Social Networking for blogher Generation

September 22, 2006 (Press Release) -- September 20, 2006 – GetVendors.com, a Bay Area start-up driven by community networks, has launched a new version of its website. The site's social networking is targeted towards the "Blogher generation", a tech-savvy and vibrant community at the forefront of the web 2.0 social media. This user segment perceives social networking as a platform to exchange ideas. Therefore, unlike other social networking sites focusing on teenagers, GetVendors community gives importance to sharing thoughts rather than photos. In this community network, connections are based on existing real world relationships and not self-promotion. While the topics discussed may not always be fancy, they do however; influence the daily lives of the community members and are quite important for them.
Community group membership account (which can be set up for free) enables users to interact within the community. Users can either create their own community groups or join existing ones. A community group is a network of individuals who share common experiences (based on ethnicity, work place, social interests, and/or location). Each new community group has its own unique URL such as sfparents.getvendors.com for a community called San Francisco parents ("sfparents") and this url can be chosen by the individual who sets up the group.
Group members interact in a variety of ways - by posting new information such as reviews/recommendations, commenting on the information posted by other group members, asking questions, promoting social events, and initiating private conversations. Although anyone can read the publicly available information, only approved members can join groups and post information or send private messages to other group members. This exclusive access for contribution in a community group and the underlying real world connections make user's contributions very valuable within the community. This ability to influence - ability to have significant impact on the network gets users engaged in the community; creating a positive feedback loop which helps every member of this ecosystem.
GetVendors.com's community network will augment and accentuate the value delivered by blogs (especially the blogher affiliated blogs that focus on real world issues) and services supporting offline-networking (such as meetup.com) by promoting efficient online interaction among community members. Blogs or meetups are effective means to initiate discussions and attract new members to the community - now with GetVendors.com's network; every member of such community will get a podium to share his own thoughts. This will empower users create close ties among themselves, ultimately leading to a flourishing community.
About GetVendors.com:
Founded by UC-Berkeley alumni, GetVendors.com is a start up company based in Foster City, California. GetVendors.com was recently mentioned in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, San Jose Business Journal, Oakland Tribune, & Sacramento Bee.