Weekly Digest of the Social Networking Space: Dec 19, 2007

Categories: Digest, Social NetworkingPosted on December 19th, 2007

I’m respecting your limited time by publishing this weekly summary, read the summary, then quickly scan headlines, read the bullet, then click to learn even more.

I’ve created a category called Digest where you can start to track and access these going forward. Quickly scan the succinct and categorized headlines, read summary for analysis, and click link to dive in for more. You can subscribe to this digest tag only, which filters only these posts tagged digest.

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Web Strategy Summary: To know
Google announced it’s intent to build a profile system, which will allow social networks to be built anywhere, and used by anyone. Coupled with OpenSocial, this could break down any silos that many are concerned about. The ’socialization’ of the web (all the web) continues to be a theme.

Identity Systems: Google to launch profile feature
The root of any social network contains two major features 1) an individuals profile 2) The connections they have to other profiles. Google is launching part one with their individual profiles that allow users to upload their identity and preferences. Expect them to make their entire web experience (from search to docs, to picassa) more of a social experience where people share with others, comment, and collect.

Insight: People not brands lead social networks
Doc gives an very interesting perspective in response to my debate on join vs build, be sure to read his post and ask yourself how this applies to your own life.

Platform: Wordpress could be a Social Networking Platform
Chris Messina suggest that Wordpress could be a Social Networking platform, while currently a publishing CMS tool. The first thing to do is look at the technographics of a community, and identify does everyone want to be a creator? Not likely.

Platforms: Social Network Platform Wars
Great graphic from Dave McClure showing a visual representation of what the platforms are starting to look like. With many platforms emerging and APIs don’t give up on opensocial (but recognize the challenges)

Watch: Cisco’s Entertainment Operating System (EOS)
Cisco recently acquired Tribe and Five Across and are now starting to consolidate these one off acquisitions into real products. EOS is supposadly supposed to provide media to social networks, as well as a potential platform. The challenge? Does Cisco know media? even social media? The upside for Cisco? More bandwidth for their infrastructure products.

Usage: Social Network adoption continues to rise
eMarketer has some useful stats that indicate that the growth of social networks will continue in terms of adoption and monetization. Interesting to see the saturation of the teen market already.

Acquisition: Penthouse buys lifestyle social networks
Penthouse expands it’s online reach by acquiring Various, which owns adultfriendfinder, Italianfriendfinder.com, gradfinder.com and bigchurch.com. Smart move for a media company. Projected price? $340 million.

Mobile: Sprint and MySpace serve web experience
Not uncommon to see, as iPhone serves up a very nice Facebook experienece, Sprint and MySpace are working to serve up a mobile experience. I can’t wait for the day when mobile devices all render the same experience from a single browser.

Friending: “Whales” are insecure
A whale is a person with more than 1000 contacts on a social network, this article suggests that some of them insecure. While this may be true for some, for me it’s a business networking tool, i’s my rolodex, a listening tool, and a way to reach thousands. Nearly limitless business opportunities. For those who are trying use this as a social tool (college, dating, etc) I can see why this may make sense.

What else should be on this list? Leave a comment, feedback, or suggestions, I’m listening.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 19th, 2007 at 4:32 am and is filed under Digest, Social Networking. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Comments

Chris Baum

Hi Jeremiah,

These summaries are incredibly valuable. Thanks for looking out for us.

One thing that bugged me about this week's edition. Yes, I know that things are going INCREDIBLY fast at the moment, but I take exception to Caroline McCasrthy's tone about the development cycle for OpenSocial.

She makes 6 WEEKS for the ROLLOUT of OpenSocial (arguably the most comprehensive metaplatform out there) sound like an eternity and encourages us to hold on for dear life even though it might be too late. I'm sorry, that's just insane.

Assuming it's an effective connector of what could be the Social Web, we should be happy if they ever launch. I know that many of the most dedicated tech folks are are already getting over their heads in social networks, with multiple invites to different sites each week (or day in some cases).

Not so long ago, we thought that 6 months was fast turnaround for new software, so I think we can wait 2 or 3 months for an incredibly ambitious, potentially amazing development effort. I trust Google to take what time they need, and, you know, it's the holidays!

I was reading Adaptive Path's newsletter today, and they referred to "The Long Wow" essay by Brandon Schauer from a couple weeks ago:

http://www.adaptivepath.com/ideas/essays/archiv...

It equates true, lasting innovation with taking your time and engaging your customers. If Google takes until next December and does it right, we'll be all the happier.

Cheers,
Chris

jeremiah_owyang

Chris

Thanks for reading. I think many folks are feeling excited about opensocial and were disappointed when it was announced and there was little to actually touch and play with.

Azam Khan

Hey Jeremiah,
This isn't related to this post but I wanted to bring up a point I've noticed while learning today. I was reading the draft business model today (beta), which talks about business models and business model innovation. The paper uses 9 building blocks of a business model:

! Customer Segments
! Value Proposition
! Communication
! Customer Relationships
! Revenue Streams
! Key Resources
! Key Activities
! Partner Network
! Cost Structure

When I was reading the customer relationships part, it said:

"Customer Relationships – how do we relate to our clients over time?
Business Model Building
Block Client relationship
Description: The types of relationships you entertain with each customer segment

Objective: Identify which types of relationships you have built and which you maintain with each customer segment.

Getting relationship management right in our business model is crucial today to satisfy customer’s expectations. For instance, customers paying a high price for a product or service will expect a high touch relationship, while customers paying a cheap price do not expect more than automated, yet customized relationships. A sound business model has a clear strategy for customer relationship management for each customer segment."

It's this last part that I was trying to understand. I understand that social media is about relationships and conversations. But til now, I hadn't thought about the level of conversations a company/brand can have with people. Obviously its trying to funnel in more customers, but also maintaing a relationship with existing customers. And i'm guessing customers paying a high price DO want that high touch whereas those paying a low price may settle for a more automated relationship.. or do they?

What we're seeing today levels this playing field doesn't it? I'm sure more 'important' customers will get that phone time whereas less important ones might grind their teeth plunged into an abysmal wait time on the phone.

But I don't think, and i'm sure others can agree with me on this, that companies truly understand their consumers. I faintly remember reading on some forrester research report I briefly scanned that said the most influential customers don't necessarily pay the highest in transaction costs and those that pay the most aren't the most influential. Then if there is more ROI in building relationships with influential people, wouldn't companies have to rethink their whole relationship structure.

I think i'm gonna end up getting too many thoughts involved so i'll stop there. Essentially i'm wondering how high value customers and low value customers will interact with each other, and what they'll expect from the company. Is this situation kind of like a 'public good', where no matter how important you are to the country, you get equal protection from the military? Maybe I'm forgetting that companies will know who is who when dealing with people through social media.

jeremiah_owyang

Azam

Deep thoughts indeed. Used correctly, these tools should be able to help companies understand, listen, and be part of an active conversation with customers.

Azam Khan

For sure. So you are affirming then that all customers will be engaged equally in the social web? Or will the high-end customer want the web equivalent of easier phone access? And if this was to be true, how would the lower end customer react?

Or would it be more like different customer segments provided with different value proposals, each kind of exclusive to that segment?

Maybe the question im asking is just pointless.

jeremiah_owyang

Azam

Love the inquires, I can tell you're on a breakthrough moment.

Not all customers will be engaged, they all use technolgoies different --depending on role, age, and culture (do a search on technographics)

I advise clients to develop different strategies depending on who they are trying to reach, every group is different.

Web Strategy by Jeremiah Owyang

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