A New Twist on Social Networking
Years before social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook became popular, the magazine and web site Fast Company started the Company of Friends list, which combined online communications with occasional in person events. Eventually the group disappeared, apparently out of lack of support and interest.
In the April 2008 issue of the magazine, Fast Company not only apologizes for that decision, but rolled out an entirely new version of their web site which has as many social networking features as I've ever seen on a home page. The new site includes almost all personalized content, access to groups, blogs, contact lists etc. Is this where the web is going? Do nonprofits have the resources to develop sites like this? I just signed up for an account and will report back at a later date.
Comments
I agree with your implied concern - many NPOs will elect not to invest substantial funds into social networking in the near-term. However, from my experience working with social networking solutions, it is less a question of "if" organizations can invest and more a question of "when" and "how" they will invest. More organizations are recognizing the benefits of social networking and implementing a variety of solutions. Especially for NPOs, where the community is such a vital role in the organization's success, social networking can bring tremendous value.
For the more cash-strapped NPOs, alternate and less expensive options do exist. For example, open source projects like Joomla! and Drupal are developing social networking modules. In addition, ASP models such as Ning provide low cost or free (product-wise) solutions.
I look forward to your further feedback on Fast's venture into this space.