Page 313 - Social Media Marketing

Twellow provides an interesting insight into one of the primary “default” behav- 291
iors exhibited by members of social networks: This is the tendency for people of similar
interests, background, locale, etc. to connect more readily than those with dissimilar ■ WHAT IS A SOCIAL GRAPH?
interests. While it may seem obvious, this tendency actually has a significant impact
on the way connections between members—and hence conversations—propagate. The
tendency to associate based on interests can manifest itself in the formation of a social
graph in distinct and important ways. It’s worth understanding the tendency to prefer-
entially connect with people sharing overt similarity when designing your social media
and social business programs. For example, if you are after new ideas and are looking
to a customer community to generate and discuss them, be sure that your participants
haven’t formed “cliques” and instead are making connections based on more than spe-
cific personal interest. Otherwise, instead of collaboration you’re more likely to end up
with competing factions.

Analyzing a Facebook Business Page

Using Gephi, Denmark-based Kristina Sedereviciute has produced a visualization and analysis
of McKinsey’s Facebook page, which she has posted to Posterous using the Gephi analytical
software combined with Facebook’s netvizz application. If you are interested in applying tools like
Gephi and netvizz in your work, this post provides a great tutorial.

You can follow Kristina on Twitter (@kristtina) and read her analysis of McKinsey’s page here:

http://kristtina.posterous.com/technical-network-analysis-case-mckinsey-and

Netvizz is a standard Facebook application. Search Facebook for “netvizz.” You can learn more
about Gephi and how to use it here:

http://gephi.org

One of the ways in which shared interests and the corresponding formation of
relationships—referred to technically as “status homophily”—is the tendency of simi-
larly credentialed or titled individuals to associate with each other. A CMO’s group on
Facebook or lawyers using Twellow to find other lawyers on Twitter are examples of
relationships built on shared titles or occupations. Networks that encourage this type
of relationship development include professional associations, skill-specific support
forums—for example, a CIO discussion board or forum—and similar.

In contrast, value homophily is association based on shared interest, lifestyle,
passion, or cause, without specific regard for status or title. An entire community—in
real life—coming together to stack sandbags against a flooding river is an example of
value homophily. Regardless of social status, the collective community shares in the