The Rise and Fall of a Social Networking Giant – VinumPilgrim

So You’ve Never Heard of Orkut?

Orkut was a social networking site launched in 2004 by Google employee, Orkut Büyükkökten (try saying that ten times fast). The site reigned supreme, especially in the Brazilian market, for ten years before it was replaced by social platforms that offered increased cross-platform engagement.

The purpose of the site was to find and build social communities based on keyword searches, effectively connecting individuals with common characteristics, and placing them into groups. The site was popular among technology workers and students and was favored for finding groups based on classmates, friends, workplace acquaintances, and residential street location. What drew in customers was the platform’s competitive, invite-only structure, simple interface, member rating system, and “group” interface.

Myth-busting its Way to the Top

Orkut found success by fully understanding its target audience and applying that knowledge to the creation of a social platform. The digital sector is full of myths from the days of traditional marketing that no longer apply, including:

Orkut created a community-based platform that promoted connection and the development of trust between users. This led to reliable product and service recommendations to spread through relevant communities without the interference of advertising from the platform itself. Today, consumers are more likely than ever to place trust in purchase recommendations from others within their digital communities. By providing a platform to build such communities, Orkut was perfectly placed to build an understanding of customers based on niche interests and demographics.

Today, consumers are more likely than ever to place trust in purchase recommendations from others within their digital communities.

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The resulting data aligns with the changing role of the digital consumer from spectator to participant in the marketing process. The world is demanding out with the old top-down approach to marketing and in with the new, community-driven participatory style. The more curated a branded message is for a niche target audience, the more likely that audience will engage with the brand. Gone are the days when the only interaction with brands came from spray-and-pray sources like television or radio.

What The Market Had to Offer

The other great advantage Orkut had was the advertising environment of its popular, Brazilian market. Brazil is one of the strongest markets for online retailers, ranking the fifth largest in the world. On top of that, the culture has developed a special connection to digital and social media. The country has banned outdoor marketing, so the online space has grown to fill the gap. 77% of users report a positive attitude toward online shopping, 80% use social platforms to research products, and trust in online recommendations is higher than any other source. Together, the result is a culture yearning for a trustworthy connection with digital brands and cross-platform experiences that promote ease of community engagement and purchasing options.

Falling From Grace

When building a successful marketing strategy, a quick and easy action plan is helpful to get started:

Design Framework Action Plan

Orkut successfully outlined its goals of building an exclusive, digital community through the use of groups. It quickly discovered its target audience was in Brazil and adapted to fit the market by developing an original social platform. Google, the parent company, provided all the necessary resources and policy structures required for effective growth. However, it is the lack of monitoring that lead to Orkut’s eventual downfall. Measuring includes qualitative and quantitative analysis of audience engagement data. If Orkut had kept up with monitoring it would have heard the rising demand for online video, increased ease of functionality, and media sharing from its Brazilian audience. When the platform was unable to fulfill the needs of its users, the communities broke up and the audience disappeared.

How to Succeed in Social Media Without Really Trying

The takeaway from Orkut’s short-lived empire is the importance of audience analysis, understanding, and continuous monitoring. If a brand understands its audience intimately and can keep up with constant changes, it will always have the knowledge and experience to curate products and services to fit its audiences’ needs. Without a strong brand-consumer relationship the success of a company becomes a 1 in a million shot in the dark. Many tools exist to increase customer comprehension, including; social listening platforms, customer engagement studies, simple surveys, and keyword tracking to stay on top of trends. Marketers can even hire data-collection companies to increase their consumer understanding.

The bottom line is customers do come first when it comes to creating a brand, product, or service that they want. In today’s digital world, audience information is freely and easily collected and consumers are more willing than ever to engage with brands in a personal context. They almost want to give marketers the information they desire…if only someone would ask them for it. success in today’s community-driven, social media landscape, knowledge is power and relationships are the keys to unlocking that power. So start building up both today!

Published by vinumpilgrim

While pursuing his studies, a short stint in Europe marked the beginning of Jared’s journey into fermented beverages. He immediately fell in love with wine, food, and the culture of community that surrounds both. After receiving his WSET 3 Award in Wine and completing a B.S. in Cinematic Arts, Jared pursued various positions within the Virginia beverage industry that have developed his hands-on experience in wine production, sales, marketing, and events.

Recently, Jared has pivoted into the digital space as he pursues an M.S. in Marketing – Social Media. The last year found Jared working in sales for a distribution company, rounding out his wine business experience. Jared is excited to continue expanding his understanding of the history, production, and culinary opportunities offered by fermented beverages. He hopes to bring a new perspective and unique approach to beverage experiences and community engagement.

When not in the office, this enthusiastic home cook, foodie, and yogi is forever searching for off-the-beaten-track adventures around the globe!
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