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Comment by Mediterraneo10 | Hacker News Reader

Do social networks have a business case to diversify the connections of people on it? If people are encouraged to adhere to a limited number of affiliations and be firm in that group identity, then doesn’t that make it easier for advertisers to target them?

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If you're open to connecting with new people, it's easier to introduce you to someone who's really into product X and recommends it to all their friends.

> If people are encouraged to adhere to a limited number of affiliations and be firm in that group identity, then doesn’t that make it easier for advertisers to target them?

I think so. If I sell motorcycles and I only have enough budget to show ads to one cohort and have two options:

A) a person who likes motorcycles but has no / very few friends who like motorcycles (presumably a diverse group)

B) a person who likes motorcycles and all their friends like motorcycles (a firm group identity)

I'm picking group B. If I'm successful in selling them a motorcycle, it's free advertising to many more eligible buyers. Plus, even if I'm not there's a chance they might talk about my ad if it's memorable enough and spread via word of mouth.

I would guess two work are two good things cross-purpose a bit. They would want good targetting data quality which homogeneity helps but a heterogeneous set of intrests is worth more to advertise to as more potential demand for the same share.

Teenagers and young were long favored for television advertisements not because of having more of their income disposable or long term loyalty (although nice bonuses) but because they were less set in their ways. And influencing is always what they sold.

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