Professional Documents
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Growing Social Networks
Growing Social Networks
growth
Kwiqq - Midnight
Paper developed in collaboration with Kwiqq, Social Networking Software
and Midnight, Media Consultancy
Background
Growing a social network without an
existing user base can be difficult. This
document looks at how significant
growth was achieved by existing
social networks. including Facebook,
Twitter, MySpace, YouTube, Flixster,
RockYou, Slide and Plaxo. The
document discusses how these tactics
can be implemented to the benefit of
new social networks.
growth
Social Networking Software - Media Consultancy
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Import Data
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MySpace and Facebook are good examples of sites that allow users to build
applications and bring their own information from other websites. This allows
these websites to constantly grow and evolve according to the changing
demands of their users.
For many, MySpace was a step up from In conclusion, MySpace showcased that
the existing social networks available at the users want to personalise their profiles and
time. Due to the primitive nature of those import data from all around the web
social networks , HTML 2 embeds (like
Summary
Source: Compete.com
(US audience only)
Export Data
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Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sko11ie/
16
The ability to embed a product like
videos on a personal website or
12 profile is a powerful way to get more
User’s allowed to embed videos people to know about your product.
8 This is a fantastic example of a
phenomenon called the
‘Widgetization of the web’. Which is
4 deconstruction of the Web into small,
single-purpose applications called
widgets or gadgets.
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Source: Compete Blog Visitors on YouTube (in million)
(US audience only) Social Networking Software - Media Consultancy
Slide.com facts
Things you probably
didn’t know about
Slide
Summary
Building External
Applications
Building custom tools for a specific website (in our examples Facebook) can
make users quickly adopt your website. The effects of user’s uptake will be
felt on your website i.e. outside Facebook.
0
03/06 05/06 07/06 09/06 11/06 01/07
Source: Compete Blog
Total visitors (in 000) (US audience only)
Social Networking Software - Media Consultancy
RockYou facts
Things you probably
didn’t know about
RockYou
30
24 Summary
18
RockYou’s growth has been partially
the result of building for the Facebook
12 platform and developing the first
advertising network. RockYou
6 managed to constantly increase its
users by opening its platform to
Google’s OpenSocial 7.
0
04/08 06/08 08/08 10/08 12/08 02/09
Source: Compete Blog
RockYou Slide.com (US audience only)
Social Networking Software - Media Consultancy
Building API s 3
Summary
Summary
se7en
tips
Social Networking Software - Media Consultancy
Future key players
1. OpenSocial 7
OpenSocial is a set of API 3s
developed by Google to make it
easier for developers to build
applications for third parties. It is
already available on sites such as
Hi5, MySpace and Ning. As more
sites support OpenSocial, it will
provide a lucrative opportunity for
both application developers and
network owners.
2. Facebook Connect 14
A single sign-on service that competes
with OpenID 15, the service enables
Facebook users to login to affiliated
sites using their Facebook account
and share information from such sites
with their Facebook friends.
Source: Warmnfuzzy
3. Third party integrators
With the volume of social tools like Prediction going forwards
MySpaceId 6, Facebook Connect 14
The future for social media is bright given the shift of major social networks towards
etc its hard for web publishers to keep
openness and users owning their data. The clear winner of the social media marathon will be
track and continue developing their
a company that can influence the most people with its technologies. The OpenID 15 v/s
system. We hence recommend third
Facebook Connect 14 saga shows that users are not only interested in functionality but also
party integrators like Gigya’s
usability.
Socialize. They continue to
aggregates API 3s, like those from
Facebook, MySpace and OpenID 15, Liberate Data
into a single API 3. There will be many influencers in the social networking arena in the following months that
focus on unifying technology across the board. Two potential key players are Google, in
4. Social Graph conjunction with the OpenID 15 community, and Facebook teamed up with Microsoft. Exciting
Social Graph is a the global mapping times are ahead as these companies innovate to liberate user data and move it around. If both
of everybody and how they're solutions are credible, users and websites will happily accept them but will resist to signing up
related. Many organisations are to new websites.
trying to find the most elegant
solution to getting everyone’s social
graph available openly without any
User Identity
restrictions. The current contenders In the coming months the biggest challenge that will be solved will be Identity and the
include: OpenSocial 7, Facebook Social Graph. Users will resist signing up to yet another social network andwill instead want to
Connect 14 and perhaps OpenID 15 use their existing accounts. Once they sign up to a new social network they will want to
coupled with Google Contacts API 3. befriend their existing contacts. Smaller networks, like Plaxo, third party integrators, like
Gigya, and widget suppliers like Clearspring will also play a big role. They will make it easier
for publishers to integrate this technology and grow their social networks.
Source: Jazzmasterson
clients to help them engage their audience We are a start-up which has Raj worked for the European Union,
with interactive tools. Building online demonstrated quick growth and collected in Shell STEP internships and
networking applications is our passion as several awards in relatively a short period of developed software projects for local
well as our occupation. We have time. For instance Kwiqq was selected by a Brighton based businesses and Sussex
successfully worked on websites for Eurostar, panel of industry experts, VCs and University research laboratory. Raj
First Choice Holidays, Oxford University journalists to be one of twenty UK start-ups won many national awards for
Press, Highams PLC, the South East to participate in Web Mission 08: projects in computer science,
Economic Development Agency and others. www.webmission08.com. leadership skills and his
entrepreneurial ambitions; including
the Millennium Volunteer award for
helping local charities with Web
KWIQQ projects, President of the best Society
Social Website Strategy at Sussex University Union and
SUSSEX INNOVATION CENTRE runner up at South East Shell STEP
We firmly believe that for any web 2.0 UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX awards.
project to be a success, we need to establish BRIGHTON - BN1 9SB, UK
a partnership with the companies and ON TWITTER | BLOG
organisations we work with. We have a TEL: +44 (0) 1273 704787
proven track record for delivering successful, FAX: +44 (0) 1273 704499
interactive websites and forming productive
partnerships.
Before starting on any development, we
will ensure we completely understand your
message, vision and objectives. We will also
make certain we understand the people who
visit the website and why they visit. This
information will shape our strategy for the
website and everything within the design will