Re: size and network value

Le 1 juil. 2010 à 04:17, Henry Story a écrit :
> This is what Metcalf's law was attempting to do for the telecommunications network 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metcalf's_law

Metcalf is for material entities, not people.
You put in contact phones, but someone will not necessary answers :)

> What it really gives you is the potential of the network given the size of a 
> *telephone* network. How many people can be put in communication. 


How many telephones can be put in communication. :)

You have to look at the Dunbar's number.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunbar%27s_number

	"Dunbar's number is a theoretical cognitive 
	limit to the number of people with whom one 
	can maintain stable social relationships."
	[…]
	"No precise value has been proposed for 
	Dunbar's number, but a commonly cited 
	approximation is 150."


> So on metcalf's law let us look at the value of:
> 
> France:   65 million^2 = 4225000000000000 potential connections


For many social networks such as twitter, facebook, etc. and for the brands 
who try to monetize these networks, "the word of mouth" is the key, because 
people put above everything else the recommendation of a friend above 
anything a brand could say about a product. You have to consider that the 
"value" of social networks, so far, is made by brands and their ability to 
sell products and services.


	93% - Percentage of customers who identify word of 
	mouth as the best, most reliable source about ideas 
	and information on products and services - up 26 pts. 
	vs. 25 years ago 
	Source: NOP World

	67% - Percentage of consumer purchase decisions 
	primarily influenced by word of mouth, #1 factor 
	Source: Mckinsey/Thompson Lightstone

	91% - Use social networks to stay in touch with 
	friends they see a lot
	Source: Pew Internet

Numbers hunted in this slides.
http://www.slideshare.net/agentwildfire/agent-wildfire-cheat-sheet


-- 
Karl Dubost
Montréal, QC, Canada
http://www.la-grange.net/karl/

Received on Thursday, 1 July 2010 19:39:30 UTC