Forrester Research constantly updates an ongoing research project that defines users on the basis of their involvement and have curiously defined a set of roles that all online users can be categorized into.
- Creators: As highlighted earlier, this crowd has become increasing ideal targets for many business hoping to expand their e-presence throughout the country. They are loved for the fact they generate free publicity and are large influential power
- Conversationalists: People that generally talk or discuss and voice their opinion to other customers and business. They are a vocal crowd so companies must be well prepared to handle this crowd of people
- Critics: Most people refer to these people as critics. They generally review items and post their opinions. They are well regarded usually because they focus on a specific product or element.
- Collectors: RSS feeds and newsletter are quite enticing to this crowd. They enjoy collecting and sharing all forms of data as well as participating and voting for things.
- Joiners: Similar to how social media works, these people may also be conversationalists at time and play an important role in developing a community and exerting pressure for other to join.
- Spectators: People who watch, read and listen from the sidelines. They rarely participate much or offer opinion.
- Inactives: Not involved in social media at all
Why: So why is this discovery so important? Well it conceptualizes the behaviour of the potential online market. It allows business to evaluate and target certain crowds on the basis of their involvement and also may make they encourage other to grow higher in their involvement.
The future of Technographics: While research is ongoing, there are important questions about how people can flip between these roles for example how joiners can become conversationalists. Business are indeed keen on actively finding ways to enhance their brand by creating more user generated content. Perhaps there is a loop mechanism in terms of how involvement increases and decreases from certain experiences. Technographics have the potential to create a lot of impact in the future.
