Weekly Digest of the Social Networking Space: July 30, 2008

I’m respecting your limited time by publishing this weekly digest on the Social Networking space, which I cover as an Industry Analyst –a good way to get in my head.

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.

You can subscribe to this digest tag only, which filters only these posts tagged digest.

Web Strategy Summary
Unlike last week’s series’ of major announcements, we’re seeing brand deploy with social networks, facebook applications, and the typical deployment of social networks for just about every vertical. MyYearbook receives funding, as well as tracks high growth rates.

---

Best Practice: Twelve best practices for online customer communities Fantastic resource by Dion Hinchcliffe on how to best organize, prepare and manage online community projects read these 12 best practices. A must read.

Growth: My Yearbook exhibits growth and raises $13mm
Data from Hitwise indicates that MyYearbook shows fast growth among social networks, but what these graphs don’t indicate is myYearbooks’s current registered active base, which Forbes indicates it has 4.5 million unique visitors –still a long way from MySpace of Facebook.

Data: IBM’s Smart SOA to connect communities
A growing trend to connect many companies, IBM’s Smart SOA promises to connect communities such as User Groups, Developers, Architects, Business Partners, Universities.

Deployment: Swiss Re connects alumni with SelectMinds
SelectMinds will support Swiss Re in the implementation of its first alumni network using their community platform. Specifically, Swiss Re will implement SelectMinds product AlumniConnect, designed to connect former employees, or corporate alumni, with each other and the organization, learn more from Marketwatch.

Features: introNetworks enhances suite
introNetworks launches community managers new features to enhance Groups, Collaborative Resources and Targeted Messaging and Advertising capabilities highlight the latest introNetworks release, see PDF for more.

Deployment: UK’s Sky to launch community platform
British Sky Broadcasting (Sky) is working with Pluck to launch a variety of social media tools across it’s various web properties, see Sky News to see where they’re headed.

Deployment: Neutrogena launches Widget by LiveWorld
In support of it’s Beautiful For Good community, LiveWorld, often notable for it’s community platforms, is now launching a widget to extend their client’s campaign. You can view the application on Facebook. Expect other community platforms to offer widget services in the future.

Marketing: Bebo reaches to alien planets
In this latest campaign, Bebo to build a time capsule to send to a near ‘earth-like’ planet. While an interesting undertaking there will be no ROI or tremendous ROI perhaps several centuries from now. I always thought we should put our best humans forward, if that’s Bebo users, so be it!

Reputation: How your LinkedIn profile impacts your company’s brand
While true for any social network or blog, how you behave online can impact how others perceive you or your employer, follow these tips from Steve Patrizi at LinkedIn to make sure your company is seen in the right light.

Global: LinkedIn launches Spanish Version
A few months ago, Facebook launched in Spanish then many other languages, LinkedIn, also extends it’s global (and local) reach by launching a Spanish version.

Infringement: Copywriting “Branded Communities”
I see so many issues with this, Jennifer responds to a vendor who claims ownership of that term. First of all, communities can’t really be branded, secondly, this is a common term used by the industry.

Verticals: Even Zombies get their own social network
sloth like? armless? need braaaains? Everyone gets in the social network action, even the undead, see this Zombie dating and social networking site.

PR professionals that have clients in this space, should subscribe to this blog, and ensure their clients are put on this digest by sending me an email, or better yet, leave a comment.