Flag

We stand with Ukraine and our team members from Ukraine. Here are ways you can help

Home ›› Business Value and ROI ›› 6 Key Questions to Guide International UX Research ›› The Emmys and Earthquakes, Shaking Up Social Media

The Emmys and Earthquakes, Shaking Up Social Media

by UX Magazine Staff
3 min read
Share this post on
Tweet
Share
Post
Share
Email
Print

Save

The battle rages on to create compelling experiences that bank of the connectivity and data social networking services provide.

For as ubiquitous as conversations about social media are, it’s hard to overstate the impact services like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram have on users of digital products and those trying to market to them. What was once the innocent-seeming sharing of photos and funny observations is now something much larger: a swelling heap of data begging to be mined for actionable insight and ad dollars.

In a bid for the lion’s share of SM attention during last night’s Emmy Awards, Facebook and Twitter both concocted some rather complex publicity schemes. Facebook partnered with iStrategyLabs to create a chunky tablet called the “Mentions Box” that Access Hollywood anchor Billy Bush carried around the red carpet during the pre show. Bush handed the box off to celebrities who would shake it like a Magic 8-Ball to generate a random question from a Facebook user that they answered while looking into the device’s camera. (Twitter went a more scattershot route by installing a zip-line camera for overhead coverage of the event, generating their own GIFs for Twitter users to share, and enlisting the comedian Retta to live tweet.)

iStrategy Facebook Mentions Box

It’s hard to gauge the success of the FB campaign, but you can watch a handful of the celebrity responses on Access Hollywood’s Facebook page. Boston.com also made passing mention of the device: “After a fairly awkward interview with interviewer Billy Bush, Matthew McConaughey answered a fan question from the Facebook ‘Mentions Box,’ revealing his childhood idol was his brother, Pat.”

Putting an unitented cap on the competition between the two SM giants, you can see the Mentions Box looking a bit like a jilted lover in the corner of the screen as Bush reads Seth Meyers a bit of Emmy hosting advice from Ellen DeGeneres from his smartphone via Twitter.

Billy Bush and Seth Meyers

For experience design practitioners, however, the more interesting aspect of social media’s frenzied expansion might be the way that mountains of collected data can be leveraged to create compelling experiences. Take, for example, this interactive map of last week’s earthquake in California’s Bay Area produced by Esri that shows the location of the quake and the intensity, as well as social media updates relating to the event.

Esri earthquake map

Naturally there were plenty of updates to follow, as USA Today pointed out—something Inquisitr gave chilling cotext to, reporting on the hijacking of earthquake related hashtags by the terrorist organization ISIS to give their Twitter posts a wider audience. Point being, there is value (sometimes sinister) in the exposure and data that comes with social networking.

There is value (sometimes sinister) in the exposure and data that comes with social networking

“Throughout history, different types of content and the mediums used to capture and present it have dominated the culture,” says Quinton Alsbury, Co-Founder and President of Product Innovation at Roambi (the winner of the Design for Experience award for Bringing Order to Big Data). “We believe that data is quickly becoming the primary content of the 21st century, so there is a huge opportunity to create the tools and the medium to help people interact with it.”

How do you see social media playing into conversations surrounding experience design and data visualization? How are you working to innovate or improve the way users engage with social media and the data it produces? We’d love to hear from you.

post authorUX Magazine Staff

UX Magazine Staff, UX Magazine was created to be a central, one-stop resource for everything related to user experience. Our primary goal is to provide a steady stream of current, informative, and credible information about UX and related fields to enhance the professional and creative lives of UX practitioners and those exploring the field. Our content is driven and created by an impressive roster of experienced professionals who work in all areas of UX and cover the field from diverse angles and perspectives.

Tweet
Share
Post
Share
Email
Print

Related Articles

Article by Khatia Gagnidze
Handling Message Overload in Social Apps
  • The article provides strategic solutions for managing message overload in social apps, aiming to enhance user experience and engagement.
  • The author suggests various methods to prevent good matches from being lost and to make replying to messages less burdensome.

Share:Handling Message Overload in Social Apps
4 min read

Explore how AI is transforming UX design jobs! Discover the evolving roles, skills, and opportunities shaping the future of the industry.

Article by Christopher Nguyen
The UX Job Crisis: Is This the End or a New Beginning?
  • The article addresses the impact of AI on the UX job market, highlighting the necessity for designers to integrate AI skills, stay updated on tech trends, and promote UX in business strategies.
  • Despite challenges like layoffs and reduced job openings, adapting to AI is crucial for thriving in the evolving landscape.
Share:The UX Job Crisis: Is This the End or a New Beginning?
3 min read

Discover the future of user interfaces with aiOS, an AI-powered operating system that promises seamless, intuitive experiences by integrating dynamic interfaces, interoperable apps, and context-aware functionality. Could this be the next big thing in tech?

Article by Kshitij Agrawal
The Next Big AI-UX Trend—It’s not Conversational UI
  • The article explores the concept of an AI-powered operating system (aiOS), emphasizing dynamic interfaces, interoperable apps, context-aware functionality, and the idea that all interactions can serve as inputs and outputs.
  • It envisions a future where AI simplifies user experiences by seamlessly integrating apps and data, making interactions more intuitive and efficient.
  • The article suggests that aiOS could revolutionize how we interact with technology, bringing a more cohesive and intelligent user experience.
Share:The Next Big AI-UX Trend—It’s not Conversational UI
5 min read

Tell us about you. Enroll in the course.

    This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Check our privacy policy and