Within the user-generated content sites, the role and growth of social networking sites has been undeniably overwhelming. Social networking sites (SNS) generate millions of dollars in revenue and advertising, yet little is known about why college students join and participate in these sites, which allow users to create their own content or space. This study adopts survey methodology to investigate the influence of college students' level of Internet self-efficacy, need to belong, need for cognition, and collective self-esteem on their attitude toward SNS. Internet self-efficacy, need to belong, and collective self-esteem all have positive effects on attitudes toward SNS. Furthermore, attitude toward SNS mediates the relationship between willingness to join SNS and (1) Internet self-efficacy and (2) need to belong, and the mediation is only partial between willingness to join and collective self-esteem. The author also draws managerial implications.

With the advent of popular Web destinations such as MySpace and Facebook, online social networking communities now occupy the center stage of e-commerce. Yet these online social networking communities must balance the trade-off between advertising revenue and user experience. Drawing on the sociology and advertising literature, this study investigates the impacts of social identity and group norms on community users' group intentions to accept advertising in online social networking communities. By outlining how this type of group intention could influence community members' perceptions and value judgments of such advertising, this study delineates possible mechanisms by which community members may respond positively to community advertising. The authors test the proposed theoretical framework on a sample of 327 popular online community users in China and obtain general support. Implications for the prospect of advertising in online social networking communities are discussed.

Keywords: Online social networking communities, advertising responses, social factors.

EMarketer is projecting that Twitter's global ad revenue will reach $139.5 million in 2011, up 210% from $45 million in 2010, the first full year the company sold advertising. Ad revenues are forecasted to reach $260 million in 2012 and $400 million in 2013.

Relatively speaking, relationships used to be simple. Or at least simpler. Maybe just not as complicated.

Once upon a time your professional relationships stayed in one place, your personal relationships in another, and you controlled where those blurred through. That control is no longer in your hands. Your friends, family, co-workers and clients are all free to mingle and there’s nothing you can do about it. And while you may have lost control over who gets to talk to who, you can still control your own behavior, so let’s focus on that.

Forrester's Social Technographics data classifies consumers into seven overlapping levels of social technology participation. Based on our proprietary Consumer Technographics survey data, we can share with you how social participation varies among your consumers globally and help you plan a targeted social technology strategy. Use this tool to get a high-level snapshot of the social technology behaviors of consumers.

Twitter is readying a new ad product that will for the first time serve up ads to users from company accounts they don’t already follow.

These ads will appear on a user’s timeline; where previously users had to follow, say, @Starbucks to see a Starbucks ad, this new plan will mean users who don’t follow the coffee chain might see an ad for a new sugary drink.

For the first time, an agency-designed ad unit goes live on Facebook today. The unit -- called Comments -- is the result of an AdExpo Facebook held last year, where it gathered agencies and challenged them to create a new way for Facebook users to engage with brands. The comments from users and their friends have the ability to become a corresponding sponsored stories. Out of the 100 ideas submitted, Leo Burnett, Chicago's was selected. The move is part of Facebook's initiative to work closer with advertising agencies and creatives.

Klout has tapped Involver's marketing platform to bring its social influence measurement tools to Facebook. The deal, announced Wednesday, will provide brands with a new way to engage with influential fans and reward consumers based on their influence.
An agency or brand can create a custom experience using Klout scores to unlock the ability to uniquely target connected influencers. Facebook has been largely devoid of the ability to filter how brands focus their attention, so this integration marks the first time brands can engage with their fans on Facebook using Klout's scoring system, according to the companies.

Organizing your circles in Google+ can be the most confusing part of the new social network. Yet people are learning to embrace and even optimize their circles for better productivity, filtering and privacy.

We spoke with some Google+ mavericks about how they’ve corralled their circles to be more effective. Below, they share their clever tricks and best practices so you can learn from both their mistakes and their successes.

Forrester is publishing a major piece of research, nearly a year in the making -- our analysis of the social media maturity of organizations. There are two ways to consume it: if you're a client, read the report Accelerating Your Social Maturity. Or you can get the newly updated paperback edition of Groundswell, which includes this material as a chapter.

Nearly three-quarters of Facebook users have "liked" at least one brand on the platform and more than a third of users have liked six or more

In her book Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other, Sherry Turkle examines our proclivity for robots, smart phones and social networks, and though far from suggesting we ditch technology, she wonders if we aren't losing out on human contact in the process.

Stats on FB usage amongst American population / fun facts.

The internet is now deeply embedded in group and organizational life in America. A new national survey by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project has found that 75% of all American adults are active in some kind of voluntary group or organization and internet users are more likely than others to be active: 80% of internet users participate in groups, compared with 56% of non-internet users. And social media users are even more likely to be active: 82% of social network users and 85% of Twitter users are group participants.