Friendster, orkut, linkedin, etc.

Is anyone here using Friendster, orkut, linkedin, etc., social networks, for business purposes? If so, what's your experience?

Originally Posted by ohcnetwork Is anyone here using Friendster, orkut, linkedin, etc., social networks, for business purposes? If so, what's your experience?

I have never heard those names before. What are those online social networks?

One can become a member with invitation only, and in principle, you are supposed to invite someone you actually know like your co-worker, business associate, etc. Eventually this creates a network of people, and in principle, you can only contact those whom someone you know, those whom someone whom someone whom you know knows knows, etc. You get to know people just like you get to know people in real world. I think that's the idea.

Originally Posted by ohcnetwork One can become a member with invitation only, and in principle, you are supposed to invite someone you actually know like your co-worker, business associate, etc. Eventually this creates a network of people, and in principle, you can only contact those whom someone you know, those whom someone whom someone whom you know knows knows, etc. You get to know people just like you get to know people in real world. I think that's the idea.

Are you a member?

Originally Posted by WobblyBox Are you a member?

Nope. I've been thinking about joining, but it hasn't happened.

There's alot of spam on linkedin, people adding you with no real context, and people with their email as part of their name - bypassing the need for people to use the network to make contact.

They've started forums using Yahoo Groups but for people used to using forums the groups thing is onerous.

I've had actual work offers from contacts I've developed at forums like DigitalPoint but nothing from LinkedIn.

Originally Posted by ohcnetwork Is anyone here using Friendster, orkut, linkedin, etc., social networks, for business purposes? If so, what's your experience?

You can also buy banner/impressions from myspace and friendster. I dont know what the ROI is like but other businesses do seem to make it work for them.

Originally Posted by ohcnetwork Is anyone here using Friendster, orkut, linkedin, etc., social networks, for business purposes? If so, what's your experience?

I'm an inactive member of Friendster and if you're referring to posting ads there yes, you can. You can also use Youtube for business purposes would you agree?

A lot of people also use MySpace for business purposes. I'm not sure how you go about it. I've posted classified ads there and a few bulletins but that's about it. I don't have a very large friends circle yet so my attempts to advertise my business aren't getting to many people there.

I've used LinkedIn for years, since seeing a story about it on CNBC. It actually worked very well for me one time. I'd been trying to get the attention of a particular large company. My telephone calls went unanswered for about four months. One day I looked the company up on LinkedIn and found someone on there was acquainted with someone I used to worked with. So I sent a request to contact that person.

Three days later I heard back from someone who actually worked for the person I'd been leaving messages for over the past months. Within a week, we had a conference call together.

As it turns out, what I was offering wasn't necessarily good for them, but the conference call never would have happened without LinkedIn.