“Research has found that items which become popular first will tend to be more popular than other items with similar appeal.” was a comment left on the previous social media wars article.

Based on the above opinion statement, do you think social media is becoming the main driving force behind purchasing trendy, fashionable and tech products these days? How much actual power does social media have on our purchasing decisions? Is it fair to solely depend on web marketing and social media channels (such as Youtube, Twitter and Facebook) in order to decide whether to purchase a certain brand or its competitor?

Just as I did in the previous social media wars episodes (Blackberry Storm Vs. iPhone 3G) and (Dell vs. Toshiba), this post will entail a detailed study of the use of social media to promote Mac’s Snow Leopard and Microsoft’s Windows 7, followed by a brief discussion on problems and solutions with the current used social media methodologies.

Microsoft Windows 7 vs Mac Snow Leopard

Introduction Brief…

In one of the comments on a previous social media wars episode, a reader said, and I quote: “I buy things based on need, not based on if they look cool or if advertising tells me that its what I need“. But is this statement 100% true? I highly doubt it!

Product and service competitions existed long before the emergence of social media, yet they were not this fierce and “bloody”! Furthermore, many products and services were customized according to customer needs rather than being designed in order to over shine a certain competitive product or service!

Now, when it comes to Apple and Microsoft’s ongoing competition, and although Apple has gained a lot of market share from “the perception that Vista sucks” in addition to its “ability to manipulate the perceptions of both Microsoft’s and its own offerings“, it seems that the table might turn and Windows 7 might actually win the race!

What Role Does Social media Play in this Equation?

Apparently, the perception of quality and value have shifted into a different direction since the people started heavily relying on social media to make their product or service comparisons and purchasing decisions. Whether it be the Facebook fan page or group, the Twitter account or the Youtube clip views, other factors have now become filtering agents in the decision making process. [read full article >>]