The Archives

• 01.18.08
  Churches Are Going Niche
  Pop Culture

  I came across a very interesting graphic on religion in America (Click to see in full): If churches are the original and largest social networks, it makes sense to examine how trends among church-goers are playing out over time. A couple interesting observations point to mass /mainstream worship moving in a niche direction: - The influence of the central, program-based congregation is diminishing as more cell churches are being created - Many Christians have left congregations and formed house churches - small groups meeting in each other's homes
  
  
• 01.10.08
  A Key Difference Between Worlds
  Social Networking

  I’ve recently been wondering whether or not virtual worlds will replace social networks as the social environment of choice over the next few years. At this point, based on directionality and trends, I think they will not. The primary reason being that ‘convention’ among social networks is that users are actually who they say they are. For example, when I sign up for Facebook or Last.FM, I am Sam Huleatt. I may use a strange handle like Squasher98, but the information I enter tends to be legitimate and tied into my online properties (links to Leveraging Ideas, for example). However, ...
  
  
• 11.06.07
  Why People Join Online Social Networks
  Social Networking

  I looked around to find a list of reasons for why people join social networks. Since I could find none, I started making my own. Can anyone help out and add more? To be social online For specific technological functionality (photo sharing or other niche) To use a common communications platform with friends/colleagues To make online connections for insight (business leads, connections, info, etc) Make online connections that ultimately become offline relationships Stay organized or collaborate using a more efficient medium Gain insider information, e.g. events, advance notice, etc Feelings of self-worth or egotism (part of exclusive group) Loyalty to former affiliation (Alumni, etc) For material gain (incentives offered) Mandated. Ex: ...
  
  
• 09.25.07
  Valuations and Either Or Statements: MySpace vs. Facebook
  Social Networking

  There has been a ton of buzz the last two days over Microsoft's rumored $500M investment in Facebook (according to the Wall Street Journal). This investment would suggest Facebook’s valuation is now $10 Billion, a number Peter Thiel suggested earlier, but now may think is too low. The media has also been suggesting that logically MySpace, with momentarily more users than Facebook, must then be worth more than $10 Billion. This logic is flawed because from a valuation perspective (discounting forward looking future earnings) these platforms are mutually exclusive plays. The issue as I see it is that with social ...
  
  
• 04.12.07
  Human Relationships Still Matter Most
  Social Media, Social Networking, Venture Capital

  I had a reader cancel his Feedblitz account yesterday, citing as the reason ’unsatisfied with the subject matter.’ I apologize if I haven’t been blogging as much recently about social media, but there is a reason: I’m bored with it. I subscribe to over 50 blogs and I read nearly every post from each of them daily. While I would never claim ’expertise,’ I’m probably as well read and versed as anyone on this subject. The problem is that there isn’t a whole lot I find exciting right now in social media. On a typical day anywhere from 15-25% of ...
  
  
• 01.14.07
  How TV Networks Might Boost Audience (Albeit Temporarily)
  My Experiences, Pop Culture

  I have always been a huge Seinfeld fan. I even believed that I’d seen every episode- that is until this past weekend. While channel surfing, I happened across an episode that I honestly cannot recall having seen before and it got me thinking of a strategy for networks with currently successful sitcoms and dramas (House, Sopranos, Desperate Housewives, etc..). If these networks simply filmed one or two additional episodes a year they could hold them, releasing previously unseen episodes in future years (possibly during 'down' years when current sitcoms are weak’ um, NBC). Imagine the hype surrounding an announcement that ’a lost ...
  
  
• 01.07.07
  An Open Letter to Amtrak
  Social Media, Tech'nomics

  Dear Amtrak, Do you want to turn your fortunes around? Do you want to become more popular than JetBlue? Please hear me out: Look at your demographic. It’s incredible. Your riders are primarily young professionals who are paying between $90 and $150 to travel between New York, Boston, Connecticut and DC. Many of your travelers take the same routes daily or weekly. These riders have money, they understand technology and they are upwardly mobile. Give them social media. What does this mean? You are a potential match.com. Your’re a potential LinkedIn.com - but IN PERSON. You are a ready-made dating and networking smorgasbord. ...
  
  
• 11.03.06
  Friday’s Featured Friend: Reputation Defender.com
  Campus Chatter

  Based on the following letter we received from a friend of IntelliGrad via Myspace, today we will look at Reputationdefender.com, a new start-up with a goal of keeping your reputation CLEAN online: Hey,Great group! I'm thinking of applying to med school but as a myspacer, I've been a little worried about my myspace rep getting in the way of admissions and stuff. Apparently admit officers do websearches and they can dig up dirt on you. Well actually my mom is more worried about the supposed dirt on me than anyone else. So she found this site www.reputationdefender.com and signed me ...
  
  
• 09.27.06
  I am Going to Tell You the Future of Social Networks - Listen Up!
  Social Networking

  By: Sam Huleatt Social networking is a very hot topic among young professionals and college students because social networks are engaging and they are fun. Because of this, millions of young people subscribe to various networks such as Facebook or MySpace or Friendster. And because millions of young people subscribe to them, other thousands of people are trying to make money off the popularity of these networks. Simple.   However, for most fickle 20 somethings the 'shelf life' of a social network is inherently limited, unless the user receives some value that compels them to stay on the site. It's sort of like ...
  
  

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