[null, {"document_url": "http://www.rescuemarketing.com/seth-harvard-and-understanding-social-network-users/", "unformatted_src": "http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3208/3070534443_d5b255df8c_m.jpg", "src": "http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3208/3070534443_d5b255df8c_m.jpg", "formatted_filename": "d b df c m", "alt_text": "What to my wondering eyes should appear ..."}, null]
photo credit: James Jordan

Today’s guest post comes fromÂ Professor Mikolaj Jan Piskorski from the Harvard Business School.

HBS’s Sean Silverthorne summarizes ofÂ the article:

Many business leaders are mystified about how to reach potential customers on social networks such as Facebook. “Understanding users of social networks” provides a fresh look into the interpersonal dynamics of these sites and offers guidance for approaching these tantalizing markets.

Key concepts include:

The biggest discovery: pictures. 70% of all actions are related to viewing pictures or viewing other people’s profiles.

Knowing that (you really should have known that already, think about it), how does this alter how you present yourself online?

ThatÂ it isn’t just another channel is something that even some legendary marketing experts still don’t seem toÂ get.

What do I mean?Â You’ve probably noticed it before but you (like me) maybe didn’t think to say anything aboutÂ it.Â

As you might expect,Â Hildy said something.

Earlier this week, she commented that even Seth Godin, the Seth that we’ve all learned so much from, doesn’t allow comments on his blog.Â How is that serving his Tribe?

Even Seth should know (and I’m sure he does) that it’s a conversation, not just a broadcast channel.

Which makes the situation even more curious. Do what Seth says, not what Seth does – at least in this instance.
