Are We Using Internet To It’s Fullest?
Coming straight to the point- I ask you - Are we using the internet to it’s fullest? Is internet being used for the very purpose it was designed for?
Let’s look at the consumer behvaior. Most of us think that internet is about finding free stuff, or discounted stuff! We do not buy anything till we find something that is cheaper than an offline store!
We also never pay for content, and very generously, share content with everyone (without paying royalty for the content)
But Internet was not designed for finding and consuming free stuff.
Internet has the capability to find the best deals for us , it can help us pay and consume faster, and it can help us decide what’s best for us -more effectively (by using our social networks, or by using reviews and wikis), it can also help us share the good work and good deals with many others.
But why do we only use internet for finding free stuff only?
Why can’t we pay for good content, why can’t we use the technology to find what’s best for us and own that efficiently?
Similalry when it comes to advertising- we want internet to ‘ sell our products for us’. We want leads and conversions from internet! We don’t believe in branding or engagement on the net.
While internet has been designed to let people have a deeper interaction with a brand, and to track the performance of ads as well as consumer behavior. By that yardstick-advertisers should spend more on research, engagement and innovative visibility, so as to fully harness the potential of internet.
Why are advertisers still looking at leads and sales only, without investing into building credibility or creating engagement on the web?
The story is repeated with content providers (especially in India).
Internet provides local and reginal language accessibility beautifully. Why do we still not have enough regional language content.Why do we not have enough local content and applications.
Why does every publisher want to become another rediff.com? Why can’t we think beyond this?
As far as Government is concerned-
My only question is- why are we still at 50m? Why not at 200m?
If telecom can increase it’s user base by 100m in less than 2 years why can’t we increase internet penetration?
Why can’t we run USD100 laptops in B and C Class cities? Why can’t we open more cyber cafes in small cities? Why can’t we create self-employment oportunities-where people can open small cybercafes with internet applications around travel, jobs and education-all catering to local needs. This will help people become self employed as well as spread the internet usage even in small towns.
If we don’t allow internet to grow to it’s ful potential, and if we don’t allow it to create it’s own ecosystem, and if we don’t use it for it’s core strengths- then are we not doing injustice to internet?
image source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Symbol_question.svg
Aug 17th, 2009 at 9:26 pm
Right on! Great article.
The day, the indian consumer will realize the value of the *time*, they will start shopping on internet. I call 95% of the 50m users are a *noise*.. very less quality contents are shared/shopped/promoted by ‘em
as of now, for most of all:
time money (time will be more valuable than money (cents to be precised) to be saved..
time is just one factor.. there are many more advantages internet brings to the community (a long list to say).. it’s all up to ppl to know - what to pick and what to avoid.
Aug 19th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
Good post, valid points.
I’ve subsequent questions:
Consumer behvaior: Primarily, I don’t agree tbat by-and-large the consumers use internet for locating free stuff. There is a substantial percentage that uses internet for ‘product/service’ reviews.
Coming back to free stuff, I think that goes with our mindset and our ecosystem. On a scale of 10, 9 Indian customers would prefer free/discounted stuff.
Regional language stuff:
The issue is critical.
Internet penetration: Can only increase, if the PC penetration rate increases in the country. There your concept of low-cost PCs, cheap laptops apply. But really, there’s been so much said about stuff like OLPC and low-cast things, but nothing in terms of real stuff.
Daksh
Aug 25th, 2009 at 8:46 am
Hi Daksh
Times , sure are changing, and I am confident that we would see the upsurge in meaningful content, innovative and relevant ecommerce. If consumers pay a premium for content- it will trigger people to create better content, else we will have a cookie cutting approach-and end up producing me-too products.
To conclude, I am optimistic about a new era for internet, where new applications, platforms and content will rule-alongwith premium models for each of these at very affordable rates. That’s the time, when the real micro-monetisation of internet will happen and that will give a huge boost to the internet ecosystem
Dec 9th, 2009 at 2:29 am
Great article. I am writing a report on this very subject matter and your article made my day. I am glad there are people just like me out there who feel the same way as I do. You speak for society here in your writeup and I appreciate that. No one else has quoted this situation as well as you have so congratulations for that.
Thanks again.
Dec 9th, 2009 at 2:33 am
To add more to the subject; why can’t we continue to use all the technology we have to make our home better? It blows my mind how we can make the world such a better place already and we are not. The world is lazy and its because the world is already benefiting so many people in power already. There is no need to change and any potential good these people can implement in our society will be done later and they will still profit off us.
This is a vicious circle we live in. I just wish sometimes the world could just step up on its own and do these things for itself. As people, we are seriously failing and it is not fun to witness.
It starts with a small act. Imagine if the whole world had a chance to live equally. So many frustrations would be lifted knowing everyone who wants better can have a good chance of achieving it.