Web 2.0 Expo San Francisco April 3, 2009 INFLUENCE Gregor Hochmuth dotgrex.com / @grex Finding and applying

Web 2.0 Expo San Francisco April 3, 2009 Gregor Hochmuth dotgrex.com * This is not a Google presentation. This is independent pondering prior to my current work at Google.

We need new models for understanding what’s interesting

We need new models for understanding what’s interesting (right now)

While some have been busy building “recommender systems” for the last 20 years …

… others just brought our best recommender system online:

People we know

People we trust

People we #follow

We don’t need machines anymore to tell us what’s interesting.

Our friends do that now.

The new problem is:

Making machines understand what’s interesting

Making machines understand who’s interesting

Making machines understand who’s important

Making machines understand who’s connected

Making machines understand who’s safe to ignore

Making machines understand INFLUENCE

Understanding influence ↓ who’s interesting ↓ what’s interesting

Understanding influence ↓ who’s interesting ↓ what’s interesting

Understanding influence ↓ who’s interesting ↓ what’s interesting

Understanding influence ↓ interesting people ↓ interesting content

Understanding influence ↓ interesting people ↕ interesting content

We need new models for understanding what’s interesting (right now)

We need new models for understanding what’s interesting right now

sort by: Most Recent

sort by: Most Recent

sort by: Most Recent

sort by: Most Recent

sort by: Most interesting

sort by: Most timely

sort by: Most influential

Influencers have things to spread

Influencers have things to spread.

Influencers are everywhere.

Influencers are everyday people.

Influencers are in every social circle.

But influencers need … people who listen

people who listen.

people who follow them.

= Audience

Audience

Audience

Audience

Audience

audience : a common understanding of who’s listening

audience : a common understanding of who’s listening

vs.

vs.

vs. I know my audience I know some numbers

Evidence of understanding of audience on Twitter: @replies RTs

Evidence of understanding of audience on Twitter: @replies RTs

latest redesign? supports a better model of audience

latest redesign? supports a better model of audience

latest redesign? supports a better model of audience > you see everyone’s updates now

Feedback Letting people know their content matters

Ownership Letting people know who contributed what

Serendipity Letting people extend their networks without effort

Analyzing influence

finding the influencers

What makes one person more influential?

How many people listen?

How many people listen?

It’s who listens , not how many.

Analyzing influence

Analyzing influence I’m friends with Shaq!!

Analyzing influence I’m famous I’m friends with Shaq!!

Analyzing influence I’m famous I’m friends with Shaq!! I’m special

Analyzing influence Connector Maven

Analyzing influence: The Twitter example

Analyzing influence: The Twitter example Tim “ Importance” of Tim is determined by the importance of the people who follow Tim.

Analyzing influence: The Twitter example 8 = importance / # of outgoing connections

Analyzing influence: The Twitter example 8 + 8 / 3 + 8 / 3 + 8 / 3 = importance / # of outgoing connections = 8 / 3

Analyzing influence: The Twitter example 3 = 8/3 + 2/12 + 1/6 = 3 + 8/3 + 2/12 + 1/6

Analyzing influence: The Twitter example 3 = 8/3 + 2/12 + 1/6 + 8/3 + 2/12 + 1/6 + 3/2 + 3/2

Analyzing influence: The Twitter example 3 = 8/3 + 2/12 + 1/6 + 8/3 + 2/12 + 1/6 + 3/2 + 3/2 and repeat!

“ Honey, this looks familiar—”

“ It’s PageRank, dear. You use it every day.”

Analyze influence wherever people trade feedback

Analyze influence wherever people exchange something

Analyze influence wherever people exchange something asymmetry is your friend!

Analyze influence wherever people exchange something asymmetry is your friend! the opposite may not be true.

Follows try it on Twitter

Favorites, Likes try it on Flickr

Messages, Comments try it on Facebook

Ratings try it on Amazon, Yelp

So. Understanding Influence:

Use it for ranking

Use it for ranking

Use it for sorting

Use it for discovery

Use it for reducing the noise

Web 2.0 Expo San Francisco April 3, 2009 INFLUENCE Gregor Hochmuth dotgrex.com / @grex thanks.