Digital Content Diffusion in a Social Network Structure
by Jeongha (Cath) OH

Abstract 

The instant diffusion of digital contents via the Internet, especially on portal web sites such as YouTube, is phenomenal. The large audience (demand) pool and the potential of content's diffusion via the vast users' network give a promising market to companies willing to distribute their digital contents online. However, not all video contents are successful. While some of the contents get instant recognition, some others simply die away getting little traffic. Thus, to get any useful implementation of social network in digital content market, it is important to understand the characteristics of the diffusion of digital contents via such networks. This research attempts to understand the characteristics of digital content distribution via users' social networks. A dataset of YouTube.com's videos observed over a month period is investigated. We analyze the growth of the popularity of digital content via friends' network in YouTube and examine a diffusion model for digital content.

About the speaker

Jeongha (Cath) OH is a PhD Candidate in Information Systems and Operations Management at the University of Washington. Her research interests include diffusion of user generated contents, social network and online communities, marketing channel selection, and organizational coordination of e-Business. Jeongha received her B.S. and M.S. in Mathematics from Seoul National University, Korea, and her M.S. in Financial Mathematics from University of Chicago.