Week 2: Web 2.0 & Social Media - authentic or hyped?

Web 2.0 & Social Media - authentic or hyped? 

A key question for marketing in the modern age is whether Web 2.0 has created a new medium of authentic communication between business and customers? Or is its ability to create a more personalised social and commercial environment hyped? 

When the internet began, businesses were seeking improved tools to assist them to run their operations but were faced with the daunting challenge of breaking through the clutter of the web application marketplace. In the new landscape of social media and personalised niches, the nascent Web 2.0 has revolutionised the way the internet works. Legions of entrepreneurs are fuelling the frenzy, looking to create the next Google or Facebook and simultaneously businesses far and wide watch eagerly for the most innovative and effective ways to market their products or services on the new world web paradigm. 

 The Web 2.0 term was coined by messiah Tim O'Reilly when he described a 'forum for existing and emerging consumer focused companies that tie together a veritable solar system of sites'. He asserted that its five core competencies are:

1. Providing control over hard-to create data sources that get richer the more people utilise them 

2. offering services, not packaged software that scale cost effectivity 

3.Trusting users as co-developers 

4. Embracing the concept of lightweight and inherently adaptive user interfaces and business models

5. Harnessing collective intelligence  

Delivery methodologies aside, Web 2.0 mostly encapsulates the simple idea of Social Networking that many companies are spinning in dynamic ways. While businesses are being forced to adapt, the companies whose strategies most perfectly adapt to this medium will evolve and flourish, whilst the frivolous or ill-conceived startups locked into traditional models will ultimately perish. 

So whats authentic and whats hype? 

Kaplan & Haenlein (2010) argue that the dimensions of social media revolve around self presentation. Consequently, people are desperate to control how others perceive them. To do this they use positive self disclosure that is consistent with the image as they would like to be seen. Therefore, are we really presenting an authentic self on social networking sites? For many people the answer is no, therefore, can we really expect businesses to be as transparent as we so desire? 

In spite of this, the rise of  users as co-developers in this space, provides a new paradigm of the business/consumer relationship where  businesses are being held more accountable for there actions.  Look no further then the infamous Wikipedia SeaWorld scandal;  where the owner attempted to rectify 'misleading' information online using multiple anonymous aliases yet failed miserably. Overall, the notion of collaborative social networking prompts businesses to remain genuine and impartial or fear the repercussions from the public who can be ruthless and authentic in judging the good or bad. 

In my opinion,  the reality of the new medium is that the commercial context is driven by the public,  vast systems are built around the personalities of the consumer. Therefore, in many ways brands are authentic in their attempt to imitate their audience but the real question is whether what/who they are imitating is hyped?

Without being too philosophical 😉, do you think the role of companies is too present truthful depictions of reality or is it too reflect the distorted way people present themselves on the Web 2.0 and social networks