Social Networks Gaining on Internet Portals

Compete writes "We have some interesting analysis on how Social Networking sites compare to portals. From a sample size of around 2 million US people, Compete concludes that social networking sites are quickly approaching the traffic level of the big portals like Google and Yahoo. They liken the growth of SNS to email in the 90's. Their key findings: 1. In June, 2 out of every 3 people online visited a social networking site 2. Since January 2004, the number of people visiting or taking part in one of the top online social networks has grown by over 109% 3. Social networking sites are now close to eclipsing traffic to the giants — Google and Yahoo"

Comments

In the minority again

[Overzeetop]

2 out of every 3 people online visited a social networking site

I don't get it. Maybe I'm just too old, but they hold practically zero interest for me. Too old or just too busy (but not to busy for /.)?

Re:In the minority again

[retro128]

I don't think it's that we are a bunch of old curmudgeons who hate Myspace because it's one of those newfangled thingies, or because we don't understand it. I don't think that it even has to do with average age of its denizens. For me, one thing it has to do with is the TYPE of people it attracts, rather than their age. And what geek on Slashdot would subject themselves to the browser-crashing HTML and attention whoring that is Myspace unless they want to see the boobs of a co-worker or high school classmate?

But seriously - The other dimension of it is that to be an effective Myspace participant you have to put a ton of information about yourself - Pics, where you went to school, your job, your thoughts, and -best of all-, everyone you have contact with. I don't think it's a secret to anyone here that Slashdotters are acutely averse to letting a lot of detailed info about themselves out, let alone posting it voluntarily. This is especially true since we know that the NSA is trolling MySpace to build a map of the social networks of anyone they spider. Which is probably everyone^N^N^N^N^N^N^N^N^N only terrorists.

People have been doing that for years.

[Chatmag]

"Social Networking" sites is just a buzzword term for a variation of Internet chat channels and forums. People have been doing that for years. That was one of the original concepts behind the Internet, communication.

The social networking sites offer a few other features, but in the end it's just people wanting to talk with each other.

Like the BBS

[inKubus]

I just finished watching the BBS Documentary and it reminded me about why BBS's were so cool. I mean, besides bringing the power of global communications to the common man at a low expense, it brought about this whole new online community.

Many of the interviews talk about how impersonal the internet is, the fact that you might be one in 50,000 people on a newsgroup versus one of 100 or 200 on a BBS. The fact is, before myspace-type sites, it was pretty difficult to create a small online community of your friends without some decent computer skills. Sure, there was IRC, but it was difficult to create static content there. Sure, there were search sites like Classmates.com but no one ever went to them.

Myspace is really quite primitive, as everyone knows. It's just a simple database blog. Where it shines is the search feature in combination with the ease of custom publishing. You can search for old friends, search by hometown, etc. And with the inclusion of music and video clips, it's a whole multimedia experience. I think that it's the closest thing to the old personal community feeling the BBS had than anything else.

Sure, there's a lot missing, but I think that if someone were to look at the sucessful old BBS' and modeled a new "Social Networking" site after them (real time chat, files, message boards, multi-player games based on login, just more areas and features), it could be real successful in a hurry. MySpace just doesn't do enough. It's all anyone has right now, of course.

Then again, maybe you're not.

[porcupine8]

Looking at what they consider a "social networking site," I'd say that Slashdot would qualify. You talk to other people about common interests, you can add "friends" and "foes," I notice that you've even made at least one entry in your /. journal.

Congratulations, you're using a social networking site! They're not all MySpace, you know.

Re:Isn't MySpace a "social portal"

[corbettw]

I know an awful lot of people, and OLDER people at that (mid 20's to 30)

WTF? What are you, eight years old? Since when is someone in their 20's "older"?

Damn kids. Get off my lawn!

Yeah, but...

[rbarreira]

... how many slashdot users have you fucked?