Don't want to join my network? Fine, go make your own.
That's the simple idea behind Ning, the brainchild of Gina Bianchini, whose idea has landed her on Business 2.0's 50 Who Matter. Ning, which means peace and tranquility in Chinese, lets you create your own social network for anything.
With just a few simple steps, Ning helps you let loose your own inner-programmer. It's especially attractive to people with highly specialized interests, but perhaps limited technical know-how. That means anyone, from Web Moms and Navy Wives, to wine lovers, virtual travel groups (“SeekintheCityâ€) and even people who can't eat cheese (“Cheese Gaggersâ€) can make a full copy of today's most popular social websites, and fully customize them for specific interests and audiences.
The service already has 65,000 social networks up and running.
DIY Social Network
Ning Sites for Anything
Trend Themes
1. DIY Social Networks - The trend of creating personalized social networks for specific interests and audiences opens up opportunities for disruptive innovation in social media platforms.
2. Specialized Social Networks - The trend of highly specialized social networks catering to specific interests and communities presents opportunities for disruptive innovation in niche market platforms.
3. User-created Platforms - The trend of empowering users to create their own social networking platforms encourages disruptive innovation in the field of user-generated content and online communities.
Industry Implications
1. Social Media - The social media industry can benefit from the trend of DIY social networks by exploring new ways to engage and cater to niche communities.
2. Technology - The technology industry can seize the opportunity of DIY social networks to develop innovative tools and platforms that enable users to easily create and customize their own online communities.
3. Marketing and Advertising - The marketing and advertising industry can leverage the trend of specialized social networks to target specific audience segments and deliver personalized brand experiences.