The emergence of IoT brought about a significant increase in data, causing the "digital dust" to become much denser, allowing for the rise of the so-called Internet of Behavior. After all, if we have so much access to data, why not analyze how people behave through the digital footprint they leave out there?
What is the Internet of Behavior (IoB)?
Many cite 2012 as the opening date for IoB when psychology professor Gothe Nyman described the possibility of obtaining detailed data about customer usage and behavior as they interact with the Internet of Things (IoT). However, the idea of analyzing consumer data for commercial purposes is not new.
Due to our past research on consumer behavior and habits, we now have an automated ecosystem of analytical processes that track, collect, and attempt to interpret the vast amounts of data we generate through our online and Internet activities.
The IoB concept aims to address how to understand data properly and apply this understanding to create and promote new products from a human psychology perspective.
"The Internet of Behavior collects the digital dust of people's lives from various sources, and both public and private organizations can use this information to influence behavior."
Let's consider an example of a web platform where a user interacts with it from a laptop and then again from their smartphone. The data will be different in how the user interacts with the feature, such as which buttons they click and how they navigate the page. Thanks to this approach, the path leading to a sale becomes clear. Everything we've listed constitutes the data that can be collected through analytics, and that's what makes up the concept of Big Data.
So, let's say we collect this data, but then what? This is where IoB comes into play.
IoB is a process in which user data is analyzed in terms of behavioral psychology. Based on this analysis, new approaches are formed for the development of user experience (UX), optimization of search experience (SXO), and a company's final products and services, as well as how to promote them.
The value of the Internet of Behaviorr
Marketing and psychology have gone hand in hand since the beginnings of advertising. Therefore, behavioral analysis and psychology have provided new insights into the data collected by the Internet of Things.
IoB can become a new and powerful marketing and sales tool for businesses and organizations worldwide. With this tool, you will have in-depth knowledge of your customers, which is essential for all businesses.
Undoubtedly, analysis, A/B testing, SWOT analysis, and many other techniques have helped the company for years in building its product and marketing strategies to create and promote products that users want to buy. The Internet of Behavior aims to generate a significant boost in the sales industry's development.
Using this concept, companies will be able to analyze past performance and predict the future. Data collected through the Internet of Things will provide the foundation for companies to plan their development, marketing, and sales efforts.
Internet of Behavior: The Extension of IoT
Is defined as a source that connects a device to the internet, and the Internet of Behavior (IoB) is the extension of IoT that reveals meaningful information about our behavior. It is the interconnection of devices that provides vast data and valuable insights into user experience, search experience optimization, behavior, interests, and preferences. According to Gartner, IoB combines technologies focused on tracking people's location and facial recognition, connecting data and mapping it to behavioral events.
The Internet of Behavior combines existing technologies that focus directly on individuals. From facial recognition to location tracking, it connects the resulting data with associated behavioral events, such as cash purchases or device usage. Understanding the data collected from users' online activity from a behavioral psychology perspective is exactly what IoB does! How to understand the data and how to apply this understanding to create and market new products from a human psychology perspective, it's all under IoB.
IoB, in simple terms, refers to the process by which user-controlled data is analyzed from a behavioral psychology perspective, and the data thus collected is used to understand how to market the final products and services offered by companies. Conducting IoB is not technically as complex as it is from a psychological point of view. This requires statistical studies - mapping everyday habits and behaviors, without fully revealing consumer privacy for ethical and legal reasons.
Role and Contribution of the Internet of Behavior Through
The use of emerging technological innovations and advancements in machine learning algorithms, IoB helps capture, analyze, understand, and respond to all types of human behavior in a way that enables tracking and interpreting people's behavior. This new technology is descriptive and proactive, meaning it helps analyze user behavior and detect which psychological variables influence to produce a specific outcome. It influences consumer choices and allows companies to enhance the customer experience for the products/services they offer. Improving efficiency and quality is IoB's primary goal.
Internet behavior can be considered a combination of three fields, namely technology, data analytics, and behavioral sciences. Behavioral science can still be divided into four areas that we consider when using technology. They are decisions, emotions, addictions, and championships. For example, the health app on your smartphone can help you monitor your sleep patterns, blood sugar levels, or heart rate. The app can alert you to adverse health situations and suggest behavior changes for the desired positive outcome.
Advantages of the Internet of Behavior
This evolving technology will be beneficial in many ways. Positively engaging with customers, knowing where customer interest in a product begins, their buying journey, and the methodology they use to make a purchase; there are many aspects to IoB. IoB facilitates the study of previously unreachable data on how users interact with devices and products, obtaining more detailed information about where a customer is in the buying process, and analyzing customer buying habits across all platforms. Furthermore, it provides real-time notifications, driving and quickly resolving issues to close sales and keep customers happy.
Currently, businesses are using IoB to observe and help make changes in our behavior to achieve desired objectives through the sale of their products/services. The Internet of Behaviors offers cutting-edge ways for marketing products and services, as well as influencing user and employee behaviors. It can be used to monitor compliance with maintenance protocol at an industrial location to capture behavioral events.
For example, sensors/RFID tags on a person or in the environment can be used to verify whether employees are regularly washing their hands or not. Similarly, computer vision can be used to determine whether employees are adhering to mask protocols or not. Additionally, speakers in the environment can be used to alert people to protocol violations.
Conclusion.
This new technology is definitely beneficial for businesses as they can optimize their relationship with consumers based on the data collected. While IoT turns data into information, we'll have to wait and see if IoB can turn our knowledge into true wisdom!
