Social media is one of the most prevalent and important marketing tools available. As commerce, content consumption and communication all happen on social media platforms, the field of cyber psychology has come about to study the evolution of human interaction.
While a relatively new and still developing field of study, cyber psychology has plenty to offer those who want to get the most out of their social media platforms. For marketing, understanding the basics can prove invaluable - from prospecting to selling and beyond.
What is cyber psychology?
Cyber psychology is also sometimes called web psychology, internet psychology or digital psychology. Those who study cyber psychology seek to gain a better understanding of human-computer interaction, including factors like artificial intelligence, virtual reality and personal relationships in a digital context.
Essentially, the goal of cyber psychology is to study human behavior in our modern world. That includes major topics like internet addiction, cyberbullying, online activism and other effects of new media on "real life."
Why should I care about human behavior?
Successful marketing campaigns always have the user or buyer persona in mind. In order to adequately prospect, it's crucial to remember your prospects are people. The more you know about how people online interact with each other and their digital environment, the more easily you can reach them.
The human aspect of cyber psychology can also aid the cybersecurity sector identify new risks and educate users about safer internet use. Just as real-world crime requires a certain amount of psychology to study and combat, cyber crime requires a keen understanding of human technology interaction.
How can I build professional relationships with it?
Luckily, you don't need to do years of scholarly psychosocial research to learn about and leverage online behavior. A basic understanding of how humans interact - with each other and with their online environment - is enough to reap the benefits when building professional relationships.
For example, awareness of how many social interactions and business transactions take place via mobile devices will ensure your marketing efforts are mobile-friendly. The amount of active Facebook users compared to other spheres of the virtual world can guide your ad spend.
The conflicts between the popularity of video conferencing and the internet's promise of relative anonymity may influence the way you approach communication technologies and information exchange.
Can I use social media platforms and other emerging technologies?
Clinical psychology and behavioral sciences have become increasingly relevant in light of online social movements, online relationships and online shopping. Frequent use of social networking strategies can and should impact your results - after all, if your prospects are internet users, why wouldn't you leverage whatever online medium you have access to?
While still an emerging field, cyber psychology has already come a long way in charting the course of the human psyche on the internet. The key to leveraging knowledge about human machine interaction is to remember your prospects are human: personal identity is just as important - if not more so - than it is in face-to-face business.
