Streams, Walls, and Feeds: 109 Design Guidelines for Improving Notifications, Messages, and Alerts Sent Through Social Networks and RSS

Chapter . Design Guidelines: Social Networks

Message Content

Know your audience, and send meaningful messages that match user expectations

Users had varying expectations regarding the types of messages they’d receive through social networks. These expectations were highly dependent on the type of company or organization sending the information. For example, users expected news outlets, such as The New York Times and Fairfax Digital, to send the top headlines and stories from around the world. They expected other types of companies, such as non-profits or charity organizations, to send information about their initiatives, upcoming events, and requests for donations or involvement. When users didn’t receive the types of messages they expected, they ...