Brands, Buzz Machines, Influentials, and Social Networks

[mandy]

Marketers call them "the influentials," and in a world where word-of-mouth marketing is king, they're royalty. However, they may not be as monolithic a class as hucksters believe them to be, according to a report from JupiterResearch. The "classic" influential is an early adopter with a drive to get the newest products first.

"The new influentials have always existed -- they're the busybodies of the world -- but now they have so much more power because of these new Web tools to spread messages quickly," said Emily Riley, author of the Jupiter analysis. "The classic influential serves to drive friends and family to stores through recommendations," she explained...

full article: http://ecommercetimes.com/story/IfkMzqYP...Buzz.xhtml

[BellisimaJ.]

Holmes and Watson? Interesting article, but more so had they stuck with English rather than "trendy speak".

Okay, so the "classic influencer" is the guy with a blog or newsletter, etc., whose readers patronize him because he is considered an expert in the particular thing that he writes about (which could be anything---a product, store or website, etc.). This guy recommends products, stores, sites, etc., and drives family and friends to them via those recommendations. He has a shorter reach than the "new influencers" who are his readers.
The "new influencer" is the buzz marketer. These people spread the buzz about the stuff that the classic guy writes. They have a longer reach( an almost unlimited reach, IMO)than the classic guy and are now considered essential to the online marketing process.

Just trying to sort this out in my own mind (I find all the odd terms confusing---guess I'm old).

Interesting article Mandy, thank you!

PS// Saw your earlier siggy!

[chiquita]

I nominate Thentavius as the classic influencer, due to his eloquent writing style. 

We can be the buzzers?( Is that a word.)

[BellisimaJ.]

[quote author=chiquita link=topic=5891.msg31809#msg31809 date=1163271052]
I nominate Thentavius as the classic influencer, due to his eloquent writing style. 

We can be the buzzers?( Is that a word.)
[/quote]

That'll work, lol!