-
influencers-predictions-2009-by-trendsspotting-presentation?
type=powerpoint

Humo fanpage

Humo group

Story group

Flair friend

What about Twitter?
Each day 5 to 10
thousand new people
join Twitter.
Current estimates of
total users top out
around 5 million.
http://cdnqa.hubteam.com/
State_of_the_Twittersphere_by_HubSpot_
Q4-2008.pdf

Twitter: BE
issues:
updates
following / followers
influence / authority
conversations
http://
twitterfacts.blogspot.com/
search/label/Belgium

Twitter

Thank you
http://www.bnox.be
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