Social Networking
Friendster, MySpace, Facebook, Dogster, Catster, Curbly, the list goes on; Is it a feature? Is it a fad?
Facebook Rises, MySpace Falters
Written by Muhammad Saleem on September 11, 2007 | 5 comments
Compete reported today that with 15.7 billion page views, Facebook is now ranked third in terms of traffic, and MySpace, which has thus far enjoyed both healthy growth and a long run as the leader in social networking, is declining and may not be in the lead for long.
Yuwie: Getting Paid to Network - Could it Work?
Written by Muhammad Saleem on September 7, 2007 | 91 comments
Yuwie is a relatively new social networking site and has really taken off. The site doesn't differentiate itself with the features it offers or the market that it trying to capture. On the contrary, Yuwie differentiates itself by paying its members for using the site for every action they take on the site, and even the actions resulting from them.
Relationships on the Social Web
Written by Muhammad Saleem on August 28, 2007 | 9 comments
While most people make the argument that the social web is doing exactly what the name suggests, making us more social and harnessing our collective strengths to deliver a better experience, others are not convinced.
Google and Yahoo: Finally Getting Serious About Social Networking
Written by MG Siegler on July 9, 2007 | 3 comments
Perhaps the two names most synonymous with the Internet, Google and Yahoo, have been rather lackluster when it comes to social networking. Yes, Google has Orkut and Yahoo has services like MyBlogLog, but neither can hold a candle to sites like MySpace and Facebook.
LinkedIn Preempts Facebook with Facebook Application
Written by Muhammad Saleem on June 28, 2007 | 6 comments
In an effort to preempt any perceived potential threat to the business-oriented professional social networking site in case Facebook launches similar features, LinkedIn has launched a Facebook application that lends one of the networks services to Facebook.
Does LinkedIn Really Need to Worry About Facebook?
Written by Muhammad Saleem on June 26, 2007 | 6 comments
When the news first broke that LinkedIn would be releasing a developer API, both the way they marketed this move and the way the community responded to it seems somewhat unreasonable. LinkedIn is a specialized social network and they shouldn't really be worrying about Facebook, at least not yet.
Socially Conscious Social Networking - LinkedIn For Good
Written by Muhammad Saleem on June 11, 2007 | 3 comments
In last week's Socially Conscious Social Networking column we looked at Facebook Causes. This week we look at LinkedIn For Good.
Google's Slow Shift to Social Unification?
Written by MG Siegler on May 29, 2007 | 3 comments
One of the aspects largely overlooked in Google's recently unveiled Hot Trends is the prominent link on a topic's page to 'Discuss with others'. While the feature is currently flawed, and as such is basically useless, it could signal a move by Google towards unifying their services with a more social approach.
Wallop - More Than Your Average 'Sneak Peek'
Written by Muhammad Saleem on May 21, 2007 | 8 comments
I was able to get an invite to join the private beta of Microsoft's social networking site Wallop, which describes itself as 'the exclusive place where you connect with your real friends and expand your relationships'. Here's my report.
Yahoo's Academic Take on Social Networking
Written by Muhammad Saleem on May 15, 2007 |
Barry pointed out an interesting piece of news that I hadn't previously had a chance to comment on. Yahoo recently hired an economist and a social scientist to help them 'shape the future of the web'. Here's a look at social networking communities and where these academics fit into Yahoo's plans.
How To Sell Yourself on the Facebook Marketplace
Written by Muhammad Saleem on May 14, 2007 | 3 comments
A few days ago we covered Facebook Classifieds, or more accurately, Oodle Classifieds on Facebook. Now Facebook has launched its own integrated version of classifieds on the site, called Facebook Marketplace. The marketplace is much better integrated with the rest of the site and as a result does a much better job of taking advantage of the social networking aspects of Facebook.
Social Network Ad Spending and Return on Investment
Written by Muhammad Saleem on May 13, 2007 |
eMarketer published a press release a few days ago highlighting the growth in spending on advertising on social networking sites, a possible reaffirmation of the results from Fox Interactive Media's study on social networks and marketing.
Facebook Classifieds Launched - Everything You Need To Know
Written by Muhammad Saleem on May 10, 2007 | 5 comments
Facebook Classifieds - in partnership with Oodle - is now live, and just in time. As the end of the year approaches and students get ready to part with used books, furniture, appliances, and other miscellaneous items they have collected over the year but now see no need for, many of them will find their answer (i.e. prospective buyers) on Facebook and through Oodle.
iminlikewithyou: Hot or Not for the Web Savvy
Written by MG Siegler on May 7, 2007 | 14 comments
When I was in college, the site Hot or Not became wildly successful based on a very simple premise: is the person in this picture hot or not? A new service, iminlikewithyou, takes the same idea, and massively expands upon it - creating something that can best be described as a hotornot-meets-facebook-meets-ebay-meets-game, hybrid.
Social Networks Are The New Porn
Written by Muhammad Saleem on April 21, 2007 | 7 comments
Since the rise of the internet in the 1990s, pornography has ruled the internet. While difficult to measure accurately, the online pornography industry is estimated to be worth about $1 billion, and counts for about 13% of website visits in America (compared to search engines, which account for 7%). But it appears that new uses are about to overtake pornography in terms of online popularity.
Utilizing Facebook to Network Yourself and Your Content
Written by MG Siegler on April 13, 2007 | 7 comments
A few days ago, Facebook unveiled changes on their site meant to improve usability and also enhance interactivity. What once was a student-only site has turned into a full-featured social site that offers you a multitude of networking options. MySpace may have more users, but Facebook has more options in terms of how they can help you spread your content to a wide variety of people.
Marketing through online communities
Written by Ryan Fujiu on February 4, 2007 | 2 comments
The explosion of web communities has caught the eye of even the most traditional businessmen. The possible benefits of corporate participation in communities have executives chomping at the bit to enter these markets. However, there are inherent risks that can wreak havoc on public relations and brand image if the wrong strategy is pursued.
LinkedIn launches Answers
Written by Cameron Olthuis on January 4, 2007 | 5 comments
LinkedIn has launched its new Answers service, which allows LinkedIn users to both ask questions and answer them. The service is very similar to Yahoo Answers except for the fact that it only covers a small niche whereas Yahoo Answers covers topics for anything. This actually gives them an advantage because they aren't in competition with other questions & answers sites.
MyBlogLogging
Written by Neil Patel on November 29, 2006 | 9 comments
In the past few months it seems that more and more bloggers have been placing the MyBlogLog widget on their blog so they can see who is coming to their blog. The concept of MyBlogLog(ging) is becoming popular and some have gone even as far as writing guides on how to use it. So why is MyBlogLogging catching on like a wildfire?
Why most social networks will fail
Written by Neil Patel on November 20, 2006 | 10 comments
These days it seems like new social networking websites are popping up like it's going out of style. The main problem with this is that most of them are being created in the hopes of making the owners rich instead of building a thriving community. Here are the main reasons why most of them fail, and how they might be able to avoid failure:
