I’d written briefly about the changing nature of blogging earlier, as part of another post, and since that’s a constantly evolving subject matter, I thought this would be a good time to add on to it. A good time, because I read an article recently that Google Friend Connect might be ready for launch. ‘Google Friend Connect lets you add social features to any website or blog’. The press release states that “Visitors to any site using Google Friend Connect will be able to see, invite, and interact with new friends, or, using secure authorization APIs, with existing friends from social sites on the web, including Facebook, Google Talk, hi5, orkut, Plaxo, and more.” That set me thinking on directions, because while i absolutely agree that the blogosphere is alive,well and kicking, this is sure to give it a whole new twist. Another point to note (in the article linked above) is that the nature of blogging is changing, and more rapidly. I feel that the lines between blogging, microblogging, social networking etc are blurring at a dizzying pace.
So, what is it changing to? I remember a post by Dina, a while back, on the future of social networking, in which her 140 character response was “Networks based on & layered around location, access, presence & context. Those that enhance real-world interactions. Enabling choice, privacy and control”. I also agree that wih web 2.0 we have managed to create a great social platform.
These networks/platforms could be blogs (powered by say, A Google Friend Connect), microblogging services (customised by you, using tools like Twingr), or social networks – not just the regular ones we’re used to, but unique versions like Sixtent, a very useful tool for those who like distinct boundaries between their personal and professional lives, which allows you to share different sides of yourself to different sets of people, basis your comfort levels and privacy requirements, or Mixtt, which attempts to infuse more reality into social networks (via Startup meme), or Zahdoo, a socio-cognitive utility that ‘takes the social computing to the next level by giving users insight into popular and collective mindset while retaining the relevance and significance to the user’s lifestyle.’ (via IndianWeb2).
The time is definitely ripe for the social networking scene and social media in general, to get a rejig of sorts, and condense into something that can be more useful to our existence, in both real and virtual terms. Without the creating of this value, the interactions provided by social media might become an exercise in itself. Good, but way below the potential. This rejig could help wonderful services like Twitter evolve robust business models. Now, these business models might differ from the traditional ones that we’re used to, but that’s fine, after all, the businesses themselves are hardly the ones we are used to.
Social media is a kind of disruption to the regular web we were used to, and like any disruption, it does require time to evolve in a direction that supports itself and its stakeholders- whether they be users, developers or investors. But given that money is intrinsically linked to our daily existence, perhaps its time to take sterner looks at where we are heading, unless of course, we are heading towards another disruption!!
until next time, i shall start with some personal analytics, courtesy me-trics 🙂
on the blog today..the need for a web2.0 direction https://manuscrypts.com/brants/?p=486
All this is fine but where is the moolah?
That would be a direction where things really need to change.
I really do not understand the proliferation of social networking sites. Other than being cool and a fun place to hang around, how will these sites make money?
I admit I am late on the web 2.0 scene and u might have to pardon my ignorance!!
But looking at your perspectives and insights (and links to interesting stuff like GFC), I look forward to a post where you explain how all this disruptions will change the world, while also making a pot of Gold for themselves.
Thanks
shefaly: i think monetising is a function of value.. like i said in the post, once the value question is answered, the business model could emerge more easily…
ranjan: that’s a question everyone’s grappling with.. and no, there’s no ignorance… if there is, i am equally so 🙂 .. hmm, in a sense, twitter has changed the world (at least mine).. will write about the pot of gold in a while (may not answer the question, but will give a perspective).. one snag is that not all of these services are similar.. while i was writing this, i realised that i know half a dozen twitter clients, but know only one Facebook one.. in a sense, Fb forces you to come onto the site… where they can advertise with minimum disruption to the user experience.. what does poor twitter do? in essence, even revenue models will have to work keeping a lot of other things in mind…. i doubt whether a single template will emerge, but i could be wrong too …