Research has just been published into the cascade or 'echo chamber' effect having an action orientated impact within a social media community (Source: Washington Post via WOMMA).

The researchers were looking at group behaviours relating to people stopping smoking. It seems that group behaviour spreads within the group very quickly causing many in the group to stop smoking. As they say:

'...the influence of a single person quitting nevertheless appeared to cascade through three degrees of separation, boosting the chance of quitting by nearly a third for people two degrees removed from one another.

"It could be your co-worker's spouse's friend or your brother's spouse's co-worker or a friend of a friend of a friend. The point is, your behavior depends on people you don't even know.....Your actions are partially affected by the actions of people who are beyond your social horizon but in the broader network...'

What does this mean for corporates?

Imagine creating a group or community around your products or services and communicating to them. Influence some of the group and as a result they recommend or comment positively about you to their friends. In turn those people tell their friends. In effect your message has reached three levels. Not everyone will contact all their friends. Nor will their friends mention it to their friends too. But as this research shows a lot will. Enough to cascade down the community.

Let's take a practical example and do the maths. Poundland has a blog where it posts details of its special offers and product availability. They have over 200 Facebook friends and blog subscribers. From research it is known that the average number of 'friends' these people have is 100 each. that gives an 'Opportunity to Influence' (OTI) of 20,000 (200 friends with an average of 100 friends each). If we extend the OTI one level more we end up with 2 million (20,000 x 100). The actual numbers will vary depending on the nature and popularity of the recommendation. But even with a lowish number it is easy to see how a viral campaign take off or why social networking campaigns should be of interest to companies.