Meet Your Neighbors, But Just Not in Person - The New York Times; October 22, 2007
"Facebook and MySpace struck a chord with people who want to socialize from a distance. But will people use social networks to actually meet their neighbors?...That’s the hope of at least one new company, LifeAt.com, which is putting a local spin on the social networking model. The company creates password-protected Web sites for apartment buildings and housing developments, allowing residents to post pictures and profiles of themselves, share information about favorite local eateries and gripe about slow elevators and peeling paint..." FULL STORY
Social Networking to Taper Off in Five Years - PC World; October 19, 2007
"By year-end 2007, Asia Pacific will account for 35 percent of the world's social networking memberships. Europe, the Middle East and Africa will hold 28 percent, North America 25 percent and the Caribbean and Latin America region will account for 12 percent, Datamonitor says...But the firm cautions social networking companies and investors not to get giddy with the growth and popularity of the services. Although players would like to be in on the next Google or Yahoo, exuberance must be tempered with memories of the Internet bubble bursting at the beginning of this decade..." FULL STORY
The Good News About Bad Reviews - Ecommerce Guide; October 17, 2007
"Similarly, at Bazaarvoice, which also provides a customer review system for e-tailers, the average customer review is 4.3 stars out of 5, said Brett Hurt, founder and CEO...And in the Forrester Research survey, in which 4,368 customer reviews were evaluated, only 16 percent were negative, said Mulpuru. Even then, the negative reviews were generally considered helpful to consumers...At the same time, consumers increasingly rely on reviews posted by other buyers. According to an August 2006 Jupiter Research study, 77 percent of online shoppers use reviews when making purchasing decisions. As a result, consumers have grown to expect reviews on e-tail sites..." FULL STORY
Social Networking: Gateway to Your Life or a Future Cash Cow? - Webwire; October 15, 2007
"It’s a wonder that no one has come up with a Business Social Network targeted to small business owners and home based businesses until now. APSense is a prime place for small businesses to advertise their business for free on a Web 2.0 social network platform. It is a business social network that allows business-minded people an opportunity to make money while they meet and greet. APSense is set apart from other social networks not just because it is for business networking, but because members get paid for something they are already doing..." FULL STORY
Google Skimps on Its Own Advertising – Associated Press; October 14, 2007
"It's almost as if they have this cultural allergy to advertising," said Mark Hughes, author of "Buzzmarketing," a book about unconventional ways to build a brand. "It has been an advantage because it has helped keep them cool. They have zigged while everyone else has been zagging."…Some marketing experts view Google as the archetype of an Internet-driven age that has made it possible for startups like YouTube, MySpace and Facebook to permeate pop culture with little or no advertising...Instead, Google has relied on word-of-mouth and the media's obsessive coverage of its every move to establish a prized brand just nine years after Page and Brin first set up shop in a Silicon Valley garage..." FULL STORY
Pfizer to Partner with Social Networking Site - Reuters; October 14, 2007
"Pharmaceutical company Pfizer Inc. (PFE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) has struck a partnership deal with Sermo Inc., a social-networking site for licensed physicians, to make the way it reaches doctors more efficient...Sermo, launched in September 2006, is an online community where doctors exchange knowledge with each other, according to the release, made available by Sermo..." FULL STORY
Reed Business Information Adds Social Networking Capabilities to Construction Website - Business Wire; October 12, 2007
"The financial information and benchmarking network for the construction industry — Reed Construction Dashboard connected by iLumen™ — launches expanded capabilities today with the introduction of unique community features. These features provide a new way for those in the building industry to connect with peers and advisors through news feeds, surveys, community discussions, blogs and member search capabilities. Members can now connect to Reed Construction Dashboard through My Connection, a free access portal providing industry intelligence and community, or via Company Connection, a subscription-based service providing financial benchmarking..." FULL STORY