The document discusses online networking and social media platforms. It begins with an introduction to the topic and why online networking is important for both individuals and organizations. It then discusses how online networking can be done, covering various platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Second Life. It provides details on each platform and recommends best practices for using the platforms. The document concludes by discussing trends around online communities and networking.

1. Introduction to On-line
Networking
Chris Gopsill
Prague
6th November 2007

2. Topics
Introduction
Why?
• Individuals
• Organisations
How?
• Platforms
• Best practice
Future trends & opportunities
Appendix: Support material & references
gopsill@bluewin.ch 2

3. My experiences in Czech Republic -
Why I said “its good to be back”
+/-
gopsill@bluewin.ch 3

4. Know your audience – Quick poll
Quick-poll
Show of hands as to whether you:
1. Know of
2. Use
3. Are ”power user”
Of the following platforms:
• LinkedIn
• Lotus Connections
• XING
• Facebook
• NING
• Second Life
gopsill@bluewin.ch 4

5. Know your audience – Quick poll results
“Power
Know of User
user”
40% 15% 3 people
95% 75% 20 people
25% 10% 2 people
5 people 2 people 2 people
1 person - -
35% 5 people -
Note: this was an informal “show of hands” poll
gopsill@bluewin.ch 5

6. Topics
Introduction
What and Why?
• Individuals
• Organisations
How?
• Platforms
• Best practice
Future trends & opportunities
Appendix: Support material & references
gopsill@bluewin.ch 6

7. Social networking plain English
An excellent combination of old and new technologies – quickly and simply
explaining social networking: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a_KF7TYKVc
(also social Bookmarking, WIKI’s etc)
gopsill@bluewin.ch 7

8. What are Networks? What are Communities?
Networks and Communities are groups of individuals. A social network is a
social structure made of nodes, which are generally individuals or
organizations that are tied by one or more specific types of relations.*
* Source: Wikipedia
Why? How?
Focus
Where?
Membership
• On a person Platform • Open
• On an organisation • Real World / Person • Closed – only “eligible”
• On an event to person individuals can join
• Digital World / Duration
Affinity Online • Finite
• Shared location • Virtual Worlds • Open-ended
• Shared language • Blended
• Shared interest (food, wine) Frequency
(combinations of the
• Shared enterprise (employer, • Continual
above)
supplier, service) • Periodic
• Shared education (university) • Random
• Shared time (class of ’92) Structure
• Shared profession (accountant, • Formal
lawyer) • Informal
The power of the “social graph”
gopsill@bluewin.ch 8

9. Why now?
Business Environment
• Globalisation / outsourcing / disruptive
forces / complexity
• Competition for talent / competencies
• Deeper understanding of “Conflicts of
interest” in networks
Techosystem Innovation & Knowledge
• Pervasive, ubiquitous, rich tech • Innovation will be the ultimate
will be the evolving reality driver of sustainable growth
• Networks thrive in this • Networks drive the diversity and
environment – virtual and real collaboration which underpin
effective innovation
Work & Lifestyle shifts Trust & Teamwork
• Increasing job turnover • Trust is the glue that empowers the
• Aging workforce and changing post “command control” world
values • Networks are the organizational
• Portfolio of paid engagements structure most strengthened, and
most vulnerable, to trust
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10. What is “Hype”
gopsill@bluewin.ch 10

11. Gartner Group: Emerging Technologies Hype
Curve™ 2006
Visibility
Web 2.0 Less than 2 years
Folksonomies
Mashup
2 to 5 years
Social Network
Analysis 5 to 10 years
Collective
Intelligence
AJAX
WIKIs
Corporate Location-Aware
blogging Applications
Offline
AJAX Location-Aware
Technology
Maturity
Technology Peak of Trough of Slope of Plateau of
Inflated Disillusionment Enlightenment Productivity
Trigger
Expectations
Source: Gartner
gopsill@bluewin.ch 11
Source: Gartner Group, Analysis First Tuesday AG

12. Why – individuals
Search Business
Initiate
Self-
Job International
Marketing
Market contacts Business
Research
Enable
Find
Business
People
Social Networking for
Business Professionals
Build and keep User-generated „Bring People
Contact Relationships content Together“
Community
Management
Management
Complex Facilitate
Event Online Communi-
Calendar On- and Offline Events
Database cation Community
Tool
Personal Information
Management (PIM) Community
Second degree contacts
gopsill@bluewin.ch 12

13. Why organisations 1: Knowledge driven
organisations are facing many challenges
• Globalisation
• “War for talent”
• Pressures for work-life balance
• Commoditisation
• Increasing availability of “information” contrasted
by demand for filtering out real “knowledge and
insight”
• Technology reducing economies of scale
• Increasing ease of switching / churn
• Change from customer to member mentality
• Changing business models
• Major growth from SMEs
• Adaptive enterprises / Networked value chains
• Shift to independent professionals
• Increasing financial pressures
• Personalisation
• Increasing pressures on speed of response
gopsill@bluewin.ch 13

14. Why organisations 2: Crowd sourcing:
Innovation: Innocentive
In our Open Innovation Marketplace, Seekers- commercial,
academic, and non-profit organizations - draw on a global
network of Solvers - more than 125,000 engineers, scientists,
inventors, and business people - to meet challenging needs
and move their organizations forward in the following areas:
•Physical Sciences
•Engineering and Design
•Chemistry
•Math and Computer Science
•Life Sciences
•Business and Entrepreneurship
.
gopsill@bluewin.ch 14

15. Why organisations 3: Alumni Programs
A people powered network for business collaboration
• A people powered network for
business collaboration
• A social networking program to enable
current and former IBM'ers to
reconnect, collaborate and generate
new innovations and business
opportunities
• Over 18,000 members registered in
pilot program: global long-term target
is 1.3 million
• Global platform, available to any IBM
country
• IBM Germany is lead country pilot—
roll out in 2007 to assist with
recruitment and business leads
IBM Home page: February 2007 In-depth White Paper
http://www.ibm.com/ibm/greateribm on Corporate Alumni
Management :
download at:
gopsill@bluewin.ch 15
http://www.firsttuesday.ch/Corporate_Alumni_Networks_FULL.pdf

16. Topics
Introduction
What and Why?
• Individuals
• Organisations
How?
• Platforms
• Best practice
Future trends & opportunities
Appendix: Support material & references
gopsill@bluewin.ch 16

17. The power of blended networks
Added Value creation of online Added
Value systems lose momentum Value Half-life of ‘stand-alone’ events lead
over time to limited sustainable impact
Online Networks Live Events
Time Time
Added
Value
Value of offline events
leveraged by effective
combination of „best in Value added
class“ real and virtual by effectively
platforms: for network combining on-
support, online and offline
advertising, preparation, approaches
and updating (e.g. online
database, forums,
newsletter) Blended Networks
Time
gopsill@bluewin.ch 17

18. On-line networking should be an integral part of
“blended networking”
Blended Networking
Virtual
On-line
Live
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19. Platforms and providers
Social Networking Free / Open
Bespoke / Closed Groups focus
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20. LinkedIn – Business Social Networking
US based, 100% business focus
Very strong US and UK presence
16 million members
Strong focus on jobs and
personal recommendations
Only English
Just starting with events and member
pictures
Free basic membership
Three levels of enhanced features -
*See Appendix for details up to $200 / month *
gopsill@bluewin.ch 20

21. XING – Business Social Networking
German based, 100% business focus
Very strong in Germany, Austria,
Switzerland, Spain (China)
Thousands of live events
Hundreds of active forums
16 languages
Comparatively limited in US, UK
Smaller than LinkedIn, Facebook
Free basic service
Premium membership (€5.95) offers
*See Appendix for details
advanced features*
gopsill@bluewin.ch 21

22. Live events
gopsill@bluewin.ch 22

23. Facebook – (Business) Social Networking
US based, started as University
networks
Open API* – numerous 3rd party
applications
Addictive interaction thanks to new
applications and news feed
50 million members
“Valued” at $10 billion
Need to re-position from student
focus to business?
Cluttered interface and significant
advertising
*API: Application programming interface Free
gopsill@bluewin.ch 23

24. Lotus Connections – Business Social Networking
Powerful, integrated functionality
(Sametime, Dogear…..)
IBM: reputation, resources
See separate presentation from
Tomas Vavra
Ability to reach secondary contacts
(internal + partner focus)
Licence costs ?
gopsill@bluewin.ch 24

25. NING – Community Platform
Community building platform
Easy, free way to build your own
community
Integrates into an existing
website easily together with
many widgets and links
Founded by Marc Andreessen
(Netscape)
Thousands of communities
Mixture of business and personal
Only available as hosted version
Free basic service
Different options for business networks
gopsill@bluewin.ch 25

26. Second Life – Virtual world
Gives much richer interaction than
other remote interactions – hence
promotes additional interactions
See separate presentation from
Martin Dvorak
Fairly step learning curve
Possibly “over-hyped” and perceived
as game-playing
The Alpine Executive Center which is an “in- Free basic membership
world” centre for running and hosting Think Very extensive in-world finances
Tanks and events ($Linden) – people are earning a
living “in world”
gopsill@bluewin.ch 26

27. Best practice for Members online
1. Upload a photo of yourself that reflects the impression you want to create
2. Check your privacy settings: Go to the 'My Profile' tab and then 'Change my privacy settings' in the bottom of the
box on the left. The most important ones are the two at the bottom in respect to who can send you private
messages and who can view your contacts
3. Set your info box options. Again, go to your 'My profile' tab and select from the left hand box 'change info box
settings'. My personal options include upcoming birthdays, quick search, group articles and events.
4. Contact information. Remember that you grant the level of access you are comfortable with to any member that
wishes to connect to you or you to them. Unless you release your details, no member will be able to contact you.
5. Anti spam! One of the best experiences you have on this site is the lack of unwanted emails you get. Depending on
your privacy settings you can choose who you want to be contacted by. If for some reason, you receive an email
from an unwanted member, you can simply select 'Block Messages from User' in the left hand box featured when
you view the message from the member.
6. Introduction tool. Introduce your contacts to other contacts using this cool feature. What's great is your contacts
can view each other's profile including yours which enhances their initial experience. When you're viewing a
member's profile or message select the 'introduce this person' tool. Be sure to include some positive remarks about
each person.
7. Who's been looking at my page! This feature was created by a good friend of mine when XING first came to
existence. It was inspired by the dating sites and has become the most used feature on XING. Go to the 'Search' tab
and select 'Members who have visited my contact page recently'. You can also set up an RSS feed that will
automatically inform you when somebody has been looking at your page.
8. Include your website URL's. Surfing through member's profiles is like sorting through resumes. People generally
look at the photo to get a first impression, then who the person is connected to and then their company. Often the
member will click on your website to get a feel for the company you are representing.
9. Pick and choose who you connect to! Your network becomes your most valued asset. Try to connect to members
that are of genuine interest to you personally or professionally. Don't become a connection collector. It weakens
your network.
10. Be found by the right people. Ensure your WANTS and HAVES reflect the type of people that you want to be
contacted by. Members search for key words to lead them to the right person. Include all the key words that are
relevant to you.
gopsill@bluewin.ch 27

28. Paradox of networks and communities
Robust Fragile
• Resilient • Trust based
• Flexible but • Communication driven
• Dynamic • Difficult to rebuild
and are always “opt in”
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29. Building a sustainable network
Success factors
Success relies on combining people, process and technology,
in alignment with a clear purpose and vision
Purpose / Vision
People Process
Technology
Implementation
gopsill@bluewin.ch 29

30. Building on-line communities:
Ensure a good first(3) experience(s)
Where would you rather be ??
A warm, personalised, welcome
Active – but not over crowded
Like minded people to interact with
Something of interest to me: forum with active
discussions, relevant white paper, jobs
Motivation to return and participate /
contribute
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31. Becoming an active group member
Search for a group that is of interest to you
Request to join this group • Reply to forums of interest
Navigate around the group • Post new article
• Reference all items on start page Posting an article
• Go to forums • Keep the article short,
On the start page… interesting, relevant to the group
members
• Items rarely change
• Provoke a discussion by asking
• Any events will be listed here questions
• See who is moderating this group • Write catchy subject line
Now go to the forums Monitor activity
• Familiarise yourself with all the • Hits on articles in forums
forum topics
• Number of responses
• Read all the subject lines
• New members joining
• Read subjects that are
interesting
gopsill@bluewin.ch 31

32. NetWeaving
NetWeaving is a “Pay It Forward” form of networking based
upon the Golden Rule and the belief that, what goes around. .
…..DOES come back around!
“Pay It Forward” is a book written by Catherine
Ryan Hyde, but it's also an idea. It's an action
plan within a work of fiction. But does it have to be
fiction? We're hoping not. In fact, since the book
was released in January of 2000, a real-life social
movement has emerged, not just in the U.S. but
worldwide. What began as a work of fiction has
already become much more.
Reuben St. Clair, the teacher and protagonist in
the book “Pay It Forward,” starts a movement with
this voluntary, extra-credit assignment: THINK OF
AN IDEA FOR WORLD CHANGE, AND PUT IT
gopsill@bluewin.ch
INTO ACTION. 32

33. Introduce function: “Paying it forward”
gopsill@bluewin.ch 33

34. Topics
Introduction
What and Why?
• Individuals
• Organisations
How?
• Platforms
• Best practice
Future trends & opportunities
Appendix: Support material & references
gopsill@bluewin.ch 34

35. Future trends
Explosion in platforms, technologies, offerings
Visibility
Web 2.0
Folksonomies
Mashup
Social Network
Analysis
Collective
Intelligence
AJAX
WIKIs
Corporate Location-Aware
blogging Applications
Offline
Consolidation:
AJAX Location-Aware
Technology
Issues: over-hyped?
some companies blocking some sites
Winners: Open large platforms
Specialised, differentiated niche players
Meta-social platforms: allows user to keep a few
individual profiles, communities , and move seamlessly
across between
Contextual networking: - easily suit our network to what we are doing
(including location): yet leverage across all networks:
OpenSocial
The ultimate goal is for any
social website to be able to
First Social Web Browser implement the APIs and host
3rd party social applications.
gopsill@bluewin.ch 35

36. Directories of communities / networks
A very new and emerging phenomenon!!
gopsill@bluewin.ch 36

37. Yequi !!
For those new to on-line business
networking.
Please try (at least) one of the platforms
and connect to those people you have
met tonight
For those experienced users
Please start or develop a community you
are passionate about, introduce people
to each other and act as evangelists for
NetWeaving
gopsill@bluewin.ch 37

38. Contact Profiles
https://www.xing.com/profile/Chris_Gopsill
http://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisgopsill
http://profile.to/ChrisGopsill/
Goppo Gough
gopsill@bluewin.ch 38

39. Topics
Introduction
What and Why?
• Individuals
• Organisations
How?
• Platforms
• Best practice
Future trends & opportunities
Appendix: Support material & references
gopsill@bluewin.ch 39

40. Birthday exercise: Live networking compared
with on-line
We have 2 minutes to find the person in the room who has the next
birthday – the old fashioned live networking way:
• Select someone next to you who you don’t know:
• Exchange 1 interesting fact with each other, and your business
card.
• Determine which of you has the next birthday from today.
– The person whose birthday is sooner moves 2 steps
towards the front of the room
– The person whose birthday is later moves 2 steps towards
the back of the room
• Repeat as many times as possible within the 2 minutes
• Keep the business cards for later
gopsill@bluewin.ch 40

41. Learnings – the wisdom of crowds
Live networking can be very intense,
interactive, spontaneous, serendipitous
and fun
But:………………………
On-line networking can be a lot more
efficient at achieving certain goals:
Search the on-line data base for next
birthday
gopsill@bluewin.ch 41

42. User communities –
SNS users maintain a wider social network
Source: longitudinal user research INO
Source: Stefana Broadbent, Swisscom Innovations: Keynote at First Tuesday Zurich Thought Leadership Forum,
Zurich, November 14th 2006. Data from a study on Social Network Site users in CH done by Swisscom Innovations in 2006
http://www.firsttuesdayzurich.com/TLF2006/
gopsill@bluewin.ch 42

43. Four approaches to Corporate Alumni Networks
Company
Company Company supported “grass Independent
managed: managed: open roots” “grass roots”
closed
• Increasing number of very
• Large number of
professional programmes • A few interesting
initiatives
• Expanding outside service programs
• Very mixed results
sector
gopsill@bluewin.ch 43

44. XING: advantages of
Premium Membership
Service Basic Membership Premium Membership
Search by...
Name (first/last)
Industry or Location (city state/province,
By city only By city, state/province, postal code, country
postal code, country)
Position, Interests , Knowledge,
Organization (university, current
and former employer, clubs, etc) a)
Power Searches
who has viewed my contact page,
homepage or “About me” page and see
my contacts’ contacts
Bookmarking, Tagging & Skype
Groups and Premium Groups
To any member (depending on privacy
Private Messages Reply to messages only
settings)
PremiumWorld
Just read and respond to
Marketplace offers
Post, read and respond to offers
1 per month Up to 10 per month
Events 10 participants maximum Unlimited participants
(a) Basic members will not be able to view names of search results
gopsill@bluewin.ch 44

45. LinkedIn: Account upgrades
gopsill@bluewin.ch 45

46. Trust is critical in Networks
Sweden: More trust in Ikea than in the
Protestant Church.
Many people inherently do not “trust”
online networks, as they say it is easy
to misrepresent yourself.
However, this is also true in “live
networking” – you can easily produce
a “fake business cards”
In reality, on-line
in Web 2.0,
thanks to the
potential to link
through multiple
channels it is very
difficult to hide a
false identity.
gopsill@bluewin.ch 46

47. Multiple paths to connect
gopsill@bluewin.ch 47

48. Key success factors for online social networks
Experience indicates that vibrant on-line social networks typically
have the following characteristics:
Regular moderation
Strong value offering
Focused events
Member lead events
Well structured forums
High activity
98% of content from group members
Starfish ideology: the community owns the
community
gopsill@bluewin.ch 48

49. Full Gartner Hype Cycle: Emerging
Technologies, 2006
Source: Gartner
gopsill@bluewin.ch 49