Social Network Marketing: Ad Spending and Usage eMarketer.com (December 2007)

Social networking is an activity that 37% of US adult Internet users and 70% of online teens engage in every month, and the number continues to grow…$920 million spent on social networking sites in the US (in 2007) and a projected $1.6 billion in 2008. Worldwide, online social network ad spending is expected to grow by 81%, to $2.2 billion in 2008 from $1.2 billion in 2007. http://www.emarketer.com/Report.aspx?code=emarketer_2000478

Popularity of Social Networking (August 30, 2007)

- 20% of all adults have a profile on a social networking website

- 47% of teenagers have a profile on a social networking website

- 69% of young adults between the ages 18 to 21 have profiles on a social networking site

http://www.prminds.com/pressrelease.php?id=4638

The Future of Social Networking by Tim Bajarin-eSeminars, PCMAG.com (August 10, 2007)

"Last week I attended the AlwaysOn Stanford Summit, a yearly event in which leaders from Silicon Valley and the venture-capital community come together to discuss industry issues and trends….When asked if we could see another broad mega site such as Facebook or Myspace emerge, the panel thought it quite unlikely. They believe that the next major wave in social networking will come form those who focus on networks for the like-minded - sites that tie people together into a community where they can share their interests and passions." http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2168822,00.asp

The Rising popularity of Niche Social Networking Sites
by Lisa Redins, PR Minds (July 2007)

"A whopping 6%of all adult Internet users frequent these social networking sites." "People who are passionate about a certain topic will continue to seek out a group of like-minded individuals with similar interests… in the near future and beyond." http://www.prminds.com/pressrelease.php?id=4476

ComScore, Measuring the Digital World (June 2006)

"The popularity of social networking is not expected to wane in the near future", said Peter Daboll President of comScore Media Metrix. "This is a phenomenon we're seeing not only in the US but around the world." http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=906

Vertical Social Networks by David Biesel - Genuine VC (February 9, 2006)

"In this newest generation of social networking sites people are connecting about something…. People want to share their experiences about subject areas in which they are passionate…" http://www.genuinevc.com/archives/2006/02/vertical_social.htm

Volunteers, Part 1: What makes them stay? (April 2007)

"It is important not only to recognize volunteers within an organization but also to promote their accomplishments with the community. Consider using the same methods your group already uses to publicize its programs to acknowledge your volunteers' important work and accomplishments as well." http://www.guidestar.org/DisplayArticle.do?articleId=1117

Volunteers, Part 1: Why do they leave? (May 2007)

"Teambuilding is an important aspect of any group. Make sure that volunteers feel comfortable… Turnover tends to reduce when volunteers develop good interpersonal relationships with others and feel they are part of a team and have a support network within the organization. http://www.guidestar.org/DisplayArticle.do?articleId=1124

GuideStar, a US-based 501(c)(3) public charity, provides information on other 501(c)(3) organizations. Information includes whether the IRS officially recognizes a nonprofit, and it calls itself, "The online standard of nonprofit accountability." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

How to Measure Volunteer Satisfaction Jane Hall, CharityVillage.com (January 2007)

"Success depends on building strong relationships with your volunteers and keeping them happy. Volunteers that are trusted, feel valued and buy in to your mission one hundred percent are those most likely to stay involved with your organization." http://www.charityvillage.com/cv/research/rvol52.html

A Friendly Atmosphere for Your Volunteers
by Christopher Cihlar, Ph.D, Points of Light Foundation

"The success of any volunteer organization depends on its ability to attract and retain dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers. Volunteer satisfaction is a key component of any successful volunteer organization." http://www.pointsoflight.org/downloads/pdf/resources/research/FriendlyAtmosphere.pdf

Move Over Maslow: Gaining Business Value from Social Networking Comes from Fulfilling Six Human Social Needs, Says New Communispace Research Report Business Wire (December 3, 2007)

Shades of Maslow: People are looking to fulfill six essential social needs online, and businesses that help facilitate those needs are more likely to create deeper emotional bonds than usually exist between companies and customers, according to a new research report released today by Communispace. http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20071203005999&newsLang=en