Social Networks really ARE becoming Niche!

Just ran across this interesting article in Business Week about the "nichification" (is that a word?) of social networks. With sites like LinkedIn (for those seeking to boost their careers) NurseLinkup (for healthcare professionals) and Fuzzster (a site for pet lovers), it is clear that sites targeted to a smaller portion of the population are really taking off. This trend is catering to those who prefer to connect with a smaller group of people who share similar interests and passions. They are capturing that "powerful 1%" of people that truly care about a particular interest.

In other words, the technology of niche social network sites help people focus their time and attention on what they are most interested in. Now imagine if you were an association or business needing to reach out to pet lovers, nurses or even the shopaholics at yub.com -- isn't nice that they're all gathered in one place for you?