The Blog as Social Software

After sniffing around Orkut for a day or so, thanks to an invite from a generous soul, as well as being on hi5 for a while (invite link), I had the thought that all of the 'communities' and lists of contacts, etc. were something I already have, on the blog. I was going to write about it, but someone else already has, and I pretty much agree:

My blog is my social software. It is also my social network.

It has my profile and much more - it has my identity fleshed out, through my posts.

• A profile with history that allows you to know so much about me - i started blogging in March 2003 - and already readers people have seen me add new professional interests and take my qualitative research skills into new areas, some know i love music and Floyd, others have been with me to my cottage in the hills, read about my holiday and meetings with some wonderful bloggers on my trip, seen me change home, celebrated with me when i got a project due to my blog, and even wondered where i am when i've gone silent on my blog for a few days.
• A profile that tells you much more than any homepage i have on Ecademy or Ryze or Tribe or LinkedIn could.
• A profile that changes, grows, flows - not a cold resume or 'about me' page filled with past achievements and accolades - but is touchy-feely and one that says more about me through my thoughts, interests, preoccupations, rants, rambles and angst - that makes me more than just a consultant or a qualitative researcher - or a demographic statistic, 'female blogger from India'.
• A profile that is salient too - it gets me high up on Google in many areas of search - so i do get noticed.
• A profile that is my online identity - yet one that has led me to many face-to-face meetings, some that have resulted in new friends, others that i am pursuing professional interests with. And some that are a wonderful combination of the two.

With comments and trackbacks, guestmap and zonkboard, email id and skype handle - it lets me have conversations, make connections and network with people whom i share interests with. And engages me in meaningful dialogues. And i grow, as a result.

With Technorati (the new beta version is pretty cool btw) and Blogstreet, Blogshares and Sitemeter - i allow you into and share with you my reader community.

With blogrolls and by building links into posts, i share with you people who's thoughts i enjoy reading.

With newsreaders and aggregators i discover more about others than i would through 'pleasantries' exchanged through my Ryze guestbook and stars or cubes or hearts as Orkut had (!!).

I would also add that the dynamics of a group blog, where people expand on each other's ideas and even argue to arrive at a conclusion. (or amuse each other to the confusion of anyone else). This kind of collaboration to produce content that is greater than the sum of its parts is missing from the social software networks which mostly just offer hard-to-navigate message boards and no integration with other networks or the wider Web as a result of each site trying to be all things to its users.