These are the presentation slides of my dissertation. My research was about viral marketing and, in particular, people who has the social gifts to influence online and drive viral movements, the e-fluentials.

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Eirini Panagiotopoulou
(200580867)
Master Thesis Dissertation
MA Advertising and Design 2010-11
School of Design, University of Leeds
Supervisor: Dr. Paul Wilson

2. Consumers
Advertiser

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10. Who are the e-fluentials; what is their profile, characteristics and online behaviour?
How can e-fluentials be classified?
Why do they influence their peers and who do they influence?
Get insights into the people who have the ability to influence other people by
their opinion and sharing content online.
Develop a psychographic segmentation of the e-fluentials, which will distinguish
them in certain profiles according to some of their characteristics.
Aim to enable quicker, more precise and therefore more effective targeting of
consumers for viral marketing campaigns.
Incorporation of the findings of previous studies in the results.

11. Online survey
Online focus group
Online activity
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Online presence
Sharing behaviour
Lifestyle & demographics
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A ‘Mate’ is a close friend. As e-fluentials ‘Mates’ like to inform their friends about things they find online
and believe they are interesting and valuable for their friends to know.
Community driven motives-
information sharing
Friendly sharing
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Profile similar to friends’.
Socialise with friends and people
with common interests.
Share good and bad news only
with close friends.
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A ‘Savvy’ is someone who is very knowledgable. As e-fluentials ‘Savvy’ are informed about various things
and like to share their knowledge in order to inform and entertain their contacts.
Community driven motives-
information and entertainment
Generous sharing
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Appropriate profile.
Socialise with people with
common interests and same
business background.
Share good news with everyone.
Share bad news with the person in
charge in order to help.
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‘JFF’ stands for ‘Just-for-fun’. As e-fluentials ‘JFF’ share content so as to entertain themselves and get away
from what they are doing.
Self driven motives-
have fun
Enjoyable sharing
Don’t care much about their
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profile.
Socialise with people according to
their mood.
Share good and bad news with
close friends.
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A ‘Diva’ is someone who wants to be at the centre of the attention. As e-fluentials ‘Diva’ share content
with the purpose to attract the attention of their contacts.
Self driven motives-
attract the attention
Loud sharing
Likeable profile.
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Socialise with people with
common interests or flirt with
the opposite sex.
Share bad news with the
purpose in charge in order to
complain.
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19. Future research on the similarities and differences between various countries and
cultures in accordance to their sharing behaviour. Global study but also deep local.
Observation of participants on a real cocktail party may offer more honest results of
offline behaviour and insights into online behaviour.
Future studies may focus on which content is more appropriate for each category of
e-fluentials.

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