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More Visibility Through Social Recommendations

By John Gilbert


Customers have relied on advertisements to make decisions on the products or services to buy. Trust was traditionally built through celebrities on TV and radio. Increased uptake of internet has lead to a paradigm shift as people look for more trustworthy ways of knowing the legitimacy of a product. This has bred social recommendations and the behaviour is spreading fast.

Innovations are being made with a specific product or service in mind. This is to increase access and influence the decision of the buyer. Internet is easy to access for many customers since it has penetrated all areas including handsets. It is also affordable and customized.

Social networks are formed by friends and relatives. This creates a circle of trusted individuals who can be relied upon when one wants to make an important decision. People are abandoning endorsement by strangers and relying more on what friends and relatives say. This is a great shift that will have far reaching implications.

Social networks have offered the right platform for customers to air their views about a product or service. Their experience matters to their friends considering that it is real time and objective. No editing has taken place and the reaction could be viral. Companies will require a strategy of using this endorsement to create interest around what they offer.

The web has saved a lot of time that would have been used in searching for information and comparing products. Real time chats allow individuals to seek information instantly. Not much is given but that is sufficient to make a purchase decision. This information is sourced from friends and relatives whose response is trusted and is considered objective.

All social recommendations are personalized regardless of whether they are about goods or services. Certain companies online have used categories to group such products and services. Among them is Etsy which is using Facebook to show the gifts that most friends like. The music industry has seen the entry of spotify that tells people about the taste of their friends. This is the group influence that is driving sales for companies.

This model of operation has been embraced by the tourism industry. Friends have a hands-on experience with airlines and hotels and can identify the best sites to visit. Their word will carry more weight that a host of the most magnificent adverts. It calls for a change of strategy to embrace the new search method by customers.

Adapting the right operation model makes it easy to exploit this platform. It begins by getting hooked up with the right people who can initiate the flow. They will introduce the products since within their network and create a ripple effect. The right people other than numbers must be the target.

People recommendation is another effective and phenomenon method. An invitation is sent by a friend to another. The person is not a stranger. This elicits positive response and acceptance. It is mainly among persons who share interests, know each other or are in a similar profession. Their influence surpasses that of a celebrity. It is common in Linkedin and Facebook.

product reviews will be the driving force behind increased volumes in the near future. Conducting proper analysis and using qualified technicians will help any company to meet its goals. It is affordable and has far reaching effects.




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