i don't believe social networking sites will last long. don't get me wrong, i agree social networking is important to users. It is just that every product will imbibe social networking features and the present social networks should rebrand themselves or fall into oblivion. Take orkut for example. They expect people to join them and be there for the rest of their lives. This is quiet opposite to human nature. we don't like to be in the same surroundings for long. next they offer no value proposition other than a way(which only young will find interesting) to spend your leisure time. you know what hell lot of others,from movies to amusement parks, are competing for your leisure time. without these two, orkut as it stands now is more like a fad. yeah every year more students enter college from high school and become latest orkut fans. But then no-one will ever gain anything significant from it.
Now take niche communities like PaGaLGuY. It is a community of MBA aspirants. A typical user joins the community when he decides to give CAT(most famous MBA entrance exam in india for entry into IIMs and many other institues). he gets all the knowledge about cat, gets advice from previous years CAT crackers, knows the mistakes done by those who failed in the previous year, collaborates with fellow CAT aspirants, makes schedules and forms small study groups, all online. finally he cracks the exam. he will get all the needed help from those who are already studying in his dream college. he gets into his dream college and give back his knowledge and experience to the community and the cycle continues. In this process he makes good friends who along with him shared the journey of CAT preparation.
usually members will be part of this community for 1-2 yrs and move on which is more more natural. They expect their users to be active members for 1-2 years during which they provide significant and unique value proposition. According to me they are the only website in india which understood the true meaning of online community.
Well put..however, i think the niche communities have a great advantage, the whole community there is focussed towards a purpose..while in orkut u see everyone creating communities that go defuct very soon..
...but can orkut give direction to its users discussions.Will they like it, as it is seen as a leisure site?
Posted by: Anunag | March 27, 2008 at 12:25 PM
Endi raa...Orkut gurinchi ila raasthunnavu....akkada mana 'anna':D life settle ayipoyindi kada Orkut valla....meeru antha life lo settle avvataniki PG lo unte akkada mana vadu Orkut lo 'Commit'ayipoyadu life lo.....
Posted by: Priya :) | March 29, 2008 at 10:32 AM
I take back my previous comment(given hardly 12 hours back....:D)PG Roxx...Orkut *****
Posted by: Priya :) | March 29, 2008 at 07:49 PM