
While trying to answer the social holy grail question-Why is Mixi popular in Japan?, I came across a paper from researchers at Stanford University looking at the cultural differences between Facebook and Mixi. They examined how Facebook and Mixi persuade their members to join and stay on their respective SNS based on their cultural filters.
Persuasion, a key behavior element in SNS stickiness, is a common term used in marketing for years used to change market behavior. Facebook and Mixi end goals of increasing subscriber-ship by enforcing certain behaviors are the same but their approach is total different.
For SNS and their communities to succeed, the SNS must motivate users to register, create a profile, allow connection to friends, and share events and information with friends. An interesting behavioral pattern for new users of an SNS or community uses a pattern some researchers call – Behavior Chain for Online Participation
Participate or not to Participate that is the question?
The general phases of on-line SNS participation are:
- Discovery – Learning and researching the SNS which may prompt a visit to the SNS.
- Superficial Involvement – After an initial visit maybe a decision to try it.
- True Commitment – Creating Value and Content in the SNS, Involve others (Friends & Acquaintances), Stay Active and Loyal.
SNS Persuasion Leads the Mice to the Cheese
The True Commitment phase is where SNSs like Facebook, Mixi and LinkedIn really shine. Their structure and web design enable behaviors and actions that persuade us to engage them are listed below.
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Target SNS Behavior
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SNS Persuasive Action
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Create Value and Content
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Create Personal Profile Page
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Involve Others
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Invite Your Friends
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Create Value and Content
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Respond to Others’ Contributions
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Stay Active and Loyal
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Return to Site Often
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Contrasting Cultural SNS Styles
Facebook is open, direct and some say more bold and assertive. Facebook suggests the information we need for our profile and makes the profile page more interesting as you add more information. For example, listing a silhouette of a person prompts people to question their anonymity especially when placed in the sea of faces. The usage of pokes and its e-mail alerts motivate people to return to its site to poke back.
Mixi is more closed, subtle and less direct. Mixi is a closed SNS– invitation by Mixi user only and requires a mobile phone number local to Japan to complete the registration. Most Mixi users are under the vail of anonymity or aliases -finding friends is nearly impossible. Mixi wants an introduction of a fixed length then gives the user some time to enter some personal information though not as deep as Facebook. This two stage approach builds trust in the Japanese user – a contrast in nature between the US and Japan.
Though the style of Facebook openness feels comfortable from the western side of the world, my experience with the Japanese culture understands and identifies with the subtle, less direct and comfortable Mixi style.
Regardless, both are very popular SNS in their respective countries. What is your social network cultural comfort zone?
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