Social media strategies
and
how information is
propagated through
networks

Is Ashton Kutcher
influential?
PEER TO PEER INFLUENCER
HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE
HEARD OF ASTON?
HOW MANY PEOPLE
ACTUALLY DO WHAT HE
SAYS?

Are your Friends making
you fat?
CONTENT AFFINITY
INFLUENCER
PEOPLE CHOOSE FRIENDS
WHO ARE SIMILAR TO
THEMSELVES RATHER THEN
INFLUENCING PEOPLE TO
BECOME LIKE THEM.
The New York time magazine wrote and article based
on a report in the New England Journal of Medicine
that found that there is a correlation of body mass
index among friends over time. The false implication
is that obesity is contagious.

2 different Strategies
PEER TO PEER
INFLUENCER
Causation: Small number of known mavens or
influencers become the source of viral sharing.
Correlation through content
affinities shared among like mined
people
HBoemhaovpiohroanl ychange through self selection into
groups based on traditional content affinities.
People who like Pizza Hut are likely to have
friends who like Pizza Hut.
Behavioral change by direct influence.
I respect and follow this person therefor I will
follow their recommendation. I follow an
influential blogger who tells me I should try Pizza
content is most important Hut.
messaging is most important
CONTENT
AFFINITY
INFLUENCER
Sinan Aral Associate Professor of IT and Marketing (with Tenure) at the MIT Sloan School of Management

NUMBER OF PEOPLE
NUMBER OF FOLLOWERS
ASHTON KUTCHER
10,000,000+ FOLLOWERS
FOOD BLOGGERS AND
1000’S OF FOLLOWERS
AVERAGE JOE
100’S OF FOLLOWERS
PEER TO
PEER
INFLUENCER
STRATEGY
CONTENT AFFINITY
STRATEGY
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE

How to influence social
behavior

How to trigger
consumer
behavior
•HIGHLY MOTIVATING
•MAKE IT SIMPLE, LOW BARRIERS
•MAKE IT REPEATABLE AND HABITUAL
•PROVIDE A SIMPLE REWARD FOR DOING THE TASK
•ASSOCIATE IT WITH SOMETHING PEOPLE ARE ALREADY DOING
•MAKE IT SHARABLE

Create a motivation
ASSOCIATING WITH A CHARITY CAN ELEVATE
THE MOTIVATION TO SELF ACTUALIZATION
COMPETITION - WITH FRIENDS
DISCOVERY - UNLOCK CONTENT AND DEALS
COLLECTION - POINTS SOCIAL CAPITAL

Make it simple, low barriers
CLICK THE
BUTTON

Provide a simple reward for doing
the task
PROVIDE A POSITIVE FEEDBACK LOOP FOR
EVERY TIME SOMEONE COMPLETES THE TASK
CLICK THE
BUTTON
GET A
GOLD STAR

Provide a reward for doing the task
Sunstone Yoga
EASY FOR BEGINNERS AND YET
CHALLENGING FOR EXPERTS
Status
Points
10
CLASSES
25
CLASSES
50
CLASSES
100 CLASSES

Make it repeatable and habitual
INCENTIVES RETURN ENGAGEMENT EVERY DAY YOU COME
BACK YOU GET TO SPIN
THE WHEEL OR CLICK
THE BUTTON
DAY
1
DAY
2
DAY
3

Associate it with something people
are already doing
ASSOCIATE IT WITH SOMETHING PEOPLE ARE ALREADY DOING
DRIVING TO
WORK
COOKING
DINNER
WORKING OUT
SHOPPING

Incentives sharing
SHARE IT AND EARN POINTS TO REDEEM FOR SOMETHING OF VALUE
OR SHARE AND SUPPORT A CHARITY

Rating the stores
HOW DO WE KNOW IF A
STORE IS DOING WELL OR
NOT?
THIS TREND LINE WILL DESCRIBES A
DIRECT LINEAR CORRELATION WITH
DAILY TRAFFIC AND SALES
TRAFFIC
SALES

Evaluate
SOUTH
AREA

South
area
DRILL
INTO THE
AREA MAP

South
area
MIAMI DMA

All Markets
High
performers
High
Traffic
CORE
MARKE
TS

All Markets
Low
performers
High
Traffic
OPPOR
TUNITY
MARKE
TS

CONTENT AFFINITY INFLUENCER
HOW WE BUILD THAT RELATIONSHIP
Engagement
Motivation
Loyalty
Content
Each phase of the relationship different attributes or
metrics become more or less important

CONTENT AFFINITY INFLUENCER
Motivation Loyalty
Content
Engagement

Motivation Loyalty
Content
Engagement
Value
(Is it worth it?)
Relevance
(Is it for me?)
Useful
(Did it help me?)
Aspirational
(Is it something i desire?)
Game Mechanics
(Is it rewarding?)
How Loyal
(How deep is their dedication?)
How many and who?
(How do the segments break out?)
Why do they love us?
(What drives the connections?)
Stimulation
(What is in it for me)
Frequency
(Why should I come
back)
Virality
(Why should I tell others)
Depth
(How long is
it worth it?)
Shop-ability/
Usability
(Is it enjoyable?)
CONTENT AFFINITY
INFLUENCER