Things are moving fast in the world of social networks. Every day it seems MySpace is adding features that mimic Facebook-like functionality, and Facebook is adding features (or apps) that make Facebook look more like MySpace. But what is the future of social networks as more niche social networks come into play and strong players like MyYearbook, Buzznet and Bebo continue to grow? Where does a marketer place his or her bets?

Move over, World Wide Web, and give a warm welcome to the World Live Web (WLW). Actually it's been around for many years now. Unfortunately it hasn't popped up in our beloved industry until late.

Last October, I contemplated canceling my bundled Internet-television-phone package through my local cable company and switching to Verizon FiOS. Of course, I had to consider feedback from several of you Spin readers -- many who said I'd be crazy not to switch. I finally gave in and had FiOS installed in early March. How did it go? Everyone in my neighborhood and beyond has been asking. Here's my report:

At Ad-Tech in San Francisco earlier this week, Morgan Stanley Internet analyst Imran Khan asked us to speculate on where the next big market opportunities were for digital marketing. We talked a lot about where we saw future potential growth areas, with most of our discussion centering on increased verticalization, non-U.S. markets, data-driven targeting, and mobile. As I've thought about that topic over the past two days, it occurred to me that there is another very big opportunity that we omitted: backfilling the impending collapse of a number of large media companies.

Do you ever get bored surfing the Web? Believe it or not, it can be rather dull at times and you can get stuck once in a while -- but one way to spice it up a bit is to make a game out of it! That's pretty much the gist of PMOG, or passive multi-player online gaming.

A recent New York Times piece by Laura Holson, "Bridging the Gap, the Sequel," explores the latest mating dance between Silicon Valley and Hollywood, as both entities explore ways to partner in the creation and distribution of professional content online. There are three major issues when it comes to creating a sustainable online video ecosystem: content creation, content distribution/syndication and content monetization. These most basic issues are really not any different from the issues facing other media outlets. The major distinction is the audiences' choice and control of media consumption.

I had the TV on in the background when I was working last night. I caught some sound bite on how Kelly Ripa was going to be the new Electrolux spokesperson.Again, I am not the target, but I don't think of Kelly Ripa and "housework" in the same sentence. Come on people, be a little authentic. This wouldn't survive without being flamed on the Web. It fact it has been well, er, let's just say, "negatively" talked about. What's even more weird, a couple weeks ago it was plastered all over the press and blogosphere that she was brought in …

My CEO sparked a group email discussion last week by asking two questions: What are the three biggest opportunities for growth for brands to leverage interactive and digital marketing? What are the three biggest challenges needed to overcome to facilitate growth? Following was my contribution to the discussion.

I know that we're barely into spring, but I'm finding it hard not to think about this coming summer. Why? Because I think that the coming summer months will be the online advertising industry's most important several months since the summer of 2000. That summer, as you may recall, was the time when the industry fell off a cliff -- and it became apparent that business wasn't going to quickly and easily scale its way back. No. Don't worry. By no means do I think that we are poised to fall off a cliff like that again. However, I do …

I meet lots of smart people every week -- all of whom have developed great companies with unique services or innovative products. I evaluate these products and try to help these entrepreneurs develop marketing strategies that can enable them to grow and become successful. However, there are times when I hear an idea and I'm forced to evaluate whether it solves a real problem or not. Sometimes I find that it doesn't.