Week 1 Notebook
From a Gemini AI query, it cites the 2011 Kietzmann et al. framework as foundational but updates it — which seems somewhat distinct from the original, and much more timely. See Below:
FROM Gemini AI:
| Functional Block [, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] | Original 2011 Definition (Kietzmann et al.) | Modern 2026 Evolution | Key Strategic Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identity | The extent to which users reveal their identities (name, age, gender, profession, location). | Persona & Verification | Shift from self-disclosure to managed, AI-enhanced avatars and paid verification for authenticity. |
| Conversations | The extent to which users communicate with others; includes conversation velocity and risks. | Algorithmic Curation | Interaction is now primarily dictated by discovery algorithms and private "Dark Social" channels. |
| Sharing | The extent to which users exchange, distribute, and receive content via social graphs. | Remixing & Co-Creation | From broadcasting links to active "remixing" where the consumer becomes the co-producer. |
| Presence | The extent to which users can know if others are available or where they are. | Immersive Real-Time | "Being there" through 24/7 Live Streams, VR/AR, and ephemeral spatial updates. |
| Relationships | The extent to which users can be related to others (managing structural network properties). | Creator Economy | Peer-to-peer networks are often replaced by parasocial relationships with niche content creators. |
| Reputation | The extent to which users can identify the standing of others, often tied to trust and sentiment. | Trust & Authenticity | Reputation is no longer just "likes" but "signal-to-noise" ratio and human-in-the-loop validation. |
| Groups | The extent to which users can form communities; includes membership rules and protocols. | DAO & Token-Gated Tribes | Shift to exclusive, self-governing groups using digital assets (tokens/NFTs) for access. |
References
Ahmed, S., & Aziz, S. (2024). The role of real-time engagement in digital trust and authenticity. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 12(4), 1025. nih.gov
Aw, E. C. X., & Agnihotri, R. (2024). Consumers’ parasocial interactions and influencers as third-party endorsers: A modern relationship study. Journal of Consumer Marketing. doi.org
Feng, Y., & Sun, H. (2025). AI-augmented co-creation: Shifting the sharing paradigm in digital marketing. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. doi.org
Gregory, R. W., et al. (2026). Algorithmic stakeholder governance: How social media algorithms shape digital lives. Journal of Management Information Systems. miami.edu [1]
Kietzmann, J. H., Hermkens, F., McCarthy, I. P., & Silvestre, B. S. (2011). Social media? Get serious! Understanding the functional building blocks of social media. Business Horizons, 54(3), 241-251. sfu.ca
Koay, K. Y., et al. (2024). The mediating role of parasocial relationships in the creator economy. Journal of Strategic Marketing. doi.org
Neo, J. R., et al. (2025). Cutting through the fog: Investigating human identification of deepfakes and persona. Journal of Documentation, 82(3). doi.org [1]
Oh, marketing and social media / Web 2.0 is a whole other beast. That will give you a really nice point of contrast as we work through the more human side this term.
ReplyDeleteA few thoughts on the “foundational but dated” question. The Kietzmann piece is the one that most clearly lays out these functional building blocks. I look for something more current every year that does this as simply and clearly, but most newer pieces assume you folks know these ideas and move forward, or focus in on just one element rather than the whole. I'm open to suggestions, however, if you or anyone else stumbles on something suitable. (Maybe I should write something new? Maybe we all should as a class?)
A lot has changed since that article was written, especially with algorithms shaping what we see and do, but I would still argue that those core elements Kietzmann identifies (identity, sharing, presence, relationships) are still very much how a part of how we experience these spaces. The tools and some norms have shifted, but the underlying human pieces are still there.
I’m curious what Gemini prompt you used because it offered a really interesting take. What stood out to me is how Gemini’s framing was tech-forward and at points futuristic, which contrasts with Kietzmann’s grounding in the human experience of interaction.
For example, Gemini seems to generalize toward things like AI-mediated identities or fully platform-shaped experiences, while in practice we still make a lot of small, human choices about how we present ourselves, who we interact with, and how we manage our presence. Even something as simple as setting a status to “busy” is a form of agency.
Similarly, ideas like “dark social” or 24/7 presence read differently depending on perspective. From a marketing standpoint, those are about data and visibility. And I think marketing struggles with dark socials because they can't access that part of the Internet. From an individual standpoint, we’re still just communicating, choosing when and how to engage, and navigating relationships. Dark socials are about individual agency, not commercial agency.
So I’d encourage you to keep playing with this as we go. When you compare Kietzmann with something like a Gemini-generated interpretation, what feels recognizable from your own experience, and what doesn’t? What elements of Kietzmann still hold for you from a human perspective, even as the tools and expectations around them have changed?