Mike Arauz's Blog – The Archives

Too often we design experiences for groups of individuals, when we should be designing experiences for networks of connected individuals.

If you want your ideas, creations, and branded messages to spread on the internet then you have to build your message, and the experience in which it's delivered, with an understanding of the interest networks who will spread it. Bringing together a large number of people to see what you've done is meaningless unless you take advantage of their connections to each other and their connections to new people beyond your reach.

One of the weakest aspects of online display advertising (aside from the fact that no one likes it and everyone ignores it) is that it doesn't engage networks, it engages individuals. It actually takes people out of more familiar contexts where they are likely to be connected to their networks, and drags them into new environments where they are often cut off.

One of the things that I saw in my diagram was how important these different networks are. We are each connected to many different networks (defined by our curiosities, interests, passions, and life experiences). We have varying levels of intimacy and loyalty to different networks. And we travel fluidly from one network to another.



We need to evolve what we learn about our desired audience to a new level, in which we understand the culture, social practices, and behaviors of a network of connected individuals pursuing a shared interest.

Which leaves us with the crucial question of why any person chooses to share anything with anyone else in their networks? Why do things spread on the internet, a la Henry Jenkin's Spreadable Media (or read my notes on Parts 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5 and 6, 7 and 8). More on this tomorrow.