Social Superiority

Maximizing Social Discovery Opportunities on the Social Web
Posted on November 28th, 2008 by Jackie Peters

Excerpt: Social media has fundamentally changed the way that people discover products, services and content.

The social web has amplified and magnified word of mouth to increasingly expanding proportions. Prior to the social web, if I were to like a product or service enough to talk about it, I may have mentioned it to 5 or 10 people, and maybe 1 or 2 or them would have then told their friends. But now, being hyper-connected means that when I talk about something favorably, or negatively for that matter, I’m potentially telling thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people.

Passive social discovery happens when we casually observe information streams emanating from our social circles and pick up on something that strikes a chord. For example, I may see a friend of mine link to a blog post, or become a fan of a product on Facebook and
as a result I have discovered something new.

Active social discovery happens when information is actively requested, or “crowd-sourced.” For instance: I want to know the best place to get lunch in Santa Monica, so I post a question on Twitter asking my followers and solicit a response.

In my view, social discovery represents an amazing opportunity for brands and individuals alike. So how can brands take social discovery into account as they forge pathways within the social web?

1. Listen
2. Know where your community, ambassadors and mavens are
3. Share something, contribute, be relevant!
4. Give your content “social lube.”

My Take

Jackie Peters pegs the "passive" and "active" functionality of social media based search. This distinguishes social media from Web 1.0 advertising which is active - i.e. you conduct a search for a product and get results based on the search engine's algorithm. Social media is more powerful because it integrates it into our real-life relationships and daily offline conversations.

Choose “smart”: It’s not WHO you know – it’s who THEY know

You’ve heard the contractor horror stories.

When it comes to big ticket repairs or remodeling, home owners can be at the mercy of unreliable or unethical businesses.

Homeownership is expensive. In a typical year you can face thousands of dollars on improvements.

Here’s what we’ve done around the house over the past year:

Driveway repaving $3,000

New paver walkway $1,500

Custom cabinetry $2,200

New ceiling fans $ 450

Deck refinishing $ 300

Interior design $4,000

Oil burner maintenance $1,500

Considering how quickly these costs add up, the value of a trustworthy contractor is clear. So, how do you find them?

Word-of-mouth is the most trusted source of consumer information. Each of the seven contractors I hired were recommended via word-of-mouth. And because of their top notch service I have recommended each of them to others.

Do you want to get the most value for your home improvement dollar? It’s easy.

If you’re already a Member of YouGottaCall.com just invite a few of your trusted local businesses to connect with you. While you’re at it invite a few of your friends and neighbors. You’ll be amazed at how your “Connection Engine” grows.

With you Connection Engine working for you, you won’t need to rely on luck. You’ll have more peace of mind – plus you’ll benefit your favorite charity each time you use the network.

Former Google Exec Praises New 'Referral Engine'

Often referred to as the "godfather" of Google's AdSense technology, Gokul Rajaram, former product management director for Google AdSense said, "Word-of-mouth marketing and affiliate marketing are two of the most powerful and effective marketing techniques today." He added that combining these two technologies has the potential to "revolutionize social network monetization and significantly enhance ROI for marketers, while providing valuable information and services to users from people they trust".

My Take

Mr. Rajaram's remarks were specifically aimed at a new "referral engine" geared toward online purchases for national brands. But this observation by an industry leader and pioneer is a strong endorsement of YouGottaCall.com's patent pending business process.

Thank You!

The team at YouGottaCall is grateful for you and everything you've done to help us during our kick-off!

We are thankful for the community spirit of our Members that supports the many trusted charitable organizations in our area.

We are thankful for the freedom to pursue our dream to better connect not-for-profits with their network of friends and local businesses to gain a recurring source of funds for their worthy causes.

Could it be any simpler? No - seriously. Could it?

It's as simple as "Click" and Grow!

Even a mouse can grow your "Connection Engine". So be a person - help out your community - especially now as local charities are feeling enormous budget pressure.

Remember - your network will double in size and quadruple in effectiveness if you invite one new connection today.

What are the benefits? There are several:

Are you a Consumer?:
- Find and share local experts who are trusted by your network of friends and neighbors
- Provide valuable funding for your favorite charities without costing you a dime

Are you a Business Owner?:
- Get new customers from more, highly qualified, free, word-of-mouth referrals
- Strengthen your relationships with your network of customers, neighbors and fellow business owners
-Set the amount you choose to pay - only AFTER you make a sale

Are you a Not-for-Profit?:
- Strengthen ties with your community
- Receive recurring donations

So, the only question is "Why not grow your network right now?"

It's easy - Simply tell your friends to go to YouGottaCall.com and join. They can connect with you when they register.

Or log-in and send them an invitation by clicking on "Invite a Friend or Trusted Service Provider"

And, please - if you have a tip for how you've successfully grown your network, please share it with us.

So please - take a minute to click and grow your connection engine.