The popularity of social networking websites has hit the highest point through the recent years. Myspace, Facebook, Classmates, Yahoo 360 are some of the bunch of social networking websites that were wildly successful. The global Internet users are embracing there social networking websites with more enthusiasm.

MORE OUT OF INTERNET

Internet is considered as the largest source of latest information. Nowadays, the Internet is becoming something more than just a place to find information. It is now a place to interact, communicate, learn, opine about various topics. The social networking websites create platforms for people to get new friends online and to maintain old relationships. Communication has been never easier before.

THE GROWTH OF SOCIAL NETWORKS

Since the development of the first social networking website, Classmates, in 1995, the popularity of this kinda websites has steadily increased. Today there will be only a countable number of teens who are not members of any social networking websites. What I would say is they are really missing something in their life! One of the main reasons for the quick growth of the social networking websites is because they are easy to use. People with little or even no knowledge about the internet can use these social networking websites with ease. Moreover, getting new friends is made easier through these websites.

SOME FIGURES

The other reason for these websites to remain popular is the high number of unique registered users in them. The leader of social networking websites, Myspace had over 50 million registered users the previous year. There is nothing to wonder why these social networking websites have such huge number of registered users. Free registration provided by these social networking websites is the main aspect that attracts millions of people towards these networks. Classmates, the first social networking website has over 14 million registered users. Classmates have fewer users because they provide only a free trial registration. People do not wish to pay for something that they can get for free somewhere else. Social networking websites are growing at a rate of 47% a year.

FUTURE TRENDS

Social networking will go mobile and is poise for a spectacular growth in next five years. Mobile social networking is expected to grow in a higher rate and attract much more users. Whatever, Social networking has made people use Internet more than ever before. This makes the social networking websites act as a catalyst for the growth of Intenet.