Visible Networking

MySpace's tutorial by Demetri Martin

You have to check this video and check Demetri's approach to friendship with a drag n' drop twist! ;-)

Social Networking & Blogging in the Banking Industry

In March 2007, I created a new blog on Banking & Web 2.0: www.Visible-Banking.com.
I cover topics such as social networking, blogging, RSS feeds applied to online banking and mobile banking.

Please find below recent social networking & blogging initiatives in the banking industry.

BLOGGING
* Wordpress grows beyond 1 million blogs - 24 May 2007
* New CU Blogs: Midwest Financial, Old Hickory, and Secure One Credit Unions - 21 May 2007
* First Look: Verity CU's New Blog - 18 May 2007
* Here's a Financial Institution Blogger that Does it Right - 07 May 2007
* 7 Online Banking Success Stories - 06 May 2007
* Blogs Bring Negative Publicity to Overdraft Charges - 30 April 2007
* New Blog: Comala Connection from Comala Credit Union - 25 April 2007
* iKobo and Nationwide Insurance Use Website Videos, with Very Different Results - 24 April 2007
* Blog sighting: Member Connect from Piedmont Credit Union - 24 April 2007

SOCIAL NETWORKING
* Facebook | will people share their pictures, thoughts and information with commercial interests? - 26 May 2007
* Social Networking to infinity and beyond - 25 May 2007
* Could FaceBook risk becoming another AOL? - 25 May 2007
* Social Network ad spending predicted to grow (eMarketer) - 24 May 2007
* Community ROI - a sensible view - 24 May 2007
* A sense of community - 23 May 2007
* Germany's Wirecard Bank opens in Second Life - 18 May 2007
* Money Games / Trends Virtual Currencies - May 2007
* WoW Visa Card introduced - 10 May 2007
* The power of social networks and banking is only now becoming clear - 01 May 2007
* Launch Day at Our Virtual Holland! (ING Bank) - 30 April 2007
* Schwab Does Social Networking, Sponsors Gather.com - 25 April 2007
* Europeans most active in Second Life - 05 May 2007

Review - Join2Grow.biz (on Visible-Banking.com)

Review - Join2Grow.biz (Fortis)
Review - Join2Grow.biz (Part 2): Registration, Profile, Contacts
Review - Join2Grow.biz (Part 3): RSS, Channels, Podcasts and Polls
Review - Join2Grow.biz (Part 4): Conclusion
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I wonder why banks in Benelux seem to lead the way in the european banking industry in terms of innovation and web 2.0.

If we already met, you know how passionate I am about social/business networking and web 2.0! I am extremely pleased to see banks like Fortis or ING overcome the concerns about brand damage that usually prevent banks for implementing web 2.0 technologies!

I will review Join2Grow.biz, the social network for European entrepreneurs launched by Fortis in February 2007, from a user point of view and from the view of an expert in social networking.

I am curious to understand how Fortis plan to fully utilize and leverage this network in the future... But first, they need to market it, significantly grow the number of members, and make sure their members are using it! Now, they need to MAKE IT HAPPEN!

It is an excellent, and clever, way for Fortis Merchant Bank to gather info and statistics about entrepreneurs. They can profile their members, and better understand what their expectations and concerns are.
Their key goal is probably to build credibility, trust, and position themselves as the favourite financial partner for entrepreneurs in Europe. If they do it well, they could use the input from members to enhance their marketing campaigns, or launch new offers/financial products.

ABOUT
From the website.
Join2Grow.biz is an on-line networking community for European entrepreneurs.

Initiated by Fortis Merchant & Private banking, and conducted in partnership with TNS Sofres and McKinsey, it is the first survey to focus specifically on entrepreneurs in order to develop a complete and accurate picture of who they are and what drives them.

Their survey is one of the reasons for the launch of this network: Fortis wants entrepreneurs to access the results, start discussions & share comments, and respond to new surveys on a regular basis. Very clever... If it works.

HOMEPAGE
The homepage is clear and very pleasant. There is a good mix of flash animation (insisting on Fortis survey) and text.

Moreover, you understand fairly quickly that the website is divided into three main sections:
 
* Entrepreneur survey
* Entrepreneur magazine
* Entrepreneur network

The emphasis is on the registration: Fortis wants you to register! (and I am not blaming them)

This homepage really "feels" web 2.0, it is dynamic: you see a Flash animation, several RSS Feeds, and more importantly some Tags (called "Interests" on this platform). When you scroll down, you also see some articles/posts with comments.

On the negative side, I admit that I am not a huge fan of long web pages where you need to scroll down to find extra features or options (like the Entrepreneur magazine's Channels or the "most active entrepreneurs")

NEXT: Review - Join2Grow.biz (Part 2)

NET - The Social Networking Week #4 (February 2007)

Here you are: the fourth issue of NET - The Social Networking Week!

The Social Networking Week #4 (11/02/07 - 18/02/07)
I decided to regroup the news by categories. I also decided to add some older articles/posts I found this week. Please get back to me with your comments!

My plan is to add more analysis and share my comments, but I don't have the time to do it now.
Please note that most of those articles come from the excellent blog on Social Networking by Pete Cashmore, Mashable!

LAUNCH
* MySpace Launches Comic Book Community - Death To ComicSpace?
* Comeeko - Comic Strips for MySpace
* MySpace Charity Badges - CareBadges
* Nuzizo - MySpace, MyCity
* ESocialLife - Definitive Proof That MySpace Could Be Uglier
* SimplyHired Launches a MySpace Jobs Widget
* StumbleUpon Takes a Wii
* New MySpace-Focused Browser Launched 

FINANCE
* Index Ventures Announces €350M Fund
* Quepasa Acquires Corazones.com, Blows Other Latino Social Networks Away
* Breaking: SingShot Acquired By Electronic Arts
   
NEWS
* Negligent Parents Blamed for MySpace Assault, Tom is a Free Man
* Performancing Sold, EFF-YouTube, PodZinger Website Search, FilmSpot, Skee.TV, Shozu GeoTagging, Preclick, Yellow Pages 

INITIATIVES
* Catching Up With LinkedCampus
* Somebody Think of The Children! Illinois Banning Social Networks?

RESOURCES
Mashable (Pete Cashmore), LinkedIntelligence (Scott Allen), The Social Networking Blog, Social Networking
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Technorati: socialnetworking, businessnetworking, blogging, video, linkedin

NET - SixDegrees.org

SixDegrees.org is a great initiative from Kevin Bacon, using the original "six degrees of separation" theory to help raise funds for good causes. Check Kevin's video on the homepage!


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Technorati: socialnetworking, charities, sixdegrees, kevinbacon,

NET - Fortis launches 'MySpace' for entrepeneurs

This is an exciting news found today, 16 Feb 2007, on finextra!
"Belgian financial services group Fortis has launched a MySpace-style social network for European entrepeneurs."

   
After ING, it is a pleasure to see other banks trying to leverage the potential of the web2.0 and social networking: "(Fortis) strongly backing this new tool (Join2Grow.biz), which will give European businesspeople the opportunity to be part of a strong, continent-wide community of modern and active entrepreneurs who want to take their business life to another level".
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Technorati: socialnetworking, businessnetworking, myspace, fortis

NET - Vodafone in deal to access MySpace via mobiles

A smart move and the beginning of a lucrative partnership for Vodafone and MySpace. It is a fantastic marketing coup for MySpace who has still to improve its brand awareness and its presence in Europe, and Vodafone who will further develop its younger customer base.

LONDON (Reuters) - Mobile phone company Vodafone Group unveiled a deal with News Corp's MySpace on Wednesday that will allow its customers to access the popular web-based social network using cell phones.
The exclusive deal will help Vodafone, Europe's biggest mobile operator, boost mobile usage and with it data revenues, and also helps MySpace launch itself in the European mobile market.

You will find more details and some quotes on Yahoo!.
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Technorati: socialnetworking, businessnetworking, myspace, vodafone, mobile

NET - The Social Networking Week #3 (January 2007)

Here you are: the third issue of NET - The Social Networking Week!

The Social Networking Week #3 (15/01/07 - 21/01/07)
I decided to regroup the news by categories. I also decided to add some older articles/posts I found this week. Please get back to me with your comments!

My plan is to add more analysis and share my comments, but I don't have the time to do it now.
Please note that most of those articles come from the excellent blog on Social Networking by Pete Cashmore, Mashable!

LAUNCH
* Fabchannel Launches Video Player for MySpace
* Parentography to Launch Map-Based Parenting Community
* KoolIM Launches 2.0
* Vox Launches Vox Groups
* MySpace to launch New Zealand site

PARTNERSHIPS
* ReverbNation-Snocap Partnership

FINANCE
* MySpace Sued By Parents Who Don’t Keep an Eye on their Kids
* Meebo Gets $9M More, MeeboMe API Coming
* Latino Social Network MiMun2.com Acquired By IDT
* Piczo Receives $11 Million Funding
* Facebook's New Price: $8 Billion?
   
NEWS
* In-Game Ads, SpiralFrog, Ozmozr Launched, DuggSpace
* InWeekend Amusement: Iqons, ShoutLife, Wipbox, Vidmeter
* My LATimes, Unlock Austin, Google Librarians, Technorati Down, YouTube Overkill
* OnlyHuman, StyleSpy, 4Marks, WineLabels
* Brightcove Funded, RateMyProfessors, MyWallSt.net, DayZloop, Sproose, More
* YouTube Gandhi, mDog MySpace, OfferTrax, TechStars, Limelight, BuzzLogic, MTV Virtual Hills, StupidVideos
* Footnote, iJigg, TheFoundBin, SocialNetwork.in, AdGridWork, AdvisorGarage

ARTICLES
* Guy Kawasaki’s LinkedIn Profile Extreme Makeover
* Practicing LinkedIn, Part 1 - Monthly

INITIATIVES
* Facebook IM Options Tweaked
* MySpace Tracker Tracks Teens

RESOURCES
Mashable (Pete Cashmore), LinkedIntelligence (Scott Allen), The Social Networking Blog, Social Networking
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Technorati: socialnetworking, businessnetworking, blogging, video, linkedin

NET - The Social Networking Week #2 (January 2007)

Here you are: the second issue of NET - The Social Networking Week!

The Social Networking Week #2 (08/01/07 - 14/01/07)
I decided to regroup the news by categories. I also decided to add some older articles/posts I found this week. Please get back to me with your comments!

My plan is to add more analysis and share my comments, but I don't have the time to do it now.
Please note that most of those articles come from the excellent blog on Social Networking by Pete Cashmore, Mashable!

LAUNCH
* YSN.com Launching a Social Network for Annoyingly Ambitious Kids
* Olivia Connect Launches Lesbian Social Network
* Shoutfit To Launch A Fashionable Social Network
* Facebook Mobile Coming Together
* MySpace France Launches This Week

PARTNERSHIPS
* Moob Makes a Move (with Sanity Digital)
* Google-Friendster Partnership Revealed

FINANCE
* ShoutCentral Sells for $13,800
* Confirmed: eBay Buying StubHub for $310 Million
 
NEWS
* Mashable Roundup (New Beboer, Ikbis, MyRacer, PediaX, CrowdSpirit, FlyingCart, Zpeech, Shuzak)
* Mashable Roundup (AOL-Napster, Sidekiq, Mapwing, Helphee)
* Mashable Roundup (1Up.com, MommyClub, IndiePad, JustRhymes, Wambo, Dai.sy)
* Mashable Roundup (YouTube TV, Meez, Capessa, Imity, Mobango, InChorus, HyperComics, CitizenImage, Terapad and More)

ARTICLE & ANALYSIS
* MySpace: Google’s Frienemy?
* Top Ten Feature Requests for LinkedIn Answers

INITIATIVES
* Typepad promotes Linkedin (Banner+Widget)
* LinkedIn promotes Guy Kawasaki's blog

VIDEO
* Dovetail.tv to Pay Filmmakers $0.10 per Download
* YouTube Campaigns: MyCadillacStory and Real Housewives
* Flikzor - Video Comments for MySpace

RESOURCES
Mashable (Pete Cashmore), LinkedIntelligence (Scott Allen), OnlineMediaDaily
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Technorati: socialnetworking, businessnetworking, blogging, video, linkedin

NET - The Social Networking Week #1 (January 2007)

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great time at the end of 2006.

As far as I am concerned, December have been extremely busy: I started a new exciting and challenging job at SWIFT in November, and it will keep me busy for a while.

My new year resolution is to make the most of everyday! To organize myself to still achieve a lot at work, still spend time with my friends, and find some extra time to go to the gym and post more often on my blogs.

Already a couple of months ago, I planned to post a summary of the week every week-end: the focus being on social networking, business networking, blogging, and above all visibility!

Here you are: the first issue of NET - The Social Networking Week!

The Social Networking Week #1 (01/01/07 - 07/01/07)
This is a first version. Please get back to me with your comments!
I decided to regroup the news by categories. I also decided to add some older articles/posts I found this week.

PEOPLE
* Konstantin Guerricke "leaves" LinkedIn

LAUNCH
* Ziggs 3.0
* Toyota Introduces “Hybrid” Social Networking
* Disney Preps Social Network For Kids
* Four Gay and Lesbian Social Networks Coming Out
* Groovr Launches Impressive Mobile Social Network
* Vidivodo Launches, Ecirkit, PostReach, iLoggo, LiveLeak

FINANCE
* MomJunction, Another “MySpace for Moms”, Raises $1.5 Million
* vMix Funded
* Match Activity Gets Angel Funding
* StudiVZ Acquired For $112M

NEW SERVICE
* Linkedin launches LinkedIn Answers
* Sploder Launches - Custom Games for MySpace

NEWS
* YouTube blocked in Brazil
* Mashable Roundup
* Brides.com Launches MySpace Countdowns, Leafletter Launches

PARTNERSHIPS
* MeeboMe Widgets Come to Traineo

ARTICLES & ANALYSIS
* Guy Kawasaki on Eleven Ways to Use LinkedIn
* Social Networking in 2007
* Mashable’s 2007 Predictions
* Linkedin gets down to business

BLOGS ABOUT SOCIAL NETWORKING
* Mashable!

RESOURCES
Mashable (Pete Cashmore), LinkedIntelligence (Scott Allen), MarketWatch (Bambi Francisco), OnlineMediaDaily, Technorati, Google