Month: November 2014

Topic 1: Reflection

Posted on by Vanessa Li

After reading through my classmate’s post and commenting on Rachel and Tor’s post. I realised that we all have similar ideas with regards to the concept of Digital “Visitors” and “Residents”.

What I’ve learn thus far is that many people are digital residents. Most of us interact with the world through social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

However some, like Rachel, feels that they belong to the happy middle. Which I felt was nice as often, we are pressured to join social media platforms because it’s the “in” thing or for the sake for school work, for example, this module itself. Then from digital visitors, we transform into digital residents. But do we really want to be a digital resident?

What struck me most was Ebrahim’s video regarding the “Amazing Mind Reader” and how he attained his skills. You should check it out if you haven’t. It makes the viewers question social media and it’s effects.

Overall. I understand the need to divide a digital visitor and a digital resident. It was important to segment consumers as such especially if you are a marketer. However, is there really a need to?

From the various views I read I noticed a trend whereby the resident is more preferred than a visitor. It made me wonder why?

We are in the generation whereby digital skills are highly priced. Both the visitor and the resident undoubtedly has the skill sets required in a typical company. As Tor commented with regards to my post, a consumer doesn’t need to be a resident to make purchases.

So in my opinion, the big question is…

Is there a need to segment people into Digital Visitors and Digital Residents?

While I try to figure out how to answer that question, feel free to comment and share what you guys think.

BYE~

Topic 1: Digital Residence & Digital Visitors

Posted on by Vanessa Li

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

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].

Let’s go Digital

Posted on by Vanessa Li

Taken from #Banksy

This photo up here embodies the fear of any digital marketeer. No comments, no likes and no followers..?
“Whoopsy.”

Undeniably, we’re living in the digital era. No longer would we buy CDs (Hello Spotify!) and why would we even watch the TV with their pesky advertisements when we have… Well.. Torrent.

When we first discussed the concept of Digital Literacy, I was mind blown. Doesn’t everybody know how to use the internet..? Isn’t it one of the most basic skill of living..?

Then I realised how complacent we are regarding this concept.

Many of us consider ourselves “Digital Dinosaurs” because we are not active in social media. We aren’t familiar with a particular website that everybody’s using or we don’t have an Instagram account.

My mother, for example, often ask me questions about anything in general and if I don’t know the answer, I would in very typical Singaporean manner.

“Go google it lah.”

But my mother doesn’t know what’s Google. She belongs to the generation of Singaporeans who sees no need in understanding the world wide web. She was probably the person who taught me how to use Microsoft Word. But as I took off from that runway, she stood back and watched.

Our generation has advance to make Digital Literacy a necessary component in our resumes and in our social lives. Yes. It is important.

I used to intern in a market research company and my supervisor would request for weird information for projects such as, “give me the top telcos for every country in South East Asia”.

Imagine if I didn’t have the internet. Gosh I would go crazy trying to communicate with the language of such a diverse region!

The Big Bang Theory, The Cruciferous Vegetable Amplification

Digital savviness has its complications. More often than not I hide behind a computer screen, neglecting the world outside for the sake of gaming or social media.

But it is convenient. Behind the computer, I don’t have to go out and pay transportation fee just to meet my friends when there’s Skype. Like Sheldon Cooper in the image above locked himself from the rest of the world to avoid viruses, I wouldn’t be exposed to viruses, but I’ll be very much aware of let’s say, Ebola.

Strengths

I consider myself to be relatively Digital Savvy. One thing I pride myself is the ability to pull out accurate and reliable information from the internet. It was all in a days work during my 1 year stint at the market research company. This had resulted in me being an extremely independent learner. After all, the digital world is my oyster whereby knowledge is in abundance and knowledge is king.

Weaknesses

I mentioned that I am an independent learner. But that is because of my over dependence on the internet. I vaguely recall a time that I left my phone at home while in secondary school. It was a depressing day.

The digital world is also my personal black hole. Being an avid gamer, I could spend hours at an end engrossed in Starcraft to the point where I forget that I have limitations. A great example would be this blog post. I’ve already hit the word limit and is still rapidly typing away.

In conclusion…

Digital literacy is, for our generation, one of the most essential skill of life. Really… If you’re dying just google “how to live longer.”

The digital world is a great place to live in. It is boundless. But too much of a good thing can be bad.

So this is where we part for the day, I hope you had fun reading my musing.

Introduction

Posted on by Vanessa Li

Hello everybody!

I’m Vanessa.

Before I embarked on this exciting journey in Southampton, I studied Advertising & Public Relations in Ngee Ann Polytechnic. It was an eye opening experience for a rookie looking to place her foot in this crazy, mind blowing industry.

A few little bits and bobs about myself…

I’m wild, crazy and wacky. Not many people could actually reign me in except a small pool of dear friends. These friends has inspired me and made me the person that I am.

I love animals, particularly dogs.Screen Shot 2014-11-25 at 10.44.24 pm

This lazy, little sloth right here is one of the greatest love of my life. Dogs are the siblings I’ve never had. They demand so much attention and time and yet, I never seem to be annoyed by them.

This is the part you say “Aww…”

I was taught the precious skill of cooking and baking by my granny and has honed it ever since. Because of that I took up a job as a kitchen helper and an occasional barista in a little cafe called Little Part 1.

One day soon, I hope to open my own little cafe along the infamous Thomson Road in Singapore and watch school children press their little faces against the window display, drooling over tantalising cupcakes and adults breathing in the aromas of a delightful espresso shot.

That, my dear friends, is the Dream.

So that’s me. I hope as the module goes on, everybody would be able to learn more about my perceptions and ideas as I would love to learn more about yours.

Till then! 😀