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April 29, 2004
Captology Blog
Posted by Ross Mayfield
The Stanford
Persuasive Technology Lab, directed by BJ Fogg, has a
new blog that is a Must Sub.
In our research we continue to find that virtually all web sites have a persuasive purpose. In other words, those who create websites usually want to influence your attitude or behavior in some way. Nobody wants this to be true, but it is.
The web is not about sharing information with people -- that's an illusion. In reality, the web is about changing people's attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.
We've recently analyzed the leading websites, and we'll be ready to share our results soon.
Some great posts such as a
reader,
shareware and social pressure and
manipulation pattern: first teach, then sell. So click on a link, pretty please.
Comments (2)
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1. Clay Shirky on April 29, 2004 8:42 AM writes...
"Nobody wants this to be true, but it is." Huh? Is there really a general perception that people _aren't_ trying to persuade one another of things?
This seems like a straw man, where an obvious thing -- that communication is a tool for manipulating someone else's mind -- is first disputed, and later shown to be true. Who could have predicted such a thing! (Other than everybody, that is.)
I think the study of persuasion is interesting, but couching the thesis in these terms seems counter-productive.
Permalink to Comment2. Evelyn Rodriguez on April 29, 2004 10:17 PM writes...
Thanks for the must-sub link. There are sites whose main purpose is to communicate and share among an intimate group (i.e. family, close friends) and persuasion isn't the intent. But those are exception.
Of course, persuasion and influence can be a TWO-way street. I might change your mind and you might change mine. That's especially true of "customer evangelism" blogs where it's a fluid dynamic -- an evolving feedback loop of influencing customers and then giving them the influence baton -- listening to and responding to customers.
A snippet from what I wrote in my 4/27 post, "Markets, Meritocracies and the Necessary Art of Influence":
Starting a blog that you want to be heard? Have any idea that you want willing followers, customers, readers for? Welcome, you have entered into domain of good ideas/content/works combined with influence/persuasion/recognition.
Any blogger that is trying to make a difference to more than just a few friends who casually check in to see what they had for breakfast is gonna need to be influential. Which are inherently leadership qualities. Whether you are leading a company, a market or a revolution. It's not just about the raw idea anymore. So even though you didn't really sign up for that when you committed to be a blogger, if you want to be influential and "heard" these are critical skills to develop."
Link: http://evelynrodriguez.typepad.com/crossroads_dispatches/2004/04/unstuck_says_fe.html
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