I agree that associations should embrace some of the existing social networking services but using the information in your AMS with social networking add-ons can help you leverage the information that you have collected to push out information based on interest, conferences attended, committee membership, volunteer positions just to name a few. This allows you to help you members get information quickly when you post studies, webcasts, news or events. There are many options that are not that expensive. We are going to use MOSS 2007 to tie to our AMS for a robust member directory - we are looking into ways to let members add their badges,blogs, tags, and twitter. With the economy looking pretty grim I have concerns about who is going to be left when the "clouds" lift. I think Microsoft will still be around and I feel more secure with my members data staying protected. But I am new to all of this so I expect to learn a lot in the next year as we start planning the new website.

How an association should use social networking to its benefit takes some thought. I get what Marianne is saying but that's just profile building and mass communicating for existing members. Consider what Ben Martin accomplished at VAR using social networking sites: http://caeexam.blogspot.com/2008/10/social-media-yields-engaged-members-and.html

Ben went out into social networking sites (he didn't try to make one of his own), met new contacts, and drew them into participating in his association. That's the real power of social networking.

Good point, Chris. It makes sense to take advantage of what's out there already. Why reinvent the wheel?