Egocentricity of Social World

It was just a few years ago (I don’t want to sound like I’m very old J ) when I first experienced INTERNET. World Wide Web seemed much hyped with limited access and poor connectivity. It consumed a major wallet share then and I had to drive all the way to a shoddy Cyber Café.

Today it is different. And tomorrow’s generation would have a very different experience with every phone bearing data capability and smartphone prices even in Africa falling sub $30 !

The digital world is expanding exponentially. While most of us are fortunate to experience the transformation, many are predicting the change and few are innovating to bring it to life.

I attribute the emergence of social media and its growth on the basic premise that Individual has an incessant need to be part of the community and behaves differently to gain needed attention.

It’s all about ~

1. I, Me and Myself

Recently I read on twitter that a couple successfully stole an IPad but was caught as they couldn’t resist taking a selfie!

It is not just about taking my picture and posting it. It is about creating content which would start a conversation about “me”, “my beliefs”, “my opinion” and everything around me and mine.

Birthdays, Introductions, Marriages and more. People share every moment and every little detail. Trillions of genuine conversation. Billions sharing, Millions listening.

UGC is becoming more significant new media and opportunist and smart marketers shall find new methods of storytelling.

In the process, new set of influencers are emerging and they’re redefining the rules of engagement online. These have followers and are now, our new celebrities.

1. Gimme MORE

Impatience is a virtue and with connected and shared world, everything seems possible. Internet bandwidth, phone memory space, screen resolution, streaming content, food delivery, online shopping and everything else has to be instant and more!

As the screen size becomes bigger, the consumption of megabytes increases multifold and this generation which is hesitant of reading texts, loves hours of watching video!

On the move and on my mobile is the “mantra” for everything from paying bills, to managing my calendar and even deciding my lunch menu!

1. Challenge Me

I believe, one of the most stupid successful games is CANDYCRUSH and I’m not the only one addicted to it. So why is it so popular?

It challenges me with increasing level of difficulty and keeps me engaged to continue trying to beat the level and overtake my friends in the game.

Gamification is getting more prominent way of consumer engagement. The changing digital landscape is likely to make it more “gruesome” with multiplayer, real time and virtually real syndromes.

1. I CLICK “I agree”

Even the most learned, does not read through the extremely lengthy terms & conditions on the app or web before signing in. We agree to share the most intimate personal data with world without hesitation!

The adage, “Even walls have ears” is coming true! Our phones and homes are getting smarter. Devices around us are listening and learning. Soon Big DATA and analytics would know more about me than my wife!

The debate on where to draw a line or rather redraw the line of privacy is eminent and it might lead to potential career line for “Online Reputation Managers”