8 Features That Are Important in Social Media Sites
July 24, 2008 1:42 pm Social Media
Active participants in social media have different reasons for interaction. Some enjoy the friendly banter exchanged with fellow users, while others are attempting to increase the traffic on their own sites. A perfect site is a harmonious blend of the features mentioned below. Since we don’t live in a perfect world, sites tend to showcase only two or three items. Below are some of the features that I have identified important to users. Please feel free to additional ones in the comments and participate in the poll.
Site Focus
Many social news aggregators are topic-based; therefore they appeal to users who are interested in a specific niche. There are also several sites that have a broad set of subjects that appeal to a larger audience.
Content
Users believe that content is king. Anything that seems too commercial, manipulative, subpar or poorly written doesn’t gain traction on the popular social aggregators. Users are looking to learn new perspectives, issues around the world, business-related news, and technology innovations. Site members are the first ones to call out poor content.
Community
The culture of a site can determine whether a person signs up or not. When selecting a site to participate in, users research the dynamic amongst the members. They ask themselves: “Are the members here friendly or are they just assholes?” Some sites have sociable, helpful and supportive members. Other sites have wimpy kids who miraculously grow muscles while sitting behind a computer screen. Despite the attitude of the users, many of the community members are invested in the growth of the site. They will provide input and constructive criticism to see the site evolve into its full potential.
Traffic
One of the benefits of social news aggregators is that they can send a significant number of visitors to a site. Users participate with the major goal of accumulating as many eyeballs as possible over a long period of time. After all, traffic can help monetize a blog, increase the number of subscribers, establish reader loyalty, and build engagement on the site.
Competition
Making a site challenging can actually entice people to continue participating. The desire to become a top user will obviously encourage members to invest a significant amount of time engaging on the site. Sites can retain those users by making it hard to reach front page, and setting a high bar for them to reach.
Comments
Comments are the online version of a dialogue. They serve as the interchange amongst users to share their opinion. Some site members are more into the comments than the submission itself. On many social news aggregators, you will find insightful POVs about the topic or just pure comedy. Some users actually enjoy the obscene feedback that other members provide to a submission.
Customer Service
Many social news aggregators have lost members mainly due to the site managers’ unresponsiveness and general disinterest in the community. Users can make or break a site. If a large portion of the users decide to leave, the site will ultimately fall. The site managers should listen and reply to their users.
Features
Users want to go to a site that has multiple features and gives them the flexibility to easily interact on the site through adding items, sharing digital media and corresponding via site mail. Launching features on a regular basis will keep the users intrigued and interested.
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July 24th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
I agree with you on most of these components; however, they seem to be those that we would see in a “perfect social media world.” In reality, I feel that while social sites might try to protray these qualities, the users just don’t follow suit. The perfect example is Digg. At one point, I was afraid to join because it seemed like everyone harped on every submission. Now I am not affected by that anymore, instead I am finding more fear in the fact that there isn’t much competition anymore. It used to be so many diggs got you a home page story. Now, it seems that you have to have that and much more. In the end, I feel that many social sites pop up all of a sudden with these qualities, but they spread themselves so thin that it eventually loses out.
July 24th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
As someone with a long time SEO background, who did not believe that social media was a big deal (up until about 18 months ago), I can say that I find all of the items you mention important. At the end of the day though, if the content stinks, then the community will fizzle.
July 24th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
I’m not sure I think traffic is really that important. For the creators of the site, sure, but not really for the users. Personally I liked being “one of the few” when mixx first started, but I realize it’s pretty selfish to want to hold onto that.
July 24th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
The features I really care about are: Community and Content. I love the relationships I have established on the sites. The users have become good friends and they provide a lot of value to the community and the site.
July 24th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Community and comments are the most important for me. The one thing I do not like is competition, which is one of the reasons I really don’t like using Facebook.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:50 am
Mike, what do you mean Facebook is competitive? how?
July 25th, 2008 at 7:51 am
For me, content is king. Its all about being able to learn.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:58 am
Community is by far the most important aspect to social media. The community is the engine behind any site. If you have a sketchy community your site can turn to dust in weeks.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:13 am
All of these qualities are indisputably important, but for me personally, Community is the ultimate deciding factor. If a site excels in everything else but I don’t feel a connection to the community, I’ll find it difficult to stay engaged in the long run.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:16 am
I think the two most imporant aspects to Social Media (or Social News) are in the label itself.
First and foremost, Content is the most important to me. If the news on the site isn’t as complete as possible, accurate, and digestible (i.e. no stories like OMG INTEL DID WHAT??), and also interesting, I won’t revisit the site. There is of course a certian ammount of ‘noise’ I can put up with if the site has enough good stories, but if there is more noise then good content or the site doesn’t cover the majorty of the good content of the topics I’m interested in, I look elseware.
The second part to “Social News” is “Social”. If you don’t have a good community backing the site interested in similar stories, and also interested in policing the site to keep it on topic, you are nothing. I’ve met a lot of great people from my interactions in social media and each of these people also submit great content.
My two cents.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:17 am
I agree with all this 100%. I myself look at the community first before ever signing up, I look to see if they’re active, if they’re good stories on the front page, if people interact with each other as far as commenting and voting on stories. And if the stories on the front page are not very informative or are more for just to promote your pharmacy site, I’m outta there, I don’t sign up.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:17 am
Its about the whole package … not individual components. I don’t buy a car just because its got the best gas mileage … there’s much more to it.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:24 am
Content and community are crucial … but so are features. The site that makes it easiest to accomplish my goals will get my attention.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:25 am
I’m all about making friends, and being part of a community. This is the most crucial aspect for me.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:27 am
I’m with Jeff. I use social media to learn about and stay on top of all the latest news that pertain to my interests.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:33 am
Niche is crucial … generic sites will get too bogged down eventually, and stories with a niche focus often get buried or disliked.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:45 am
As always, a well-written and thoughtful piece, Reem!
For me, community is the most important thing in a social media site. Anyone who says otherwise doesn’t really understand what “social” means.
Unfortunately, I know way too many people who are more interested in Social Media sites for the traffic and promotion it can generate on their own sites. I even see it scored number three on your list. That mindset leads to people asking you to “Digg” an article when you don’t even know them. Which removes the social aspect all on its own.
Content is also important, but I think an even more important feature is Customer Service. My two favorite social sites are Mixx and Plurk. Both sites have a committed staff that interacts with users on a very personal level. Both sites implement the suggestions they get from users on a frequent basis. To me, that says they care a great deal about their users. I like that feeling. It’s like going to a Doctor’s office and dealing with a friendly receptionist who knows your name. You’re not there for that. You’re there for medical treatment. But you can get medical treatment in a lot of places. And that personal touch will make you much more likely to continue to visit that office.
Again, great article, Reem.
July 25th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
I really just digg because the digg alerter program that moojj made makes a beautiful sound when something hits the front page. it has completely programmed my mind so that i am only happy for 5 hours after i hear the sound, and then i need to hear it again. if i don’t hear it for 24 hours, the sky turns black.
August 1st, 2008 at 2:40 pm
It’s awesome to see that community is favored right above content. It seems we all want to gather around a groovy water cooler with other groovy people!
September 20th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Hi webmaster!
September 20th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Hi webmaster!
October 7th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Hi webmaster!
October 8th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Hi webmaster!
October 9th, 2008 at 12:27 am
Hi webmaster!
October 10th, 2008 at 4:56 am
Hi webmaster!