I'm curious to know how people view the differences between "utility" vs. "content" in social media. Most major web and wireless success stories are rooted in utility, not content-- Facebook (social networking), Twitter (microblogging), Google (Search), YouTube (video sharing), Flickr (media sharing), Eventful (event planning), Match (date facilitation), etc. That said, there is always a dance between "broad" and "niche" in media and commerce. Walmart sells shoes and computers but Nike Town and Apple Store do pretty well. ABC, NBC and CBS are broadcasters, but nichecasters Food Network, SyFy and Cartoon Network are killin' it. So what happens as "utility" gets subsumed by "affinity"? That is, there is "genetic engineering" happening right now around cross-pollinating editorial cultural (Hollywood, Publishing, etc) with utility culture (Silicon Valley, Silicon Alley, Silicon Slopes, etc). Can Facebook be all things to all passion/affinity groups? Or is there an opportunity to provision integrated social marketing and messaging (ISM) apps that merge editorial POV with utility focused on a single affinity group (golfers, foodies, church-goers, brides-to-be, moms, etc)? To start the discussion, I've included "Six Slides on Social Nicheworking" from the original blog post at http://jimbanister.com/?p=324

1. 1 Six Slides on Social NicheWorking

2. Success in Social Media Editorial Established, trusted brands extending into social media. Startups with a unique angle or POV (e.g. Huffington Post, Daily Candy, Wired.com, blog networks, etc) Utility User-empowerment– enabling the audience to more than reader, watcher, listener. Typified by search (Google, Ask, Yahoo, etc) social networking (like Facebook), media sharing (like Flickr and YouTube), self-expression (like blogs or Twitter), geo-tagging (like Google Maps, Foursquare or Brightkite), event planning (like Pingg and Eventful), and many others. 2 The top 1000 most-trafficked web destinations are predominantly utility-centric.

3. Broad vs. Niche Social media is following the "general to niche" trend, or co-existence we've previously seen in general commerce and the collective media industry. 3 Broad Niche Broad Niche Broad Niche   

4. Social Nicheworking Utility will be subsumed by Affinity or Passion Group “Utility-centric" apps (like social networking, microblogging, photo-sharing, event planning, etc) are being subsumed by integrated apps centered on a passion, hobby, industry or other affinity group. 4 Example: Who will golfers go to for info, recommendations, deals, entertainment, etc? Their fellow social media users…? Golf Digest…? Answer: Both! Those who provide a “niche” online/mobile experience that combines Editorial POV + Subject Matter Expertise + Passion-Centric Social Utility will win the audience/user.

5. A Platform to Capture Social Nicheworks: PlanetTagger Re-brandable, location-enabled, integrated social marketing (ISM) app to use for: Integrating and optimizing disparate social media marketing and editorial activities of a brand. Creating a center for members of an affinity group’s social media utilities– event planning, mapping, sharing, commenting, curating, etc.: Engage your super-users. A safe path for integrating an editorial company culture with a user-generated audience culture. Location-enabled: Unlocking local, mobile and geo-targeted advertising revenue streams Local advertising Flash-mobbing/flash-shopping and mobile couponing “Editorial voice” safely and contextually combined with user-generated activity. Passion-specific microblogging, media sharing, geo-tagging, event marketing, and more. 5

6. A Location-Enabled IntegratedSocial Marketing (ISM) Platform 6 Brides & Weddings The PlanetTagger platform is white-label. It can be easily re-branded, re-skinned and used for different passion groups. Travelers Golfers Foodies   

8. Integrate your De-Centralized Social Media Marketing and Messaging (as a Publisher, CableNet, Brand Custodian, etc).

9. Users

10. Harness the Social Media Utility Usage of Members of your Target Niche Passion Group. Engage the “Creators” (super-users) and the Contributors, Opportunists and Lurkers will follow.

11. Sponsors and Advertisers

12. Create a focused, targeted, location-enabled environment into which to lace advertising and marketing.What’s next?

13. 8 http://spectrumdna.com Jim Banister +1 435 901 3001