online networking sites

[DePrasa]

I am being emailed by people I do not know to join networks online that I have never heard of. Starting to feel like spam. Who is legit in the social networking space?

[David Sandusky]

I know the feeling. On one hand I think it is important to lock down your name everywhere that is relevant enough. Time spent on various networks online depends on your strategy. Have an answer to where you want to add value and participate that would include a return on investment in your time.

If you don't already, use Twitter and find thought leaders in the online networking space to follow. You can also use the www.search.twitter.com to put in any site you are not familiar with to see if it is being discussed.

[Sambo]

Using Business Networking sites like Linkedin, Schmoozii, and Xing can be very helpful for businesses.

[David Sandusky]

Today I noticed someone reading this thread which started early in the life of this forum. It is fascinating to see how social networking has and is changing. Fast too. Was not long ago LinkedIn was my obvious favorite, but today, not really. Next year...
Watch the dates in this thread as time goes on. Will be interesting to see!

[jhons]

The fast-growing phenomenon of social networks has attracted intense interest over the years from investors and companies like Microsoft and News Corp. This year the largest U.S. cable service provider, Comcast, bought Plaxo.

[David Sandusky]

My good friend Steve Baker wrote a great post about twitter quitters. The data and his perspective are what makes it a great post for discussion.

The fact of the matter is that people who have an offline networking strategy and add value have success, those who don't fail online too. People tend to network when in time of need...need a job, need a client, need funding...and as soon as they don't get what they are looking for, they give up. Many people don't play in the right sandbox either.

On and offline tribes tend to expand and contract. The contraction, like twitter and others listed in this thread, is a good thing.

Have you ever been to a offline networking event where new people show up twice, say the wrong thing, leave and complain that networking does not work?

Have a reason, a strategy and add value to the right place for you...stick with it.

[Maria Elena Duron]

I think you know that I'm a Facebook and Twitter fan...yet, maybe you don't know why. It's because in those two venues the participants are pretty active online networkers and somewhat "chat" savvy.

And, while I participate in LinkedIn and even answer questions. I find that many participants in that venue are passive in their online connections. Now, delving into groups and questions and answers - I have done sparingly yet I feel that I've targeted that as where a prime contact for me would most likely "hang out".

I think deciding on the tool and venue, online and offline, has everything to do with who your niche is - either a great prospect, a great connection or a great link. Go where the party is...or the masses are. It's still location, location, location and that goes for online real estate, too.

[Carlos]

David, you're right that social media is changing everytime - I used to think LinkedIn was perfect for networking with other marketers, entrepreneurs, and corporate people. Everytime I use the service, I feel limited in the way I conduct a networking connection; in fact, you either have to know the networker, or you'd have to be connected through one of your contacts.

I'm still waiting for a service that is a little bit of a mix between myspace and LinkedIn.

[David Sandusky]

I'm still waiting for a service that is a little bit of a mix between myspace and LinkedIn.

Tell me the features and benefits you would like to see in such hybrid social networking model? Could be interesting brainstorming!

[Carlos]

Well, like I said before. You either have to know the networker, or have a connection to the networker through a connector. This is one thing that turned me off WAY away from LinkedIn.

I like the professional atmosphere, but I want to be able to connect to networkers that I've never met before, so this is where myspace excells in. If you were looking through a friend's myspace page, and you see something you like, for example, the attractiveness of a profile page in which that person seems like a candidate for networking... you click "add as friends" and the user has the option of approving it, declining it, or marking it as spam.

LinkedIn needs a new layer of "networking" aside of "connections" there needs to be a new way of asking to be a 'friend' without having to know the networker. This gives you access to their network of connections.

So, perhaps a "acquaintance" section may be introduced on linkedIn. "Oh, I know that guy!"

Networking in real life is JUST like this. Why can't LinkedIn make that second layer?

I like the fact that LinkedIn tries to hide profiles from the public of users' personal info, like past job history.

Oh, and design. Instead of putting the "about me" stuff on the bottom of your pics, quick info, and stuff, put it on the right, so that when a professional sees your page, he sees your face (he absorbs the memory of seeing your face - puts it into schema), and reads your job history, what you're about, etc. Finally, how about putting social media websites with the info? The professional might want to connect with you and keep in touch with you in case your profile is AWOL thanks to server downtime, profile suspension, whatever the reason.