Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Minnesota

0-style websites and technologies have given ownership to hundreds of millions of Internet patrons. Sites like ...

Local Companies

Dayport
(507) 625-7824
1961 Premiere Dr
Mankato, MN
Localnet
(218) 829-1097
Brainerd, MN
Conexu
(507) 634-9568
Kasson, MN
Localnet
(507) 280-1957
Rochester, MN
Enterpoint Wireless
(218) 751-0040
502 Beltrami Ave NW
Bemidji, MN
Virtucom Content Solutions Inc
(952) 858-5847
1401 American Blvd E
Minneapolis, MN
Traverse Area Internet
(320) 563-0005
1700 3rd Ave S
Wheaton, MN
Ss & C Technologies
(612) 798-7500
7201 W 78th St
Minneapolis, MN
Web Room
(507) 377-8591
703 Marshall St
Albert Lea, MN
I Like It Like That Internet Service
(218) 568-8332
31015 Front St
Pequot Lakes, MN


Building Smaller, Smarter Communities

provided by: 



The Web has changed. Social networking, user-generated content, personalized search, streaming video, the profusion of blogs, vertical search engines and countless other Web 2.0-style websites and technologies have given ownership to hundreds of millions of Internet patrons. Sites like MySpace, Flickr and Second Life provide places for people to stake their claims and carve out a small corner of the Web to call their own. And membership in these communities has exploded - by August 2006 MySpace had registered 100 million accounts.

But all great empires fall - they become fragmented and crumble under their own weight. As social networking technology becomes more streamlined and readily available to any website owner, smaller communities are taking dead aim at the giants of the industry. Reuters has plans to launch a financial social networking site based on the MySpace model later this year. But, unlike MySpace the Reuters site will be highly focused - hosting a specific, targeted audience eager and willing to share information.

Scripps Networks, providers of the home and garden cable channel HGTV is launching its own social networking site dubbed "Rate My Room." Viewers will be able to share remodeling strategies, upload photos of their work and comment on other home-designer works - everything you would expect from a social networking site.

Senator, Presidential hopeful and wunderkind Barack Obama recently unveiled My.BarackObama.com. Supporters can create profiles, add friends, track events and, of course, help in fundraising.

So what has all of these niche community sites thinking that they can compete with the mammoths of social networking? It's all about smarter communities. Those with a narrow focus are simply better equipped to handle the needs of their members. Niche networks can adapt faster to changing needs and spread new ideas to a community hungry to hear about one thing and one thing only. These networks will become the information hubs and think tanks of entire industries.

There are probably financial analysts with pages on MySpace. But why not go somewhere entirely focused on the financial industry? You can be sure that members of the upcoming Reuters site will be more willing to accept email messages, bulletins and friend requests when they trust the source. Speaking of the new site, Reuters Chief Executive Tom Glocer said, "People don't want to have 100 friend requests from teenage girls in Florida if they are trading the credit derivatives market, but they probably are interested in being able to share research."

If you wanted to redesign your kitchen, would you rather scour YouTube for grainy video from a random do-it-yourselfer, or head to HGTV's site and learn from experts? In this community, you know that you are dealing with people that are vested in what they do and can offer a much better resource for your needs.

I could go to Wal-Mart and ask the teenager in the electronics department about the latest developments in LCD High-definition TVs or, I could head to my local electronics dealer with 25 years of experience in the business. Personally, I'd rather talk to the veteran. And I'd even consider paying a little extra for the service.

So what does all of this mean for your business?

Once these communities are blanketing the Web, it's not hard to imagine that people will head directly to these sights for their needs - much like everyone uses search engines today. Get involved. Seek out communities that are harboring and catering to your industry. Yes, your competitors will be right alongside, but consumers will be there too. And they will be looking for an expert in the field. Think of it as social networking optimization.

If you can't find a specialized community for your industry, you could always create one. Who knows - you may end up getting a billion dollar offer from one of the giants to snuff you out.

by Mike Phillips



Read full article at websitemagazine.com

Featured National Company

CePOINT Networks, LLC.

1+ (603)883-7979
1W Otterson Street
Nashua, NH 03060, NH
http://www.cepoint.com

Regional Articles
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Albert Lea MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Alexandria MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Andover MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Anoka MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Austin MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Bemidji MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Big Lake MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Brainerd MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Buffalo MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Burnsville MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Cambridge MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Champlin MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Chanhassen MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Chaska MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Circle Pines MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Cloquet MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Cottage Grove MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Detroit Lakes MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Duluth MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Eden Prairie MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Elk River MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Excelsior MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Fairmont MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Faribault MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Farmington MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Fergus Falls MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Forest Lake MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Grand Rapids MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Hastings MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Hibbing MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Hopkins MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Hugo MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Hutchinson MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities International Falls MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Inver Grove Heights MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Lakeville MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Little Falls MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Mankato MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Marshall MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Minneapolis MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Minnetonka MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Monticello MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Moorhead MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Mound MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities New Ulm MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities North Branch MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Northfield MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Osseo MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Owatonna MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Princeton MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Prior Lake MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Red Wing MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Rochester MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Rosemount MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Saint Cloud MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Saint Joseph MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Saint Paul MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Saint Peter MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Sartell MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Sauk Rapids MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Savage MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Shakopee MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities South Saint Paul MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Stillwater MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Thief River Falls MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Virginia MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Waseca MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Wayzata MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Willmar MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Winona MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Worthington MN
- Building Smaller, Smarter Communities Zimmerman MN
Rate Article
     
Articles Insider

Rss   Delicious   Digg   Add To My Yahoo   Add To My Google   Bookmark   Search Plugin

Topics:
Advertising Educational Content Home Appliances Real Estate Resources
Business Services Entertainment Home Electronics Software
Career Family Home Services Technology
Cars Fashion Internet Telecommunications
Chamber of Commerce Financial Services Legal Trade Shows
Computer Hardware Franchise Miscellaneous Travel
Construction Health Nightlife Weddings
Education Holidays Online Database World History