Critical Success Factors of a Social Network

What Are the Critical Success Factors of A Social Network?
I’ll Tell You Over a Beer (advocate.com).

Alan Belniak
Babson College ‐ MOB 7580
Spring 2009
Professor Marty Anderson
2009.04.24

Table of Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................ 1
Project Description: What Comprises an Effective Social Network? .................................................................................. 1
Application: Putting the Theory to the Test ........................................................................................................................ 1
Setting the Record Straight: What Is a Social Network, and What Does it Mean to Belong to One? .................................... 1
Examples ............................................................................................................................................................................. 2
Elements that Loosely Define ‘Membership’ ...................................................................................................................... 2
Success! Social Networking Sites That Work ......................................................................................................................... 2
Table 1: Case Study Summary of Successful Social Networks ........................................................................................ 3
iBMWr.org ........................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Paddling.net ........................................................................................................................................................................ 5
Fail! Defunct Social Networking Sites (for various reasons) ................................................................................................... 5
Bolt.com .............................................................................................................................................................................. 6
Capazoo.com ....................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Table 2: Case Study Summary of Defunct Social Networks ............................................................................................ 7
Yahoo! 360° ....................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Yahoo! Kickstart ................................................................................................................................................................ 10
Yahoo! Mash ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Macro‐Level Lessons Learned: What To Do and Not to Do When Creating a Social Network ............................................. 11
Do ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 11
Do Not Do .......................................................................................................................................................................... 12
Theory and Application: An Assessment of a Social Network Using the Framework ........................................................... 12
BeerAdvocate Description ................................................................................................................................................ 12
BeerAdvocate.com Components ...................................................................................................................................... 13
Establishment of The Network ......................................................................................................................................... 14
.
Analysis and Evaluation .................................................................................................................................................... 15
.
BeerAdvocate Ecosystem .................................................................................................................................................. 16
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................................. 17
Appendices ............................................................................................................................................................................ 18
Appendix A: Screen Capture of iBMWr.org – March 2009 ............................................................................................... 19
Appendix B: Screen Capture of Paddling.net – March 2009 ............................................................................................. 20
Appendix C: Screen Capture of Bolt.com .......................................................................................................................... 21
Appendix D: Screen Capture of Capazoo.com .................................................................................................................. 22
Appendix E: Screen Capture of Yahoo! 360° ..................................................................................................................... 23
Appendix F: Screen Capture of Yahoo! Kickstart .............................................................................................................. 24
Appendix G: Screen Capture of Yahoo! Mash ................................................................................................................... 25
Appendix H: Screen Capture of BeerAdvocate (March 2009) .......................................................................................... 26
Appendix I: BeerAdvocate.com Site Traffic ...................................................................................................................... 27
.
Appendix J: Sites That Link to BeerAdvocate.com ............................................................................................................ 28

Alan Belniak Page i
MOB 7580 Spring 2009

Executive Summary
A review of select social networks that are effective and those that are defunct permitted a distillation of macro‐level
lessons for other social networks.  Codifying these lessons into an effective practices and potential inhibitors list creates
a framework that other future social networks can consider during the construction phase.  That framework, as well as
subject matter expertise from the author, was applied to the BeerAdvocate.com social network to determine its “social
network effectiveness”.  The result of the evaluation indicates that BeerAdvocate is indeed a successful social network;
it follows many of the suggested practices and avoids many of the potential inhibitors.  To extend the discussion of the
“network” concept, BeerAdvocate’s current ecosystem partners are listed, suggesting that joint value is created when
the positive network is broad and deep.  Furthermore, a suggestion of other ecosystem participants is listed.  It is noted
that not all of these participants are true partners, since joint value creation would not result from the introductions of
some of these participants.  However, many of the suggested participants listed would indeed further the depth and
breadth of the BeerAdvocate network (since many listed are positive), resulting in joint‐value creation.

Below is an abbreviated list of suggested practices (“Do”); the full list is presented later in this report.  To see the
essence of this without reading all of the text, skip to the end of the executive summary.

Know the audience (not just who they are, but what drives them)
Set definitive and actionable goals for the creation of this network
Understand the true value that “being social” will bring to the table
Find one or two core attributes, embellish that, and then create additional content around it
Provide some “standard community” options, only if they fit; understand, from the users, the types of content to
offer (blogs, forums, etc.)… and offer those
Make it easy to join and easy to leave; do not coerce or make it otherwise arduous
Make the terms of service (“ToS”) as transparent as possible
Permit an easy way to offer feedback, and respond to it quickly, if not immediately
Use a site design that loads fast or can be interpreted on all Internet browsers,  including mobile global
platforms
Provide an education section to acclimate new users on terminology and the local mores of the network
Pre‐seed with rich content to start, and permit (and encourage!) user‐generated content
Provide (and permit the users to provide) implicit or explicit links to others in the ecosystem
Make promotion of the network easy
Find out what works, and copy it, or simply support it
Link to other larger social networking platforms (e.g., Facebook, Twitter) to aggregate and link to create cross‐
site traffic

Similarly, an abbreviated list of social network success inhibitors (“Do Not Do”) is presented below; the full list is also
presented later in this report.  If you want to see the essence of this without reading all of the text, skip to the end of the
executive summary.

Set age restrictions when none are really needed
Fill the site with needless advertising, or where advertising is nonsensical
Restrict too heavily what users can and cannot do (or solely let the users set the norms)
Be simply a copycat to other sites or networks; a differentiator is needed to establish value
Make the joining process lengthy, complicated, and burdensome
Rely on sophisticated web technologies to serve up the pages (e.g., Flash)
Reinvent site and change focus, yet expect veteran users to remain members
Rely too heavily on a “build it and they will come” mentality; do not expect the first iteration to be the last
Host or permit illegal file sharing

Alan Belniak Page ii

Figure E‐1: Visual Summary of “Do” List

credit: image content: this document; image creation and design: http://www.wordle.net

Figure E‐2: Visual Summary of “Don’t” List

credit: image content: this document; image creation and design: http://www.wordle.net

Alan Belniak Page iii

Introduction
Social networks have existed for much longer than the modern‐day personal computer.  Moving into a new area and
asking a neighbor for a recommendation for a good plumber is an example of a social network.  A social network can be
defined as people rallying around a common theme or interest and sharing information.  The proliferation of personal
computers, the Internet, and the relative low cost of creating aggregation portals has permitted the rapid creation of
social networking services/social networking sites (SNSs).  Many people commonly associate SNS with Facebook,
MySpace, LinkedIn, Bebo, or a handful of others.  In reality, there are many other online social networks that do not fall
under the broader category of ‘social networking site’.

Project Description: What Comprises an Effective Social Network?
This study focuses on the identification of elements that comprise an effective social network.  In contrast, elements
that lead to the failure of a social network are also discussed.  To aid in identifying effectiveness, two successful social
networks are reviewed in detail.  Common themes among the networks were identified to highlight trends and to form
larger, macro‐level lessons.  This was added to the author’s subject matter expertise when conducting the review.

Application: Putting the Theory to the Test
To apply the lessons learned, another social network (an author’s favorite) is presented.  The network and its character
are described to familiarize the reader with the case study in question.  The components of the web site‐portion of the
network are listed next to further describe the value created among the network members.  A review of the traffic that
the network experiences as well as examples of popular press comments are discussed, as a way of legitimizing the
network as something that plays to more than a niche audience.  After that, analysis and evaluation of the network is
presented, using the previously‐defined framework.  Finally, the network’s ecosystem is reviewed, and current and
potential future members and participants of that ecosystem are listed.

Setting the Record Straight: What Is a Social Network, and What Does
it Mean to Belong to One?
Wikipedia.org (a social network in and of itself) defines a social network as a social structure made of nodes (which are
generally individuals or organizations) that are tied by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as values,
visions, ideas, financial exchange, friendship, sexual relationships, kinship, dislike, conflict or trade.1  Note how there is
no required “computer” or “Internet” component listed in this definition.  Essentially, a social network is people sharing
ideas and information around a similar theme.

Social Networking Services or Social Networking Site (SNSs) are described as web‐based services that allow individuals to
(1) construct a public or semi‐public profile within a bounded system, (2) articulate a list of other users with whom they
share a connection, and (3) view and traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system.  The
nature and nomenclature of these connections may vary from site to site2.

The difference should now be clear to the reader: the second definition (SNS) helps enable the first definition (SN); the
first can exist (and has before and will continue to do so) without the second.  Belonging to a social network entails
finding other people with a shared interest (or interests) and discussing those interests and trading or sharing
information.  Belonging to a social networking service or site typically requires some sort of registration, profile creation,
and other link to a communication form (such as an e‐mail address or telephone or mailing address).  Clearly it can be
seen that social networking service can permit the rapid growth, ubiquity, utility, and popularity of a social network.


1
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_network
2
   http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol13/issue1/boyd.ellison.html
Alan Belniak Page 1

Examples
Social Networks
o church, volunteer organization, neighborhood association, parent/teacher association, cycling club, wine
appreciation group, poker group, quilting circle
Common3 Social Networking Site/Social Networking Service4
o Facebook, MySpace, Bebo, Friendster, Xing, LinkedIn
Other5 Social Networking Sites
o iBMWr.org, BeerAdvocate.com, Paddling.net, Flickr

Elements that Loosely Define ‘Membership’
Membership components vary per SNS, but most require the same basic information: first/last name, e‐mail address,
user name, and password.  Additional info that is required or at least requested includes birthday/age verification,
location, interests, hobbies, short description, and a picture.  This membership information is used to create a profile.
Depending on the type of social network, additional “character” information may be requested.  For example, in a
network dedicated to cycling, the additional requested information may be types of bicycle frames owned, favorite
rides, and other gear used.  For a photography network, this information might be lenses used, camera bodies owned,
and types of photography the shooter prefers. This information is often used in some sort of relational database to
permit cross‐tabbing or cross‐indexing of information, either for the site administrators (e.g., general knowledge,
advertisements, segmentation) or for the members at large (e.g., sub‐network formation, location of experts).

Success!  Social Networking Sites That Work
Two existing functioning and successful social networks were reviewed for key elements to determine what comprises
an effective social network.  Any common elements between the two were assumed to be crucial factors in a successful
social network.  The two sites selected for this review are iBMWr.org and paddling.net.  Table 1 below provides a
summary of these two sites.  The important elements are described in the text below Table 1.


3
   “common” here means SNSs, as most people understand them to be
4
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_social_networking_websites
5
   “other” here means SNSs that fit the broader definition of a social network, and use the Internet to permit connections
Alan Belniak Page 2

Table 1: Case Study Summary of Successful Social Networks
Site Name Main Focus Typical Content Reasons For Success / Select Site Statistics
iBMWr.org “… dedicated to the Events; trip reports; marketplace (member‐to‐ Easy to join, focuses on specific niche, non‐
http://ibmwr.org/   free exchange of member buy/sell/trade); technical articles; commercial/commercially influenced (no ads),
http://www.quantcast.com/ibmwr.org   information and ideas product reviews; partial list of contact links to ecosystem partners, depth level and
regarding BMW information for other riders, and more accuracy of technical articles, proficiency of
motorcycles.” users re: the articles and the marketplace, no
The site is generally text‐based with the only dues or fees
substantial graphics being pictures that users
post; the site’s beginnings are from Usenet 25.5k monthly visits (US only); predominantly
groups, and it shows male; 12‐17 and 50+ are top two age groups;
most visitors have no kids; most earn between
US$ 60k and 100k per year (as of March 29,
2009)

Addicts (more than 30 visits per month)
comprise 32% of the site’s total traffic in the
past six months (but only 2% of the total users
that month); Regulars (more than one visit but
fewer than 30 visits per month) comprise 55% of
the sites total visit type

source: http://www.quantcast.com

Alan Belniak Page 3

Site Name Main Focus Typical Content Reasons For Success / Select Site Statistics
Paddling.net “Paddling.net: Your #1 Reviews and descriptions of gear related to Appeals to specific audience: canoeists and
http://www.paddling.net/   source for canoeing kayaks, canoes, paddles, and related kayakers; a go‐to place for product reviews
http://www.quantcast.com/paddling.net   and kayaking” accessories; product reviews; links to used (user‐generated) and tours/trips/guides; an
equipment; paddling schools/education; guide option to join a premium section of the site (for
books; guided trips/outfitters; articles (site‐ a fee); classified ads permit ‘for sale’ and
generated and user‐generated); classified ads; ‘wanted’ ads, drawing traffic for both
community resources (message boards, photo communities; 80,000+ people receive the
posting, video posting, newsletter, calendars, newsletter; rich content; many external links
contests, etc.); shopping; profile creation
119k monthly visits (US only); predominantly
The main area of the site is “what’s new”, the male; 72% of visitors are 35 years old or older;
areas that flank that are menu bars up top and 76% of the visitors have no kids; 37% earn
ads on each side   between US$ 60k and 100k per year; 67% have
attended college or graduate school (as of
March 29, 2009)

Regulars (more than one but fewer than 30
visits per month) comprise 57% of the site’s total
traffic; Passers‐by (one visit per month)
comprise 60% of the sites total visit type, but
only comprise 16% of the total traffic

A Google search for “kayak canoe” (minus the
quotation marks) yields 2.9m results;
paddling.net is the second result

source: http://www.quantcast.com

Alan Belniak Page 4

iBMWr.org
This social network operates with no advertisements.  In fact, it is reminiscent of its humble beginnings as a Usenet
group.  The network specifically caters to a BMW motorcycle riding club (“r”), and uses the Internet (“i”) to spread the
message and link people that are farther apart than shouting distance.  The site is not particularly graphics‐heavy,
meaning that it loads fast even for non‐broadband connections.  Joining is easy/hassle‐free.  The content is arranged in
an easy‐to‐use hierarchy.  Rules are spread throughout the site for what constitutes a “good” post versus an otherwise
“not good” post.  Perusing the content shows that the site self‐polices, and the tone and general attitude is easily
understood and discerned.  That is to say, a new joiner would quickly understand the mores of the site.  There are a fair
number of links out to a larger ecosystem that supports the site, but they are not prominent so as to interfere with the
network’s mission: connecting other BMW motorcycle riders.  The knowledge depth is impressive, and a frequent topic
of discussion is technical assistance and maintenance, suggesting that this is a favorite destination for those seeking this
type of information with their BMW motorcycle.  Advice is given freely, though not always requested.  The marketplace
is patronized heavily, and there is even a sub‐system of rules that loosely govern it (this is akin to a BMW‐motorcycle
only “e‐bay”).  There are no dues or fees, but donations are welcome to support the hosting and bandwidth.  Those are
the only ostensible fees, keeping the maintenance cost of the site amazingly low.  According to www.quantcast.com,
thirty‐two percent of the site’s total traffic in a six‐month period was comprised of ‘addicts’ (more than 30 visits per
month).  A screenshot of the site as of March 2009 is included in Appendix A.

Paddling.net
Paddling.net is a premier destination (for those not “in” the network) for canoeing and kayaking.  This network provides
broad and deep access to guided tours, gear reviews, pictures, discussions, and the like.  The gear reviews are
particularly helpful, since quality media related to these sports is scarce.  Thus, this network is a direct outlet to the
ecosystem (or, inlet to a receptive community, depending on the viewpoint).  Accordingly, the site is advertisement‐
intensive, but in this particular sense, it works well.  Savvy ecosystem partners will monitor the site’s discussion forums
for product enhancement suggestions, gripes, and praise, and then funnel that information back to their companies
appropriately.  Guided tour advertisements and descriptions of self‐guided tours serve as a major attraction for those
involved in the sports.  The classified advertisement section is constructed very well, and heavily patronized.  As a niche
site, it permits detailed technical discussion and use of terminology that would otherwise confound the average user on
a site such as e‐bay (for classified selling/buying) or L.L. Bean (outdoor gear and clothing, but on a much broader scale).
In a nutshell, jargon is welcome because it fits within the community.  A screenshot of the site as of March 2009 is
included in Appendix B.

Fail! Defunct Social Networking Sites (for various reasons)
Similar to the success stories, several defunct social networks were reviewed to aid in determining what comprises an
ineffective social network.  For this exercise, seven networks were reviewed:

Two of the networks failed (Bolt.com and Capazoo.com)
Two of the networks were acquired (Pownce.com and SixDegrees.com)
Three were related ,or rolled into one another (Yahoo! 360°, Yahoo! Kickstart, and Yahoo! Mash)

Alan Belniak Page 5

For the purposes of this study, the analysis that follows will focus on the two failures and the three sites rolling into one.
A discussion of the acquired sites will not lend substantial insights to this study.  As above, the sites were examined in
detail6, and inspected for key elements; it was assumed that any common elements were crucial factors in an
unsuccessful social network.  Table 2 below provides a summary of the sites.  These elements are described in the text
below.

Bolt.com
Bolt.com was one of the original social networking sites to combine the attractive elements of online teen “hanging
out”: chat rooms, instant messaging, games, blogs, and the like.  Initial joiners stayed with the network, but shortly after
its launch, the site changed its focus.  In addition, the initial joiners’ interests and focus changed (again, primarily
teenagers, so attention span and current interests are dynamic, to say the least), resulting in a misalignment of value.
When the site underwent a radical change, Bolt.com site administrators and owners failed to seek proper input from the
existing user base, thus alienating them.  Bolt also failed to secure proper licensing of the videos it hosted, resulting in
heavy legal fees7.  A comment8 about Bolt.com’s demise sums up its failure succinctly:

I was a part of the bolt community from the original bolt (when they called themselves bolt2.com) and
when the original bolt decided to "Pull the plug" and "Focus their energies" on the new bolt
(bolt.com)they at least warned us about them being shut down, so I transfered [sic] my entries as well as
photos to the new bolt, and now they are gone forever, which really makes me angry.  I have lost over
seven years of my life on that site because some corporation decides to sue the corporation.  I never did
anything illegal, and I am sure many people have posted their own stuff legally but why does many [sic]
have to suffer because of a few people that can not keep to the rules.  Bolt Staff was prompt to try and
remove those that were "breaking rules" of net policy, but they can not catch all.  Sorry for the long
writing, but it upsets me because I have just lost lots of personal items, as well as friends that I kept in
contact with, and Bolt was a great place to meet new friends.

A screenshot of the site is included in Appendix C.

Capazoo.com
Capazoo was a Canadian social networking and entertainment site, offering the typical set of social networking
functions, including blogging, photo and video uploads, and profile pages.9  One unique feature of Capazoo was that it
used its own form of currency.  Members earned “Zoops” for referring other members to the site, as well as posting
content.  Zoops could be traded for cash or redeemed on other partner sites for retail goods.  In addition, the premium
content in the network was available for a fee.  Part of Capazoo’s demise was a lack of sufficient network effects (a
limited number of partners participating in the Zoops program), as well as an alleged pyramid scheme with the Zoops
currency.  In March 2008, Capazoo fired its entire development team.  Rumors of embezzlement and infighting
ultimately led to the sites demise.  A screenshot of the site is included in Appendix D.


6
   Since these sites are defunct, actual site visits were not practical.  A review of available information and archived information was used instead.
7
   http://mashable.com/2007/08/15/bolt‐rip/
8
   ibid
9
   http://www.crunchbase.com/company/capazoo
Alan Belniak Page 6

Table 2: Case Study Summary of Defunct Social Networks
Defunct Site Name Main Focus Typical Content Reason(s) For Failure
Bolt.com Teen community; video horoscope, chat rooms, message boards, photo Relied too heavily upon corporate sponsorship
http://www.crunchbase.com/company/bolt‐ sharing albums, internet radio, browser games, blogs, and advertising; initial joiners stayed with the
com   e‐cards, an IM service, common message site but aged, and their interests changed; the
boards for people with similar interests, e‐mail site tried to re‐invent itself, and upset many
service, and badges (a system of awards for long‐time Bolt.com joiners; Bolt.com is back,
user profiles) but yet again re‐invented
Capazoo Social networking, “friending”, blogs, share music, photos, and Premium membership cost money; Zoops
http://www.crunchbase.com/company/capazo available in English and videos, IMing; online currency system (“Zoops”) program similar to a pyramid scheme;
o   French that can be exchanged for US currency unresolved legal issues with the co‐founders
(sources:
http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/10/capazoo‐wants‐
to‐pay‐you‐for‐your‐social‐networking‐time/ ;
http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/19/capazoo‐blows‐
25‐million‐heading‐to‐the‐deadpool/)

Pownce Social networking and sharing messages, files, events, and links with Acquired by Six Apart in December 2008
http://www.crunchbase.com/company/pownc micro‐blogging already‐established friends
e   “It seems Pownce was just one service among
many micro‐blogging ones and lacked distinct
features that could have helped it become
mainstream, or even hold the attention of
dedicated social networkers.  Commenters on
another service, Friendfeed, pointed out on
Monday that Kevin Rose himself had spent
more of his time on Twitter than his Pownce
creation.  “That’s like the CEO of Pepsi being
seen drinking Coke, if you can’t stand behind
your product, how do you expect us to?” said
one.”  (source:
http://blogs.ft.com/techblog/2008/12/pownce‐jumped‐on‐
by‐six‐apart/)

Sixdegrees.com General social list friends, family members and acquaintances Acquired by YouthStream Media Networks in
networking (both on site and externally; external contacts 2000 for US$125 million
were invited to join); send messages, post
bulletin board items (limited to first‐, second‐,
and third‐degree contacts), see their connection
to any other user on the site (a la LinkedIn)

Alan Belniak Page 7

Yahoo! 360° Social networking, personal web sites, share photos (from Yahoo! Initially invitation only (for about three months);
blogging, and photo Photos), blogs, local reviews, profile, see which Yahoo! users 18+ only; site is active, but
sharing services friends are currently online, themes, and unsupported; on October 16, 2007, announced
testimonials; also features a 'friends updates' would no longer provide support for or perform
section bug fixes, since Yahoo! intends to abandon it in
early 2008 in favor of a "universal profile" that
will be similar to their Yahoo! Mash
experimental system; have said it will not be
replaced with Mash itself

“Yahoo 360 [sic] was always a weird amalgam of
social search and a social network.  The original
idea was to create a community around search,
so that sites your friends had bookmarked
would be highlighted in general search results,
and you could use it as a blog platform as well.
But few people ever figured out what it was
good for (and being a social application it
required more than just a few people for it to
be much good at all).”  (source:
http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/10/23/yang‐decides‐to‐
shut‐down‐yahoo‐360%E2%80%94nobody‐notices/ )

Yahoo! Kickstart Professional network help students find internships or jobs, or solicit “When it debuted, many wondered if there was
created by Yahoo! for career development advice and mentorship room for Kickstart, given the fact that Facebook
college students, and LinkedIn pretty much had that ground
recent graduates, covered already and the service didn’t really
employers and alumni   bring anything new to the table.  It was really
job board disguised as a social network (the site
now suggests visitors go to Yahoo’s Hotjobs).”
(source: http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/12/17/another‐
one‐bites‐the‐dust‐yahoo‐kickstart‐shutters/ )

Alan Belniak Page 8

Yahoo! Mash General social offered "mashups" of existing web services on a On August 28, 2008, Yahoo! announced via
networking service single‐user interface; had unusual feature of email to its subscribing members that Mash
allowing a user to edit other users' pages, would be shut down on September 28. “Mash
except in cases where the other users have is Yahoo's latest attempt at social networking
switched the feature off after failing with Yahoo 360 and its bid to
purchase Facebook.” (source:
http://www.dailytech.com/Yahoo+Begins+Testing+New+Soc
ial+Networking+Service/article8911.htm )

The site never launched correctly and didn’t
offer an attractive differentiator; the site was
never given the level of marketing necessary to
make it a destination, thus never gaining
enough traffic to support advertising (its
revenue source)

Alan Belniak Page 9

Yahoo! 360°
Yahoo! 360° started similar to Facebook and MySpace by offering personal web sites, sharing of photos (from Yahoo!
Photos), blogs, local reviews, profile, see which friends are currently online, themes, and testimonials.  The network also
featured a 'friends updates' section.  One of the tenets of the site was to focus on ‘social search’, so members could
search the Internet for something (using Yahoo!’s search engine) and other members of the social network could see
those search results (this is somewhat akin to delicious, a social bookmarking site, now also owned by Yahoo!).  Results
that friends had previously bookmarked would appear somewhat differently in the search results, signifying that
someone else in the network tagged it with some level of importance (that is, some indication of “social”‐ness has been
applied to the search results).  However, this was never properly communicated10, and the particular feature never
gained sufficient traction.    The site was open to users 18 years of age or older (no readily apparent reason was found
for the age restriction).  In October 2007, Yahoo! announced that it would “no longer support” the system or provide
bug fixes, as it intended to shift focus to Yahoo! Mash.  Limiting the social features of search and tagging and
bookmarking to just one area, as opposed to integrating them into Yahoo!’s overall offering was another contributor to
its demise11.  A screenshot of the site is included in Appendix E.

Yahoo! Kickstart
Yahoo! Kickstart was a professional network created by Yahoo! for college students, recent graduates, employers and
alumni.  This type of service was remarkably similar to LinkedIn and portions of Facebook.  The site was essentially a job
board, disguised as a social networking site12.  It is important to note that a job board is a form of a social network, and
can even be a social networking service or site (if operated correctly).  However, with no discerning value differentiator,
it will likely fail to the incumbents.  In fact, the current site (a screenshot of the site is included in Appendix F) even
suggests that visitors go to Yahoo! HotJobs for their employment‐related needs.

Yahoo! Mash
Seemingly yet another copycat in the general social networking site/service space (and even its other site, Yahoo! 360°!),
Yahoo! Mash offered most of the same tools other SNSs did.  One notable exception was that Mash, as the name
suggests, offered "mashups" of existing web services on a single user interface.  It permitted the unusual feature of
allowing a user to edit other users' pages, except in cases where the other users have switched off the feature.  Clearly a
differentiator among other SNSs, this feature, and the site in general, never gained traction.  Summing up the situation
succinctly:

“Other than that, it’s pretty hard to give the service a decent eulogy.  It launched to a false start, was
received with fairly ho‐hum reviews, seemed to be a copy of not only offerings Yahoo already had but
others’ social networks, failed to achieve any sort of momentum, was poorly marketed, and was used by
virtually no one.”13

A screenshot of the site is included in Appendix G.


10
   http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/10/23/yang‐decides‐to‐shut‐down‐yahoo‐360%E2%80%94nobody‐notices/
11
   ibid
12
   http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/12/17/another‐one‐bites‐the‐dust‐yahoo‐kickstart‐shutters/
13
   http://mashable.com/2008/08/28/yahoo‐mash‐has‐been‐quashed/
Alan Belniak Page 10

Macro‐Level Lessons Learned: What To Do and Not to Do When Creating a
Social Network
Drawing upon the lessons gleaned from reviewing these sites, other research not codified herein, and general subject
matter experience, a compendium of information of key tenets to keep in mind when creating a social network is listed
below.

Do
Know the audience, and not just who they are, but what drives them
Set definitive and actionable goals for the creation of this network “We want to start a new social network” is
not a goal
Understand what value, if any, “being social” will bring to the table
Find one core attribute, embellish that, and then create around it
o paddling.net does this well with its product reviews
o Provide in‐network e‐mail (also serves as a way for the site to broadcast a message)
o Provide a calendar of events to support the exposure to new people, gear, ideas, content, etc.
o Provide the ability to rate content or otherwise show levels of contribution and involvement
Provide some “standard community” options, only if they fit; understand, from the users, the types of content to
offer (blogs, forums, etc.)… and offer those
o paddling.net (and other sites the author reviewed) offers forums, but no user blogs or wikis – they don’t
need them
Make it easy to join and easy to leave; do not coerce or make it otherwise arduous
Make the terms of service (“ToS”) as transparent as possible
Permit an easy way to offer feedback, and respond to it quickly, if not immediately
Use a site design that loads fast or can be interpreted on all Internet browsers,  including mobile global
platforms (e.g., http://mobile.southwest.com/cgi‐bin/wireless ‐ a text‐only version of the site for fast loading
over a wireless network and rapid display on handheld devices)
Provide an education section to acclimate new users on terminology and the local mores of the network
Pre‐seed with rich content to start, and encourage and permit the users to add content
Provide the ability to create a profile and customize it
o or,  provide the ability to remain anonymous, but operating within the norms of the community
Provide (and permit the users to provide) implicit or explicit links to others in the ecosystem
o e.g., links to other paddling gear, merchants, etc.
Make promotion of the network easy
Find out what works, and copy it, or simply support it
o “Once you identify where your customers are hanging out, assess the communities to determine their
attractions.” 14
Link to other larger social networking platforms (e.g., Facebook, Twitter) to aggregate and link to create cross‐
site traffic


14
   http://www.thezoneread.com/2006/10/04/learning‐from‐walmarts‐failed‐social‐network‐and‐microsoft‐and‐nikes‐successes/social‐networks/

Do Not Do
Set age restrictions when none are really needed
Fill the site with needless advertising, or where advertising is nonsensical
Restrict too heavily what users can and cannot do (or solely let the users set the norms)
o Instead, open, monitor, and moderate a dialogue
Be simply a copycat to other sites or networks
o A differentiator is needed; if no value is created, then there is no reason to leave the incumbent site(s)
Make the joining process lengthy, complicated, and burdensome
Rely on sophisticated web technologies to serve up the pages (e.g., Flash)
o If possible, let the user opt in to a more media‐rich experience
o Requiring downloads and plug‐ins and version‐specific software is a hindrance
Reinvent site and change focus, yet expect veteran users to remain members
o Instead, have veteran network members guide the re‐design, or at least provide input
Rely too heavily on a “build it and they will come” mentality
o If this business model is explicitly chosen, be prepared to iterate until a design works with a critical mass
of members
o Do not expect the first iteration to be the last
Host or permit illegal file sharing (e.g., copyrighted music or videos without permission)

Theory and Application: An Assessment of a Social Network Using the
Framework
The genesis of this study came from the author asking the question, “What makes BeerAdvocate
(http://BeerAdvocate.com) a successful website?  What makes it a successful social network?”  To understand why (or
why not), the previous steps described were undertaken to extract a framework.  Applying those lessons learned to
BeerAdvocate should yield the answer.  The following sections describe the BeerAdvocate site and network, list the
components, and provide the analysis and evaluation via application of the framework.

BeerAdvocate Description
According to BeerAdvocate.com, “BeerAdvocate is a beer community dedicated to supporting and promoting beer
through education and appreciation.  BeerAdvocate helps people learn more about craft beer, find a brewpub, brewery,
bar, festival, become a beer geek, and respect beer.” (emphasis added by author).  In addition, BeerAdvocate is a global,
grassroots network, powered by an independent community of over 150,000 beer enthusiasts and industry
professionals who are dedicated to supporting and promoting beer.  Upon initial review, BeerAdvocate has components
that extend beyond simple pictures and lists – it states that its purpose is to create a community and provide value back
to its members (‘education’; ‘learn’; ‘find’; ‘become’).  A screen capture of the BeerAdvocate.com page is provided in
Appendix H.

Creation of a (free) profile on the BeerAdvocate site is also required to fully appreciate the site’s benefits.  Creation of a
profile also gives the user an in‐network e‐mail inbox (where one can send/receive/trade messages with other
BeerAdvocate members).  Profile options/features include real name, location, member join date, last activity, favorite
style, beer trading status, beer thoughts, self‐tagging for event attendance, and site honors/beer karma level.  The beer
karma level is determined in the following manner: the more a user rates beers and generally participates in all network
activities, the higher their ranking is.  There are 12 possible rankings, and the ranking is based on a non‐linear point
distribution.  Points are awarded in the following categories (described later): beer reviews, BeerFly reviews, forum
posts, beers added, places added, events added, beer pictures added, EST pictures added.  A user’s member status in

the network is in direct correlation to their participation, thus encouraging participation.  Public display of the beer
karma rating permits members to see which other members have reached certain participation plateaus.

BeerAdvocate.com Components
Home Page: self‐explanatory (see Appendix H)
Store: BeerAdvocate magazine (subscription and single issues), hats, shirts, glassware, other beer‐related gear
Magazine: description, benefits, subscribe, and renew
Education:
o Beer News: "Our Beer News feeds are picked‐up by major news providers, RSS exported to readers, and
open to discussion in our forums and groups."
o Beer Styles: more than 50 styles of beer listed; opening a link gives a description, and then links to
BeerAdvocate members who have reviewed beers of this style, leveraging the relational database
underneath the site
o Beer 101: "...  Beer articles and general information to help in your beer‐education." Major areas include
basics, links to articles on styles, advocacy, beer & food, beer history, and home brewing
o Articles: lengthier posts (resembling that of a blog; some are from the Weekly Dig publication) about
beer‐related news; majority are written by the Alström brothers (founders of BeerAdvocate)
o Respect Beer: description of personal motto; the raison d'être of the site
Tastings & Reviews:
o Recent Tastings: "45,537 beers in the database (40,951 reviewed) and 781,969 beer tastings & reviews";
this could very well be the highest draw for the site; on this page is most recently reviewed, with a link
to see more; with each beer review: the overall BeerAdvocate user score is given, as well as the rating
from the Alström Brothers; the ability to make it as tradable (‘wants’/’gots’, as it appears on a user’s
profile page), a link to a Beery Spy (where to find it); printable shelf‐talkers for retailers; suggested food
pairings; recommended glassware for serving; storing and serving temperatures; more information on
this style; links to other top rated beers in this same category/style
o Best of BA: top rated beers by BeerAdvocate members, and filter‐able/sort‐able by geography and style
Travel & Events:
o BeerFly: in a nutshell, if you're travelling and you like craft beer, come here first.  "BeerAdvocate's Travel
Guide for Beer ‐ 263 ratings in the approval queue, 16,580 places, 67,823 BeerFly reviews"; reviews are
of breweries, brewpubs, beer bars, beer stores, homebrew shops, BOP (brew on premise) places, and
beer marketing companies; results are returned geographically, as well
o Directory: a re‐display of the information from BeerFly
o Beer Calendar: beer events and festivals, filter‐able/sort‐able by geography and type; the ability to post
an event is also available


Community:
o Beer Forum: appears to be a high‐activity section of the site; forums titled BeerAdvocate Related, Bar
Talk and Questions, Beer Releases, Beer News; there are many others are available after an additional
click
o Groups: the second level of forums after clicking through; related to Forums (see above)
o Gatherings: "Looking to meet fellow beer enthusiasts? Attend a BeerAdvocate event or create a local BA
Gathering today! (http://beeradvocate.com/events/add_event)  The Alström Bros also host several fests
and events in Boston.  Here's what's coming up..."
o Who's on BA?: a list of who is online at the moment (BeerAdvocate members and lurkers), sorted in list‐
fashion geographically
Contribute:
o + Beer: a user cannot add a beer unless that user has reviewed 20 or more beers (this provides implicit
education to the potential poster on how to craft a good review)
o + Place: straight‐forward; fill out a form requiring information about location, date, time, type (e.g.,
brew pub, store, etc.), and some other information
o + Beer Event: state/province and country are first, then a list of verified locations appears next; if the
user wants to add a new venue, they can (but the pre‐populated list helps avoid duplications)
o Donate: "While we generate revenue from store, fest, and mag[azine] sales ...  well, let's just say that
we're destined to live month to month as a result.  Hey, at least we're having fun and spreading to good
word!"
About: information on the BeerAdvocate mission, the founders, and the history
Contact: e‐mail links to the two brothers for various site questions (divisions of labor are listed); also, a short
FAQ is provided
Advertise: advertising is listed for the BeerAdvocate magazine; the site boasts a readership of about 100,000 per
month, and >10,000 paid subscriptions; complimentary copies are given to "key beer markets throughout the
US"; a link to request a media kit is provided; a line of text reads:  "Sorry, we currently do not offer web
advertising." (emphasis added by author)
o Fundamentally, this is interesting, since the network is monetized, marginally, by other methods (see
“Donate” description above).  The site generates enough traffic to support advertising, but the network
members would likely not tolerate it.
Send us beer link (found from the reviews): "As much as we love to travel and try new beers, we can't visit
everywhere and we're not some massive company with an unlimited budget.  So if you're a brewery and
importer who wants to spread the word about your beer and generate some buzz ...  send us your beer and we'll
personally review it." … "The only promise we make is that we'll provide you with honest and constructive
reviews, and you can use our reviews & ratings in your marketing materials."  ...  "...  Will potentially reach the
~10 million page views a month; potentially reach ~100,000 readers per month in Beer Advocate magazine;
potentially reach >200,000 readers per week in the Weekly Dig (local Boston free newspaper)"15

Establishment of The Network
Although craft beer is not as widely consumed as commercial beer (by the mere eponym), the BeerAdvocate.com site
generates a fair amount of traffic.  BeerAdvocate.com serves approximately 10 million page views per month and


15
   http://beeradvocate.com/send_us_beer

welcomes upwards of 400 new members daily16.  As of March 2009, 86% of website users (not necessarily members)
have IP addresses based in the US; 2% are based in the UK; and 12% are based in the rest of the world.  Site traffic was
up 21% in a recent three‐month span (December ‐ February, 2008/2009; see Appendix I).  This was likely due to
BeerAdvocate’s Extreme Beer Fest (the most popular beer festival that BeerAdvocate runs), held on February 21, 2009.

The network has also garnered national attention.  Under the ‘Props’ section of the events portion of the site
(http://beeradvocate.com/about?nav=fests), quotes from major media publications in the US laud BeerAdvocate for its
depth of knowledge.  One comment even describes it in the following manner: “[BeerAdvocate.com is] one of the largest
consumer‐rating websites on the internet." (emphasis added by author)

It isn’t just the media that claims BeerAdvocate generates high traffic and participation.  Below is an excerpt from a New
York Times article, about the BeerAdvocate network and the Alström Brothers (emphasis added by author).

Users of BeerAdvocate.com seem to compete to see how fast they can post reviews of new beers, and
growing craft breweries like Stone in California and Dogfish Head in Delaware have capitalized on the
unsolicited marketing.  “One of the most powerful things a site like ours has done is bridge the gap
between brewer and the public,” Jason said.  “We gave people a forum.  You can have a new release
and everybody knows about it within seconds.  It’s instant feedback.”17

And aside from mainstream print media, there are several sites on the Internet that link back to BeerAdvocate.com.  A
list of the top 30 of these sites (static, as of March 2009) is provided in Appendix J, as well as a link to view a
dynamically‐generated list.

Analysis and Evaluation
Beer advocate knows its audience.  It is seeking to target craft beer lovers, or simply people who want to learn more
about beer (and maybe eventually convert them to craft‐beer lovers).  Its goals are plainly stated in its mission
statement.  It understands that being social will connect like‐minded users.  One of the most heavily‐trafficked portions
of the site is the reviews, mostly generated by users and read by users.  This was also the core attribute around which
BeerAdvocate designed its site.  The exposition of beer ratings and beer raters’ participation level (the beer karma) lets
the influencers rise to the top and establishes an unwritten code of credibility.  The use of forums lets users create a
text‐based, asynchronous community around beer‐related topics.  Forum topics can be started by members, and not
just site administrators.  It is easy to join the site, and the terms of service are easy to read and understand.  The site
often loads very fast (the main page loads in under one second in many instances).  In the forums and in other sections,
there are links to education and other “getting started” materials to give new users the lay of the land.  The depth and
breadth of content is impressive.  The BeerFly helps implicitly promote other beer‐related members of the ecosystem
without brash, “in‐your‐face” advertising.

The site is limited to those of legal drinking age, so an age restriction here is indeed appropriate.  As mentioned
previously, the site does not feature any advertising, despite the high volumes of site traffic.  Even when posting an
event, rules are listed, but ultimately the adherence to those rules is largely self‐governed.  The site is comprised of basic
images and text, and mostly two or three colors.  No animations or videos or Flash (or Flash‐like) components are readily
seen.  Archives of the site were not available for review, so it was not possible to see if BeerAdvocate.com has deviated

16
   http://beeradvocate.com
17
   http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/28/dining/28pour.html?ex=1332734400&en=3b8d2dba2495dc64&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

wildly from its initial inception.  However, looking at some random member profiles and focusing on the ‘Member Since’
tag, it is evident that the network is comprised of some long‐standing members.  The network departure count or rate
cannot be discerned from the publically available data.

BeerAdvocate Ecosystem
BeerAdvocate has done a superb job of creating a network, and providing content to attract and retain that network.  In
addition, it has created a scaffolding and framework to support user‐generated content, thus letting members
participate and collectively grow the strength of the BeerAdvocate network, as well as reducing the burden on the
network administrators.  Below is a list of the more obvious players in BeerAdvocate’s ecosystem (i.e., current and
possible future participants in the network).

Beer drinkers who want to learn more about beer
Beer drinkers who want to try new beers
Beer drinkers who want others to know about their experiences with beer
Beer drinkers who want to access a credible and dedicated paper news source (the magazine)
Beer drinkers who want to buy craft beer‐related merchandise, and BeerAdvocate‐branded merchandise
Bars/pubs/taverns/restaurants that feature craft beers
Beer and liquor stores that sell craft beers
Beer distributors
Breweries (to submit new beers in the hopes that they will get rated and discussed)
Brew pubs, brew‐on‐premise places (for publicity and to see what people are saying about them)

Homebrew supply stores (to see what people want; to look at the highest rated beers and suggest recipes for
those beers to re‐create them)
Catering companies for the festivals (may or may not include potable water providers)
Chairs/table/temporary furniture companies
Temporary/rental security companies
Plastic cups

Moving forward, BeerAdvocate could consider adding other members to its ecosystem to strengthen the existing
network, as well as extend the reach of the network.  Below is a list of additional BeerAdvocate ecosystem participants.
Note that not all listed would be mutually beneficial (though most would be).  The point of this exercise is to illustrate
how multiple organizations can derive benefit from the network that has already been created.

Ticket printers (or a company that makes an e‐ticket or digital ticket to reduce paper use) / ticket agencies
PayPal or other payment processors
Festival coordinators and promoters (to see what is successful and what is not successful, and to use the
geography tools to see where there is demand but no venue)
Potential food vendors that might sell at these festivals (market research)
Taxi companies (safe transportation for intoxicated festival attendees)
Bus companies/charter companies (Harpoon Brewery operates a similar service for its events from South Station
in Boston, Massachusetts)
Public transportation (to potentially sync up special transit times, as is done for some Boston Red Sox baseball
games)


Merchandising companies (to troll message boards to see what merchandise people might want to buy [e.g.:
specialty glassware, refrigeration devices, clothing, etc.])
General marketers and social media marketers (to see how news articles are getting re‐purposed)
Website support (although now it is handled by the Alström Brothers alone)
Third‐party shipping companies to assist in beer trading (a la Buffalo Shipping Post in Napa Valley, California
[http://buffalo.winecountrywebs.com/])
Third‐party website application companies that develop site widgets (e.g., push beer calendar events to GMail
or Outlook)
Tobacco marketers
Street vendors near the venues (e.g., food, merchandise, etc.)
"Hangover" recovery
Charities that could team up for benefit
BeerAdvocate competition (to see what BeerAdvocate offers that the competition does not)
SADD / MADD organizers (potentially anti‐beer)
Religious groups (potentially anti‐beer)

Conclusion
The case‐study method was used to identify trends and larger, macro‐level lessons about the effective practices and
potential inhibitors of social networks.  Once identified and codified, they were applied to another existing social
network to determine their effectiveness.  The analysis and evaluation indicated that the framework was indeed useful,
and that the BeerAdvocate social network is successful, as compared to the framework and guidelines described herein.
The description of the current BeerAdvocate ecosystem indicated that many people and organizations are deriving
positive joint value from the extensive network developed.  Additional participants were also listed, further indicating
where additional value (joint or otherwise) could be created, thus expanding the network.


Appendices
Appendix A: Screen Capture of iBMWr.org – March 2009
Appendix B: Screen Capture of Paddling.net – March 2009
Appendix C: Screen Capture of Bolt.com
Appendix D: Screen Capture of Capazoo.com
Appendix E: Screen Capture of Yahoo! 360°
Appendix F: Screen Capture of Yahoo! Kickstart
Appendix G: Screen Capture of Yahoo! Mash
Appendix H: Screen Capture of BeerAdvocate
Appendix I: BeerAdvocate.com Site Traffic
Appendix J: Sites That Link to BeerAdvocate.com


Appendix A: Screen Capture of iBMWr.org – March 2009


Appendix B: Screen Capture of Paddling.net – March 2009


Appendix C: Screen Capture of Bolt.com
(courtesy of http://web.archive.org)

)

Appendix D: Screen Capture of Capazoo.com
(courtesy of www.TechCrunch.com)


Appendix E: Screen Capture of Yahoo! 360°


Appendix F: Screen Capture of Yahoo! Kickstart


Appendix G: Screen Capture of Yahoo! Mash


Appendix H: Screen Capture of BeerAdvocate (March 2009)


Appendix I: BeerAdvocate.com Site Traffic

source: http://www.alexa.com; using http://beeradvocate.com, http://www.ratebeer.com, and http://www.realbeer.com; accessed on March 3,
2009

source: Google.com, using ‘linkto’ feature and timeline feature from Google Labs, accessed on March 2, 2009


Appendix J: Sites That Link to BeerAdvocate.com
(according to Google’s linkto tool and using Google’s PageRank algorithm)

http://www.google.com/search?q=linkto%3A+http%3A%2F%2Fbeeradvocate.com&sourceid=navclient‐ff&ie=UTF‐
8&rls=GGGL,GGGL:2006‐35,GGGL:en

1.  Beer & Brewing Terminology ‐ BeerAdvocate

Buy something from the BeerAdvocate Store; from tees to hats to fest tickets.  Subscribe to
BeerAdvocate magazine; the only monthly beer mag of its kind.  ...
beeradvocate.com/beer/101/terms.php ‐ 48k ‐ Cached ‐ Similar pages ‐

2.  RSS Feed Links Added to Groups ‐ BeerAdvocate Talk ‐ BeerAdvocate

Mar 17, 2007 ...  RSS Feed links now appear on the Groups page for easier access:
http://beeradvocate.com/groups.  You can learn more about RSS here: ...
beeradvocate.com/forum/read/963053 ‐ 14k ‐ Cached ‐ Similar pages ‐
More results from beeradvocate.com »

3.  Murphy's Pubcast.  Thoughts on Beer

and now our regular links! Links The Lodge http://www.bavarian‐lodge.com/ Lunar Brewing Co.  ...
http://beeradvocate.com/forum/read/1723070.  Links The Lodge ...
murphyspubcast.mypodcast.com/ ‐ 38k ‐ Cached ‐ Similar pages ‐

4.  Beer Advocate and Dogfish Head collaboration naming competition ...

For more information on BeerAdvocate, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, and the Extreme Beer Fest:.
http://beeradvocate.com http://dogfish.com.  Link to article.  ...
www.2beerguys.com/blog/2009/01/04/beer‐advocate‐and‐dogfish‐head‐collaboration‐naming‐
competition/ ‐ 33k ‐ Cached ‐ Similar pages ‐

5.  BeerAdvocate to Host the East Coast's Largest American Craft Beer ...

Feb 11, 2008 ...  Receive press releases from Beeradvocate.com Inc.: By Email, RSS Feeds: ...
http://beeradvocate.com/about.  Related Links: http://harpoon.com ...
www.pr.com/press‐release/71793 ‐ 18k ‐ Cached ‐ Similar pages ‐

6.  ping http://metrics.apple.com/b/ss/applesuperglobal/1/G.6‐‐NS?pccr ...

Go figure, real news from us :) Here are the links to the News Red Hook Double Stout
http://beeradvocate.com/news/1563200 Its not good to eat the Yellow ...
ax.itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=265248366 ‐ 119k ‐ Cached ‐
Similar pages ‐

7.  YouTube ‐ Broadcast Yourself.

http://beeradvocate.com/ This is the link to Beeradvocate.com, you can find most any beer you want
on there, plus explanations of every style.  ...
www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=93A70BC77830B9AB ‐ 39k ‐ Cached ‐ Similar pages ‐

8.  Belgian beer and travel: Beery on‐line articles

Here are links to some of my articles.  More are on the way! ...
http://beeradvocate.com/news/stories_read/669.  Trappist cafes: ...
belgianbeerspecialist.blogspot.com/2008/02/here‐are‐links‐to‐some‐of‐my‐articles.html ‐ 85k ‐ Cached

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