In a previous post, I described how a unique niche added to web 2.0 can create a successful websites. A lot of social networks are already using this equation. Here are 5 cool social networks that take advantage of unique niches.

These social networks are in order from ordinary to cool. All of the social networks are interesting, but the ones at the bottom of the list are the probably more interesting. I will probably compile another list, especially if this list is popular. I want to show people that there are more social networks than just Facebook and MySpace. This is also to back up my previous post on unique niches and web 2.0.

1. http://www.shelfari.com/ – Although I can’t classify myself in this category, some people
   

   Shelfari is a social network for people who love to read.

   absolutely love to read. Shelfari is the perfect social network for them. Shelfari allows users to show off their book collection, talk about books, create a wish list of books, and do  a lot of other things. This is basically the Last.fm of reading. It’s fairly ordinary (there are no extraordinary features), but it’s a social network that uses a unique niche.
   After seeing Shelfari and using it for a little while, I am wondering about social networks and education. Is it possible that a social network could be created for use by school systems? I’ll get more into that later.

2. http://www.worldsings.com/ – The next cool social network is World Sings.
   

   World Sings is a social network where musicians can compete for the World's Best Song.

   World Sings is a place where people can upload videos of their musical talents, vote on the videos of others, and have a chance at winning the “$1,000,000″ prize. I’m not sure if there is actually a million at stake here, but it is still a good idea. World Sings isn’t a YouTube killer, but it is a cool way for artists to show their stuff.
   According to the website, the Top 20 Artists will compete at the World Sings Concert in Las Vegas. I’m not sure how World Sings is affording this, (or the million dollar prize). They state no sponsor on their website, and I doubt that they will generate a million from the Google advertisements on their website. Nevertheless, this is a cool idea. It shows how the Internet is coming into everyday life in the music industry.

3. http://www.famster.com/ – Although not a free social network, Famster is the third social network on the list.
   

   Famster is a cool social network designed for families.

   It allows families to create their own social network to keep in touch. This is cool for families that are separated geographically or just really busy. You can do just about anything with Famster: share photos, make lists, store files, create a family tree, and more. Famster even allows you to use a custom domain for your social network. I didn’t have a chance to try Famster, although I could have signed up for their 2 week free trial. The normal cost is $9.95/month.
   Famster is a good example of how Web 2.0 is changing every day life. If you can move your family on to the Internet, what can’t move on to the Internet? I’m pretty sure that just about anything can.

4. http://eons.com - Are you old? Do you have a strange urge to use social networks? Then Eons is the place for you.
   

   Eons, a MySpace for baby boomers.

   Eons is a social network (MySpace clone) for the Baby Boomer generation (people born between 1946 and 1964), or, as my generation would classify them, old people. No offense to the people at Eons, their social network is pretty cool. I am wondering how this social network every came to be: my parents, who were born between during the same time as the people targetted on this site, would probably never be able to figure out how to use a social network. Actually, they would probably never figure out why you would use a social network.
   This is one of the problems that Eons is facing. A few years ago, Eons was forced to layoff about half of their employees. (link) I suppose that although a social network for old people is a good idea, it might not work. At least not with the current “old” generations. Maybe when generation X is hitting their 50’s there will be more social networks like this.

5. http://www.change.org/ – Change.org is a social network that allows people to get together and try to change the world.
   

   Change.org is a social network for people that want to change the world.

   I’m sure that you’ve heard the world change plently, especially if you like in the United States, but this is different. This isn’t a political leader promising change, it is people, like you and me, coming together to change things on their own. People with mixed political opinions can share their thoughts on key issues, such as the Conflict in Gaza, and then donate money to causes. Change.org is loaded with information on different issues, even if you don’t donate to causes you can learn a lot from the social network.
   The cool part about Change.org is that it actually shows results. Money has been raised for different causes, petitions signed, and changes made. All from a social network, all done by people on the internet.

These are just five cool social networks. There are thousands of cool social networks out there. Have you discovered one that is unique and worth talking about? Leave a comment, I’d be happy to hear. I’m only one person, so I can’t find everything on the web. With your help, the cool social networks that I share in the future will be even more interesting. :)

Tags: Change.org, Cool Social Networks, Eons, Famster, Shelfari, World Sings