The Problem With Social Media Is That the Users Talk Too Much

The Internet is a funny thing. If you read all of the chatter online, you could easily conclude that everyone is using the newest, coolest, slickest stuff. Why? Because the people who use the newest, coolest, slickest stuff tend to be the ones who write about it. The rest of the world just keeps doing their job, even when the new stuff is good, and even when some of the new stuff becomes older.

Case in point: A recent Lifehacker poll asks users what they use for their online bookmarking solution. Keep in mind that superior, simple and free solutions like del.icio.us and Google bookmarks have been out for years and if you read many blogs, you’d likely conclude that the majority of people have switched to them or services like them.

And yet – according to the poll – 71 percent of the population still mainly uses browser bookmarks for keeping track of their stuff. Then keep in mind that Lifehacker readers tend to be some of the most clever users on the Net, and you start to realize that for the overwhelming majority of the population, when they want to bookmark something, it happens in their browser.

These types of revelations are important when it comes to design because – while a technology company must always push its users to the newest, coolest, slickest stuff- the reality is that most users like what they’re doing now just fine. All of which goes to say that while Nxtbooks will continue to allow users to bookmark to del.icio.us, Google and others, the opportunity to save to one’s own browser bookmarks will be in place for quite some time. 

This doesn’t discount the obvious benefits of del.icio.us, Google bookmarks, and others. Their users LOVE them, and – in turn – they bring you more users. For that reason alone, they’re more than worthwhile and need to be part of any online media strategy. But it’s important to design for the silent majority and the vocal minority.