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Adding a social networking application to your website is an incredible way to a.) bring awarness to your site/products and/or services b.) make the search engine spiders crawling the interverse take notice which in turn increases your page ranking c.) bolster your userbase of potential buyers thru targeted ads, special discounts and other direct marketing and d.) adds value to both your domain and your company.

Throughout history mankind has always found a way to join together regardless of the situation aka "the herd instinct". When conversation is introduced into a group of people our sensory means of communication limits the reach of our "group". In fact Dunbar's number states "The rule of 150 suggests that the typical size of a social network is constrained to about 150 members due to possible limits in the capacity of the human communication channel".

Enter the internet and our sensory constraints have been lifted and communicating with millions of people at the same time becomes a reality (websites, email etc..). However this means of communication is not much different than other media (radio, TV, public addresses etc...) since its more of communcating to rather than with.

Over the last 4 years "social networking" sites have exploded onto the scene bringing with them a way for millions of users to communicate WITH each other simultaneously almost as if standing besides each other. The technology behind this software has been around for years and is nothing new, but the concept of including the public is something that is being explored and exploited just recently.

Different types of social networking software:

Forums

Also known as a message forum, a message board, or a bulletin board, a forum allows for messages to be posted and kept on a website for future viewing.

Forum use will vary from forum to forum. In general you are required to create an online identity [ID or nickname] to be used on the forum. While some forums are free, others have a paid membership requirement. Be sure to read privacy policy before creating any identity online. Parental permission is usually required for reputable forums.

Some forums allow "Guest" access so you can view the forum before joining. This is a good way to check out a forum before you decide if you want to join. Look for a "Guest" option before signing up. You will not be able to actively participate in most forums as a guest. This mainly is due to SPAM being posted into open forums autonomously but is also a way for forum administrators to moderate discussions and adds a sense of responsibility to registered users when posting.

If you decide to join a forum and have your forum ID you will be able to log in the forum, read what has previously been posted, start your own discussions or reply to discussions already started.

Live chat

A facility that enables two or more Web users to communicate with each other in real time, using text and a standard browser. No additional software is required to download and install (in some cases the browser may require a plugin such as Adobe Flash).

Live chat is frequently employed in customer support services. This is because one of its main benefits is that a customer does not need to disconnect from the Internet in order to telephone a support line: live chat means they can receive text-based support without having to disconnect or open additional software.

Live chat may also be implemented in group based projects such as organizations, schools and fansites. Public chats may be initiated where all or criteria picked users may participate (...chatting with all users over the age of 17 and from the city of Metropolis and fans of The Metro's football team...) or private chats may be initiated on a more by invite only base.

Galleries

Media (photos, videos, artwork, audio etc...) management and sharing is the prime example of when you would need an online gallery.

Visitors browse the gallery or search the database for keywords, registered users may upload and manage their media, while administrators manage everything from a top level and keep an eye on content to enforce terms of use.

Calendars

Online calendars are a great way of managing a public or even private schedule. Some features of a calendar would be: Create multiple personal or group calendars, Find local events and add them to your calendar, Get reminders by email or on your phone, Invite others to your events and the list goes on.

For service based businesses, having an online calendar is a great way for customers to book appointments, view available times and dates, view holidays or company blackout events.

Let's explore an example:

You have a website selling electronic products online. You track your orders and keep purchase histories but no real interaction with your clients.

1. Add a rating utility where clients may leave posts about products and rate it. The ratings are stored in a database so that future shoppers interested in an item may view the average rating on the item, see any posts and comments from other shoppers and then make up their mind hearing from both the manufacturer (item description) and previous buyers (item ratings and posts).
2. Set up a support forum where customers may ask questions to both your inhouse support team (if applicable) or other customers who have bought the same or similar items.
3. Upgrade the user profiles to include advanced features such as the ability to leave a request for notification when an out of stock item is stocked again or an upgraded version is released or requesting how many units have been sold so far or pre-ordering future "hot" items.
4. Develop a user-to-user area where tips and comments about products, installation or general usage may be shared. Photos and other media pertaining to the items may be uploaded and posted in this area. Casual shoppers may browse this area to see what items look like unboxed or in action. Offer incentives for your customers to post to this area to keep it current and fluid.

The possibilities of social networking software is to draw more visitors to your website and keep them coming back.