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social media


Stepping into the social web


can vividly recall back in 1994 when I first connected to the web. Yes, the experience was painfully slow, with a page – even with pictures disabled – taking a


lifetime to load. But that was irrelevant, for miraculously my computer had changed from being relatively ‘dumb’ to incredibly ‘smart’. No longer would a search be limited to what was contained on my hard drive. Information was now miraculously accessible and abundant. Of course, we all know how the


web has since developed to become an integral part of our everyday lives – the challenge now is to discover how to embed the emerging ‘social web’ into our organisations.


Defining the social web The early web was ‘read-only’. Individuals could browse but rarely had


the opportunity to participate. It was a one-way publishing channel, controlled mainly by organisations, and where the ‘expert’ rather than the amateur opinion prevailed. The consumer voice was yet to be heard, because the early web was not built to encourage discussion – it was not particularly ‘social’. Fast-forward to 2011 and it is individuals, not just organisations, who are contributing to the web. The web is now alive with conversations fuelled by individuals using social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, Flickr and YouTube to connect in unprecedented ways. I defi ne the social web as: “People


harnessing web platforms that enable them to contribute, converse and collaborate in a way that aggregates the wisdom of many.” The chart below illustrates the empowering nature of the emerging social web; the chart on p47


Ray Algar discusses his 2011 European Health Club Industry Web and Social Media Report


outlines some of the reasons why I believe the social web will have a profound effect on the health club industry.


Changing our world There is no doubt that consumers feel more empowered. They are harnessing the web to connect, engage, learn, collaborate, swap and trade. They have the means and infl uence to bargain down the price of almost anything and allow the anatomy of organisations to be forensically examined, mouse-click by mouse-click. Collaborative consumption is a global


phenomenon. ‘Wikipedians’ continue to build Wikipedia, the world’s largest online encyclopaedia. Consumers use the web to exchange goods and services using eBay and Gumtree. They share hospitality experiences on Trip Advisor (45 million reviews) and pool their money at Zopa to create a ‘consumer bank’, offering person- to-person loans that eliminate traditional banks. Individuals are learning that it’s better to be part of a crowd, and the crowd is fast becoming wise. The literal meaning


of ‘transparency’ is ‘see-through’, and this is where the social web is empowering consumers. Should organisations be concerned or excited by this? Well, if a company peddles average service, then transparency


Collaborative empowerment: Consumers are harnessing the web to connect, engage, learn, collaborate, swap and trade


46 Read Health Club Management online at healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital june 2011 © cybertrek 2011


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