Aug 4 2011
Randi Zuckerberg To Leave Facebook To Start Social Media Firm
Randi Zuckerberg, who is director of marketing at Facebook and also the sister of CEO and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, is leaving the company after six years to start a new-media firm to help companies become more social.
In her resignation letter, which is below in its entirety, Zuckerberg said:
“I have spent my years at Facebook pouring my heart and soul into innovating and pushing the media industry forward by introducing new concepts around live, social, participatory viewing that the media industry has since adopted. We have made incredible progress, but there is still much to be done and other ways I can affect change. Now is the perfect time for me to move outside of Facebook to build a company focused on the exciting trends underway in the media industry.”
Facebook confirmed the departure and in a statement said: “We can confirm Randi has decided to leave Facebook to start her own company. We are all grateful for her important service.”
There was no comment from Mark Zuckerberg directly.
The company Randi Zuckerberg is creating is apparently called RtoZ Media, which is obviously a play on her name.
The move is likely to be much noticed, since Randi Zuckberberg has been at Facebook since its early days and has also been a high-profile and charismatic personality both inside the social-networking company and in Silicon Valley. She has been on maternity leave for last three months, after having her first child, and sources said she has told them that being away from the rapid-fire pace at Facebook has given her time to reflect on what she wants to do in the next phase of her career.
Presumably, leaving Facebook will give Zuckerberg greater freedom to work for a range of companies without a conflict. That said, it’s unlikely she’ll take on Google+ as a client.
Zuckerberg is certainly going out on a high note–she was recently nominated for an Emmy award in the category of live coverage of a current news event for her work on “Facebook Live,” a real-time news show she created and hosted for the company.
Zuckerberg, who is definitely not a geek like her brother, noted in her letter to Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg and communications head Elliot Schrage: “I am thankful for the strong mentorship, guidance, and support, which is empowering me to follow my dreams and show that you don’t have to be an engineer to be a hacker.”
Source: Cnet News
Apr 5 2011
Beyond TV – The lowdown
More videos explaining to you what is BeyondTV all about.
BeyondTV allow its users to interact, experience, engage & explore the show that they are currently watching.
Let the videos below do the talking.
Apr 4 2011
Beyond TV – The Final Cut
We have been talking and sharing with you about Beyond TV.
What is a second screen?
How will it benefit you?
What exactly is Beyond TV?
All questions will be answered.
Watch the video and get ready to be blown away!
Apr 19 2011
We Are On The News!
We are very excited to share that we were featured on the local newspaper today!
You can read the online version of the article on my paper, page 9.
Source: MyPaper
Apr 5 2011
Singapore Media Fusion
Special thanks to MDA & Singapore Media Fusion for putting up Beyond TV poster at their booth over at MIPTV 2011 in Cannes, France.
This is definitely one of our proudest moment and the start of a good working partnership.
Singapore Media Fusion:
SMF – a positioning strategy geared towards promoting the achievements of Singapore media companies and talents-boosts the local media community by nurturing and training local talent; conducting targeted marketing campaigns; facilitating partnerships and tie-ups; and initiating support schemes.
SMF also helps local companies and professionals take flight at international events and festivals around the globe by organising delegations and setting up dedicated Singapore Pavilions.
Encapsulated by its four key thrusts-Bold. Surprising. Optimistic. Supportive-SMF presents a unified front for Singapore companies in the international marketplace and projects a unique voice for the Singapore media community.
May 18 2011
TV Of Tomorrow 2011
We are very excited to share that the BeyondTV team will be presenting today at TV of Tomorrow 2011 Show (TVOT) in San Francisco.
TVOT is an annual conference in San Francisco for global gathering of executives, technologists and creatives working in the Interactive and Multi platform Television industry/community.
The show will feature a mix of keynotes, panels, debates, general sessions, workshops, new technology/product presentations, and more.
Some of the issues to be explored include:
- Connected-TV app stores, over-the-top delivery of live and on-demand programming, the “open cable API,” “cable as an app,” and more: the rapidly evolving relationship between the pay-TV, consumer electronics and programming/content industries.
- Reports from the field: How tcommerce, interactive advertising, social TV, connected-TV apps and other interactive TV deployments are fairing in the real world, and what these deployments tell us about the business models for the TV of tomorrow.
- The economics of interactive TV: which interactive platforms and services are generating revenues today and how?
- The future of TV design: How to ensure that usability and high-quality design become a core element of the interactive TV user experience, and not just an afterthought; strategies for designing cross-platform interactive video experiences; making the business case for good design; and more.
- The significance of pay-TV operators’ and broadcasters’ embrace of the iPad and other companion devices.
- The extent to which the popularity of social TV could change the nature of television programming and the economics of television.
- Enabling broadcast-synchronized interactivity through connected-TV apps. Hybrid TV and its significance for pay-TV operators.
- How gestural control and touchscreen interfaces could alter the user experience of television. The impact of new interactive broadband video technologies (hotspotting, overlays, image tracking, etc.) on the interactive TV space.
- The relationship between interactive TV, data generation and targeted advertising: new opportunities for measurement, analysis and addressability that are made possible by the advent of a national interactive TV platform.
- How interactive TV will impact local broadcasters and their markets. How interactive technologies are giving rise to new forms of cross-platform storytelling and new narrative genres.
- Outreach and evangelism: how to drive consumer awareness and adoption of interactive TV. Whether cable, satellite and telcos should work together on a united national interactive TV vision.
The TV of Tomorrow show will takes place for two days, May 17-18, 2011 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.
Source: TVOT 2011
May 4 2011
BeyondTV – in Today Paper
Another news article about BeyondTV!
Thank you Today Paper & Peter Yeo for the writeup!
SINGAPORE – MTV changed the way we hear – or see, rather – music and propelled the television into every household. But, if Aleph Labs get their way, their technology will change the way we watch television.
Beyond TV (picture) extends the television experience by pushing extra content related to the show onto a “second screen”. This extra content would come in the form of real-time, interactive links that integrates social media. For example, while watching your favourite show, you can “like” it so friends and family members will get your personal stamp of approval – be it for the show or just that particular episode.
As CEO Arvind Singh revealed, BeyondTV uses “audio watermarking”, technology that uses the microphone on the tablet device to pick up the sound from the television and determines what channel and programme is being watched. The software then pulls out content related to the television programme and pushes it to the tablet.
BeyondTV contains an Electronic Program Guide (EPG), an interactive service that provides viewers with constantly updated information such as schedules and other rich data for current and coming programmes.
Mr Singh explained that most channels already produce an EPG which are synced with televisions, set-top boxes and tablet devices. Major EPG providers like Rovi already have widgets for Internet-connected televisions.
You can “check in” on the show so your friends are updated on the show you are watching. You can then share your thoughts and read comments from friends via social platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
Information for sports programmes such as team and player statistics or match overviews can also be sent to your tablet. You can also watch replays of key moments – bad refereeing or spectacular goals – during halftime, check on schedules of other matches or purchase match tickets and merchandise.
“Singaporeans are known to be very tech-savvy and are absolutely ready for BeyondTV, especially with integration of social network in the BeyondTV framework,” said Mr Singh.
Aleph Labs was one of 11 local establishments that took part in MIPTV last month. MIPTV is a content market for co-producing, buying, selling, financing and distributing entertainment content. The company had the honour of being one of 18 chosen finalists out of 159 entries from 20 countries to take part in Content 360, a competition for new media talents held at MIPTV.
The showcase provided a unique platform for digital producers, interactive agencies, digital designers, Internet content creators, game developers and mobile application providers to pitch their creative ideas. BeyondTV was pitched to the “rich media tablet and social apps” section.
Mr Singh said: “MIPTV was a very successful trip, we got validation for BeyondTV as a concept and our development effort was highly appreciated. We had many meetings during the event as well as substantial follow-ups after.”
Source: Today Online
Mar 21 2011
MDA Singapore: MIPTV 2011
As part of the Media Development Authority’s (MDA) continuing efforts to assist Singapore-based media companies gain international exposure and recognition at international markets, and reach out to an international clientele, MDA will be leading and coordinating Singapore’s participation at MIPTV 2011 (4 April – 7 April 2011) in Palais des Festival, Cannes, France.
THE SINGAPORE PAVILION:
MDA will organize the Singapore Pavilion at MIPTV which will serve as the central hub for Singapore companies to showcase Singapore’s TV industry and content. As part of the Singapore Pavilion, MDA will assist in the advertising and publicity campaign for these companies and host a Singapore Networking Party – a platform for Singapore and overseas clients to meet, network and establish business relationships.
Source: MDA website
Mar 21 2011
MIP TV
MIPTV gives the world its first taste of the newest programmes, freshest formats and latest innovations for TV, Internet, Mobile and all Video-rich platforms.
Happening this year at Cannes, France from 4th-7th April 2011,
MIPTV will host a series of events including the Content 360 festival, a platform that connects developers of future-defining creative concepts with the most influential audience in multi-platform content.
Beyond TV is one of the top 5 finalists in the “Rich Media table & Social TV apps” category and will present its concept over at the festival.
For more information, please visit MIPTV website: http://www.mipworld.com/en/miptv/conferences-and-events/content-360/
May 26 2011
Does Your Social Networking Profile Say Too Much?
Research reveals what personal information Facebook users disclose, and who discloses the most.
When communicating over the internet people don’t feel the same pull towards social conformity as elsewhere. Online, people cast aside their inhibitions, worry less about the consequences of their actions and let it all hang out. Sometimes literally.
Psychologists call this the online disinhibition effect and its upshot can be seen everywhere.
For example, in online support groups people find they can discuss issues they would never broach face-to-face.
In blog posts and comments people spew invective on matters political, religious and personal. On social networking sites they list home numbers, friends, even add pictures of themselves blind drunk. Yet, meet them in person and they’d be reluctant to volunteer their own name.
For good or ill, people act more freely online.
Since 700 million people worldwide are now on social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace, what does this mean for our privacy, safety and for how we are viewed online?
What people disclose on Facebook
To make a start at answering these emerging questions, we examined how much Facebook users disclose and what types of people are likely to disclose the most.
The researchers examined a sample of 400 randomly selected Facebook users to see what types of information people displayed to all comers. Here are the percentages of people who disclosed information in some of the categories:
Poke: 99%
Mini-feed: 98%
Profile picture: 92% (although not always just of themselves)
Friends viewable: 88% (i.e. visitors can see who someone’s friends are)
Birthday: 88%
Wall: 83%
Photo albums: 70%
Relationship status: 63%
Sexual orientation: 55%
Favourite movies: 50%
…and from the bottom half of the table:
Email address: 43%
Favourite books: 41%
Job: 33%
About me: 31%
Degree: 9%
Mobile phone number: 5%
Former name: 5%
Home address: 4%
Land phone: 2%
Who discloses the most?
When the researchers analysed the demographics, they found that top of the online disclosing leagues were single people, who disclosed more sensitive information than those in a relationship or those who didn’t specify their relationship status.
This ties in with the finding that compared to face-to-face daters, online daters disclose more personal information, more quickly. The online disinhibition effect seems to accelerate disclosure between people.
They also found that younger people tended to disclose more online while older people were more cautious, as might be expected.
Finally, and somewhat surprisingly, men and women did not differ in the amount disclosed online. The research generally finds that women disclose freely to each other while men keep schtum about their private lives. Online, though, perhaps men feel less pressure to conform to social norms.
Privacy issues
The fact that people disclose so much information about themselves on Facebook shows the online disinhibition effect in action. What this research reveals is that young people and those looking for connections online are likely to disclose the most information.
Despite these debates often being couched in terms of fear of others and transgressions of privacy, what’s often forgotten is the simple fact that self-disclosure is the first step towards intimacy, something we all need. Still, it’s a potential vulnerability that relationship seekers might bear in mind.
Source: Psyblog
May 24 2011
Social TV Makes Everyone A Curator
It’s pretty clear: TV is no longer about every family sitting down to watch “Ed Sullivan” at 7pm each night.
The lines between digital media are starting to blur: TV can be accessed anywhere, on any connected TV. Additionally, the amount of available TV content has exploded with the birth of OTT, VoD, catch up, and streaming media. Social TV is the natural child of this revolution: suddenly people are consuming content in new ways.
Social TV essentially makes everyone a curator, and empowers viewers to filter and recommend TV content themselves. By voicing their opinions on Twitter and Facebook, suddenly viewers have a much bigger say in how content is curated, and what shows rise to the top.
Social TV is still a growing and important trend. Key value is created by inviting everyone – not just the experts- to curate content, generating buzz and chatter. And socially curating content is becoming an increasingly popular activity – even if consumers don’t directly know they are doing it. And as a result, people are turning to Twitter and Facebook to find out what’s hot on TV that night.
However while many viewers are actively curating content with their Tweets and status updates, does it have the desired results?
Social TV…with a caveat
However, while social is the buzz word of the moment, there is some evidence that social networks are actually starting to lose some of their holds over the hearts and minds of consumers.
Surprisingly, the typical Facebook user doesn’t even know 20% of their friends, and the authority of peers has notably declined 4% since 2009. Instead, consumers have increasingly placed their trust in the advice of experts.
Social TV also doesn’t always operate the way we expect to it. According to new research presented by Christy Tanner from TVGuide.com, the most social shows on TV aren’t necessarily those with the highest Nielsen ratings:
Top 10 Most Social Shows of the 2010-2011 TV Season
1. NCIS
2. American Idol
3. Criminal Minds
4. Glee
5. House
6. Fringe
7. Bones
8. Castle
9. Smallville
10. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Although some of these shows, like NCIS and American Idol, are also extremely popular in the Nielsen ratings, most TV shows in the list buck the trend. Programs like Glee, which have huge social media followings and a great web presence, barely rank in Nielsen’s Top 40.
This means that while social TV may not be driving new viewers to the show, it’s a great measure of audience engagement. In particular, 27-33 year old women on Facebook are the most active sharers, and drive the highest conversion rates.
Unsurprisingly, Twitter beats Facebook when it comes to engagement while a show is airing. 50% of users said they tweet about the show they are watching, compared with only 35% who said they post to Facebook.
Content Curation is King
During Mashable Connect, Steve Rubel, EVP of Global Strategy and Insights for Edelman, took the stage to talk about how consumers are dealing with consumer overload.
According to Rubel, consumers use a variety of sources – not just their social networks- to discover what’s personally relevant.
So in an era of content overload, how can TV operators get attention?
It’s essential to remember that each viewer decides what to watch a little differently; while some viewers know exactly what they want, others are simply browsing for something new to watch. Rubel pointed to Richard Edelman’s “Media Cloverleaf” as a solution. The Media Cloverleaf features four distinct spheres of media which should all be utilized to engage the public on a regular basis.
In other words, multiplatform strategies that include social TV are essential. Viewers are already actively curating TV content whether operators like it or not. It looks like social TV behaviour is only set to grow- how TV operators capitalise and innovate around the trend will determine their success.
Source: World TVPC
May 23 2011
Gauge Your Twitter Influence & Everyone Else’s
Want to see how influential you are on Twitter? A new app called Sneak Peek not only does that; it also tells you how influential everyone else is.
Visibli, a web analytics firm, aims to be a “Compete for social sharing” with the app, which went live on May 17. Sneak Peek makes a couple of metrics publicly available: clicks on links and clicks on reshared links. The former are original links, while the latter are retweets, though Visibli CEO Saif Ajani says he avoided that term since many users don’t use the “RT” designation when they retweet.
For instance, a look at Ashton Kutcher’s Twitter stream over the past two weeks shows a big bump on May 11, when he retweeted Amazon’s announcement that the movie No Strings Attached (which he stars in) was available on Blu-ray and DVD. That retweet yielded 2,402 clicks.
A person’s Twitter stats can be found by typing in his or her handle. Ajani hopes to get ad agencies and marketers to sign up for the paid version of Visibli, which provides data from a much longer period. Right now, a look at the past 14 days is free without registration. Users must register to see stats from the past 30 days — or what’s happening in real time.
The app uses information compiled from Twitter’s API as well as APIs from Twitter apps like Bit.ly and TweetDeck, among others. Visibli is not the only firm to measure Twitter influence, of course. Klout, for one, does the same thing.
But Ajani’s plan is to offer the same visibility that Compete offers for website traffic (even though many dispute Compete’s numbers) for sharing in all of social media, including Facebook. “We’ve got some kickass analytics that track in real-time everything you share,” he says.
This app will set to rock how marketers gather information from users and use it to their advantages.
But will this compromise our accounts’ privacy?
Source: Mashable
Additional input by Ada
Mar 21 2011
Social TV
Interactive television experts gathered at SXSWi in Austin, Texas last week to discuss the future of social TV.
Panelists, which ranged from the likes of Chloe Sladden of Twitter to Gavin Purcell from Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, discussed ways in which they incorporate social media into popular television shows
such as “No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain” and “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.”
Fred Graver, the senior VP of Travel Channel, spoke to the audience about his initial skepticism regarding the integration of Twitter into “No Reservations.” “It wasn’t a no brainer for us.” said Graver.
“The whole thing here is if you have 36-48 hours before the show premiers, do you want to spend your time talking about Tony (Bourdain) live-tweeting?
And that was a big discussion but we decided, yes lets do it.”
Doing it proved to be successful for Graver and the Travel Channel, with “No Reservations” currently at more than 1 million “likes” on Facebook and an increasingly active Twitter following.
Watch the video for more highlights from the discussion.
Source: http://www.mashable.com
May 20 2011
LinkedIn’s Biggest Backers Will Own $2.5 Billion Stake
LinkedIn Corp.’s founder Reid Hoffman and its three top venture backers own a combined stake of about $5.14 billion after an eight-year wait for the first initial public offering by a major U.S. social-media site.
Venture capitalists have led more than $100 million in investments in Mountain View, California-based LinkedIn since 2003, with Sequoia Capital amassing a holding now worth $1.59 billion, and Greylock Partners, a $1.32 billion stake. Hoffman, LinkedIn’s chairman and biggest shareholder, holds $1.8 billion and Bessemer Venture Partners has a stake worth $431.5 million.
The almost decade-long wait for a LinkedIn windfall compares with less than five years for the biggest investors in Google Inc. and just a year for top backers of Yahoo! Inc. and EBay Inc. (EBAY) LinkedIn’s debut on the New York Stock Exchange today at $45 a share, or a valuation of about $4.25 billion, brightens prospects for the venture capital industry, which has lost money over the past 10 years amid a dearth of IPOs.
“Any solid returns like this are clearly a great thing and there’s been too few of them in the past decade,” said Eric Risley, founder of Architect Partners, a technology merger-and- acquisition advisory firm in Menlo Park, California. “This was not an overnight success by any means.”
LinkedIn more than doubled, rising $49.25 to $94.25 at 4 p.m. New York time, after earlier soaring as high as $122.70. At the stock’s closing price, LinkedIn’s market valuation is $8.91 billion.
LinkedIn was valued at about $15 million when Menlo Park, California-based Sequoia first invested in 2003, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Hoffman’s Plans
Venture investors are barred from selling shares during a so-called lockup period that lasts for six months after an IPO. Venture capital firms typically keep 20 percent to 30 percent of profit for their partners after portfolio companies get acquired or go public. They distribute the rest to the pension funds, endowments and foundations that invest in their funds.
Hoffman, a former PayPal Inc. executive, is selling less than 1 percent of his stake. Hani Durzy, a spokesman for LinkedIn, declined to comment, as did Mark Dempster, who heads marketing for Sequoia.
Venture capitalists are counting on gains from LinkedIn and other Web companies such as Pandora Media Inc. and HomeAway Inc. Social-media companies Facebook Inc., Twitter Inc., Zynga Inc. and Groupon Inc. have yet to announce IPO plans, even with multibillion-dollar valuations on private markets.
Among the venture firms, Sequoia stands to be the biggest winner from the LinkedIn IPO. The firm led a $4.7 million investment in November 2003 and increased its funding later to accumulate a 21 percent stake.
Greylock, Bessemer
Mike Moritz, who led Sequoia’s early investments in Google, Yahoo and PayPal, joined LinkedIn’s board in January. He replaced Mark Kvamme, who left Sequoia for a job at the Ohio Department of Development.
Greylock Partners led the second round of funding, a $10 million investment, in 2004. Greylock’s David Sze, who’s also an investor in Facebook and Pandora, is a LinkedIn director. Hoffman joined Greylock as a partner in 2009.
Bessemer, a century-old firm that made an early bet on Skype Technologies SA, led a $12.8 million round in 2007.
Buyers of LinkedIn shares on the secondary markets are also poised to profit. A $1 million purchase of LinkedIn stock on Dec. 10, 2010, would now be worth more than $2.68 million, based on the median secondary bid price that day, according to a report today from Nyppex LLC, which specializes in secondary transactions.
‘Good Omen’
Nyppex, based in Rye Brook, New York, tracks the value of LinkedIn, Facebook, Zynga, Twitter and Groupon, which have surged in the past year as some early investors and employees sold equity. The valuations of leading consumer Internet companies surged by a combined 51 percent in the first quarter from the previous three months.
“The LinkedIn IPO valuation thus far is a good omen for secondary buyers in certain other privately held social-media companies,” Nyppex said.
LinkedIn trades under the ticker symbol LNKD. About 62 percent of the 7.84 million shares in the offering were sold by LinkedIn, which said it plans to use the proceeds to fund existing operations and to expand the business, possibly including buying other companies or technologies.
Source:Bloomberg
May 16 2011
Twitter & Facebook Have Growing Influence Over Global TV
Everyone has an opinion, and when it comes to TV shows everyone can now air that opinion. And the reason? Facebook and Twitter, the two most influential social platforms. Social networking and TV watching go together like ham and eggs, but a new report goes further, saying that the two powerhouses are also becoming the power brokers for the new global, digital TV landscape.
The report by Futurescape, a digital media research company says in their report on social TV that “Facebook and Twitter are now power brokers for the global television industry,”
he report looks at the ways social networking are permeating pretty much everyone and everywhere, “Their ability to create new business opportunities and engage viewers, boosting advertising and pay-TV revenue, gives them a significant and increasing influence over all aspects of television.”
In effect, social networks can now make or break a show. They can propel a niche show on a minor channel into the mainstream. And also kill a multi-million budget show after an episode.
There are some more interesting points coming from the report, including the fact that electronic program guides (EPG’s) are now incorporating Facebook and Twitter, allowing users to send an instant recommendion. And the important bit, “encouraging them to subscribe to pay-TV channels for particular programs.”
Big companies are seeing the power of social networking. Yahoo recently brought the social TV company IntoNow.
It may be seen as an interesting shift of power from the big Pay TV operators, but then it could just be seen as an extension of the TV review and critics who can also make or break a show.
Source: World TVPC
May 12 2011
Facebook Etiquette
An Updated Guide To Keeping Things Classy in Cyberspace.
We can all use some some common sense and courteousness to maintain decorum (avoid drama) and generally keep things classy.
1. When a friend has tagged you in a status, it is customary to like it, regardless of whether it’s actually funny or not.
2. It is unacceptable to like one’s own status or photo, unless a) one is trying to be ironic, or b) one is trying to look like a self-important douche.
3. If you choose to have a long conversation with one or more persons on a status, be prepared for everyone who liked said status or commented on it in passing to hate you forever.
4. It is impolite to wait more than 24 hours to reply to a wall post or message; if one waits longer than that in order to create the illusion of having a life, keep in mind that no one is buying it (no one else has a life, either).
5. Since Facebook’s founding, poking has evolved from meaning “Hey there, you!” to “I just got a facebook and I’m probably old; aren’t I hip?” Therefore, if one wants to be friendly or flirtatious over Facebook, poking is no longer the best option to attract the attention of your heart’s desire.
6. It is perfectly acceptable to link one’s Facebook account to one’s Tumblr. However, keep in mind that posting 6,000 things a day to Tumblr and thus blowing up all your friends’ news feeds is grounds for de-friending.
7. Remember: your status box is not your therapy couch.
8. It’s only when one doesn’t own up one’s Facebook creeping that one is creepy.
9. Do not reply “Yes” to an Event RSVP unless you are abolsutely 100% positive you will be attending. However, if an event even seems mildly interesting, it is acceptable to reply “Maybe”.
10. Pick and choose your song lyric statuses. Pick and choose
Note: Remember, watch what you say about yourself online, you never know who’s taking notes.
Source: NYULocal
May 3 2011
Facebook: 7 Highly Effective Habits
Love it or loathe it, Facebook is everywhere, and will continue to be everywhere as the film describing its genesis—The Social Network
To help you cope, here are 7 research-based tips for total Facebook domination. If you don’t use it, these should at least help you pepper Facebook-related conversations with compelling observations from the psychological research.
1. Get between 100 and 300 friends
It doesn’t look good to have too many Facebook friends, or too few.
It has been suggested that humans can maintain relationships with 150 people. Facebooker’s social attractiveness peaked at around this number. Go much above 300 or below 100 and social attractiveness starts to drop.
2. Court attractive friends
Make sure your friends, or the people who post on your ‘wall’, are good-looking. Attractive friends boosted the perceived attractiveness of participant’s profiles.
Keep the uggos away, unlike the offline world, it won’t make you look better in comparison.
3. Understand the 7 motivations
If you need to lure more people in as Facebook friends, it’s handy to understand its attraction.
The basic motivations for using Facebook:
- Connecting with old or distant friends.
- Social surveillance (see what old friends are up to, but without talking to them).
- Looking up people met offline.
- Virtual people watching.
- Status updating and content.
4. Don’t let your partner use Facebook
Users who spent more time on Facebook were more jealous of their partners. This is probably because they are finding out things about their partner—who they know and where they’ve been—which, in the days before social networking, could have been kept quiet.
So, don’t let your partner see your Facebook profile. Unless you want them to be jealous. In which case, carry on.
5. Guard your privacy
Privacy is a big, controversial topic on Facebook because many people’s social networking profiles do say too much.
Young, single people were particularly likely to disclose sensitive information about themselves. It’s the online disinhibition effect writ large. But, according to Boyd (2010), more young people are using the privacy settings than a year ago, so the message is getting through.
You’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it again: watch what you say about yourself online, you never know who’s taking notes.
6. Display your real self
Remarkably, you can often trust Facebook profiles; Facebook profiles generally reflected their owner’s actual rather than idealised selves.
Facebook users may not personally know all their Facebook friends but they probably do like the movies, books and bands they claim to like.
7. Use Facebook to get a job
Because we move huge distances nowadays, away from home towns and old friends, it’s easy to lose contact with people who might be able to give us a leg up in life. Facebook to the rescue…
Facebook users had higher levels of ‘social capital’. In other words: people are using their Facebook contacts to get jobs or other opportunities.
See, Facebookers aren’t just surfing for photos of people they know and people they’d like to know, they’re building social capital.
At least, that’s the excuse I’ll be using from now on.
Source: PsyBlog
