What product launched barely one day ago? What product is “just an app?” What brand new app can’t keep up with consumer demand after just one day on the market?
It must be Flipboard, a new app for the iPad, an app that promises simplicity in all things from using your social networking tools to reading books and magazines. And so far, the buzz isn’t just the hype of anticipation, it’s the hype of reality.
Conversition gathered thousands of conversations that have happened only within the last few days and analyzed the results. Let’s consider the percentage of opinions that were positive, as opposed to neutral or negative, in respect to a few different measures: ..
61% positive: Overall, it’s a good app, but if you need to know the specifics, the most common comments are that it’s “amazing,” “awesome,” “brilliant,” and “incredible.”
58% positive: The app comes highly recommended. People say it’s the “greatest.” We’re assuming the greatest since the iPad and sliced bread that is.
70% positive: The app is “easy,” “effortless,” “straightforward,” and “simple” to use.
79% positive: The app is “beautiful,” “sleek” and “very cool” or “really cool.”
68% positive: The app is a good ereader.
68% positive: The app works well with facebook.
65% positive: The app works well with twitter.
..
Given this stunning level of positivity, we can’t wait to see what the trend line turns out to be. Are we witnessing the birth of the next amazing piece of software, the iPad of software? Or, is this just a temporary fad fueled by great marketing and social media celebrity endorsements.
Regardless, if you’re looking for an easy application for using twitter and facebook, one that is brilliant, effortless, and sleek, the internet community highly recommends that you try the Flipboard. If you can finagle yourself an invite that is.
On to part 2 of data quality! Ok, so BP was a bad example. Obviously, a lot of different brands and people and things will have the initials BP. It’s an isolated case. But is it? Here is another great example of how data quality begins at the very beginning of any social media research project.
The scenario is the same. We gathered thousands of verbatims from thousands of websites and created a word cloud of all things related to Apple. The usual suspects are all there. Competitive brands like HP, Hitachi, and Toshiba are well represented. And, since the iPad is the greatest discovery in all of mankind EVER, it is the most prominent feature of the cloud.
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But wait. Isn’t there more to Apple than just computers? Here is a second word cloud we created from the very same data. No manipulations and no sneaky subsampling. What’s with all this apple pie, apple cider, and apple cinnamon deliciousness? This is simply another great example of poor quality workmanship inviting terribly incorrect confounds.
Is social media research fast? Sure it is. It’s even faster if you ignore the annoying stage of data quality.
Though there is still no product on the shelf, the Apple Tablet has been a topic of discussion in social media for more than six months. Speculation has been wild but folks have come to various conclusions about what this product will be useful for.
This chart, called a radar chart or spider chart, shows the level of sentiment expressed towards the Apple Tablet for seven possible uses. Points close to the center of the chart show dissatisfaction with the use while points close to the outside of the chart show satisfaction with the use.
For example, the point on the cellphone line is very close to the center of the chart which means people do not feel the tablet is very well suited as a cellphone. Obviously, the size of the tablet makes it a complete no-go in the cellphone industry but given the amount of iPhone love out there, people have generated chatter in this area.
In the middle of the pack, seen as moderately interesting uses of the tablet are cameras and televisions. Again, given the multiple capabilities of the iPhone, it would be pointless for Apple to create a new product that didn’t also have multiple capabilities. Watching videos and taking photos are seen as natural inclusions.
More importantly, though, is which uses generate the most favorable mentions. At the top of this list is the e-reader with the point that is closest to the outside of the chart. Those chatting about the Apple Tablet see it as a definite contender for ereaders, including the Sony Reader and Kindle. Next in line to be seen as possible uses of the tablet are laptops and computers, no surprise there.
