Today at the office a few people were troubleshooting an issue with a client’s online forum, and her complaints about having to deal with spam and regulating the users who can post to the forum, etc. Someone suggested setting up a Facebook page for her instead. This seemed like it would be a simpler way for the client to initiate and engage in dialogues with her audience. Then the wise Rachel so wisely pointed out, “But then anyone who wanted to be a part of the discussion would have to be on Facebook.” Yes, Rachel, of course they would, but isn’t everyone?
Hmmm…Facebook may be one of the most popular social networks, but not everyone in the whole wide world is a user, despite what the statistics seem to tell us. This is precisely why most brands/businesses are members of at least a few different Social Media networks, since their audience and/or fan-base is not entirely accessible through one channel.
How many networks are you a member of? I think I am officially signed up for at least 6 social networks, and I have had to vehemently resist joining others. Just today while researching a social network called Ning, I was tempted to sign up and experiment, but some OCD neat-freak qualm stopped me, as it usually does, from adding yet another network to my list. Am I just afraid of the cluttered feeling, or the extra effort that is often required to keep up with a new community?
Ning is intriguing in a unique way, because it allows users to “discover and create new social networks” of their very own. Set up your own page with blogging functions, upload pictures, videos, engage in discussion, all of those delightful functions that you can find on Facebook, Twitter and more. But rather than residing within the restricting realm of a pre-designed interface, you can manufacture your own niche site (read more here on the blog of one of Ning’s creators). As Matt Hames of “People Like to Share” so eloquently puts it, “While it’s really popular to build a room inside of Facebook’s expansive house (and that building there gives a brand access to 200 million people), I think brands should consider building a house with Ning.” Nice metaphor…the social network is a house and we are all renting out rooms inside, hoping to meet and become friends with our new housemates. Ning is yet another network to join and how many houses can you live in at one time? That’s a lot of keys to keep on one chain…
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