Just this week, Facebook added a poll feature that lets users create questions for customized polls that can be answered by anyone on Facebook. It may sound like a cool little gimmick, but this will be good for marketing, businesses, and brands. The polls will give information to businesses about their consumers, who wants what and how many people want it. For example, if a hypothetical poll asked 1 million people "What do you look for in a new car?" If the 80% of people voted for efficient gas milage and 20% voted for physical attractiveness, then it would give producers a clue and they would be inclined to work on efficient gas mileage, because that would be what the people wanted. The same goes with any other product. If people want it, business want to make it. This just makes it easier for producers to know what exactly people want. This new poll system won't change the world or anything, but it will make it easier for demands of consumers to be satisfied.
Another use for polls that just came to mind is is for social issues. A hypothetical poll might ask women what they look for in a lifelong partner. If "supportive and loving father/family-man" is voted for significantly more than "high-income," the men who see it might change the way they try to act or how they feel. Small ripples can make waves and I'm sure it would have a positive impact on men if this were true.
Facebook polls will be a great surveying source of information. It will let people express what they look for in all aspects of life.
The poll system is defintely a good way for an organization like Facebook to setup in order to identify specific categories and results. It will be interesting to see how it transforms from here. Each new feature sets up room for more creativity. Along the lines of what you said about how small ripples can create waves. I now may have to go create some polls, "Am I cool?"
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's an interesting concept but I'm seeing some poll spam already actually. One friend asked, "are you proud of me for finishing my paper in one night?" Another friend asked, "what should I have for breakfast?"
ReplyDeleteThe polls seem like an interesting feature. However, I have always been cautious with all social networking websites. Although I have a facebook I wonder where my information is going and who actually sees it. I login to the website maybe 2 times per month. Like you said Jacob with spam being more frequent. It's forcing me to not want to login and save an HR employee from having to search me.
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