The Saturation of Social Network Sites

As I talk to fellow genealogists and others about the launch of GenelogyWise (official launch date is Friday, July 17, 2009), I have come consistently across complaints of too many social network sites existing. I think I have benefited from only having a MySpace and Facebook page and now GenealogyWise. I tried out a genealogy networking site last year, but the site could not keep my interest. Some days the site did not work at all and the content on the site was not enough to keep my interest. I had not heard of any other genealogy based network sites until a post in one of the mailing lists I belong to listed quite a few.

I can understand the overwhelming feeling of the amount of social networking sites out there. I cannot count the amount of times someone has asked me to join Twitter and I have said that MySpace and Facebook are enough for me. I can understand the genealogists I have encountered rolling their eyes at the sound of another genealogy network site being established. I believe room exists for GenealogyWise though among the vast amount of social network sites.

One never knows where that elusive distant cousin is going to appear. It may be an already established genealogy network site or it could be GenealogyWise. Today, more than ever, people have too much going on. I suggest choosing to focus on the sites that you absolutely cannot live without and giving those most of your attention. I believe GenealogyWise is becoming one of those sites I cannot live without. The developers have done an amazing job of meeting the needs of us genealogists who are socially deprived and those who are socially overwhelmed. The site is more accessible and user friendly than any site I have ever used.

GenealogyWise will be my genealogy social network site of choice, as long as they do not add games and other useless apps that are addicting and take my time away from genealogy. GenealogyWise so far is right on the money when it comes to appeal. Development of this site and the growth of users will be exciting to watch and I am glad to be a part of this growing social network.