We were recently asked what we thought of the future of recommendations and product/service reviews as social media continues to develop. Recommendations from trusted sources (friends, family, etc.) have always been and, will always be an integral part of our purchase process. Consequently, the future looks bright. The opportunity lies in how recommendations can be integrated into the online experience, curated and quality assured. Social networks like Facebook and LinkedIn will contribute by making recommendations:
- More streamlined or integral to the purchase process.
- More impactful in influencing the providers of products/services.
- Easier to share and therefore keeping people honest.
For online retail, the challenge (and opportunity) lies in how to integrate the product catalog with a separate network of recommendations. This may also be the next battle field as Facebook moves more aggressively into retail. I am assuming they will, but what do I know?
There is an interesting thread on the topic here for those interested in this.
