Facebook to drop "connect" protocol
One of the more recent movements among web sites that understand SocMedia has been allowing users to connect and even create a profile on their web site by allowing the user to "log in" via facebook or twitter (to name the two most popular choices). In fact, we were in the process of adding FB connect to RhinoGATOR when I got the news. But I digress...
Now, facebook has decided to drop their proprietary protocol that makes this possible, according to Michael Calore over on webmonkey. Big mistake. Huge. Calore quotes an engineer. Seems to me that someone should have called the marketing department in on this task.
Do you realize how often otherwise smart organizations make dumb mistakes? In 1992 I learned a valuable lesson and to paraphrase W. Edwards Deming, "Success is 94% the result of the system." Never have business owners been required to think systemically, or holistically, like in these economic times.
Why does virtually every home in America (and most businesses) have a can of WD-40 on site? Because the late John Barry knew the company was all about marketing first, and manufacturing second. That systems thinking required involving marketing in decision-making exercises where other organizations might try to limit "outside" involvement.
So, from my limited vantage point, facebook zigged ...they made a left turn.
Why was this a misstep of epic proportions?
Look at your key ring. For those of that drive every day, we have a number of retail store "bonus cards" or frequent-shopper cards hanging on the ring. Why? So the company can give away free products?
Hardly. One reason stands out: So they can track your habits. Which allows them to measure ROI on their various and numerous sales and marketing campaigns.
Facebook is throwing away the ability to capture some of the most valuable data ever. Do I as a consumer like the audit trail I leave in my wake? Of course not. But I also do not carry customer "loyalty cards" from vendors I do not trust.
When you see this decision reversed as Paul Harvey oft remarked, "You will know the rest of the story."
Jeff 'SKI' Kinsey
Throughput.us
(843) 564-4754
P.S. Having trouble with your throughput? Listen to my podcast, SKI on Marketing, then give me a call.
(cc) 2010 Jeff 'SKI' Kinsey.
Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Huge facebook misstep
Facebook to drop "connect" protocol
One of the more recent movements among web sites that understand SocMedia has been allowing users to connect and even create a profile on their web site by allowing the user to "log in" via facebook or twitter (to name the two most popular choices). In fact, we were in the process of adding FB connect to RhinoGATOR when I got the news. But I digress...
Now, facebook has decided to drop their proprietary protocol that makes this possible, according to Michael Calore over on webmonkey. Big mistake. Huge. Calore quotes an engineer. Seems to me that someone should have called the marketing department in on this task.
Do you realize how often otherwise smart organizations make dumb mistakes? In 1992 I learned a valuable lesson and to paraphrase W. Edwards Deming, "Success is 94% the result of the system." Never have business owners been required to think systemically, or holistically, like in these economic times.
Why does virtually every home in America (and most businesses) have a can of WD-40 on site? Because the late John Barry knew the company was all about marketing first, and manufacturing second. That systems thinking required involving marketing in decision-making exercises where other organizations might try to limit "outside" involvement.
So, from my limited vantage point, facebook zigged ...they made a left turn.
Why was this a misstep of epic proportions?
Look at your key ring. For those of that drive every day, we have a number of retail store "bonus cards" or frequent-shopper cards hanging on the ring. Why? So the company can give away free products?
Hardly. One reason stands out: So they can track your habits. Which allows them to measure ROI on their various and numerous sales and marketing campaigns.
Facebook is throwing away the ability to capture some of the most valuable data ever. Do I as a consumer like the audit trail I leave in my wake? Of course not. But I also do not carry customer "loyalty cards" from vendors I do not trust.
When you see this decision reversed as Paul Harvey oft remarked, "You will know the rest of the story."
Jeff 'SKI' Kinsey
Throughput.us
(843) 564-4754
P.S. Having trouble with your throughput? Listen to my podcast, SKI on Marketing, then give me a call.
(cc) 2010 Jeff 'SKI' Kinsey.
Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
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