Why bother with social networks?

Many people have asked this question.

Sites like MySpace and FaceBook really highlight entertainment value. I'm not saying that you can't build your career network by joining these sites, but the vast majority of members seem to be looking for friends, dates, and generally wanting to keep in touch with people in a very simple, flashy, cute kind of way. Personally, the glitz and glamor of people's profile (songs, flashing lights, creative wallpaper, etc) all support MySpace's entertainment value.

These sites also tend to attract a demographic that values this entertainment; namely, young, single males & females ages 15-28. MySpace is offering enough entertainment value to entice many people to join their site.

LinkedIn, while not a social network yet, draws a very different audience. Most people (including myself) who register and build networks through linkedin are hoping to build a career or business network. This network is tapped far less often than a MySpace network, presumably because people more frequently need entertainment value than they need to find another job. I've noticed that LinkedIn members only interact when somebody is looking for a job, somebody is hiring for a job, or somebody wants to form a partnership or sell something. Compared to MySpace, there isn't a continual draw back to LinkedIn beyond these activities. But, when a user is in one of these phases, this network is a very valuable resource.

Then, there's wikipedia--one of my very favorite sites! While some will argue that this is not a social network, it is increasingly becoming so with communities forming around a posted subject. The motivation for those that post seems to be visibility and respect. If I am an expert on lizards, I find altruistic value in sharing my knowledge with other people. I also appreciate the respect that I gain from that sharing. Finally, because I feel passionately about the subject, I am most likely very open to discussing it with other interested parties.

So, there you have it. Very different motivations for different social networking sites. Some offer entertainment value; others offer access to career opportunities and potential hires that might not otherwise be available; others offer the ability to be seen and respected.