Weekly Digest of the Social Networking Space: Oct 8, 2008

I’m respecting your limited time by publishing this weekly digest on the Social Networking space, which I cover as an industry analyst. By creating this digest (I started this over a year ago) it really helps me to stay on top of the space I cover.

I’ve created a new category called Digest (view archives). Start with the Web Strategy Summary, then quickly scan the succinct and categorized headlines, read text for my take, and click link to dive in for more.

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Web Strategy Summary
A broad range of offerings, media deals, and announcements have taken place in the last two weeks. Of note: MySpace launched a significant media player launch, SocialText has a complete redesign of their enterprise platform, and Slide cuts a media deal with some big brands.

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Media: MySpace launches music service
In it’s latest announcement, MySpace builds partnerships with key media firms to extend their reach into the social networking space. Forrester data shows that around 1/3 of youth in social networks use those tools to find new types of music. MySpace launches music service, gets one billion plays in a few days.

Launch: SocialText 3 enterprise collaboration
SocialText launches new version of enterprise tool with social networking features, twitter like tools, and collaboration tools. I added them to my big bad list of community platforms.

Media: Slide cuts deals with media companies
This partnership gives Slide cuts access to firms likel with CBS, Comcast’s E! Entertainment channel, NBC, Time Warner’s Warner Bros., and other media companies for content repurposing –smart move.

Deployment: Drupal is ubiquitous
You’d never never know till you’d see this gallery of websites that are Drupal based.

Analyst: social network campaigns flop
Gartner says half of social media campaigns will flop, I’d say the number is likely higher. In my recent report, 15/16 brands failed.

Analyst: Companies adopt communities
More Gartner analysis says “More Than 60 Percent of Fortune 1000 Companies With a Web Site Will Connect to or Host a Form of Online Community by 2010″. A pretty accurate measurement, but we should assume that many more communities will be created organically without the brands involved at all.

People: Facebook founder aims for enterprise apps
Facebook founder splits off to build enterprise and utility features, will use Facebook’s platform.

Deal: Friendster allows Facebook apps
Friendster announces support for Facebook applications, which triggers even more relationships in this social web ecosystem. Yet, we must ask, what of OpenSocial?

Usage: Facebook to overtake MySpace?
Facebook set to overtake MySpace in the US within a month according to Royal Pingdom analysis. Yet hitwise shows MySpace is still on top, although Facebook growing quickly.

Productivity: Facebook is a time sink –and job killa’
Employers in Ireland use Facebook to catch workers that are idle at work.

Localization: More languages for Kickapps
Kickapps adds more languages to it’s platform extending it’s global reach for it’s many media clients

OpenSource: Elgg gets coverage
Interview with Elgg team, on creating your own social network

Recruitment: Facebook helps to hire spies
Facebook being used to recruit ’spies’, shhhhh.

Mobile: Upgrade for Facebook on iPhone
Facebook launches upgraded iPhone application, making social geeks rejoice around the states.

Humor: WWPF (What Would Palin Facebook?)
Internet culture ties with political culture for new outputs, this fictional screenshot says it all.

If you’re a social network, or widget company, I want to know of your news, send me an email, or leave a comment below. Help me stay up to date.

Thanks to @SteveKayser who noticed a typo.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 8th, 2008 at 3:21 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.