Weekly Digest of the Social Networking Space: Dec 26, 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
A very, very quiet week, there’s just a few pieces of analysis from bloggers and media after the flurry of anouncements two weeks ago (everyone was trying to push out features before the Holiday). Most interestingly, Bebo has widget growth from opening up it’s container for other applications to publish on it’s social network.

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Container: Bebo’s Applications proliferate
Just a few weeks ago, on Dec 12th, Bebo announced that it would open it’s social network up to third party developers, starting with a push form existing Facebook applications. Development partners include: NBC Universal, CBS, NBA, Yahoo!, The Gap, Flixster, Gaia Online, RockYou, Slide, BeFunky, iLike, WidgetBox, Wallo Bebo has informed me last week that there are currently 4,250,409 installs of applications. Two weeks growth at 4 million is pretty successful, considering there are over 12,000 apps total in FB. We’ll compare direct numbers (installs to instances) later.

Widgets: Worklight provides business Applications
This February, we’ll see a growth in productivity applications from Worklight, a widget that sits on Facebook (and then likely other social networks) that will provide secured communication for employees. See? The intranet has already left the firewall.

Profiles: Many new social networks emerge and grow
BBC summarizes the various social networks of interest, including: Habbo, Perfspot Freecycle, Webjam, Capazoo, Wayn, Realbuzz.

Social Graph: IBM to launch mapping tool in Lotus Notes
IBM is launching a tool that will map and track the mavens within the usage of a community, this one, in Lotus Notes. This tool, called Atlas, will help large organizations map out important topics, networks, and people.

Ubiquity: Social Networks a Commodity
I’m surprised to hear Marc Canter say this, just a few months ago he violently opposed others saying that it was a feature, and now he suggest that these social features are a commodity. Either way, the scope of this very digest grows every week, it’s difficult for me to keep up.

Money: Kyte gets $15 million, to grow mobile social network
Raising a considerable amount from a Spanish telephone carrier, Kyte will continue to provide a platform for mobile web users to publish, share, and connect with each other. One challenge is going to be able to create a common platform or utility that will work with all carriers and phones.

Usage: Majority of teens interact on the web
Pew releases some helpful technographics data of teen web usage: “Content creation by teenagers continues to grow, with 64% of online teenagers ages 12 to 17 engaging in at least one type of content creation, up from 57% of online teens in 2004.” I’ve compared this to some of the data from work and it’s very close.

Features: Add Digg like features
Build your own Digg=like feature for your online community or social network. Pligg suggests that it’s 5 minute installs can move a static site to member interactive in a few easy strokes.

Ownership: Corporate program management of community programs
Respected community expert Bill Johnston asks the important question of who owns the community? For the many companies that are struggling internally to understand the social media sphere, the question of program ownership comes up, Bill gives a few scenarios.

Privacy: Social Ads invasive
David Berkowitz, of popular blog Marketer’s Studio was surprised to find out that he was an brand advocate for Blockbuster, after I sent him a screenshot. He suggests that social ads need an opt out and was frustrated to find out there was little he could do, read the extensive comments.

What else should be on this list? Leave a comment, feedback, or suggestions, I’m listening. The next digest will be in the near year, kind of exciting!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 26th, 2007 at 6:50 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.