However, it asks the question at the start that really defines the growth in socialnomics...
"When did we start trusting strangers over experts? Before we booked a trip, we consulted “experts” like travel agents and AAA. Now, we log in to look at the unfiltered views of the computer-literate masses, and we often trust what they say as the truth."
This portrays pretty much exactly hoteliers and others confusion, and almost their sense of betrayal by their customers.
There are two key concepts of social media that are misunderstood in the above.
Strangers - Really?
The first is "trusting strangers" often times they are not strangers they are people whose opinion you have come to trust, who through their interests and posts, which they share with you, have shown they like similair things to you and think in similair ways. It is akin to Harper's Hideaway Report and Gallivanters Guide but just a lot more spread out. The internet has been called "Word of mouth on steroids" and that is just what it is.
Experts - Really?
The problem with the experts is they stopped deserving our trust. Now this is tarring a lot of people with a broad brush but that is what the public tends to do...
Priests, politicians, teachers, lawyers, doctors ... we can all think of scandals around these professions. Individuals within these professions, which were once held up as trustworthy, individuals abused that trust and tarred the whole profession. We can all think of examples. This led us to much more individual approach to decision making and to value our opinion and those of others like us more and more. This is almost the definition of the world of post modernism but that is a whole other debate.
The travel industry was not immune, kick backs for guide entries, retainers, over-riders, hospitality for reviews etc. all tarred our industry in the eyes of the consumer. Why do you think Conde Nast Traveller makes so much of its independence!
This is Not New!
This is not a case of the social media driving the change but enabling a change in society. The desire for pressure groups to challenge perceived wisdom was getting going in the early 90s with cases like:
The Brent Spar Shell v Greenpeace debate galvanising public support
The famous McLibel case around the "What is Wrong with McDonalds" leaflet
The Nike Sweatshops campaign
When businesses accept the reasons why people trust the crowd more and understand how the dynamics of the crowd work and combine that with an acceptance of the poor business practices and tactics that have driven people to trust the crowd more ... then they will truly be able to use social media to help promote their business.
With thanks to Stuart Honey and Dunbrody on Twitter for bringing this article to my attention.
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