How Open Are Things Going to Get... The On-Going Question of What A Social Network is Worth

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How Open Are Things Going to Get... The On-Going Question of What A Social Network is Worth

bees Courtesy of a link on gigaom I read a fascinating article today by People Aggregators creator Marc Canter who runs a social networking company called Broadband Mechanics. This particular article is answering a question posed by a Paul Montgomery, a gentleman in Tanzania regarding why Open ID should be adopted by blogging networks.

The discussion addresses the implications of moving beyond transparency in communication to a more intimate involvement by users of blogging platforms. This would be facilitated by a site's clients utilizing source coding behind the scenes to control access and movement of their individual content.

Yes, it's very technical, cutting edge stuff about interconnected social networks. In a nutshell the thrust is to enable networking platforms which will allow users to integrate ALL their Web 2.0 activities through one or more sites. If you're interested in understanding where this whole Web 2.0 wheel is trending towards next, it is well worth reading.

However, I found the issues with reference to ownership of content and subsequent monetization particularly interesting in light of recent events on Active Rain. Marc Canters' take on ownership of a database (of names) when it comes to a Web 2.0 portal is that you don't...indeed can't. In fact he seems to dismiss the issue as ultimately irrelevant in the larger scheme of things.

"But dude - look. NO ONE is gonna wanna hang out in YOUR network. Its as simple as that. Trust humans - they migrate to where they're wanted, to where they're welcome, to where they feel comfortable. So if someone finds your network comfortable - then it's the right place for them - right? How do you determine who's welcome or not in your network? Their proximity to Tanzania? Golfing? Chocolate lover? Gay? Hispanic? By what criteria do you welcome people into your network?"

The issue is not about owning bloggers or owning their content as Canter rightly points out. Click Here to Continue Reading what the real issues are...

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Lola Audu, CRS, GRI e-Pro ~ Audu Real Estate

Lola Audu, is the Designated Broker & Owner of Audu Real Estate. Our company specializes in helping people buy and sell homes in the greater Grand Rapids, West Michigan area. We've had the privilege of helping hundreds of clients succeed in their goals of purchasing and selling property including demonstrated success in the negotiation of Short Sale Transactions. You can contact us via e-mail @ info@auduhomes.com or by phone at 616-791-0511.

Posted by Lola Audu~Real Estate Broker/Owner Grand Rapids, Michigan Real Estate on 12/27/2007 03:31 PM

Comments (15)

blogging, social networks, active rain

Originally posted at: Inspired Real Estate For Today: How Open Are Things Going to Get... The On-Going Question of What A Social Network is Worth

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15 Comments on How Open Are Things Going to Get... The On-Going Question of What A Social Network is Worth

DEC

2007

Lola, Eye-opening. For me I write what I like and press this little gizmo button and than "THWACK!" it's out of my head and on the Net. Never thought too much about the business of blogging. It's like the Wizard of Oz behind the curtain. Thanks for the unveiling.

Hi Andrew, Thanks for stopping by. The business of blogging is attracting all kinds of players....cause there's a lot of honey (um...money) in the pot. As the concept of multiple platforms and blogs become something more people are utilizing around the world, we will probably see more innovations to cross market and grant access between platforms. It just makes sense.

Very informative post Lola. I too believe we haven't seen nothing yet as it concerns blogging and social networks. We are definitely in the infancy stages. I have recently checked out a few of these social networks that are popping up and as soon as I found out I had to register to get anywhere on the site...I left. The consumer, myself included, want information and we don't want to have jump through hoops to get it. I want to be comfortable, welcomed and left alone unless I choose to make contact or participate.

Oh Lola. You did it again. I hadn't planned on doing any thinking today.

I must first state that I will never be a part of any "social network" that will have me as a member. In fact, it is unlikely that I'll ever be a part of any "social network". I'm quite happy to be a member of the Active Rain Real Estate Network.

The Internet has empowered the average Joe to go to his computer, build a network, launch it, have folks join and right away he thinks he owns a network of people. He doesn't. He owns nothing more than the right to use his domain for the time he pays for it. He also owns the copyright to any content he created himself. The domain control may have some value. The content not created by the owner has little to no value.

It's the synergy on the Internet that has value. If a person can create a presence on the Internet that attracts sufficient number of page views to entice an advertiser to pay money/rent, he owns something for which folks will pay rent. He's got retail space for rent on 5th Avenue or #2 Google SERP. If his retail space is in a warehouse district 10 miles out of town, he's got nothing, like being found on page 8000 of Google.

Folks are cluttering up the Internet with social networks every day and they have no monetary value whatsoever. Even with Google AdSense, they haven't sufficient traffic to pay light bill for their computer. They have nothing unique.

I didn't see the matter with Move.com as anything more than a 800 lb Gorilla throwing his weight around. The perfidy of Move.com was palpable. However, they have not the enterprising spirit that makes ActiveRain successful. Move.com wanted to own us. ActiveRain serves us. That is the difference. Move.com thinks that the value of ActiveRain is in the list of members. They got worthless lists.

ActiveRain is succeeding because the owners are focused on offering a platform for the members to benefit. They are also technically proficient. We are all just along for the ride.

Hi Bryant, It's definitely about convenience. I think that this will be the new definer of "customer service" in this millennium. How convenient and safe is it to get my "stuff" from you. Like you rightly observe, having to register time and time again to get what one wants is...inconvenient. I'm also fascinated by how Mr. Canter expresses his thoughts on the ownership of content. I'll say more in response to Lenn's comment following. Thanks for stopping by to read and comment.

Lenn, Getting you "to think" is one of the best compliments a blogger can get. :) Appreciate as always your insightful comment. I would respectfully disagree with your first point that Active Rain is not a social network. While it does focus on real estate as the basic premises for its existence, the social aspects of the network are as important if not more important than the real estate informational aspects.

I am certain that the social element has been extremely influential in the growth of the network. Many people, myself included, blog on Activerain because we like most of the people and have respect for the founders.

I would agree that Move.com did not get it. Or perhaps at the last waning moments they did get it. A network of this nature cannot be owned because you have access to names and information. There's no Value inherent in names...except perhaps the value of annoying people by intruding on them with unwanted inquiries or advertisement. The Value is in Owning their Loyalty. Loyalty is not necessarily transferable and when it is conveyed must be handled with kid gloves to make sure it survives the journey.

The new currency of Value for social networks regardless of how they position themselves professionally will be the Loyalty of their customer base and the benefits their clients perceive they are receiving. In the case of Active Rain, the SEO positioning and the knowledge shared by its writers is potent power. It's simply key to appreciate that both these elements have little connection with the 60,000+ members most of whom never participate.

Lola. I feel like a fourth grader who just wandered into a quantum physics class. Just when I think I've got a bit of a grasp on where things are headed, they are thrown forward at light speed. I'm really glad that there are forward thinkers here, like you, that can help bring us a peek into what is to come. I'm looking forward to what blogging can do for my business, but I'm also happy to have found social support and shared information to move me forward with my business. For me, the honey/money will follow. Thanks for spotlighting the new.

Elaine, Thanks for stopping by. Truth is we're all learning. What's great about this platform is that in a sense the "worker bees" bring back the elements of knowledge which we can all utilize to make honey (money). I remain extremely grateful to the many from whom I continue to learn so much. While no one knows for certain the twists and turns which will engage the Web as it matures, one thing is probably acceptable without much debate...there's a lot more ahead. :)

Lola, I'm with Elaine! It's hard to keep up. I belong to a couple of other networks, but nothing like Active Rain. It's a professional social network. Not totally social, not totally business. I think it's the best of both worlds and, for the most part, people behave and share.

Linda, I'd agree with your definition...."a professional social network." It's the curious combination of the two which has generated so much of the success of the platform. For many of us in real estate, this was the first forum where we met individuals who were so willing to share their best and seemed to truly care about others. Active Rain is changing the way real estate agents relate to each other across the country.

Lola- this is interesting.....and I know many people stay on AR because of the people, and some of the other networks are fun at first....just too many of them for me. Loyalty...isn't this the basis of everything?

DEC

2007

Lola, OK Let's see if I got this right: you want to be able to "login" to a list of social networks with one login. You don't want rules, you want everything for free, and the owners should be grateful that we condescended to use their platform? Is that it? I still don't get it.

Personally, I think AR is too good to be true. I've been here six months and I still see how they can provide what they do for free. There has got to be a payday somewhere.

And I don't have time for a bunch of these places. AR is all I can handle.

Bill Roberts

Bill, your sentiments are echoed by many. It's become cumbersome for most people to be part of multiple platforms. Open ID is perhaps a solution to enabling efficiency. My understanding of the article by Marc Canter was that there are tremendous opportunities to monetize platforms such as Active Rain and other Web 2.0 sites. It's all about creating places which people want to come to...If you don't have an audience, it doesn't matter what you try to sell/advertise. No one will be there to buy it anyway.

Kathy, Loyalty is Huge! It's just measured differently on line. Think about the average visit to most websites...seconds. But, through RSS FEED, people download other people's thoughts and insights as soon as they're published.

Here on Active Rain thousands of people put up profiles and a few blogs and never do anything. But they don't remove their content either. In a sense, Loyalty has some very different connotations in the world of cyberspace than it does in real life.

Lola - I think I found my comfort zone here on AR. There are so many social networks, you could miss out on real life. It will be interesting to see what things look like same time next year Thanks again for another interesting post.

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Lola Audu~Real Estate Broker/Owner Grand Rapids, Michigan Real Estate

Grand Rapids, MI

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