Today we are going to discuss a comment made by Pete Cashmore when he reviewed new social network Adoppt…
“It has almost every feature you’d expect from a community site: blogs, tagging, forums, favorite links (similar to social bookmarking), a question and answer service (like Yahoo Answers), photo uploading, networks of friends and much more. It even comes complete with badges for MySpace pages and blogs…the only thing it lacks is a sense of direction - it’s the everythingitis”
Rajiv: We both agree with that quote?
Kevin: That quote is fine. My point of interest is “…every feature you’d expect from a community site…it’s the everythingitis problem”
Kevin: So, yes I agree with Cashmore. I want to know a) what’s the next web technology that is going to separate (or lead) the way for these new My Space competitors.
Kevin: I’d have to say, with bebo and myspace - if I was building the new community site - I’d be concerned that’s there’s no more room. Unless you bring something very, very unique to the table.
Kevin: Or, you can consume a niche market that thrives on your community site.
Rajiv: But even if it is unique compared to MySpace, the masses won’t flock to it
Rajiv: You can’t simply just add more features and expect people to use it, people will always go wherever their friends are
Kevin: Otherwise, I don’t have time to jump around into other social community sites. Myspace is enough for me, and I barely even use it - to be honest.
Kevin: That’s why Mashable is right on target with that quote.
Rajiv: Only niche social networks can really succeed in getting a small audience, it’s much easier to go after a smaller target.
Rajiv: so you can be a member of MySpace, and still be a part of several smaller niche communities
Rajiv: Then taking those communities and feeding those back into your blog or MySpace using widgets has proven to be successful
Kevin: If something combined, communicating with my friends and integrated my fantasy football accounts, for example, - so I could do both in one location - honestly, I don’t need much from the web when it comes to communicating with my friends other than sending messages and checking out fantasy leagures. If I want to find new friends (which I don’t) I’d go check out some of my other friends profiles on myspace. But seriously, I’d never go searching for new friends - I haven’t steeped to that level…yet.
Kevin: If myspace or bebo were able to break out those niches (that do exist within their community) into their own sub communities…just really focused groups (like a meetup.com group) then I think you have a winner.
Rajiv: Exactly what you said, a niche fantasy football community would work well in serving your specific needs
Kevin: Meetup.com could go that route
Kevin: My friends, my closest friends - email a few times a week, talk about who’s going out tonight and where and if they want to meet up, ask if they want to see a concert - who’s buying the ticket, make fun of each other, run fantasy football leagues, and thats about it.
Kevin: And honestly, I don’t think anyone besides that my friends really wants to read our lame back and forth.
Rajiv: which is why they have Yahoo Groups or Meetup.com, but email is still what most people choose to use to communicate in a small group
Rajiv: Even my group of friends, we choose email
Rajiv: I have tried unsuccessfully in the past to organize ourselves using meetup.com (but it costs money) or upcoming.org (but I am hesitating asking everyone to sign up for an acct) if it will just go to waste if everyone still uses email
Kevin: about your email comment - email isn’t the medium I want for that type of communication though. People start sending stuff to your work account, etc. It gets ugly.
Rajiv: I totally agree email is not ideal for many reasons which is why I suggested a group but not everyone sees a better option
Kevin: Anyway, what I’m saying is that right now there’s a formula for creating these social community sites….forums, blogs, tagging, fav links, etc. It’s boring. It’s overkill.
Kevin: it’s overdone. Again, just from how I use the web.
Kevin: And I think there is room for taking that simple concept
Kevin: and creating somethin unique
Kevin: even if its just, for example, for men in their mid 20’s
Kevin: I log in, I get to see what my friends are doing, see my fantasy football stats, maybe have a feed for the latest maxim articles
Rajiv: Those features together don’t address any specific problem that is why niche’s can tackle those unique features
Kevin: Freakin playboyspace - whatever u want to call it (my wife would love that one)
Kevin: actually, thats not a bad idea
Rajiv: lol, now that would be cool idea
Kevin: I almost feel like not posting this conversation 
Rajiv: there are already social networks for moms, teens, pets, what about guys our age?
Rajiv: I want games, gadgets, girls and maybe fashion
Rajiv: we have is have AskMen.com, lol
Kevin: ha