Offline Social Networks

Before social networks came online and many Intenet age people starte thinking that Social Networks is an Intenet phenomena, there used to be social network in real life.  It appears that Internet social networkers are realizing that social networks exist beyond net also.  Caroline McCarthy has a report in news.com on this.

Online social networking has become a mainstay of the Digital Age, and it’s now evident that Internet fads can appear and disappear faster than you can say “Friendster.” As a result, some sites are turning to a new strategy to keep their services “sticky” and their users satisfied: They’re not just encouraging them to network online, but to attend offline events and parties in the real world as well. Yelp now regularly hosts parties in big cities around the country.

An interesting aspect of this observation is that ‘events’ play a key role in real social networking — both online and offline.  No wonder that Churches and temples on one hand, libraries and parks on the other always played a key role in building communities.  These were the places for holding ‘events’ to pull together and strengthen networks to build communities.  I think people have still not clearly recognized the importance of events in building communities.