The Five Eras of the Social Web – part 1.

In Forrester’s latest report The Future of the Social Web they define:

The Five Eras of the Social Web:

1) Era of Social Relationships: People connect to others and share
2) Era of Social Functionality: Social networks become like operating system
3) Era of Social Colonization: Every experience can now be social
4) Era of Social Context: Personalized and accurate content
5) Era of Social Commerce: Communities define future products and services

Forrester explains that in 2009 we are currently in the Era of Social Functionality and Era of Social Colonization (not mature yet).

Forrester then reveals How Brands Should Prepare:

• Don’t Hesitate: Connect with your community before competitors do
• Prepare For Transparency: A hot topic at the recent Social Media Club event in Sydney.   Prepare for every webpage and product to be reviewed by your customers and seen by prospects –even if you choose not to participate.
• Connect with Advocates: Focus on customer advocates, they will sway over prospects, and could defend against detractors.
• Evolve your Enterprise Systems:  CMS systems will need to inherit social features –pressure your vendors to offer this, or find a community platform.
• Shatter your Corporate Website: In the most radical future, content will come to consumers –rather than them chasing it– prepare to fragment your corporate website and let it distribute to the social web. Let the most important information go and spread to communities where they exist; fish where the fish are.

In my next post I will examine how these five eras will impact the market research industry