Social Networking Journal

Mobile Social Networking

With social networking websites like Facebook, Myspace and Twitter gaining popularity every day, it’s no surprise that mobile social networking is on the rise, too.

A number of today’s mobile phones and devices are now equipped with internet access so people can now gain access to these websites with little or no barrier. In fact, some cell phones are even designed to make visiting a social networking website easier.

Advantages of mobile social networking

• Freedom to stay connected no matter if you’re enjoying a day at the park or waiting for a flight at the airport.
• Ease of use. Now you don’t have to be tethered to a cumbersome desktop computer to update your ’status’ online.
• The ability to send and receive quick messages to family and friends without logging into an Email program.

Disadvantages of mobile social networking

• Cost. Wireless plans don’t come for free, so be sure that your calling plan isn’t going to cost you a small fortune for accessing your favorite social networking website.
• Social Networking addiction. With no reason to log out, you might end up spending an inordinate amount of time “Twittering.”

  The truth is, social networking is fun to do and the ability to upload photos and video from your mobile phone makes the experience more interactive – it’s almost like bringing your friends and family with you wherever you go!

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Bebo Marketing

One thing you don’t hear much about is “Bebo marketing.” Compared to Myspace, Bebo has never received seemingly that much attention from marketers. Does that mean Bebo has avoided the fate of being spammed like so many other social networks?

Of course small time marketing goes on Bebo. Some people look to get as many “friends” as they can to join them. Then it’s an all you care to eat spam smorgasbord once they do. This seems relatively unavoidable in modern times.

Bebo has probably been spared some of the major spam problems experienced by their larger rivals just because of their size. But as they start to get bigger (in parts of Europe they’re actually number one.)

One thing seems unavoidable for social networks. When they hit a ubiquitous size and have millions of users, marketers and spammers are likely to be attracted to the arena. It’s hard for many people who wish to sell you something to resist the lure of such cheap forms of communication. Right now Bebo marketing doesn’t appear out of hand. But that could certainly change in coming years as more users join.

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Myspace Opens Submissions For “Married On Myspace”

Are you a fan of Myspace? Are you engaged to be married?

If so, Myspace.com recently announced that they are taking submissions for their newest reality TV show, called Married On Myspace.

The interactive online series will allow one lucky couple to receive the wedding of a lifetime while the MySpace community contributes to planning and experiencing their big day first hand.

The series consists of 13 webisodes and Myspace users will ultimately decide all the details of the nuptials, including the location the lucky couple will marry, where they’ll hold their respective bachelor and bachelorette parties and even what they’ll wear!

If you, or someone you know would like to submit your application to participate, please visit Married On Myspace.

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Netflix Ratings Via Facebook Connect

Netflix has announced that you can use Facebook Connect to update ratings on the movie download website. You need to optin to the service first. Once that’s complete, the two services will be integrated.

Once you’ve linked your Netflix and Facebook accounts, you’ll have a number of new options that you didn’t have before. You can share your ratings with whomever you like.

This would seem to indicate that Netflix is finally moving towards a more integrated online experience. Their by-mail service still has a lot more offerings than the video on demand, which is a crying shame. “Instant Play” movies have all the advantages in the world over using the mail to get the job done. Digital movies leave a much better carbon footprint and are better for the customer.

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Bebo Expands European Presence

Bebo is pushing its services further into the European market. The website is already quite popular in parts of Europe but is hoping to push its influence further by offering French, German, Italian, Spanish and Dutch language versions.

Bebo is owned by AOL. AOL bought Bebo last March for $850 million and is looking to earn a return by increasing the brand’s recognition internationally.

Bebo has 22 million users in the UK market, which is by far its biggest stronghold.

Bebo currently lags well behind Facebook and MySpace in total number of visitors worldwide. Tighter integration with local markets appears to be their plan for closing some of the gap between themselves and competitors.

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MySpace Demographics Changing

It’s easy to think that Facebook has been badly whipping MySpace for some time, but is there any truth to the idea that a wholesale mass exodus has begun? MySpace, the king of slow pageloads and annoying background music is clearly losing members, but the numbers aren’t as cut and dry as you might initially guess.

But what’s happening looks more like an online demographic shift than impending doom. MySpace — at least for the time being — continues to be the best way to reach teenagers and young adults. As you can see from the Hitwise table, above, MySpace has actually grown one percent among users ages 18 to 24. The sharpest drop-off has been in older demographics. Facebook has already self-reported extensive growth among those older than 30. Likely as a result of that growth, the proportion of its users ages 18 to 24 has actually fallen 27 percent, from comprising 40.14 percent of its site to 29.22 percent. Specifically, Facebook has previously said that one of it’s largest growth areas is among women over 55.

Having used both websites, it’s easy to image why this shift is happening. MySpace has a much more chaotic design and has always been the home to music fans. Facebook is a bit cleaner and more corporate.

For now it looks like MySpace has maintained their hold with a certain demographic.

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Facebook Debuts In Arabic And Hebrew

Social networking website, Facebook.com has extended their offerings
by adding Arabic and Hebrew language versions of the site.

“It’s the first time Arabic speakers will be able to use Facebook in their own language,” Ghassan Haddad, the Facebook director of localization, told The Guardian. “It’s potentially huge.”

Currently Facebook is available in 40 languages and plans to add 60 more languages in upcoming days. Nearly 200,000 people helped to translate the website, according to Facebook.

The Arabic and Hebrew versions of Facebook are accessible now.

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Twitter Not For Sale

One of Twitter’s co-founders has gone on the record saying the micro-blogging service is not for sale. The company is well known for the fact that it hasn’t yet monetized its traffic, despite a huge user base.

However, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone said in an interview with Reuters that the company is capable of developing its own viable business model, and does not need the financial security of a parent company.

Stone added that Twitter would be open to working with Google in the future, especially as it has just launched its own real-time search functionality on the site.

For now it will be business as usual at Twitter.

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Facebook Unveiling Real-Time Front Page

Facebook is unveiling a new front page redesign that will give users access to “real-time” information. Real-time updates are to Facebook what Tweets are to Twitter.

“What are doing right now?” greets you when you login.

You can then enter 140 characters in such a fashion that they’ll clearly convey your attitude to anyone on your “friend list.”

I guess Facebook used the “If you can’t beat’em join’em” philosophy to come up with this new feature.

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Football Fan Fired Over Facebook Post

Sometimes you forget when you post on the internet just how public that information is. For one football fan, a posting he made on the popular social network has ended with him being fired.

Dan Leone says he was fired from Lincoln Financial Field after expressing anger over the Philadelphia Eagles’ failure to re-sign free agent safety Brian Dawkins in a Facebook post.

Leone has run the front gate at the stadium for five years since working his way up from the guest services gate.

The post was only up for a few days when Leone was fired. He said the boss indicated displeasure at his post and he immediately apologized.

Apparently his answer wasn’t good enough and he was terminated.

Even though he’s been canned, Leone remains a fan.

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