faberNovel Consulting has released a research paper on social networks. The paper is an excellent theoretical overview of social networks and the trends in this important market. I particularly liked the following two slides, showing the types of social networks and how they're positioned. Interesting that in terms of identity, Facebook and MySpace are at opposite ends of the spectrum - Facebook is viewed as "real identity", whereas MySpace is "fanntasized identity"! The whole set of slides is below, via Slideshare.
Here is the full paper, in slideshow format:
The study also has some interesting analysis of business social networking, a subject we've been looking into recently.
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Hi Richard. This is fascinating. I would suggest that there is another emerging category which is in the top right hand corner of the quadrant (Real Idendity/Qualititive Contacts) but where the goal is "Knowledge NetWorking/Collaboration" Twine is one product in this space and so is the product that we have launched called Imindi where the goal is knowledge networking for the purpose of sharing "Collective Intelligence" For more information on what I am saying check out Peter Rip`s post on Knowledge Networking.
http://earlystagevc.typepad.com/earlystagevc/2007/09/more-than-who-y.html
Also a nice Blog post about Imindi (not written by any one connected with the company or its team in any way)
http://innowave.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Adam Lindemann | November 30, 2007 3:22 PM
Download the paper; it's much easier to read than the slideshow format on this page.
There are case studies (more like in-depth profiles) on four social networking sites, Meetic, Match.com, Xing and LinkedIn.
I've been using LinkedIn for ages ... and discovered reading this report (actually, it's a presentation, not a report) a lot of things about LinkedIn that I never knew!! (LinkedIn marketing department: You need to do a much better informing your users/members of new LinkedIn features.) I've had a little bit of experience with Xing (although I never joined, several local European friends in Qingdao are members; it's often touted as the LinkedIn for Europeans) and Match.com (I may have joined Match.com on some sort of free trial basis, but found other sites better suited to me).
My friends using both Xing and LinkedIn seem to get more out of Xing. Once again, however, it's probably important to mention that they're all Europeans and Xing does seem to play better in Europe versus LinkedIn. As far as Match.com is concerned, I view it as a compromise between HotorNot.com and eHarmony (although a little bit more like eHarmony). I personally know of one success through Match.com that led to a marriage ... and then a divorce, but about five years later. (I consider this a success for Match.com, although my bet is that marriages consummated via an eHarmony route are more likely to last.)
Frankly, I'm tired of social networks. I keep my LinkedIn profile but almost never use it except as an online bio and CV. See http://www.linkedin.com/in/davidscottlewis . Tried some of the other stuff like del.icio.us and Furl, tried all sorts of stuff, digg, AlwaysOn, you name it. I'm tired of it all.
Are we really building online social networks, or simply finding another way to manage contacts? Does Facebook simply serve as a launch page? (Not necessary a bad thing, but not rocket science, either.) When someone becomes an adult, they're better off with Plaxo or Salesforce.com for contact management.
There are certainly some networks that people may like. I like AlwaysOn, but that's me. I use AO a lot more than I use LinkedIn, but that's because I'm driven by content. Like I said, give me Plaxo or Salesforce.com for contact management. I belong to some industry social networks, like CSP Today (for the solar power sector). These are fine.
What I'm looking forward to are Web 3.0-based social networks, like those that will come out of Twine (see http://doiop.com/Twine) and Powerset (yes, they'll have a social networking component). Even Google's idea of building social networks based upon one's Gmail account is more enticing to me than sifting through LinkedIn in search of contacts or simply adding new contacts. (Back to Plaxo/Salesforce.com.)
What I want: New contacts in my online social network. New contacts pushed to me, not people I have to go find. I want "Social Networking: The Painless Edition." Give me Twine, give me a Web 3.0 social network. That's what I want. And even though Web 2.0 social networks penetration is high in the ROK, I suspect that this is what Koreans would prefer as well. Don't assume that just because Web 2.0 social networks work that there isn't an unserved demand for Web 3.0 social networks. "Web 3.0 Social Networks: Painless Networks for Everyone."
Posted by: David Scott Lewis | November 30, 2007 7:41 PM
Great information.
I'll use this to explain to authors that have given up on social networking after a bad MySpace experience.
Thanks for the post
Posted by: Warren Whitlock | December 1, 2007 12:10 AM
Good read, excellent indeed.
Posted by: 113.com | December 1, 2007 12:12 AM
Ok let me ask you this now...Let's say you develop sth new by reinventing the social networking era.You take My space and Facebook profile pages according to how close to the reality the profiles are ,and you create a 2 profile social network .or you can take lets say second life for your wish profile and Facebook/Myspace for your true profile .So now you have 2 profiles .Now develop this social network as a combination of all the best sites meaning use youtube for the video section,Blogger or Wordpress or Vox the blogging platform and the result is wishdone.com!I totally believe its an interesting experiment...
Posted by: John Zarkadas | December 1, 2007 4:15 AM
Great read and excellent points made; sociological studies necessarily follow where large numbers of people gather; after all eyeballs and attention has become the gold standard for the 'new media 2.0' economy.
Posted by: Mario Olckers | December 1, 2007 6:02 AM
I think www.vois.com should have been included!
Posted by: Lapp | December 1, 2007 10:37 AM
Thanks for sharing this. I highly recommend others download the PDF which is much easier to read than the presentation (though kudos to you for offering the slides within the blog post).
Posted by: David Berkowitz | December 1, 2007 3:49 PM
@2. David - Though in it's infancy but this project is aimed towards solving problem you are referring to ("New contacts pushed to me, not people I have to go find") -
http://www.bumpedinto.com/
Posted by: Brij | December 1, 2007 11:50 PM
"Q: How can you be sure that
registered members in online
matchmatchmaking websites
are not all ugly ?
A: Allow free registration and free
profile base checking"
That sums up this research paper.
Posted by: Ferodynamics | December 2, 2007 7:09 AM
Its really important for Social Networking sites is, What type of social network they are handling, and what is there postion there?
Good Observation.
http://www.codemunch.com
Posted by: Amit Tiwari | December 2, 2007 8:18 PM
Some interesting thoughts in this, thanks! But I guess family networks like Kindo.com, where I am working (or geni and verwandt) are missing!
And the categories on the positioning are argueable. I dont believe quality relationships with fake identities are really possible (not even in second life or world of warcraft), maybe thats why the lower right quadrant is empty. And public networks with real identities are probably not very accepted in more detailed way than a public phonebook. So if two of four quadrants are almost empty, it means that the two categories correlate.
So what about a spectrum from "reinforcing existing networks" to "creating new networks", where you could put matchmaking sites on one end and family networks like Kindo on the other. Most family networks "only" capture offline social networks and help communications among each other, without enabling people you dont know to send you spam on yet another channel (like the "creating new networks" - sites).
What do you guys think?
Posted by: Mario | December 3, 2007 6:27 AM
Very useful overview of social networking indeed. Must read for everyone who is serious about understanding this new concept and trying to find a new niche.
Posted by: Thijs | December 3, 2007 7:52 AM
How about Friendster.com, Multiply.com, and hi5.com?
Posted by: Adjie | December 3, 2007 6:47 PM
Re the comment on Xing:
"it's often touted as the LinkedIn for Europeans"
This would be more accurate as 'it's often touted as the Linked'in for Germans or German speakers' which is closer to the truth as almost all their members come from Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Linked'in is very strong in UK/Ireland, Low Countries and Scandinavia. Viadeo is very strong in Latin countries and french speaking countries. Neurona, since acquired by Xing is strong in Spain. Russia even has its own network in Moikrug.ru (Yandex).
So European's have lots of choice
Posted by: Phil More | December 5, 2007 4:12 AM
#7 I doubted you but just read this
VOIS.Com Nominated for Favorite Large Social Network at Open Web Awards Alongside MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn and Bebo
BOCA RATON, Fla., Dec. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- VOIS, Inc., http://www.vois.com/ (pronounced "Voice") one of the faster growing, global social networking communities for people ages 25 to 50, announced today that it has been nominated by Mashable's "Open Web Awards" for Favorite Large Scale Social Network under the category: Mainstream and Large Scale Networks. The Open Web Awards, hosted by Mashable.com, are the first ever online, open collaboration awards event, to recognize the best online communities representing web 2.0. Mashable ranks among the Top 100 blogs worldwide with in excess of 5 million monthly pageviews and is the world's largest blog on social networking. VOIS.com was named alongside other large social networks such as MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn and Bebo.
The award ceremony will take place at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco on January 10, 2008. The Open Web Awards were sponsored by: Reddit.com, WIRED, Cohn and Wolfe, Quintura, RetailMeNot and Streakr.
Anyone looking to be a part of the vote may do so before 11:59pm PST on Sunday, December 16th 2007, simply by going to http://mashable.com/2007/12/06/owa-voting-large-scale/
The Ten Nominees for Favorite Mainstream or Large Scale Social Network are:
Bebo.com Facebook.com LinkedIn.com MocoSpace.com MySpace.com NetLog.com OurLikes.com Uber.com VOIS.com Wishdone.com
Posted by: mavis johnson | December 8, 2007 8:26 AM