Social Networking Developers

Since the popularity of MySpace and Facebook, social networking developers have been creating websites and embedded programs so that Internet users can stay connected. Whether it’s with business contacts, friends or the world, social networking has developed innovative ways for people to communicate. While surfing the Internet, you may be participating in a social network and you don’t even know it. If you’ve ever posted a comment or joined a forum or kept tabs on your favorite band’s website, then you’ve become what social networking developers hope for: a member.

Social networking developers are the brains behind the programming, layouts and overall feel of a social networking website. They decide how the site will operate, how you sign up and how updates are handled. Depending on the type of website, applications can be used within your “page,” or profile. Developers typically monitor their websites daily looking for bugs, comments or suggestions for improvement and they look for ways to add new and creative features.

There are quite a few developers behind the major companies that create some of the most popular social networking websites. While there may be three or four different websites for a particular style of social networking, like for business use or keeping up with friends, there usually is one that shines above the rest. Below are some of the more popular social networks on the Internet:

Facebook was launched in February of 2004 and was initially developed for Harvard students. Soon, founders Mark Zuckerberg and Chris Hughes took the already popular social network to over 30 other colleges. Member registration skyrocketed and after turning down purchase offers from other companies, Facebook then turned its sites on high schools. Facebook now boasts over 50 million users and lets you share photos, videos and status updates in a matter of seconds.

One major competitor to Facebook is MySpace. Launched one month before Facebook, MySpace targeted the world at its release. MySpace also claims over 50 million users and is one of the most visited websites on the Internet. While Facebook focuses on keeping in touch with friends, MySpace kicks social networking into a higher gear by offering a large music and independent movie community, as well as its own viral video section.

Tom Anderson is the founder and CEO of MySpace, and when you first sign up with the social network Tom is added to your friends list. His picture, taken in front of a mirror, is synonymous with MySpace.

LinkedIn is a social network geared towards professionals. Most of the members are affiliated with a company of particular type of job. Acquiring contacts is the same as other networks but one neat feature LinkedIn has is recommendations. If you have worked with one of your contacts before, you can recommend them or ask them to write a recommendation for you. The recommendation works like a reference and anyone who searches your profile can read it.

Twitter is considered a microblogging site. The social network developers for Twitter wanted a quick way for users to communicate with one another via the Web or text messaging, so you have 140 characters to relay your status update. You can follow someone who Twitters or have a following yourself, as well as talk directly to another account holder.

Digg is a social bookmarking site that allows users to endorse a website and pass it around to other Digg users. When you "digg" something you are posting it to the Digg.com database for others to read. You gain friends and read other postings much like MySpace and Facebook. What gets posted could be anything from interesting news articles to cool viral videos. The developers of Digg (and other sites like them) have created an easy way to digg submissions via a toolbar. That way, you can post with just one click of the mouse.

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