Published on August 15th, 2009 | by Saurabh Pandey

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

Tags: india, internet, Social Media