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BUZZWORDS
Alpha users
Just like viruses spread in nature, there is an initial start- Through social marketing intelligence, companies can
ing point to communications in social networks triggered identify people that are the most influential within their
by so-called ‘alpha users’. They are key elements of any communities, which means the most connected people
social networks and manage the connectivity of the core within any given social network.
members of the community.
Unfortunately, there is still not much information and
Alpha users tend to be highly connected users with ex- insight available regarding business-to-business influ-
ceptional influence on other thought-leaders of social encers, since almost all literature focuses on consumer
networks. That’s why engagement marketing campaigns markets. However, it is clear that we are talking here
try to get them as spokespersons in marketing and ad- mainly about consultants, analysts, journalists, academ-
vertising, since it is well-known that consumers trust the ics, regulators or standards bodies.
opinion of their friend or known contact from a social net-
work more than the random marketing and advertising Anyway, only with the advent of mobile phones, a per-
messages of companies and brands. The goal is to sonal digital communication channel was available to
achieve viral marketing effects by which the alpha users get more insights on alpha users, since traditional fixed
would spread the messages further. landline telephones and Internet use did not give
enough accuracy to be able to pinpoint alpha users to a
The phenomenon why the majority of people is usually meaningful degree. Not until early research by mathe-
influenced by secondhand information and opinion lead- maticians at Xtract in Finland produced models that
ers has been a research topic for years. Today, finally suggested mobile networks could indeed track the full
the impact of influencer on a marketing campaign can communication and isolate the alpha users. Nowadays,
even get measured in multiple ways: Some marketers several companies (including Xtract) have launched
measure Earned Media Value (EMV), others track im- commercial tools to detect alpha users, by using mobile
pressions or Cost Per Action (CPA). operator billing and telecoms traffic data. ◊
Source: Wikipedia
52 March 2017 - Social Media & Influencer Marketing
Alpha users
Just like viruses spread in nature, there is an initial start- Through social marketing intelligence, companies can
ing point to communications in social networks triggered identify people that are the most influential within their
by so-called ‘alpha users’. They are key elements of any communities, which means the most connected people
social networks and manage the connectivity of the core within any given social network.
members of the community.
Unfortunately, there is still not much information and
Alpha users tend to be highly connected users with ex- insight available regarding business-to-business influ-
ceptional influence on other thought-leaders of social encers, since almost all literature focuses on consumer
networks. That’s why engagement marketing campaigns markets. However, it is clear that we are talking here
try to get them as spokespersons in marketing and ad- mainly about consultants, analysts, journalists, academ-
vertising, since it is well-known that consumers trust the ics, regulators or standards bodies.
opinion of their friend or known contact from a social net-
work more than the random marketing and advertising Anyway, only with the advent of mobile phones, a per-
messages of companies and brands. The goal is to sonal digital communication channel was available to
achieve viral marketing effects by which the alpha users get more insights on alpha users, since traditional fixed
would spread the messages further. landline telephones and Internet use did not give
enough accuracy to be able to pinpoint alpha users to a
The phenomenon why the majority of people is usually meaningful degree. Not until early research by mathe-
influenced by secondhand information and opinion lead- maticians at Xtract in Finland produced models that
ers has been a research topic for years. Today, finally suggested mobile networks could indeed track the full
the impact of influencer on a marketing campaign can communication and isolate the alpha users. Nowadays,
even get measured in multiple ways: Some marketers several companies (including Xtract) have launched
measure Earned Media Value (EMV), others track im- commercial tools to detect alpha users, by using mobile
pressions or Cost Per Action (CPA). operator billing and telecoms traffic data. ◊
Source: Wikipedia
52 March 2017 - Social Media & Influencer Marketing
