What is the Open Graph and how can it be used in Performing Arts marketing?

Two weeks ago Facebook launched the Open Graph Initiative. I am pretty sure that there are still some organizations out there that haven't yet added the Open Graph plug-ins to their sites nor understood why and how they should. So, I have been doing some thinking about the Open Graph for Performing Arts organizations, here it comes:
 
The Open Graph Initiative is based on the idea of making the web experience "instantly social". The Facebook crew means that a person is defined by his or her connections. On Facebook you are connected to people through your "friends", and to things, causes and organizations through pages and fan groups. Everybody in the" Facebook world" is connected in a global social graph. The idea is now to open up this graph and share your likes, interests and recommendations beyond Facebook. 

Any organization that wants to be connected to the open graph can install a plug-in, a little "Like" (or "recommend") button, in connection to features on their website and let people share their likes to their networks. Sharing is nothing new and is already done by sites as digg and reddit, but the difference is that your organization now can be connected to a network that have over 400 million users all around the world. This is of course important for big global companies, but it can also have an important impact on small local organizations. Like your theater! 



In practice the open graph means that you will be able to see if your friends have been to website before your and what features they have liked on sites that you visit. You can go to a site where you have never been before, without being logged on to Facebook, and get it instantly personalized thanks to your social connections. If you are visiting a Theater's website to read about a specific performance, you will be able to see which of your friends that liked this performance (and how many people in total that liked this performance). If you are visiting a news site your will be able to see what articles your friends liked. And so on. Facebook stresses that this will create a whole new level of social relevance to the web experience since you are more likely to see and be interested in something that your friends have found interesting.

So, without going into privqcy issues and who-are-really-the-friends-in-your-facebook-group questions, I state that I think that the open graph could be really interesting for the performing arts sector.

In the presentation of the Facebook Open Graph two weeks ago, only News and Entertainment sites were used to explain and show the impact of the open graph, even though Facebook had around 80 collaborating companies for the launch. I think that Facebook also see the importance for the entertainment industry.
 
This is why I think that the Open Graph can become a useful tool for Performing Arts marketing:

• WORD OF MOUTH
  People working in performing arts organizations and the entertainment industry know the enormous impact of word of mouth. We also know that it is not just any word of mouth, but most often the ones from your friends, friends-of-a-friend, colleagues, family etc. The people you identify yourself with. Coming to your site, any person will be able to see which of their friends liked a specific performance.
   
  
• CLICKING IS EASY
  The Like button will make people who normally don't produce social content to participate in increasing the social relevance of a site. Most people hesitate before writing and signing a comment or adding something to a discussion in a forum. It seems scary. A click on a "Like" or "Recommend" button on the other hand, is an easy and safe way to leave your footprint.
   
  
• PEOPLE WANT TO BE SEEN
  People will want to tell their networks that they've seen a specific dance/theater performance or had a classical music experience. As Bourdieu has taught us, if people have a little bit of cultural capital they will want to gain some points for it. I think that the like/recommend buttons will be widely used.
   
  
• THE ORGANISATIONS CAN GET TO KNOW ENGAGED THEATER GOERS Not all frequent theater visitors will be influencers with their own blogs or have huge networks around themselves to whom they can spread the word. But they might have important things to say about to you about your organization. For a medium or small organization it will be possible to detect frequent goers who think about your performances, and to get into personal dialogue.
   
  
• FACEBOOK IS THE "MOTHERS NETWORK"
  To explain how widely spread facebook is, somebody said that "Facebook is where your mother and her friends are". I just thought "Good, then that's where the theater should be". Digg and Reddit also exist but the mothers probably do not know that. Mothers buy a lot of tickets, and it will be great the day they start to click the LIKE button and share with their networks.