June 03, 2003

Social Networks

A while ago, someone linked to an article in Strategy & Business by Art Kleiner on Karen Stephenson, the social network theorist (okay if you've never heard of this before you're probably getting cold chills because it sounds sooo boring. But stay with me). I had heard of social networks before, mostly in the context of politics and references in some blogs. Of course there is the Tipping Point, but that is only part of the puzzle. It started my curiosity in the implications of social networks in marketing and communications. But since I've read that article I've been a vacuum trying to suck in everything I can on the subject from blogs to articles to books. I believe this is the model that smart communicators will realize in the future (starting now). Everything from marketers to advertisers to publishers to corporate communicators. It even goes beyond communication, and allows us to realize how all the elements connect and work together in any group ... intracompany, customer base, potential customer base, readership, etc. By understanding these connections we can be better marketers, advertisers, publishers, communicators.

So, this is my long-winded way of saying I've started a new section on my blogroll for Social Networks. There are only three now. I really want to focus only on blogs/sites that fully dedicate themselves to social networks and/or social software. So please take a look at:
iWire
Socialtext
SmartMobs (was already on the roll but got relocated)

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