How many social networks are there on the Web?

At the beginning it was MySpace with a large community of music fans and bands sharing the same profile layout and functions. After that social networks have exploded in the market and now these can be divided by functions and objectives. If Facebook is the place for fun and for making contacts (that girl I met at the pub last night), then Linkedin does its job in providing career opportunities and taking care of my business contacts.

When Facebook started to decrease its market share in the States, some business analysts thought that more specialized networks would have space to grow. Since then other sites have started seeking my attention and begun to adventure into the crowded field of social networking sites.

On the 30th November 2011, Wikipedia lists 204 social networks currently providing active spaces for conversations, profiles and great organization services.

Here’s a selection of my favourites:

1) DeviantArt
It aggregates illustrators, photographers, painters, computer artists that share their works online.

2) TravBuddy
Community of travellers that share their experiences writing reviews about locations, attractions and special places that have visited.

3) SoundCloud
Looking for music producers and bands? This is the best place to discover the next coming star in the music world, it is a great source for independent stuff and a great marketing tool for every musician

4) Habbo
It started in 2003 and it has an amazing 3D pixel graphic design. It looks like an old school game where you can use an avatar to play a second life. Good luck with it!

5) Asmallworld
This unites the European jet set and the social elite worldwide. Many marketers use this for B2B leads. Members share similar backgrounds, interests and perspectives. Asmallworld offers memberships by invitations only

Any question or more on this, follow me on Twitter: @carlopandian