Are Facebook and MySpace a Waste of Time for Business Networking?

I've discovered that general social networks Facebook and MySpace can be complete waste of time for business. It's that simple. Facebook is a gaming gimmick that wastes office time.

I've therefore decided that I'm only spending time with the "Big 5" business networking sites SUp.biz, Plaxo, LinkedIn, Ecademy and Xing.

I'll focus on Facebook here - my browser keeps crashing with the junk and scripts running on MySpace, and the illegibility of any profiles just makes it unusable.

Let's just look at 3 popular applications on Facebook:

1: Top Friends
Add a box of up to 32 of your BFFs to your profile.
2,658,733 daily active users

2: FunWall
Videos, Photos, Graffiti, Greeting Cards, Embeds and more!
2,603,946 daily active users

3: Movies
Test your movie knowledge with the Never-Ending Movie Quiz.
2,373,887 daily active users

A very impressive list by daily active users, you must agree. Is there anything there that jumps out at you as a compelling reason to spend time online at work 'networking'? Indeed. I could go down the list of the top 20 apps and continue showing you things that have nothing to do with networking.

Let me offer you some alternatives:

1: Top Employees
Access the career history of potential employees and talk to people who worked with them to make sure you make the right hire.
17,000,000+ users at LinkedIn,

2: Blog Roll
Write on your area of expertise, enjoy feedback from your peers, link to your blog or web sites and have your article referenced by Google within 30 minutes of writing it.
300,000+ users at Ecademy

3: Moving People
Tired of updating old addresses and phone numbers and getting bounced emails? Let people you want to stay in touch keep thier own contact details up to date without lifting a finger!
35,000,000+ users at Plaxo,

4: Super Border
If you're thinking of doing business somewhere unfamiliar, how about a database that lest you pinpoint and contact any English-speaking lawyers who enjoy sailing and wine, live near Barcelona, and used to work for XYZ Partners?
3,000,000+ users at Xing

5: Lapel Sticker
Want to meet real business people in your area to find out if they can help you develop your business, advocate your services or become your customer? With hundreds of events monthly, organise and publicise your own events, even carry out registration and take payment in advance from attendees for your own events.
300,000+ users at Ecademy

I'll stop there, as time is money.

The "Big 5" networks are strictly for business, and they segregate the serious from the part-time business people by using a very simple qualifier: They charge for extended use of features or additional, more convenient access to the membership of their networks. Most have free use options, but one can spend a little cash to get rid of ads, run groups, advertise, mail your network updates, search for suitable candidates, etc. Like most business services - you pay more for better quality and choice.

Owning a credit card is a pretty good proof of age, and a qualifier for serious intent in a business is when it puts its money where its mouth is.

Facebook is free because your personal data and interactions with your 'social graph' is being sold to the advertisers.

There are places for social networking.

There are places for business networking.

But if you think there is a place where social networking and business networking can meet, you're wasting your time.

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Comment by Mike Sachleben on January 9, 2009 at 11:09am: Facebook is a tool. LinkedIn is a tool. Two things matter - what the tool was made for and how you use the tool.

I could hammer in a nail with the end of a screwdriver if I needed to. Likewise, I could grow my business network through Facebook. But if I used a LinkedIn hammer I'd probably be more effective.

Now if some people start using screws instead of nails for business networking I'd much rather have a screwdriver to put the screws in than I would have a hammer. And the truth is that some people are starting to use Facebook for business networking. So as long as you're using your tools in the right way in the right place at the right time it's all good.

Comment by Barry-Lee on January 9, 2009 at 11:08am: it is very easy to get distracted over there.
I have been successful with Facebook so far for relationships, however it is not translating into immediate direct sales very easily. Also, I have been frustrated with Facebook Ad's.
We are however excited about our Facebook application, and seeing how users might share referrals on the internet. So for us it remained a Social Media Experiment rather than a revenue channel.

Comment by Irene Armstrong on January 9, 2009 at 11:08am: The only thing Facebook has going for it is the number of subscribers it has.
I find the site tedious in the extreme and am only there because my children said
I should!
I can vouch for Ecademy. I've been a member there for about 15 months and have
made good contacts and met some fabulous people.

Comment by Chase Mann on January 9, 2009 at 11:07am: I used to think so, but my friends kept asking me to put a profile on so I did.
I'm looking into what they call "lifestreaming" where you use software to aggregate all your various social media accounts to update at once. Just google "lifestreaming". Let me know if anyone finds a good one.

Comment by Francisco Lopez on January 9, 2009 at 11:05am: I agree with you..

Comment by Beth Stanley on January 9, 2009 at 11:05am: I enjoy at least one daily peek at Facebook to see what my grown kids are doing, check on other relatives and hookup with old friends. When I've placed ads on facebook, they have not generated any sales for me in my air and water purification business so I shut the ads down. I'll try some of the professional networking capabilities more I think. Thanks.

Comment by Linda on January 9, 2009 at 11:04am: I personally do not like Facebook, and do not spend time there. Some of my fellow Mentors do spend time in Facebook, and do get results. Personally I find it a pain in the you know what and very time consuming. My time is a Valuable Asset, and I do not care to waste it in Facebook. I do have a profile there and that is about it.

Linda

Comment by Maureen Guest on January 9, 2009 at 11:03am: Great info! I too have membership with both Facebook and My Space, however it doesn't hold my attention business-wise.

Comment by Steven Shires on January 9, 2009 at 11:03am: Don't like MySpace at all! too confusing . .

Facebook - never stops!! I am inundated with requests from groups and people all the time . .takes time, to "ignore" them!!