Thursday, December 01, 2005

User Generated Content Q & A

Yesterday I spoke on the user generated content panel. Needless to say I had a lot of fun. Instead of rehashing the comments from my fellow panelists I'd rather show the list of questions Greg had put together for the panel months in advance. Being the perfectionist senor Sterling is, he wants to make sure all panelists and speakers have as much information as possible when they're at one of the Kelsey Group's conferences. So he provided all of the panelists with a list of possible questions we might be asked just so we can look smart even if we aren't smart ;) Without further delay, here's the list.

1.) Is "user-generated content" a growing substitute for offline "word of mouth"?

2.) A year or so ago we were hearing a lot about "social networking." It would appear that speculation about the role of social networks and related content has given way to something else. What is that?

3.) How important are user-generated content, blogs and "social search" to the future of local?

4.) Will people be going to blog search tools to find information about local businesses in the future? How much meaningful local information is being developed in the "blogosphere"?

5.) Must all services directories and local search sites "going forward" include some form of ratings and reviews at a minimum to be credible?

6.) Will "review fraud" become a meaningful problem or not? How do sites police such a thing?

7.) How important is it to go beyond basic "ratings and reviews" into a more "organic" community experience where people may be able to communicate with one another through the site?

8.) How do sites that don’t currently have reviews or user-generated content "prime the pump�"or otherwise encourage readers to submit content?

9.) Will we see reviews and user-generated content on newspaper sites, directories, verticals, search engines, local network TV affiliates? If so, will ubiquitous reviews make reviews and ratings in general less meaningful to consumers?

10.) It seems there are an increasing number of businesses and even business models built on the notion of users creating the content. Is this a "Bubble2.0" novelty or something we will see continuing to grow and proliferate?

If I have time later today then I'll post my thoughts on the questions Greg presented. If I don't post my thoughts then you can always just ask me at the conference like Todd from Valpak did yesterday.

Posted By Jason Dowdell at 11:32 AM
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