This is Part 2 of my post about predictions for the Web in 2008 that might affect Bemba. For those that did not read Part 1, Bemba is all about making it easy and fun to share Web content with friends. Part 2 is about: Social Networks, Business models and Possible areas for Bemba extensions.

1. Social Networks
Mashable’s Sean Aune writes about Social Networking: ‘This area now has limited growth potential, and as the news that just came out about MySpace shows us, the battleground is going to shift to outside the USA. Outside of the United States, it’s going to be a far more interesting battle as sites such as Orkut and Bebo do actually factor in to who will win in the end. MySpace still probably does factor in because being owned by News Corp, Rupert Murdoch can throw insane amounts of money in its direction without blinking an eye’.

Bemba will not be another social network. Instead we will want to make use of the bigger ‘containers’. In the next weeks I will take a closer look at the developments of different social networks.

2. Business models
Guest writer Drama 2.0 writes on Mashable: ‘The Majority of Web 2.0 startups won’t Develop Scalable, Long-Term Business Models. Thus far, most Web 2.0 startups have focused more on marketing advertising solutions that look sexy than ones that have real substance and staying power.’

According to Sean Ammirati of ReadWriteTalk ‘Non-search advertising on the web will increase in value significantly. This will be done through a lot of innovation in the ad targeting systems (both behavioral and contextual) and new metrics being adopted by Madison Ave beyond CPC and CPM.’

B.L. Ochman states ‘Subscriptions will become the revenue models for social networks. The fees will be small, but they will replace conventional advertising as a revenue model. Whaddya think? Feedback is what makes this fun. What trends do you foresee? Twitter and Skype will add subscription charges for enhanced features like groups and the two will compete for top social network status as the useless applications, intrusive advertising and annoying emails from Facebook et al increasingly turn off users. Also ‘Social networks will be the key driver of brand success as consumers increasingly trust each other’s opinions and distrust advertising and corporate crap.’

We have different ideas on how to moneytize Bemba in the future. Of course advertising is always one way that comes to mind. Others are seeding possibilities for brands and we’re eager to know whether small subscriptions are valid. But we’ll need a larger user base to find out.

3. Possible areas for Bemba extensions
Marshall Kirkpatrick of ReadWriteWeb predicts that ‘Online video will become so ubiquitous, including live and mobile, that everyone will wonder how the internet existed without it. It won’t feel like a big deal, though.’

Believe in mobile can be read in quite some predictions. Josh Catone of ReadWriteWeb writes ‘Mobile web usage will be a big story in 2008. It’s already big in many parts of the world; and Westerners are about to get hooked. With new mobile devices that makes web surfing less painful, people will be more and more connected away from their computers.’

Marshall Sponder: ‘Mobile usage going up - becoming more powerful - that’s an idea I hear alot, so I give it more weight.’

Both online as mobile video give opportunities for Bemba. I can only conclude that 2008 will be lots of fun! Can you mention more interesting predictions that might influence Bemba? Do you see other opportunities for the future of Bemba? Or do you have any comments on my words? Please let me know!

I wish you the best for 2008!