Why People Go Online

With business today its important for you to understand how to understand and interact with your customers online. Stowe Boyde puts forth an interesting idea about why people are online:

People are online for discovery. It looks like its about things, but its not. They go to 'places', but really to find people. And below it all, they are involved with people to discover themselves.

This is not a high-minded philosophy pitch: it just practical. If you are trying to build social apps you have to understand that, even if the people using the apps think that they are merely trying to find new music, or better shoes, or the best extreme kayaking trip in Hawaii.

As more of the web moves toward this model, more power moves to the edge. Users want control, they want to make the rules, choose their terms, friends, networks. Only the players that understand this will succeed. People will find meaning from relationship with others, not by membership in organizations or groups.

Not a lot to add to this, but just something to think about as look to better utilize this channel more effectively. I also recommend watching the slide show, and the video presentation called Social = me first posted on the site where this concept is discussed.