What I find most interesting as we look at the evolution of social networks is that they are still premised upon the same fundamentals that any other offline social network is premised, one of which
is commonality.
As social beings, we tend to aggregate or build relationships with people for several reasons beyond simple survival, one of which is shared common
interests. If you like chocolate and I like chocolate, then we have something in common--nothing major, granted, but at least we can have a conversation about the merits of dark versus milk,
Ghirardelli versus Sees. Moreover--and this is yet another reason why I adore the World Wide Web--I found this great definition of social network that highlights another crucial building block: trust.
According to the Parliament of Victoria, (yes, that is in Australia), a social network is a "personal or professional set of relationships between individuals. Social networks represent both a
collection of ties between people and the strength of those ties. Often used as a measure of social 'connectedness,' social networks assist in determining how information moves throughout groups, and
how trust can be established and fostered."
Ah, trust. Beyond trusting your friends, do you trust the people that you meet online? If so, how to you come to trust them? Is it because
they express an interest in something that interests you? What happens if you share more than one interest? Two? Five? Ten? What about the possibility of sharing up to 43 common interests with people?
Interested? Most people would be, since we tend to find safety in what we find familiar.
This leads me to the next generation of social networking sites, which are attempting to really
foster a connection between people who have more than a single common interest. One site in particular is http://www.43things.com This site aims to create
webs of interests across 43 things that the user identifies. Some of the more fascinating groups include one made up of members who are all preparing to become paramedics; another features
members training for a marathon; a third is made up of aspiring authors. Where it gets interesting is whether or not there is a group of paramedics in training who are also planning to run a marathon
and write a book about it.
Now you may be asking yourself--so what? How is this any different from any other social network, message board, user-group, etc.? Well, it may not be so
unusual on the surface, but the nuances are what make this, and other efforts in the space that have not yet been commercialized beyond all recognition, the archetypes of next-generation social
communities (notice I didn't say networks).
I will argue that the value of these social communities will not be measured by their aggregate size; rather, the measure of connectedness,
the establishment of long-term trust and the collection of ties that bind will make them valuable. You see, if every member of the community finds the trust, value and connectedness within the
community as a whole, then why would they ever leave and go somewhere else? Isn't that every marketers' dream--loyalty? If it isn't, it should be. Wouldn't you agree? You tell me.