Social networking online isn’t just for hip twenty-year-olds any longer, as a new wave of targeted Internet community sites build business models to attract larger audiences and more advertisers.
The Internet will see a lot more targeted community launches in the coming months, both from start-up companies and established media businesses, rather than the general youth community sites that defined the sector such as MySpace.com, Facebook.com or Friendster.com, industry watchers say.
At least two new sites were unveiled this week. Sisterwoman.com caters to women over 21 while JokeBox.com invites users to share jokes and other funny material.
Like most social networking sites, both allow users to create and share blogs, pictures and videos with friends and the wider public.
"You’re going to see a lot of these kinds of sites in the next six to nine months, both start-ups and major companies," said Andrew Frank, an analyst at Gartner Research.
Frank said that sites such as Sisterwoman would offer advertisers added value in reaching an audience that will be prepared to engage with marketers.
The sector drew investor attention after News Corp. bought MySpace for $580 million last July. In March, General Electric Co.’s NBC Universal said it planned to buy women’s online network iVillage for $600 million.
Sisterwoman launched on Wednesday after signing on ahead of time four major advertisers, including beauty-care line Neutrogena and cable network The Learning Channel.
By Yinka Adegoke
Reuters.com
