I’m running a few experiments with social networking here at Tribe. Specifically, I’m trying to incorporate a social networking aspect to the site that goes beyond simple commenting and linking. The loftier goal is to learn more about the readers of this blog and introduce you (readers) to one another (other readers) in an intentional and edifying manner.
The attempt to accomplish this sort of social networking lead me to two options: Facebook Connect and Google Friend Connect.
Facebook Connect: An Experience in Bloat
I tried Facebook Connect first. Unfortunately, it was a bit too much for what I need and envision. Sure it would be much easier to simply send a mass invite to all of the friends I have already accumulated on Facebook, but therein lies what I would consider to be the problem. Such a mass request smacks of all of those Facebook application requests that are sent to all of our Facebook friends every time we personally add a new application to our profiles. We all know how much our friends love getting that spam. There were other issues with Facebook Connect that pushed me towards Google. There was the bloat with the comment templates and whatnot. I don’t need all of the additional pages and templates to accomplish the social networking I had in mind. Facebook Connect was simply too much script. It also broke the XHTML validation of my site too. That is not something I’ll trade for any feature.
Google Friend Connect: Streamlined Practicality
Enter: Google Friend Connect. Google Friend Connect is exactly what I need to accomplish a bit of edifying social networking on this site. Google Friend Connect is not going crazy writing new and/or additional template pages for my site; it does not in any way, shape or form resemble the “spam your friends with this new Facebook application” marketing plan; it does not break my site’s code validation. In short, it’s simple, practical, and to the point. You can join it and login and add a brief biographical statement about yourself, and a link to your site(s), and links to other sites you have joined. It’s streamlined and simple. It’s everything that Facebook Connect is not. Once again, Google does it just a little bit better.
That said, let’s get to the point of all of this social networking banter. I have very little interaction with 90% of the readers of this blog. I have no idea who some of you even are, to be honest. Given the subject matter of this blog, I think it would be wonderful to actually engage the majority of you beyond the simple reading of the posts I write here at Tribe. I’d very much like to know a little – just a little – about my readers. And I’d like for all of you to get to know one another a little bit too. That’s what social networking is all about, right? Right!
The Bottom Line: A Tribe is By Definition A Social Network
So, here’s my request, step by step (please consider coming out of lurking mode and do this):
1. Find the box pictured below on the right hand side of this page
2. Click JOIN! NOTE: You will be given five options if you do not already have an established a member’s account. When you click JOIN you will be presented with the option of 1. Signing in with your existing Google account information, 2. Signing in with your existing AIM information, 3. Signing in with your existing Yahoo information, or 4. Signing in with your existing OpenID information. If you don’t have any of these, you have a fifth option: Create a new Google account. After you create a new Google account, you can sign in with that information.
3. Click SIGN IN! NOTE: After you create your account, you can simply click sign in and log in with your account information.
4. Introduce yourself to me and other Tribe readers by simply clicking SETTINGS (after you are logged in) and then adding your biographical blurb, a photo, links to your personal website and/or blog, and a few other details to your personal profile!
That’s it! I hope more than a few readers come out of lurk mode and actually share a little bit about themselves for my sake and for the sake of other readers of this blog. Social networking is a good thing. And with Google Friend Connect you can also interact with other visitors by making friends, sharing media, posting comments, playing games, and more. So, accept the social network challenge and actually be a little social and network with others. It’s good for you!
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Um, can’t see the Google Friend Connect icon your screen shots show. I only see FB and Twitter. Do I need to do something first before it shows up?
Patrick – Yeah. I took it down for a minute. I’m working on it w/ hopes of better implementation. Stay tuned.