Web analytics, web metrics, and how to use them to track and improve conversions

Written about Social Networks for doctors and other professional who haven't really been brought into the whose "social network" craze so far.  However, what about Social Networks for Apartment Buildings in Brooklyn, Manhattan and eventually, everywhere else?

The New York Times had an article last week on Meet Your Neighbors, but Just Not in Person where 335 buildings in Brooklyn have already signed up for Social Networks and another 600 are scheduled, each at 6,000 dollars.  That means LifeAt.com has collected close to a million dollars so far in fees and is poised to collect another 2 million soon.

Here's the thing, it's good for luxury buildings but not so much for your regular residential places - but it could be - down the line.  I think people do invest a lot in where they live and often the person next door, or down stairs has what you need - but you'd never know it.

I would bet the click-through rate on any advertising that was really relevant would be higher, per impression, on an apartment building social network than your average social network.  I also bet that it's going to much easier to run ads for local businesses in local social networks - these will be much, much more effective than your average ad since people will be much more likely to be receptive to a cleaners or grocery store around their neighborhood than a generic ad for a large chain with a 1-800 phone number - but that's just me.

In fact, I'll make a startling prediction (and it's OK if I'm wrong on this one) - Local Search will take off precisely when Local Social Networks become the "next" big thing.  

Right now, lots of Search Experts and Research firms are predicting Local Search is going to take off - is taking off -but the fact still is that most small local businesses don't have websites - so it's hard to see where they're going to come up for local search.   Services that make a listing for a business (similar to the Yellow Pages) for local search, are trying to make up the difference - but without the right context - it's going to be difficult to get massive local search advertising to happen.

But with social networks in buildings ...... it makes more sense that local businesses will now want to come up locally as contextual and banner advertising to apartment buildings nearby - and a banner ad usually leads to a website..right?  So that means local social networks and local search go hand and hand - at least, they do in my book.