Question: Explain the concept of digital “visitors” and “residents” drawing upon your reading and your own online experiences to date in support of the points that you make.
Taken from: harrykt.blogspot.com
In an article “On the Horizon”, Marc Prensky brought up the idea of the “Digital Natives” and the “Digital Immigrants”. While Digital Natives refers to people who grew up together with the internet and hence has digital literacy, Digital Immigrants refers to the older generation who are trying to hop into the digital ship. If you have read my previous post, then I would be a digital native and my mother, the digital immigrant.
While his views has been called simple, I feel that it has inspired the idea of digital “visitors” and “residents”.
In my opinion, digital visitors refer to users of the web that uses the web for a singular purpose – they have a task, they complete the task and they disappear from the internet. Thus the only mark they would leave in the lovely world of the internet is their footprints, evidence that the digital visitors visited and had left.
Digital residents, on the other hand, uses the web for an extended period of time. Unlike the digital visitors, they use the internet actively, uploading and downloading content as well as interacting with other users. Like their namesake, they stay in the digital world, making it their home.
As a marketer, it is extremely important to identify your target audience and whether they are a resident or a visitor. Can you make a visitor a resident? Convince them that hey, staying on the internet is not such a bad idea.
Let’s take www.asos.com as an example.
ASOS.com is a global online fashion retailer primarily aimed at young adults. They do not have a physical store and yet in august 2013, the company has an approximate net worth of £159 million. It is rumored that ASOS.com earned it success through its ability to carry so many brands that appeal to women of all ages and the “Marketplace” an virtual marketplace where independent labels thrive. The marketplace forces consumers to get on the internet and talk. Furthermore 3rd party forums has appeared all over the web sharing discount codes and 2nd hand clothes sales. ASOS.com’s Facebook page is also rampant with campaigns. Evidently ASOS.com has successfully indirectly create online communities that has changed behaviors from being a visitor to a resident.
In my case, I’ve always been a resident. Since the day I was born, the uses of the internet has been prevalent. Primary schools gave courses on how to type faster. Neopets were the in thing, up till today, I still play meerca chase. Secondary schools had e-learning and polytechnics and universities are self-explanatory. Come on, I’m participating in a module called Living on the Web where all my lessons and submissions are on the web.
I hope you enjoyed my perspective on Digital Residence & Digital Visitors. Till then!
References
Opencompany.co.uk, (2014). Asos Plc – Open Company. [online] Available at: https://www.opencompany.co.uk/company/04006623/asos-plc [Accessed 27 Nov. 2014].
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants Part 1. On the Horizon, 9(5), pp.1-6.
White, D. and Cornu, A. (2011). Visitors and Residents: A new typology for online engagement. First Monday, [online] 16(9). Available at: http://firstmonday.org/article/view/3171/3049 [Accessed 27 Nov. 2014].
vanessalisoton.wordpress.com 
Hi Van,
I really enjoyed reading your blog post on digital visitors and residents with your focus on how White and Le Cornu’s theories regarding online activity was inspired from Prensky’s digital ‘immigrant’ and ‘native’ ideas. However, what I found most interesting was the example on asos. You pointed out that it is important for marketer to identify if their target audience is a “visitor” or “resident”, giving me a whole new perspective on this idea.
It is known that online businesses similar to ASOS.com tend to create content for both varieties of web user to reach the widest market possible. For example, a digital visitors could just assessed the web content without any digital footprint to start their purchase. Thus, there isn’t a strong reason to convert to resident when their shopping is complete in a single transaction and no reason to visit any time soon till a need arises again.
So in your opinion, what do you think could be a stronger reason for a visitor to change to being a resident?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Van!
I have to say that I enjoyed reading and I really like the comic strip that you posted on your post. It is really essential for the various age groups to have Internet access whenever and wherever they are.
I like your saying that ‘As a marketer, it is extremely important to identify your target audience and whether they are a resident or a visitor. Can you make a visitor a resident? Convince them that hey, staying on the internet is not such a bad idea.’. In regards to this statement and the ASOS example you gave, how would ASOS.com measure the change from digital visitors to digital residents? Does saving a piece of clothing in their wishlist for 60 days represent that they are digital residents? Or do they measure it by the amount of sales?
LikeLike
Hi Vanessa!
I like how you expressed your views confidently and also the clarity of your post. I can totally identify myself with the comic strip! I looked as disappointed as the little boy when I go to places that do not provide Wi-Fi. Though, I tend to sway more towards the side of becoming a digital visitor these days, I cannot live a single day without Internet. You pointed out something that the other students did not really talked about, which is true that perhaps Marketeers could think of ways to persuade digital visitors to become digital residents. I see from your point of view is that if online companies could convert consumers to digital residents, their business would probably increase, because the more time they spend online, the higher chances of them purchasing stuff from them. It is good that you bring in examples like ASOS to explain, which allows the readers to understand better. I will be looking forward to your next post!
LikeLike