social networking niches
is there a place for niche social networks? I think so, especially if they are mass niches (I know, that doesn’t make sense, but hear me out).
Mass Niche Example #1: New and expecting parents are a mass niche. Not everyone is a new or expecting parent, but according to the National Center for Health Statistics 4.3 million babies were born last year. That’s a large number of new parents, and they are relatively passionate about connecting with and learning from other new parents.
Mass Niche Example #2: The work-world. Almost everyone has a job, and almost everyone (now a days) is thinking about their next job. So a place to connect with other like-minded individuals, search for relevant jobs, ask questions, seek business partners, etc. just makes sense. LinkedIn is attempting to fulfill this niche, but time will tell if they can continue to stay true to their mass niche and not try and become mass (i.e. Facebook).
This is by no means a full analysis. Rather, think of this as a thought-starter. For instance, a question totally unaddressed is what happens when a mass social network (i.e. Facebook) creates applications for these niches. Is that what people want? Will that work?
