Topic 1

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].