Building Social Networks

H O P P E R P E D I A ©
-Brian Hammons


June 14, 2010: 10,774 hits



Networking is quickly becoming a main form of both advertising and PR for many companies.

Social networking is a way of communicating and making friends online. There are various popular networking sites and if used effectively can produce a positive image for your business. Remember, public relations is basically making people see your company the way you want them to see it. Using networking sites, you are easily able to create simple webpages for your company. Share your successes, awards, and even just your weekly on goings with the general public. This will show them your company is one you can trust.

Using social networking to create a positive company image doesn't mean you should bombard people with your ads and ongoing sales. While it does give you the means to do so, people want to read content that is of value to them. For example, if you have a graphic design business, you could have a section of tutorials on your business website. You can link to this section of your website on any networking pages you have and also in the signatures in any forums you frequent. This gives them something of value and a reason to visit your page. When they need your services, they will remember this great site you have that helps people as well.

There are many ways you can use social networking, but you shouldn't forget about PR. They way the consumer views your company can make a huge difference in your bottom line. In the end, the bottom line is what matters!

TOP social sites on the web. (5/01/10)

1. Top 10 Blog Services
2. Word Press
3. Blogger
4. TypePad
5. Squarespace
6. AOL Journals
7. Windows Live Spaces
8. Xanga
9. LiveJournal
10. Vox
11. MySpace

12. Top 5 Micro-Blogging Services
13. Twitter
14. Jaiku
15. Tumblr
16. Pownce
17. Frazr

18. Social Networking Sites
19. Advogato (Users 2010: 13,575) software developers
20. Amie Street (Users 2010: n/a) Music
21. ANobii (Users 2010: n/a) Books
22. aSmallWorld (Users 2010: 550,000) Social elite world-wide
23. Athlinks (Users 2010: 68,496) Running & Swimming
24. Avatars United (Users 2010: n/a) Online games.
25. Baby Center (Users 2010: n/a) Mothers, Parenting, Pregnancy
26. Badoo (Users 2010: 37,000,000) General, Popular in Europe
27. Bebo (Users 2010: 40,000,000) General (India)
28. Bigadda (Users 2010: 3,000,000) Groups
29. Big Tent (Users 2010: n/a) Open source software developers
30. Biip (Users 2010: 13,476) General (Norwegian Community)
31. BlackPlanet(Users 2010: 20,000,000) General
32. Bolt (Users 2010: n/a) General
33. Blogster (Users 2010: 58,344) Blogging & Business
34. Broadcaster (Users 2010: 322,715) Video sharing & webcam
35. Buzznet (Users 2010: 10,000,000) Music and pop-culture
36. CafeMom (Users 2010: 1,250,000) Mothers
37. Cake Financial (Users 2010: n/a) Financial
38. Care2 (Users 2010: 9,961,947) Green living & activism
39. Cellufun (Users 2010: 3,000,000) mobile social game
40. Classmates (Users 2010: 50,000,000) School, work & military
41. Cloob (Users 2010: n/a) General (Iran)
42. CollegeBlender (Users 2010: n/a)Students, faculty,& alumni
43. Coach Surfing (Users 2010: 1,560,459) Travelers
44. Daily Booth (Users 2010: n/a) Photo-blogging
45. Daily Strength (Users 2010: n/a) Medical & emotional support
46. Decayenne (Users 2010: n/a) Social elite
47. DeviantART (Users 2010: 9,040,962) Art community
48. Digital Verse (Users 2010: n/a) Poets
49. Disaboom (Users 2010: n/a) People with disabilities
50. Dol2day (Users 2010: 40,200) Politic community (Germany)
51. DontStayIn (Users 2010: n/a) Clubbing Yes 0 Interested 0
52. Draugiem.Iv (Users 2010: 2,400,000) General (LV, LT, HU)
53. Elftown (Users 2010: 185,000) Sci-fi and Fantasy
54. Eons (Users 2010: n/a) Baby Boomers
55. Epernicus (Users 2010: n/a) Research Scientists
56. Experience Project (Users 2010: n/a) Life Experiences
57. Exploroo (Users 2010: n/a) Travel
58. facebook (Users 2010: 350,000,000) General
59. Faceparty (Users 2010: 200,000) General (UK)
60. Faces (Users 2010: n/a) British teens
61. FilmAffinity (Users 2010: 250,000) Film & Television
62. Fetlife (Users 2010: 32,5000) BDSM
63. Fillos de Galicia (Users 2010: 6,772) Galicia (Spain)
64. FledgeWing (Users 2010: n/a) Entrepreneurial
65. Flickr (Users 2010: 32,000,000) Photo sharing
66. Flixster (Users 2010: 63,000,000) Movies
67. Fotolog (Users 2010: 20,000,000) Photoblogging
68. Foursquare (Users 2010: 170,000) Location based mobile
69. Friends Reunited (Users 2010: 19,000,000)Sport & streets
70. Friendster (Users 2010: 90,000,000) General
71. Frühstückstreff (Users 2010: 14,800) General (Germany)
72. Fubar (Users 2010: 1,200,000) Dating
73. Gaia Online (Users 2010: n/a) Anime and games
74. GamerDNA (Users 2010: 310,000) Computer & video games
75. Gather.com (Users 2010: 465,000) Article, picture, & video
76. Gays.com (Users 2010: 100,000) LGBT community
77. Geni.com (Users 2010: 15,000,000) Dating
78. Gogoyoko (Users 2010: n/a) Fair play in Music
79. Goodreads (Users 2010: n/a) Book lovers
80. Gossipreport.com (Users 2010: n/a) Anonymous gossip
81. Grono.net (Users 2010: 2,000,000) Poland
82. Habbo (Users 2010: 117,000,000) Teens
83. hi5 (Users 2010: 80,000,000) General
84. Hospitality Club (Users 2010: 328,629) Hospitality
85. Hyves (Users 2010: 9,000,000) Gen. (Netherlands)
86. Ibibo (Users 2010: 3,500,000) Talent based
87. imeem (Users 2010: 24,000,000) Music, Video, Photos
88. Indaba Music (Users 2010: 350,000) Music
89. InterNations (Users 2010: n/a) International
90. IRC-Galleria (Users 2010: 505,000) Finland
91. italki.com (Users 2010: 450,000) Language Learning
92. Itsmy (Users 2010: 2,500,000) Mobile community
93. iWiW (Users 2010: 4,000,000) Hungary (Invite Only)
94. Jaiku (Users 2010: n/a) General (Google)
95. JammerDirect.com (Users 2010: n/a) Creative resource
96. kaioo (Users 2010: 30,000) General Non-profit
97. Kaixin001 (Users 2010: n/a) General (China)
98. Kiwibox (Users 2010: 2,400,000) General
99. Last.fm (Users 2010: 30,000,000) Music
100. Library Thing (Users 2010: 400,000) Book Lovers
101. lifeknot (Users 2010: n/a) Shared Interests
102. LinkedIn (Users 2010: 53,000,000) General /Business
103. Listography (Users 2010: n/a) Lists / Autobiography
104. LiveJournal (Users 2010: 17,564,977) Blogging
105. Livemocha (Users 2010: 3,000,000) Language Learning
106. LunarStorm (Users 2010: 1,200,000) Sweden
107. MEETin (Users 2010: n/a) General
108. Meettheboss (Users 2010: n/a) Business and Finance
109. Meetup.com (Users 2010: n/a) Offline Meetings
110. Mixi (Users 2010: 24,323,160) Invite Only (Japan)
111. mobikade (Users 2010: n/a) Mobile community (UK)
112. MocoSpace (Users 2010: 3,000,000) Mobile community
113. MOG (Users 2010: n/a) Music
114. MouthShut.com (Users 2010: n/a) Consumer Reviews
115. Multiply (Users 2010: 10,000,000)Relationships (Asia)
116. Muxlim (Users 2010: 50,000) Muslim portal site
117. My Opera (Users 2010: 3,000,000) Blogging
118. MyAnimeList (Users 2010: 160,000) Anime community
119. MyChurch (Users 2010: 144,295) Christian Churches
120. MyHeritage (Users 2010: 30,000,000) Family-oriented
121. MyLife (Users 2010: 51,000,000) Locating friends & family
122. MyLOL (Users 2010: 32,000) General
123. MySpace (Users 2010: 130,000,000) General
124. myYearbook (Users 2010: 20,000,000) General
125. Nasza-klasa.pl (Users 2010: 11,000,000)School & friends
126. Netlog (Users 2010: 59,000,000) General
127. Nettby (Users 2010: n/a) Norwegian Community
128. Nexopia (Users 2010: 1,400,000) Canada
129. NGO Post (Users 2010: 15,000) Non-Profit news sharing
130. Ning (Users 2010: n/a) Create your own social networks
131. Odnoklassniki (Users 2010: 45,000,000) Classmates
132. OkCupid (Users 2010: n/a) Dating
133. OneClimate (Users 2010: n/a) Non-profit–Climate Change
134. OneWorldTV (Users 2010: n/a) Social Issues
135. Open Diary (Users 2010: 5,000,000) 1st blogging (1998)
136. Orkut (Users 2010: 100,000,000) Google Owned
137. PartnerUp (Users 2010: 150,000) Entrepreneurs & Business
138. Passportstamp (Users 2010: n/a) Travel
139. Pingsta (Users 2010: n/a) Experts (invite-only)
140. Plaxo (Users 2010: 15,000,000) Address Book
141. Playahead (Users 2010: n/a) Teenagers
142. Playboy U (Users 2010: n/a) College
143. Plurk (Users 2010: n/a) Micro-blog, RSS updates
144. Present.ly (Users 2010: n/a) Enterprise
145. Qapacity (Users 2010: n/a) Business
146. quarterlife (Users 2010: n/a) Filmmakers & musicians
147. Qzone (Users 2010: 200,000,000) General (China)
148. Ravelry (Users 2010: 331,000) Knitting
149. Renren (Users 2010: 15,000,000) General (China)
150. ResearchGATE (Users 2010: 140,000) Scientific Experts
151. ReverbNation.com (Users 2010: 25,000) Musicians
152. Ryze (Users 2010: 500,000) Business
153. ScienceStage (Users 2010: n/a) Science
154. Scispace.net (Users 2010: n/a) Science
155. Shelfari (Users 2010: n/a) Music
156. Skyrock (Users 2010: 22,000,000) France
157. SocialVibe (Users 2010: 435,000) Charity
158. Sonico.com (Users 2010: 17,000,000) General
159. Soundpedia (Users 2010: n/a) Music
160. Stickam (Users 2010: 2,000,000) Video & Streaming Chat
161. StudiVZ (Users 2010: n/a) University (Germany)
162. StumbleUpon (Users 2010: 8,822,921) Interest Matching
163. Tagged (Users 2010: 70,000,000) General(email marketing)
164. TalentTrove (Users 2010: n/a) Talent Network
165. Talkbiznow (Users 2010: n/a) Business Networking
166. Taringa! (Users 2010: 350,000) General
167. TeachStreet (Users 2010: n/a) Learning
168. TravBuddy.com (Users 2010: 1,588,000) Travel
169. Travellerspoint (Users 2010: n/a) Travel
170. tribe.net (Users 2010: n/a) General
171. Trombi.com (Users 2010: 4,400,000) Classmates
172. Tuenti (Users 2010: 4,500,000) University (Spain)
173. Tumblr (Users 2010: n/a) General. Micro-blogging
174. Twitter (Users 2010: 75,000,000) General. Micro-blog
175. Vampirefreaks.com (Users 2010: 1,931,049) Gothic
176. Viadeo (Users 2010: 6,000,000) General European
177. Vkontakte (Users 2010: 61,015,000) Russia
178. Vox (Users 2010: n/a) Blogging Ye
179. Wakoopa (Users 2010: 100,000) Computer & Software
180. Wasabi (Users 2010: n/a) General
181. WAYN (Users 2010: 10,000,000) Travel & Lifestyle
182. WebBiographies (Users 2010:n/a) Genealogy & Biography
183. WeOurFamily (Users 2010: n/a) Genealogy & Biography
184. Wer-kennt-wen (Users 2010: n/a) General (Germany)
185. Windows Live Spaces (Users 2010: 120,000,000) General
186. WiserEarth (Users 2010: 34,240) Environmental
187. Xanga (Users 2010: 27,000,000) Blogs and "metro" areas
188. XING (Users 2010: 8,000,000) Business
189. Xt3 (Users 2010: n/a) Catholic
190. Yahoo! 360°plus Vietnam (Users 2010: 1,500,000) General
191. Yammer (Users 2010: n/a) Office colleagues
192. Yelp, Inc. (Users 2010: n/a) Business Review and Talk
193. Youmeo (Users 2010: n/a) Focus on data portability
194. Zoo.gr (Users 2010: 890,000) Greek Web Meeting point

195. Stock Photography Services
196. Getty Images
197. Jupiter Images
198. Punch Stock
199. Images
200. ShutterStock
201. Stockphoto
202. Alamy
203. Acclaim Images
204. Blackstar
205. AOL Journals