5 Great Social Networks That Aren't Facebook

Friday October 16, 2009

Facebook has become almost synonymous with social networks in the past couple of years thanks to explosive growth and the emergence of its development platform, but there are plenty of great social networks that aren't named Facebook. These special interest social networks focus on a particular niche, allowing you to explore a hobby or interest in greater detail than on a more general social network like Facebook.

1. Last.FM.

My wife is fond of noting how people don't ask you whether or not you like music, they ask what sort of music you like. It's generally assumed that everyones likes some form of music. But, there is a definite difference between people who listen to music and people who live for music. Last.FM is a great social network for those in the latter category, allowing you to friend others with similar taste in music and discover new music through your friends.

2. Flixster.

I'm something of a movie buff, enjoying everything from movie trivia to just annoying friends with the frequency of my movie quotes. That's probably why Flixster is one of my favorite social networks. Not only can you check out funny video clips and rate different movies, you can also spend your idle time playing the never-ending trivia game.

3. LinkedIn.

For those who prefer to focus on their professional life, LinkedIn is a great social network. After all, isn't business just one big social network? Certainly, networking plays a crucial role in certain professions like consulting. LinkedIn is a great way to keep up your business connections. And because many companies advertise jobs there, it is also great for job seekers.

4. FanIQ.

In addition to being a movie buff, I'm also a big football nut. FanIQ is a fantastic site for anyone that is into sports. Not only will FanIQ let you hook up with other fans (and, of course, do some good-natured jeering of the fans from rival teams), there is a huge amount of things to do from engaging in trivia to predicting the outcome of games.

5. GoodReads.

If your idea of a great Saturday afternoon is hitting the bookstore, you should be on GoodReads. A social network focused on books, GoodReads is a great way to find new things to read and show off your personal bookcase. There are also plenty of groups where you can get into discussions, and it is a great way to organize an online book reading club.

Find out more about social networking.