Social proof and online reviews

Social proof and online reviews

In the psychology of marketing and consumer behaviour, social proof is a concept used to describe the actions and behaviour of consumers when exposed to online stories and experiences. In essence this is an outside voice or voices expressing what they think and feel...

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Covid-19 series 2 – yeah, nah

Covid-19 series 2 – yeah, nah

So, we are almost at the end of series 2 of Lockdown and the reviews aren't quite as positive as series 1. Where the first series created a sense of connection and togetherness against a formidable foe, resulting in a finale of real triumph and shared achievement,...

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It’s space Jim, but not as we know it

It’s space Jim, but not as we know it

I've been thinking about virtual space for a while - not only because it is the strange, necessary and contested space of digital marketing - but because of the disappointing manner in which some of the more gargantuan online entities have shifted and melded to become...

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Consensus, consensus, consensus

Consensus, consensus, consensus

Sometimes I find myself just going 'wow', when I think about how much the world has changed in the past six months and how it continues to alter and shift as we all negotiate our way through the social, cultural and economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Each day...

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Why does Facebook get a free ride?

Why does Facebook get a free ride?

For a while Facebook has described itself as a social network but in truth and reality it is barely that at all. It is a marketplace, an advertising platform, and as we have discovered in the past few years - a purveyor and seller of personal information, a tax dodger...

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Easily manipulated and poorly monitored . . .

Easily manipulated and poorly monitored . . .

A recent story in the New Zealand Herald highlighted the huge pitfalls in the US owned search engine monopoly's review practices. Google reviews are not monitored, they are not screened, and they are difficult to remove if manipulated. This can lead to huge harm to a...

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