London (no...not San Francisco) is seen as the 'in' place for launching a Web 2.0 start up. US companies are looking to capitalise on the strong focussed consumer markets, advertising revenue potential and the ease in which to establish brand presence when compared to the US.
However to apply the same formula of a US site to a British site -will simply 'not cut the mustard!'
A usability report carried out in the US showed that nearly half of US Internet users are content creators; this includes postings, maintaining websites, blogs, contributing music, photos and videos etc... This report was carried out in 2004. Recent usability reports show that the figure today is around 60% for US Internet users.
British users in 2007 (whether they would like to admit it or not) are still conservative in terms of they browsing habits and posting habits. We may top the European charts for Internet usage (Source) but we have little interest in contributing to online postings unless we have real incentive or a personal connection to the site and its users - an obvious examples being Facebook.com and Linkedin.com
Sites which rely on user postings alone are going to be difficult to establish:
1. It is difficult to get people to post to a site which is initially unknown,
2. Even if you are pumping content 'to give the impression there is activity' why would any user want to come to your site, when Gumtree is around the corner with an established market?
3. What's the incentive? In the US a number of community posting websites use a ranking system, for example - you will receive a 1000 points for 100 postings - you are currently ranked - moron - sorry maven - You contribution is worth $1.98! At some point we will offer you free hosting once your account reaches $100. This system works well in the US but in the UK most people would turn their nose up to such venture.
There is what I call a 'Can I Help You' culture in the US; online users (I'll use the term strangers) are willing to help each other. Not only that, but they are willing to give and receive advice on number of different issues from lifestyle decisions to consumer purchases.
In England, on the whole this is 'no no' - although now we are beginning to open up to strangers - but its a long way off before we can tap into this market.
For advice on a range of topics, we primarily use family, friend and professional connections. We would even be happy to discuss these over the Internet - as long as we know who we're talking to.
In my mind, it makes no sense to release a UK version of a site such as Crowdstorm.com where users help each other make purchasing decision on a range of consumer electronic goods:
1. Would you really want to take advice on purchasing from someone you don't know? - Wouldn't you rather ask your family member or your friend 'Mr Gadget' who knows about mobile phones, digital cameras...etc Maybe he/she don't know about a particular item or have expertise in a particular area of technology - but a friend of theirs does? You would happily speak to him/her.
2. OK, so you don't have a family member or friend (or friend of a friend) who knows about the new Nokia 6300 - We are a nation who love magazines! - You could look up a review of the mobile phone - in a dedicated magazine, online technology website or ask one of the helpful members of staff in Carphone Warehouse. There is nothing like human contact!
3. The British response - Why would I want to offer advice to a stranger? I quite frankly don't have the time or patience...
So you might ask...What about eBay.co.uk? Users from the UK regularly post questions, problems and solutions in their discussion forums....How can this be?
However to apply the same formula of a US site to a British site -will simply 'not cut the mustard!'
A usability report carried out in the US showed that nearly half of US Internet users are content creators; this includes postings, maintaining websites, blogs, contributing music, photos and videos etc... This report was carried out in 2004. Recent usability reports show that the figure today is around 60% for US Internet users.
British users in 2007 (whether they would like to admit it or not) are still conservative in terms of they browsing habits and posting habits. We may top the European charts for Internet usage (Source) but we have little interest in contributing to online postings unless we have real incentive or a personal connection to the site and its users - an obvious examples being Facebook.com and Linkedin.com
Sites which rely on user postings alone are going to be difficult to establish:
1. It is difficult to get people to post to a site which is initially unknown,
2. Even if you are pumping content 'to give the impression there is activity' why would any user want to come to your site, when Gumtree is around the corner with an established market?
3. What's the incentive? In the US a number of community posting websites use a ranking system, for example - you will receive a 1000 points for 100 postings - you are currently ranked - moron - sorry maven - You contribution is worth $1.98! At some point we will offer you free hosting once your account reaches $100. This system works well in the US but in the UK most people would turn their nose up to such venture.
There is what I call a 'Can I Help You' culture in the US; online users (I'll use the term strangers) are willing to help each other. Not only that, but they are willing to give and receive advice on number of different issues from lifestyle decisions to consumer purchases.
In England, on the whole this is 'no no' - although now we are beginning to open up to strangers - but its a long way off before we can tap into this market.
For advice on a range of topics, we primarily use family, friend and professional connections. We would even be happy to discuss these over the Internet - as long as we know who we're talking to.
In my mind, it makes no sense to release a UK version of a site such as Crowdstorm.com where users help each other make purchasing decision on a range of consumer electronic goods:
1. Would you really want to take advice on purchasing from someone you don't know? - Wouldn't you rather ask your family member or your friend 'Mr Gadget' who knows about mobile phones, digital cameras...etc Maybe he/she don't know about a particular item or have expertise in a particular area of technology - but a friend of theirs does? You would happily speak to him/her.
2. OK, so you don't have a family member or friend (or friend of a friend) who knows about the new Nokia 6300 - We are a nation who love magazines! - You could look up a review of the mobile phone - in a dedicated magazine, online technology website or ask one of the helpful members of staff in Carphone Warehouse. There is nothing like human contact!
3. The British response - Why would I want to offer advice to a stranger? I quite frankly don't have the time or patience...
So you might ask...What about eBay.co.uk? Users from the UK regularly post questions, problems and solutions in their discussion forums....How can this be?
- There is a profit incentive.
- Their is a sense of community among sellers as a collective group, among buyers as another group and amongst the combined groups of sellers and buyers. There is a culture of 'I'll scratch your back if you will scratch my back' which works across all cultures....
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