The Parking Lot

Popularity of the social networks

The graph mentioned recently published in "Le Monde" gives an overview of the popular social networking Internet sites by continent. Bebo in Europe would be the most popular social networking Internet site ( I have my doubts on this one ). Netlog, which operates from Belgium, already stands on the fifth place in Europe !

Talking about networks. I found this website with new visualisations of networks.
Some are already known, but there are some new ones too !

Social networks : Trends 2008

Social networks are a big part of the internet today. The usage differs from person to person. One person chooses to communicate with its hundreds of friends on facebook, the other one recognizes himself in co-users of an online service like Flickr or Twitter.
Business networks like LinkedIn have a lot of registred users, but have limited possibilities.

Just like weblogs are business as usal, socials networks became an unseperately component of the online world. What are the developments in 2008 ?

1. Networks will come at you : my village, my neighbourhood, my team,...-networks. This can be new networks, or networks within networks but with advanced functionalities
2. More privacy in social networks. Less abuse !
3. Opensource social networking. Log in 1 time, fill your data in 1 time. The wish of many !! Google Open Social is working on that one !
4. Online Virtual Reality. Second Life & World of Warcraft are taking the lead in this. There is a certain interest at a more general public.
5. More video and multimedia online and more mobile phones with improved camera functionalities and approachable online applications will give boost to videoblogging.
6. Free WiFi, Internet in trains,planes and traffic-jams on the internet will raise the internetusage (and therefore also social networks) further.
7. Mobile Marketing will grow in 2008, and in 2009 mobile marketing will have a definite in marketing/mediaplans
8. Group = power !
9. Revenue based social networking. When the mass likes social networks, the money will flow to there ! Also affiliate marketing withing communities will break out.
10. Social lending ( peer 2 peer banking ).

As you can see, there will be a LOT going on this year when it comes to social networking.
Keep an eye on that !