Andrea Rotondi

I’ve watched the recent launches of Google Wave and Twitter Lists with some amusement. Everyone wanted to be among the first to trial Google Wave (including me, I admit). Of course, once people got it, they realised that it wasn’t so great for collaboration software to be in such exclusive release. And everyone wanted Twitter Lists before it was rolled out to all users. Then, of course, they wanted to be listed by someone else. As many times as possible. Please. It matters how many lists I’m on. Really, it does.

I wonder who is reading and following and paying attention to all these lists?

I am guilty too. Who doesn’t want to be a “chosen one” when the algorithms dole out social media special feature lovin’? But this phenomenon also reminded me of something very important: ego is a primary driver in social media.

Ego can be found in any community where people reside. Whether it be forums or Facebook, people love hierarchies, exclusivity and the chance at their proverbial 15 minutes. Who is the first to know the latest gossip or information? Who found the answer to the question everyone is wondering about? What new gadget did you just spend half (or all) of your paycheque on? Spending is even sweeter when you can tell 3500 followers about it on Twitter.

So as social media professionals, how can we use ego in our initiatives? I think it is important to remember the following points:

1. Information gathering has always been a social event. In my Masters thesis, I discussed how news spread before the printing press. The first news medium was word of mouth. And special status is afforded to those who have the best information. Thus, reputation becomes key. If a person is able to consistently provide new information, we go to them as a source. This is, of course, Media 101 stuff, but it is important to remember that social media works in the same way. Give people the opportunity to show off what they know and you will have a winner.

2. Exclusivity can work to your advantage. If you create the illusion of scarcity, you will attract attention (assuming your initial offer is good enough). Everyone wants the latest and greatest and they want to have it before any of their friends. A great example of this is the strategy of online merchants, such as RueLaLa, Haute Look and Gilt Groupe, requiring membership by invitation only. These sites still performed well during the recent economic slowdown despite their merchandise’s high price tags.

3. Make people feel like they are part of something special. A viral initiative is only as good as its potential, and potential is severely limited when nobody cares about what’s happening. You have to make people care about what you are promoting so ensure that everything associated with your initiative is of the highest quality possible.

4. People love things that make them think about themselves. It’s sad but true. ‘What type of _____ are you?’ quizzes and activities that are all about the user work surprisingly well. But you have to be careful with this because of my point number three: other people have to care about what they’re doing too. And while you might be interested in the fact that you fell into the “Yummy Mummy” category assessment as a result of that quiz, few others do. Believe me.

5. Help people out. A little promotion can go a long way online. If you have a community, make it a habit to showcase the members’ strengths and personal endeavours (if it fits in with your objectives). Do your community members have their own blogs and pet projects? Let these shine once in awhile. Part of having a community is giving back and you will win brand enthusiasts if you follow this mantra.

How does ego help drive your social media initiatives?