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.
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.
Add a Comment
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Comment by Aldo Tito Trinca on January 26, 2009 at 12:26am - I just dropped by to say hello. My "Big 8" business networking sites are SUp.biz, Plaxo, LinkedIn, Ecademy, Xing, Dubai Spectrum, Connects and soon Forbes. Do you remember ? The purpose of our lives is to be happy. Worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it doesn't get you anywhere. Use deep breathings to bring balance in your life. Your day may come. Have an awesome day ......
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Comment by Kevin Yeats on January 24, 2009 at 3:42pm - Any Social Networking site can waste time. I agree with you that FB & MS have additional distractor factors.
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Comment by Laurence Ainsworth on January 23, 2009 at 4:00am
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Its a very interesting and not to say controversial blog post. Its a load of twaddle, of course, but I'm assuming your post was intended to promote responses not postulate a well considered point of view.
I cant pass comment on your success with Facebook but then I have no idea how you use it.
On your assertion that "I'm only spending time with the "Big 5" business networking sites SUp.biz, Plaxo, LinkedIn, Ecademy and Xing" I notice that you've ignored Twitter, using which Dell for 1 has declared that they made $1million from the site so that knocks you into 6th or BTtradespace which reports similar figures for business so we've now lost two of your top 5 without really trying.
I look forward to a more considered response
Rgds
Laurence
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Comment by Robert Akens on January 22, 2009 at 9:45pm - Facebook and Myspace are definitely on a social networking level. Though they may bring people together for a variety of reasons, they overall bring the word "entertainment" to mind or "gossip". When I want to know business and what is going on locally, nationally, or worldwide, I want to got to a site that speaks of only that. This site does.
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Comment by Ella Watson on January 22, 2009 at 9:32pm - 972-859-0929 or email me at EllaHarper315@yahoo.com. Visit my web site at http://tx.local.yahoo.biz/accurateappliancerepair.
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Comment by Ella Watson on January 22, 2009 at 9:31pm
- I have a Facebook and Myspace page. I would really love to have a more effective advertising tool for my appliance & home repair business. We're a local Texas company and make house calls for appliances and home repairs of any size. We service the Dallas/Garland/Mesquite/Rockwall & Eastern towns and the northern towns up to Plano/Allen/McKinney and all the way up to Pottsboro Texas. If you live in these areas and need home repairs - even fences repaired or rebuilt, give us a call. We Are At Your Service!
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Comment by Andrew Kodger on January 22, 2009 at 8:14pm - If you do Myspace and Facebook correctly they can be brilliant. I have gained advertisers, subscribers, and articles for our magazine. Remember your reason for being there. It is not game time, search for valuable contacts and when accepting friends make sure they know what your business is and that you are serious. You can be civil and nice while remaining focused.
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Comment by Flossie Shelley on January 22, 2009 at 4:57pm
- WOW I never realy looked at it that way, thank you
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Comment by Kays A Gift of Heart on January 22, 2009 at 2:07pm - I agree , Most of my visits on facebook are the same as you memtioned. Even the people I know there are saying the same thing. I will be moving out of there soon. I got out there to join some old friends from school days. It's not worth it to fight the sight.
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Comment by Jay Philips on January 22, 2009 at 1:51pm -
I'm not a member of MySpace but am a member of FaceBook, I like their poker app :-)
I agree that LinkedIn is great for networking with other professionals. Plaxo is good as well for reaching out to fellow networkers.
I need to check out Ecademy, looks like it is great tool. Thanks for the tips.
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