So I think that in today’s society, you no longer have to do marketing research of your own, nor formulate any more new ideas of your own. Nowadays, you can just look at what is happening on the internet, and use people (their conversations, ideas, blogs) in order to find out just what consumers are saying they want, and need. I Googled “technology” to see what would pop up. I came across the New York Times online, and they have tons of people that work for them that are keeping tabs on technology trends.
This particular article talked about a new company called LifeAt.com, where apartments buildings can sign up under this company and create a site for their complex. Tenants can then advertise on the site, and grown their own businesses. This is an excerpt directly from the article article:
“More than 335 buildings have joined since LifeAt began in March. About 600 more buildings are scheduled to introduce LifeAt Web sites by year’s end. The company does not currently share ad revenues with the buildings, but Mr. Goldstein said that could change.
Among buildings with LifeAt Web sites, Mr. Goldstein said, residents of 64 percent of the units have created personal pages. Property managers, who give residents login and password information, also use the sites to post news about maintenance work and vacancies.
The profile pages created by residents are similar to those on other online social networks. Users post descriptions and pictures of themselves on personal pages, along with pictures of their friends in the building. In the Marketplace section, users can post free classified ads for old furniture, appliances and baby-sitting services, and rate local eateries and businesses.”
Some say they are skeptical that this type of company will only survive in big cities. I was recently visiting a friend of mine in Chicago, and I can see how it would be great for big cities, you could almost remain completely anonymous in a big city if you wanted to, but with LifeAt.com meeting poeple will now be even easier than meeting people on a site like MySpace, or Match.com because you already have something in common with these people. You practically live with them already!
Check out the full article at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/22/technology/22ecom.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Social networking services and its related facilities are only going to get larger. It is becoming a norm in society to meet, share, and exchange info with each other online… often with complete strangers. I think it is a facinating field to keep an eye on. Too bad there isn’t really a share-market to get into. There is big money potential in this expanding field. As you know technology allows you to meet anyone in the world who has a computer. Who would of thought this would be possible — say 10, years ago.
I don’t know. There are some people in my apartment complex I’m not sure I would want to know about me. But then again this would be great for people new to the area. I may suggest it to my landlord if there can be an invite system to access personal pages.
There is another website that launched recently called Neighborology (http://neighborology.com) that offers everything that lifeat.com offers and more for free. I think they started in Charlotte, NC but it looks like they are setup for the US.
This kind of makes me sick. Why do we have to share everything about our lives with others on the internet? Or why does it have to be a necessary part of living in a community building?
Although lots of people will use this type of information sharing, I think that there is something to be said in maintaining a private existence…. social networking is great for many people, but when it comes to where you live, why be so open and inviting? For personal profit? For close relationships?
What about the risk involved in this type of openness?