Social Networking

• Wikipedia gives this information about the history of social networking sites

• Early social networking websites started in the form of generalized online communities such as The WELL (1985), Theglobe.com (1994), Geocities (1994) and Tripod.com (1995).

• These early communities focused on bringing people together to interact with each other through chat rooms, and share personal information and ideas around any topics via personal homepage publishing tools

• User profiles could be created, messages sent to users held on a “friends list” and other members could be sought out who had similar interests to yours in their profiles

• Between 2002 and 2004, social networking sites emerged as the most popular sites in the world, causing such sites to become part of mainstream users globally.

• Social networking began to flourish as a component of business internet strategy at around March 2005 when Yahoo launched Yahoo! 360°. In July 2005 News Corporation bought MySpace, followed by ITV buying Friends Reunited in December 2005.

• It is estimated that combined there are now over 200 social networking sites using these existing and emerging social networking models.

Target Audience

• www.webnox.com gives the following target audience and reasons why this is.

• Targeting the younger generation, typically 18 to 36 year olds

• Related to entertainment, sports, community, events. Causes

• Media intensive (primarily video and new media)

• Fun

Purpose of Social Networking Sites

• This information has been given in response to a question on Wikianswers.

• Social networking sites allow you to connect with like-minded individuals or more easily reach prospective and current customers or clients.

• From a business perspective, the purpose is not to advertise or market your services, yet build one-on-one relationships with people.

• This enables you to gain market insight and hopefully drive quality traffic to your site through minimal efforts (and without sounding like a salesperson).

Adv/Disadv - View persons photos and friends

Adv-Recent activity

Disadv – Personal information displayed on both sites

Adv – recent activity (similar to Facebook)

Disadv – Personal Information

Benefits

• Easily keep in contact with friends

• Keep in contact globally

• Discuss different issues

• Keep a calendar of what is happening

• Attend events and keep reminders

• Games

Drawbacks

• Major drawback is the security issue. For example many people can access whatever they want.

• Offensive material is not often filtered• Bullying can take place• Can become addictive• Sometimes you cannot control friends

actions. For example, tagging a photo of you.

Non-Internet Alternatives• The non-internet alternatives are basically the traditional ways of

socialising such as having a conversation face to face.

• “Social Networking has changed and continues to change the way that we socialise every day” according to Joey Bernal December 28, 2009, 08:04 AM - http://www.itworld.com/it-managementstrategy/90619/social-networking-6-things-consider-you-share-it-all

• Another non-internet alternative to social networking sites is that of face to face interaction and some people believe that these sites are getting rid of peoples communication skills. “online networking kills inter-personal skills” this is a quate from Tue, 15/09/2009 - 11:31 — jamesgurd posted on http://www.marketingdonut.co.uk/forum/social-networking-sites-and-the-death-of-inter-personal-skills-

Bibliography• www.webnox.com/viral_marketing/social_networking/ • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_network_service#Hi

story• http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=2009

0407074811AAGIycH• http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_purpose_of_so

cial_networking_sites

• http://www.itworld.com/it-managementstrategy/90619/social-networking-6-things-consider-you-share-it-all

• http://www.marketingdonut.co.uk/forum/social-networking-sites-and-the-death-of-inter-personal-skills-