How to be an

Internet Anthropologist Social Media Week 2014

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#smwanthropology

@gsg

@hughadam

@its_alexflores

an·thro·pol·o·gy / noun

the study of human races, origins, societies,

and cultures

Every minute, people pump information into the

internet.

This represents more than just numbers. These

are very human behaviors, moments,

passions, fears, and aspirations.

This is culture.

The Megaphone

Process (old timey

PR & marketing)

1.Figure out what is

important to me.

2.Shout about it,

aggressively.

3.Wonder why it’s not

becoming important

to other people.

The DJ Process

(what needs to

happen now)

1.Figure out what

other people like

now and what they

will like soon.

2.Give them those

things.

3.Repeat.

HEY LET’S ROCK IT

IN SOCIAL!!1!! WE

NEED A TWITTER

STRATEGY!!1! WE

NEED A SNAPCHAT

STRATEGY!!!! LET’S

ENGAGE WITH THE

CONVERSATIONS

LOL!!

HEY LET’S ROCK IT

IN SOCIAL!!1!! WE

NEED A TWITTER

STRATEGY!!1! WE

NEED A SNAPCHAT

STRATEGY!!!! LET’S

ENGAGE WITH THE

CONVERSATIONS

LOL!!

Why do people pin

things? Why would

they pin our things?

What are people

asking about? Can we

answer? What things

are folks obsessed

about? Could they

obsess about us?

Why do people pin

things? Why would

they pin our things?

What are people

asking about? Can we

answer? What things

are folks obsessed

about? Could they

obsess about us?

Behaviors, then channels.

Verbs, then nouns.

Ask: Why?

“Okay so just what kinds of

‘human’ behaviors are we talking

about here, guys?”

Behavior 1:

Chronicling

People chronicle live events

People chronicle trips

People chronicle achievements

People chronicle complaints

People chronicle aspirations and fantasies

Try this: Next time you’re about

to watch a televised speech,

sports event or big television

premier, follow the hashtag and

related terms.

What compels people to share

thoughts and images as they

happen?

Behavior 2:

Asking

People ask about “how?” and “what’s

happening?”

People ask about health issues

People ask about each other

Try this: Type questions into

your searches that your

company or organization

could answer.

Are people asking these

questions? Is anyone

answering?

Behavior 3:

Collecting and

obsessing

People collect artifacts

People collect “inspirational” “quotes”

People collect jokes

People collect things they want to have

People obsess over almost anything

People obsess over almost anything you can

People obsess over almost anything you can

think of

Try this: Identify one or more

things you are interested in: a

sports team, a social issue, TV

show, etc. Obsess and collect on

Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram,

Twitter, Meetup... any new

channel you hear of.

What content finds its way to all

these channels? Could these

topics and behaviors relate to your

organization?

“Now how do you suppose we get our head

around all this and what it means for the

company?”

Make blobs.

PRODUCTS OR MISSION

PROCESSES OR DATA

PEOPLE, CULTURE

AND EXPERTS

PROGRAMS AND

INITIATIVES

LOCATIONS HISTORY

YOUR BRAND

Draw a blob and

write words in it

that make up your

organization or

issue what it is.

Distance data

Driving data

Roadside assistance

guys

Triptik folks

Infrastructure investment advocacy

AMERICA! State-specific

chapters

Old ads and

manuals

AAA

For example,

here’s one for

American

Automobile

Association

(AAA).

Maps

Distance data

Driving data

Roadside assistance

guys

Triptik folks

Infrastructure investment advocacy

AMERICA! State-specific

chapters

Old ads and

manuals

AAA

Now draw

overlaps between

your brand blob

and what people

are interested in

on the internet.

Maps

Distance data

Driving data

Roadside assistance

guys

Triptik folks

Infrastructure investment advocacy

AMERICA! State-specific

chapters

Old ads and

manuals

AAA

Maps

People who geek out

about their city or state

People collecting historical stuff

Maps and data nerds

People chronicling roadtrips

People asking about car

maintenance

Now it’s time to blob together, you guys.

So what?

This is where an effective,

people-first content strategy starts.

❏Homework: Open lots of tabs: surf Tumblr & Instagram tags,

spy on Meetup.com groups, go down the

Wikipedia rabbit hole. Get weird.

Grow and refine your brand blobs. Figure out

the connections. Ask: Which are the most

lucrative connections? What kinds of content

and activities will appeal to these people?

Thanks! @hughadam

@its_alexflores

@emily_williams

@lukepartridge

@lmamaio

@Meirabb

@jonathanmlesser

@gsg