Technology Review는 "Social Networking 3.0"라는 기사를 통해 3세대 Social Network Service를 소개하고 있다.

1세대는 닷컴붐이 끝나가기 시작할때 Sixdegrees.com같은 무료기반의 SNS서비스로서 기술적인 한계에 의해서 사용자들이 관계를 구축하는데 한계가 있었고 수익모델이 결여되었다.

2세대는 구글의 ADsense 및 키워드 광고등의 온라인 광고시작이 활성화된 시기인 2001~2004년에 오픈한 서비스들로 가입비가 아닌 고객의 프로필을 기반한 안정적인 광고수익을 확보할 수 있어 벤처캐피탈의 투자가 집중되었다. 2세대 서비스는 사용자들이 프로필을 작성하여 친구초대에 의하여 링크로 연결되어 회원들이 얼마나 많은 친구 관계를 구축하느냐가 중요한 성공요소였다. 이 시기에 LinkedIn, Friendster등이 관계네트워크를 기반한 Job-Searching을 통한 신규 수익모델이나 정보를 공유할 수 있는 블로그 기능을 제공해 성장했다.

3세대는 최신 커뮤니케이션 기술로 무장하여 2세대 SNS과 경쟁하고 있다. 대표적인 서비스인 "iMeem"는 인스턴트 메신저를 기반으로 친구관계를 맺어 기본적인 메신저 대화 및 블로그 운영, 사진,비디어, 팝캐스팅을 P2P서비스처럼 친구들과 공유할 수 있다.


[기사 원문]

Social Networking 3.0

The third generation of social-networking technology has hit the Web, and it's about content as much as contacts.

If there were a competition for "Internet Buzzword of the Year," last year's winner would have been "social networking," as a cohort of companies such as Ryze, Tribe, LinkedIn, Friendster, Spoke, and Visible Path, rolled out new or improved services that let Web users create online mirrors of their circle of real-life acquaintances. The idea was mainly to let users build online profiles that advertised their interests and to help them connect with friends and friends-of-friends around one of those interests -- whether it be finding a job, making a sale, or repairing an old motorcycle.

But with the exception of Friendster and Myspace, the initial response to these services among average Internet users was sluggish. Many users signed up for one or more services, created online profiles, formed connections with a few acquaintances, and drifted away, uncertain about how to use the networks.

But today, not only have all of these companies survived; they're experiencing record growth, introducing new technology and new money-making features, and being joined by sophisticated new competitors such as iMeem. Moreover, they're joining the parade of sites offering "rich media" -- the big buzzword of 2005 -- by encouraging users to share their own content online, including photos, videos, music, and other digital files.

Social networking, in other words, is finally becoming a real business with a convincing product.

"A year ago a lot of our users were pretty unclear about what they could do," says Konstantin Guericke, co-founder and vice president of marketing at LinkedIn, a social network focusing on business connections. "They knew they were getting invitations to join the network, and they knew how to accept invitations, and sometimes they sent their own invitations -- but they weren't sure what else to do with that."

A year later, LinkedIn's membership has grown from 1 million to 4.2 million; users are conducting 5 million searches a month for potential contacts within their own networks, and the company has launched several revenue-producing features, such as paid subscription options that allow members to search profiles outside their immediate circle of friends and friends-of-friends.

Rather than simply passing requests for introductions back and forth through their networks -- which was about all they could do a year ago -- LinkedIn members are using their networks for practical purposes, like finding job candidates, locating business and legal services, and coordinating group activities.

What makes all this possible, says Guericke, is the user-generated content LinkedIn holds in its members' profiles, such as resumes and testimonials. "First, we are a search engine. But second, we are a publishing platform -- about yourself and what other people say about you," Guericke says. "It just creates a more powerful business."