ISSS PRESENTATIONWHAT IS“SNS” NETWORK MEMBER’S
ACTIVITY AND BEHAVIOR?
Takatsugu Aoki
Waseda UniversityJapanIntroductionThis research consists of two parts.

First part is the structural analysis of SNS network compared with realcommunity.

In second part, how will a property of a virtual network based on real relationsof SNS affect for "activity of relation to information" "activity of reliability"and “purchasing behavior"? We carried out quantitative investigation for an
actual mixi members ―even though mixi has members of the biggest scale inJapan’s SNS ― after having shown a hypothesis and we processed the data weacquired and statistically analyzed to see correlation of a variable of “acharacteristic to be based on real relations" "A characteristic to be based on
virtual relations" and "an activity variable in a hypothesis"

Both of part1 and part2 are based on “mixi”, which is the representative and thebiggest SNS network in Japan.（Over 10,000,000 members at May .20.2007 ）This presentation basically consists of the part 1.
21

Objectives(Only as for this presentation)
Comparing and considering about acharacteristic of mixi, while paying its attention
to a difference with the real community and theconventional net community.

3What is “SNS” network ?
It is a community site in the internet to becalled Social Networking Services.

In U.S.A. (where SNS was born), there areservice brands such as Friendster and Orcut,
MySpace.com and so on.

In Japan, mixi and GREE are known as
famous brands.
42Will not Social Networking Services “SNS” bedifferent in a certain kind of network
characteristic compared with the internetcommunity, and the real community as aconventional real social relations?

5

What is the definition of net community?

"A place on the network where people interested
in a certain value gather"
NEGORO・EBINE （2000）

63

What is the definition of SNS?
"A space on the network where peopleinterestedin thea certain
persongather""A space onnetwork
wherepeopleinterested in a certain value gather""A space on the network where peopleinterested in a certain theme gather"7

SNS reflects the real world,and expands the network
The Real World

SNS (mixi etc.)
A real network isreflected in SNS

A virtual network
is partlyreflected into areal network.

A real network
adds on a
virtual network

And expands thenetwork !

84

Comparison ofAmerican SNS and Japanese SNSU.S

JAPANSNS Services
BrandsMySpace

Orcut

Friendstermixi

GREE

Customized
function ofan originalpage

◎

○

○

×

×

Invitation
system×

○

×

○

○

Footprints
Tracking
system×××

○

○

Diary
function

×○

×

○

○
9mixi top-page screen imageAd

New Message,
Alert ofComments

There is one new message.
ProfileSelf
Introduction●●●●●さ ん(36)MyselfOriginalExpression

マイミクシィ

RecentDiaries

Self
introducing

My mixi (My friends in mixi)

Recent diary
コミュニティ

●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●The latest●●
recommendation●

A List of Registered
Communities

Recommended
Reviews
Introduction ofYour Friends

105Comparison of the daily page-views ofmixi with Google Japan.

11

Structure of mixi
Strong virtual tendency “Real and virtual mixture”
Strong Real tendency

Strong Real tendency

RealRealcommunity
community

ActuallyActuallyknown
knownfriends
friends

My mixi

The Outside ofa mixi network

Friends of my mixi

Myself
MyselfActuallyActuallyunknown
unknownfriends
friends

The whole mixi
(Includes non-real community)

Strong virtual tendency
Strong virtual tendency “Real and virtual mixture”

126How ratio does interchange with"people without having met"?

YES

0%

20%

63.5%

NO

40%

60%

36.5%

80%

100%

Registering about rate of 2/3" actually unknow
n people
unknown
people " as “Mymixi” , and do virtual interchange.

13The source: Waseda University IT strategy Institute findings(2005.oct)

The ratio of "ROM" & "RAM" in mixi
A lot of "RAM“ exists in mixi !
Most of mixi members frequently
communicates.
ROMRAM

8.9%

91.1%
91.1%

0%

20%

40%

60%
ROM

80%

100%

RAM
14

The source: Waseda University IT strategy Institute findings(2005.oct)7Factor analysis to determine an actionof mixi members
Barrier down
Entry barrier

Systems property
Recommended
rule inmixi

Activity barrier (In mixi)

Closedtendency

Opentendency

Opentendency

Closedtendency* Grasp of ananother person
attribute* Reduction of
uncertainty* Specification of asuspicious
individual* The formation ofa closed network
which you intendedReal name exhibition

Profile exhibition

Invitation system
Networking selfcontrol
Functioncharacteristic

An effect of "asystematicproperty"

As a result, theproperty that is brought* The formation of "realoriented" a trust / arelief network* Improvement of
reliability of information* Monitor of a
suspicious individual* Grasp of an anotherperson action* A message of silence

Mutual reference ofthe visiting track

Barrier up

Mutual reference of
the access log* Grasp of ananother person
actionMutual confirmationof a comment note(RSS function)* Grasp of an anotherperson action* A message of silence* Self-propagation of atrust network

15Influence tomixi member’s purchasing behavior(Practical use to the marketing)Influenceof diary
マイミクシィの日記情報 8.7% 11.9%
information of “mymixi”

About 25% ratios, mixi
user is affected by diary
79.4%
information
andpurchases and uses it.

Influence of diary
友だちの友だちの日記情報
information of94.4%

3.2%“Friends of mymixi”
2.4%
0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

I knew it from mixi diary information and purchased it.
日記の推奨情報ではじめて知って、その影響で購入(利用)した。
Already known it, but purchased it under influence of mixi diary

すでに知っていたが、日記の推奨情報の影響で購入(利用)した。
information.
I have not purchased it under influence of mixi diary information
日記の推奨情報の影響で購入(利用)したことはない。

The source: Waseda University IT strategy Institute findings(2005.oct)168

Summary of the consideration ①
3 unique characteristics of SNS networkSNS basically consists of “strong interest topeople” and “relationships of mutual trust”.

In SNS, real human relations and virtual humanrelations coexist.

SNS participants voluntarily can make a uniqueand various connection with other people.
17

Summary of the consideration ②Participants behavior & Practical use to the marketing

The activity of the SNS participants is very active.

In SNS participants, both of the communication
activity and the purchasing behavior are
considerably positive compared with theconventional net community.

Therefore, as for it, effective practical use to themarketing should be considered.
189

REFERENCES
Brown,Jacqueline Johnson and Reingen,Peter H.(1987).Social Ties and Word-ofmouth Referral Behavior.Journal of Consumer Research,Vol.14,350-362

Dichter,E.(1966).How Word-of-mouth advertising works. Harvard Business
Review,Vol.16,3-8

Goldenberg, J., Libai, B. und E. Muller(2001).Talk of the Network.(unpublishedmanuscript)

Ikeda,Kenichi (2000).Communication. Tokyo University shuppankai

Kokuryo, Jiro・Ogawa ,Mikako (et.alii 2003).Damatte yondeiru hitono johhodenpan
kohdo to sono kohbai kohdo heno eikyo. Japan Marketing Journal 88,39-51

Morita,Masataka (1999).Kokyaku ga hasshin suru seihin hyohka johho to sono eikyo.
The Japan Society for Management Information 1999 autumn

Negoro,Tatsuyuki・Ebine,Tomohito (2000).CyberCommunity wo tsukkata 『Needsinvestigation』 no yukosei ni kansuru kenkyu. The Japan Society for Management
Information 2000 spring
19

Thank you for your kind attention!

20

10