hunting content creators (3) – business point
Post is the continuation of Hunting content creators thread. You will find previous part here.
Analysis of the content, generated by users of social networking sites is a process aiming to improve. Past data makes present solutions better and keep development of the Internet progressing: more users, more content, business matters such as more profit, happy customers or synergy effect.
Data generated by members of Internet society is valuable source of knowledge about several aspects of their network activity. Improving organization of network reality by using logical rules is intuitive, but in business matters it is vital issue to have advantage over competitors. Economy based on information demands constant improvement in production process, management and marketing, and it happens since decades, thus it doesn’t leave any space for serious advantage – companies explore various spaces to look for it. Data mining is used to discover such knowledge and contribute it in development and advantage obtaining process.
Problem identification is the first step in data mining process. Because of the fact, that data exploration is not only device to improve, but also to create new solutions, set of initial conditions is much wider.
Improvement of social networking sites funcioning:
- faster content creation
It is proven t hat only small part of all social networking sites users actively contributes and participates in content creation. The majority are only passive consumers. It is very important to deliver “fresh” content and taking care of that little part of creators seems very natural and positive. The question is, how to – in a very dynamic environment, which social network is – detect content creators and how to “feed” them? On the other hand, mechanism created would be also useful for detecting potential negative users such as spamers, trolls or robots.
- content of higher quality
Explaining the nature of the Internet in the time of Web 2.0, where every user is a potential content creator and contributor, it was mentioned also that there are some negative aspects of such. Content duplication, redundant information, spam, not appropriate content, improper categorization are consequences of free-choice Internet users activity. Data mining algorithms can be used to search for and integrate inappropriate, redundant content or correct categorization, to look for errors or even prevent some user’s behavior – for example by malicious users detection. Moreover, potential advantage is searching for knowledge extraction, to collect know-how arount some topic. Internet boards are places, where people share their experience and practise, which helps solving problems and creating new ways to approach, sometimes complicated, problems.
- conveniences for users
Some of the conveniences, that are given users by web mining techniques are recommendation of topics or posts, according to their preferences (defined previously in profile or detected on the spot from history or visited content). Same when it comes to contacts or groups, which are fit thanks to the features extrapolation – and not only basic features, such as localization or similar activities, but also more complicated, as a result of algorithm function.
Business points
- contextual advertising and dedicated business offer – knowledge synthesis to generate content (knowledge) aggregates
Knowledge extraction is a tool to enhance conciousness of users’ preferences and behavior – system isn’t limited to the information, that user decides to share. Content and traffic analysic allows system to discover preferences, interests and many more – sometimes surprising – features of community members. All above could server to identify needs and to more effective marketing process.
- opinion and review extraction
As mentioned above, it is positive attempt to extract knowledge from internet boards or other places where discussion arises, to gather know-how in various domains. Is social networking siter it is also possible to gather opinion regarding products or services, valueable from producer point of view. Knowledge, gathered using extrapolation, could be base to build an advantage over business competitors. Same issue appears when it comes to blogs – concerning both posts and comments.
In summary – business issues of Hunting content creators are around detection of most contributing users, to increase tempo of network development. Experimental site is internet board, where basic indicator of user’s activity is number of published posts. Big number of visits with small number of posts is a sign, that user is not a contributor to the community, but rather a consumer. Detection of contributors and providing them with improved environment results chain reaction: more content -> more users -> faster community growth -> more content… To acomplish the goals it was couple of web mining algorithm tested. More in next part.
This blog contains articles related to web mining, data mining, knowledge management and internet exploration. Other refer to web 2.0, internet boards and projects executed by author.