Wetpaint Wikis vs. Ning Social Networks: GOOGLE WINS!
By DONNA BOGATIN • May 19th, 2008 • Category: BIG PICTURENing has been dinged, AGAIN! On the heels of a Marc Andreessen Google Friend Connect rude awakening, the “create your own social network for anything” platform must now defend against Ben Elowitz’ crusade to wikify the social Web, because SOCIAL NETWORKS ARE SO YESTERDAY, if Wetpaint has its way!
Founder & CEO of Wetpaint, the touted “most consumer-friendly Wiki for collaborating and publishing online,“ Elowitz is clear in his ambition, as it banks another $25 million in venture funding:
Wetpaint goes beyond the “you” of social networks to empower groups of “we” to dynamically create collaborative Wiki sites faster and easier than ever before. For everyday users who want to share their passions and interests online, “as Wetpaint enables more online users to express themselves and the Wiki phenomena grows, there is no doubt that collaboration will match, if not overtake, social networking as a primary online activity”
Wetpaint asserts its platform is “a great option for fan sites, neighborhood groups, classes, or any group of enthusiasts who want to share their knowledge and experience.” Ning also boasts “there are hundreds of ways” to use its platform to “interact with fans, meet your neighbors, educate, share insights and support…”
Which way are “everyday users” to turn? While Elowitz and Andreessen battle it out for the keys to the “viral loop” Internet UGC venture capital backed kingdom, they both continue to eagerly help the King of all the Web, Google.
While chatting with Elowitz when Wetpaint launched two years ago, I discussed how his generic, Googley Web 2.0 “monetization” plans were in stark contrast to his 1990’s ecommerce revenue building ventures: Blue Nile and Fatbrain:
Wetpaint uses Google AdSense on its sites to offer ads that are contextually relevant to the Wetpaint sites on which they appear and then uses that revenue to offset hosting and development costs.
GOOD LUCK! As I underscored yesterday, Ning may have aced $100 million in VC, but it apparently doesn’t have the wherewithal to develop its own advertising platform! Andreessen insists Ning’s GoogleAds are more valuable than any old hobby sites’ Google Ads, and Elowtiz unconvincingly claims Wetpaint’s Google Ads are worth more than those served at MySpace, the Googley $900 million worth that are underperforming . Both Wetpaint and Ning also assure they will one day undoubetdly be able to serve their own ads.
The Wetpaint-Google game is a double header: Google SEO is a core (not so) unique selling proposition for the Wetpaint stable of Wikis.
Is ANYONE striving to be the NEXT GOOGLE, rather than another Google monopoly enabler? YES! SEE: CEO Mark Zuckerberg: The Only One NOT Afraid of Google
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DONNA BOGATIN is the Founder & CEO of STARTUP ALPHA
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