“There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”

Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)

No matter what you call it - Social Networking, Social Computing, Web 2.0

Social media technology tools, such as blogs, wikis, RSS, podcasts, and user-generated content are redefining how individuals, businesses and organizations are connecting with their associates - customers, clients, vendors and employees, as well as enriching and empowering these relationships .


In today’s world of heightened customer involvement and interaction, the conversation about you, your company and your products, is going to happen with or without you.

Whether you are embarking on a Citizen Journalism initiative, creating a corporate blogging environment, or launching a consumer generated marketing program, we can help you accomplish your goals.

Leveraging Communities of Interest




On-line social networking has drastically changed the landscape of how people connect and socialize with each other. That socialization is possible through websites that provide a foundation in which society reacts to new ideas through the viewpoints and opinions of others; sharing ideas and stories; finding inspiration and information relative to each particular users interests, desires, and ambitions. Social networking sites, SNS, make it all happen and millions of people are happier because of them as indicated by the number of registered members of the major “open” social network sites; Facebook has 200,000,000; Classmates has 50,000,000; and MySpace has 253,000,000 [Source: Wikipedia.com 5-13-09].

 

The success of social network communities has demonstrated the enormous demand of Internet users for this kind of service. However, lots of people have found existing SNS communities to be too general, broad and unfocused. Therefore many people are looking for a niche social network community built around a specific topic, industry or interest. Also, the more focused a SNS community is on a particular niche, the higher are the benefits to its members and the marketing of the “Community of Interest” becomes easier.




Providing a community of interest is a powerful tool for companies, organizations, and special interest groups to manage their employees, members or target customers in a stimulating and effective way. Just a few of the benefits of joining a community of interest are:

 

  • Socialize with other people of like-minds or with similar interest

  • Find and provide “on topic” information

  • Form groups, organize group related events

  • Engage selectively one-on-one or large-group discussion

  • Capture insights from participants around the world

  • Gain a deeper understanding through both structured discussion and candid interactions

  • Providing goods and services tailored to the specialized interests of the community.




Each community of interest developed by the Garland Group are specifically designed to support focused, business-driven interaction and engagement besides standard social networking activities, as well as, to allow for maximum flexibility and growth potential.

 




The Garland Group helps companies, organizations and special interest groups create and operate branded Web 2.0 communities by combining three essential elements: Technology, Services and Best Practices. With this approach, the Garland Group does the majority of the work, relieving you of any burden or effort. You won't need to set up any servers, buy any hardware, install any software, etc. You can focus on the business goals for your community while we deal with the technology and operational aspects. This approach has produced significant benefits for many and it can work for you, too!