Leveraging the Long tail

This week’s post will discuss O Reilly 7^th Design Pattern, Leveraging the Long tail.  This pattern looks at how the bulk majority of the webs content comes of a hand full of websites. As a result there are a many little websites that cater to niche markets and particular interests of certain users. In the past the companies only focused on selling popular products to the mass mainstream market this was due lack to a lack of resources and market sustainability. Leaving these niche markets untapped neglected. However the rapid development of the web has caused a massive paradigm shift with company’s realising greater opportunities in the large amount of small niche markets thus creating the long tail effect.

Chris Anderson Visualisation of the long tail effect

One of the best examples of a company that has capitalised on the leveraging the long tail would be Craigslist. Created by Craig Newark in 1995 the site is free online classified ad space. Users are buy sell, trade good and services through the network. The possibilities are endless with a variety of good being advertised from cars, jobs , food, furniture even dating services you name it , its got IT!

 

Perpetual Beta

The 6^th Design Pattern by Tim O Reilly is Perpetual Beta. Perpetual Beta can be seen as an organisation release a demo version of a product to the general public and then constantly modifying and updating it through the process of  Continuous Production and Continuous Integration  . Gone are the days of the concept of ‘’Releasing Software Early and Frequently ‘’ through packaging and updates. The rapid development in web innovation and technology has called for software to be constantly refined and improving. This is the reason for companies utilising the Perpetual Beta practice as it allows for customers to play a role in the development of the software before its full releases.  Utilising consumer feedback developers are able to gauge what processes and functionality is currently working and what changes need to be made.

One of the major companies that currently implement the Perpetual Beta practice is the Mozilla Organisation. An open source community Mozilla releases all of its products through the Mozilla Projects BETA site. Software such as Firefox, Thunderbird and Sea monkey have all been released as Beta Versions. Users are able to download the software, trail it and then contribute inputs in terms of what changes and functionally they would like to see made to the software, so in essence they have become real time testers for Mozilla. Mozilla also showcases its users contribution through its releases notes pages showing users what errors have been fixed and what other additional functionally has been added.

 

References:

http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/13.0beta/releasenotes/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozilla_Foundation

 

 

Software above a single Device

This week’s post will discuss O Reilly’s 5^th design pattern Software above a Single Device. This pattern looks at how software has progressed from single platform availablitiy onto multiple devices.

The rapid development of mobile technology in recent times has broken the shackles of the web only being constrained to the desktop pc.  The introduction of mobile phones, laptops and tablets has created a demand for cross platform compatibility as demonstrated by the Macs OS, Windows and Android.

Once great example of application which demonstrates cross platform compatibility is WhatsApp.

WhatsApp is an instant messaging application available to iphone, android, blackberry and windows phone users. Using an internet connection it allows users to send free instant messages, pictures and other multimedia content for free.

Here are some of the user benefit of using WhatApp :

• Compatibility Users are able to send unlimited messages to any device that has the application. It’s not constricted to a single device like others messaging services such as I message and Blackberry Messenger
• Cost Effective: Whatapps utilises mobile data or a wifi connection to send messages in real time. This makes it a much cheaper alternative to SMS messaging as it comes to no cost to the user. In addition you are able to send messages internationally as well bypassing expensive call rates and charges.
• Ease of Use: The application is simple and easy to use and displays a similar layout to a SMS message conversation. It shows the users in real time when a message has been sent and notifies the user when a reply has been received.

In Summary Whatapps is great cost effective tool for communication and demonstrates software a above a single device in a great way.

Rich User Interface

This week’s blog will look at O Reilly’s 4^th design pattern Rich User Interfaces.  This pattern is based around the Graphical User Interface (Gui) of an application. The way an application allows to users to interact and manipulate it with the use of various tools and techniques that are built into its framework. This allows for rich a user experience thru the use of multimedia and other tools.

One of the main frameworks used to create Rich User interfaces is AJAX . Ajax or Asynchronous JavaScript and XML uses a group of techniques to create dynamic webpage’s and GUI’s.  One the best example of Ajax implementaion in an application is FLICKR.

Flickr is web based photo sharing application which allows users to host and share images and video. Currently the website has over 60 million users hosting over 6 billion images and its popularity is rising. Some of its features include tagging which allows the user to organise pictures by distinct categories such as food , sport , holidays etc. There also a geotagging function which allows users to tag the actual geographic location  of where a particular picture was taken.

What makes Flickr so popular is its ease of use . Users are able to upload and share their personal snaps with minimal effort . Flickr is compatible with all social networking sites so users are able to share images with their personal network and also the Flickr community. Another handy Flicker feature is begin able to log on to Flicker using your Facebook or Google + log in so you don’t have to create an actual flickr account to use the application.

Flickr also incorporates API technology ( as discussed in last week’s post ) as it allows users to share content from various such as mobile applications (Flicker for mobile) and other 3^rd party applications .

In conclusion Flickr is prove how important a Rich User Interface is to an application. If something is simple and easy to use more users will be drawn to it. Usability is everything!

References:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-9703620-2.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajax_framework

http://www.flickr.com/mobile

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flickr

Innovation in Assembly

In this week’s post I will be discussing O Reilly’s third design pattern Innovation in Assembly. This concept is based around resigning applications and making them compatible with other systems thus improving them.  Application Programming Interface (API) is the tool that interconnects all of these applications together. Think of API as a key that opens certain doors to allow connections between different systems. Here is an example of API within a web 2.0 Application.

Soundcloud is an online music sharing platform. It has over 10 million users worldwide and has won multiple awards including the Schroder’s Innovation Award 2011. Soundcloud allows users to record , store and distribute music tracks amongst each other. This service is unique as its incorporates multiple applications into one service for example there’s cloud storage, music recording software and also mobile applications.

API in soundcloud comes into effect in the application form. Users are able to utilize different mobile apps such as Korg and Fire that are compatible with soundcloud and to record and upload to their personal cloud. Users are able to use their Smartphone’s or tablet to not only upload to the cloud but also stream and download tracks from other users. There is also the integration of social media with the API as it compatible services such as SongKick and Foursquare. This allows  users to be to able to share their music and create a larger community and fan base using Soundclouds distinctive URL allows to be shared with other social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Soundcloud is a great tool for the upcoming music artist who trying to get a break in the industry.

References :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SoundCloud

http://soundcloud.com/

Data is the Next Intel Inside

In this week’s post we will be looking at O Reilly’s second design pattern Data is the next ‘Intel Inside’. Basically this pattern is the paradigm shift from desktop applications to online applications. Application were once locked to a single form i.e Desktop Pc they can now be accessed on the internet from virtually anywhere. Data is the cornerstone of Web 2.0 Applications and one such application that relies heavily on user data is Google Analytics.

Google Analytics is a free data monitoring software created by Google. It allows web designers or people who created their own website and blogs to see the amount of traffic that they are getting to their site. It showcases in detail how long users have spent on the website, what articles they have read and at what periods of time during the day the site was accessed. In addition admen’s can see how consumers reached the site .This includes the use  of search engines , social media or some form of online advertising that has brought them to this page.

This is a great tool for marketing companies as it allows them to scope out new target markets and to see if their current brand of advertising is being effective in drawing in consumers. Another great feature is the way it to represents the data is collects. Data can be viewed in a yearly timeline view showing the trend of traffic on the website i.e. sudden interest spikes various other forms or representation such as bar graphs or pie charts are also available. In addition there are various different filters that a user can input to extract specific types of data and compile this information into a chart or graph.

Currently Analytics is using by some of the biggest social websites in the world such as twitter but because its free software anyone can use it and that’s what so great about it.  Now there’s in even a plug in for Word press so my fellow INB 347 bloggers I would advise you to try it and see how much traffic your posts get.

Want to find out more about how Google Analytics improves a business ? click here

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/how-google-analytics-is-impacting-business/

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Analytics

http://yoast.com/wordpress/google-analytics/

http://www.computeractive.co.uk/ca/step-by-step/2141689/track-visits-website-google-analytics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cz4yHOKE5j8

Harnessing the Collective Intelligence

In this week’s blog post we will be looking at Tim O Reilly’s first design pattern ‘Harnessing the collective intelligence’. So what is harnessing the collective intelligence? It’s where the user or ‘prosumer’ provides the information or data to an application by their very own participation. By engaging these ‘prosumers’ organisations  are able to find out their needs, wants and likes and provide services to suit them.  Probably the best example of this is Facebook.

The largest social networking site in world with over 700 Million user’s worldwide facebook is one of the examples of harnessing the collective intelligence. All the content on the website is user generated from user profiles to status updates and picture posting. What facebook has done quite cleverly is the addition of like and share buttons. So for a example if I like a particular food , restaurant or retail store I can post about them on my facebook profile or like there profile page or share their website link on my wall . This has allowed Facebook to better know the users on their network and thus allowed them to tailor user specific advertising for them which how they generate revenue for their business. So basically if i like cars i would see a lot of automotive branded adverting on the side bar of my profile.

Essentially what Facebook has achieved is created an online community that communicates and shares every aspect of their life. Previously companies had to pay big dollars to do market research into finding out what consumers wanted. Now all they have to do is go Facebook and see what people are talking about, it’s basically free market research because users are telling you what they want and need ,rather than you asking them.

In a nutshell without USERS there would be NO FACEBOOK  .This shows the power of harnessing the collective intelligence.

Facebook isn’t the only organisation who’ve harnessed the collective intelligence . See how Pepsi did it with their ‘’Refresh’’ project . Just click the link below.

https://anbansupramoney.wordpress.com/2011/09/14/pepsi-has-a-refreshing-social-media-idea/

References :

http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/2007-08-26-facebook_N.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook

This Rise of the WIKI

Once upon a time wikis weren’t taken a serious tool to use in the business environment because they were open source software that anyone who’s anyone could edit. But in recent times Wikis have become the most popular tool for in organization document management.  The reason for their rise in popularity is that unlike blogs, Wikis allow many users to access and work on documents simultaneously without getting in each other’s way.  This allows for a quicker transfer of ideas when members are collaborating on various ideas and projects. Probably the most famous Wiki in the world is Wikipedia the online encyclopedia which any one can edit at anytime. This week’s post will showcase how we intend to Implement a Wiki strategy for the IGC in addition how previous organizations a have successfully integrated wikis into their work environment.

Why the IGC needs a Wiki.

Wikis are great tool for collaboration and creating discussion amongst users. Where blogs are informative they don’t allow for much collaboration and user participation. What a wiki will allow the IGC to do is not only promote the event but also get feedback from the delegates of what they want to see at the event. It also makes the brain storming of ideas and concepts between event organizers a lot easier and cleaner .No more messy chain emails everything is in a centralized location which is easy to access and edit at anytime. In order for a Wiki to work though its needs be some rules and the strategy we will be adopting is one similar to that of Sony Ericcssons developer world.

When Wikis Work …

Sony Ericcsson the mobile phone company has created ‘Developer World’. This wiki allows users who are developing applications using the Java Application ME platform to gather and also share information on how these different types of technologies are being implemented in Sony Ericcssons mobile phones. This is a great tool as it allows various develops to share their thoughts and collaborate in order to make better applications and products for Sony Ericcsson in the future. To keep all the content and information clean Sony enforced a house rule polices which is great for a Wiki site.

• Respect the views of others – reminds people to be constructive, cite sources, keep calm if editing gets heated, and offer contributions that benefit the whole community and take into account the contributions of others.
• Take responsibility – this guideline lets users know that it’s okay to create new articles, move content when necessary, and make changes that improve the wiki. For example, if a discussion moves away from the initial topic on a page, it’s best to create a new page for the new topic, so that multiple topics can be easily distinguished.
• Stay on-topic – this guideline reminds users not to use slanderous, racist, offensive, or unsolicited commercial content on the wiki, as it will be removed.
• Use common sense – reminds people that the wiki is a work in progress, and information in it should not be taken as an official Sony Ericsson policy or stance on any issue.
• Use English – Sony Ericsson uses English as the official language for the wiki, and uses this guideline to remind contributors.

 

Micro blogging: the New Way to Advertise your Enterprise

This week’s post will introduce the topic of external micro blogging and how it can be used as a tool for productivity within an organisation. In addition this week’s post will introduce the company that Team Cake will be developing Enterprise 2.0 strategies to implement for this real world case study but more about that later.

Firstly what is Micro blogging?

Basically it’s just like a blog only difference being that the information is precise and to the point. Its gives the raw facts and information of what you need nothing more, nothing less. Micro blogs have become increasing popular in recent times because they are a great tool to promote or advertise organisations and events simply. Currently there a various platforms in the Micro blogging sphere with but the key players Twitter and Tumbler. It is these 2 platforms that we will be utilising for IGC’s external blogging strategy.

 

What is the IGC?

IGC stands for International Geological Congress. It is the leading global forum for the Earth sciences. The 34^th session of the IGC which is hosted by the Australian Geoscience Council(AGC) will be held in Brisbane, August next year 2012. The IGC is the major multi-disciplinary global event for reporting on and discussing the latest geoscientific research, applications and international cooperation.

The IGC has confirmed that a minimum of 3500 delegates will be attending. However, there needs to be 6000-7000 more to cover the expenditure.

What we have been asked to do is utilise Enterprise 2.0 strategies to create more awareness for this event. This in the hope of attracting more delegates and also major sponsors to this event.  This is one in series of posts that will showcase the various strategies we will purpose for the IGC.

Twitter.

Twitter is the number one micro – blogging website on the internet. Its responsible for starting the micro blogging allowing users to post 140 character messages known as ‘Tweets’.  Currently there over 200 million users on twitter .If the IGC created a twitter account it would allow them to reach a new social audience. They would be able to post relevant information about the congress including Key Topics of discussion, special events, key note speakers and the various exhibitions and themes at this year’s event. This would generate interest and discussion creating more followers to their twitter page which they could then link to the official IGC website to gather more information.

Tumblr

Tumblr is multimedia micro blogging platform. It allows the users to post videos, pictures and links in a blog style format. Currently there a 18.8 Million blogs on Tumblr with over 13 Billion page views and 26 000 blog post every minute. Tumblr as tool for the IGC could be used to use to post previous videos and pictures of past conferences to give people ideas of what the next conference might be like. In addition they can post links and other multimedia that is associated with conference to generate more awareness and interest for the event.

Micro Blogging is a great way to spread the word about your event. In this day and age people are always on the move and they want their information fast. Micro blogging gives you the most amount of information in quickest way possible. It’s defiantly popular as shown by the number of users on these sites so it would be a great tool for the IGC to use in gathering more delegates.

Pepsi has a Refreshing Social Media Idea.

While social media has become massive part of society in recent times not everyone has jumped on the Bandwagon. Business is still one sector that has not completely embraced the use of social media tools. The main reason being that some companies feel that, the use of social media can be more of a hindrance rather and than a help.

However there many examples of companies who have adopted social media and made it work to their advantage. Once such example is Pepsi and their ‘’Refresh Project’’. This is very clever and unique concept that Pepsi developed. This initiative revolves around raising funds of good causes within the community rather than selling soft drink. Using social media tools such as facebook and twitter Pepsi asked it consumers for their ideas on what projects and charity deserves much needs funds. Anyone is allowed to post their idea and vote for other peoples as well with the best ideas receiving part of the grant that Pepsi has allocated to this project. Grant seekers are encouraged to use social media forums such as Face book and YouTube to advertise and gather support of. Since this project has began the refresheverything website has received over 80 million votes by the public on various ideas. Over 20 million dollars of grants has been awarded to various funds and charities so far.

What makes this project such a success for Pepsi is that it is interacting with their consumers and asking them for their ideas and input. This initiative is also a great marketing technique as it allows consumers to see the brand in a different image. Rather than overpriced commercials and advertising consumers are seeing Pepsi contribute to the community therefore making it a more appealing brand to the average customer.

Conclusion

This case study shows that implementing the right social media strategy can open your business up to a whole new market. Also that social media tools must be embraced to in order to move forward with your business.