Are you a Trend Setter or a follower? Determining your Social Network Status

An interesting study, titled ‘Who Controls Social Networks’ was published today, looking into the ever allusive world of online networks. Beyond state controls of social networks (like that seen in China) or Mark Zuckerburg and friends, this study was looking into the subtle power dynamics of social network users themselves.

The basic premise of the article, is that, while many of us scream and holler online, very few is us are actually heard. This is particularly true amongst bloggers. The vast majority of blog traffic is concentrated within about 100 top blogs, the best of which have been readily bought up by corporations, like Huffington Posts acquisition by AOL.

While the editorial quality of the tops blogs is a clear indication of their popularity, in terms of social network platforms, it is often harder to discern why your friend’s Tweets are trending and yours go generally ignored. So does Sarah get more FB likes because her posts are more witty and charming, or are there other factors at play.

The study found that certain factors did indeed mediate social network influence.
“People older than 30 were more influential than those who are younger than 30, and people of the same age had the most influence on each other. Women tended to influence men more than they influenced each other. But most surprisingly, influence and susceptibility almost never occurred in the same person. At least in the Facebook network, there are only trendsetters and followers”.
So how do you determine if you are a trend setter or a follower? Clearly, if you are a trending junkie, it is a clear indication you may be an trend setter but how do you determine why that is, beyond your own personal greatness?
Michael Wu a PhD student at UC Berkeley has come up with a list of 6 factors, which can help you determine your own social media influence;

1. Credibility: Are you an expert or well versed in topics you comment on? If so you may be a budding trend setter!
2. Bandwidth: Your ability to transmit expert knowledge through a social media channel. Basically, if you do not have a good connection or smart-phone, you maybe out of luck. Top influencer are well connected.
3. Relevance. Are you saying things that people within your network actually care about? If you are a lefty liberal with Conservative, NRA member friends, writing a status about the need for gun control may not get the most likes.
4. Timing (the right time): Do you comment on a news event or trend way after the fact? If you are just last to know everything then, a trend setter you are not!
5. Alignment (the right place): Writing a Facebook status on a popular hashtag is a no no! Use the right medium
6. Confidence (the right person): If you second guess you status, or write out a great thought just to delete it at the end, you may just be a trend follower.