This is from Neil Patel - a smart, young branding guy
What is a social networking? Social networking is not just about Facebook but also about social news, bookmarking, etc...
Social News - Digg.com is a clear example of a site that allows users to 'create' the home page of news for specific people
Social Bookmarks - Del.icio.us allows users to publish and share their bookmarks.
Niches - There are many social networks and 'zones' for users to congregate: political, environmentalist, etc... Marketing through those niches has to be respectful of the niche otherwise nobody will follow the trail.
Success:
- Learn to follow the rules - This helps out with your reputation which is critical to getting other's to vote for you
- Provide value through content - If the content doesn't apply to the end user, it won't work. You can grease the wheels by helping the users (iPod for content), etc...
- Be a part of the community - You must be part of the ongoing community related to your product.