Best practices for building social networking sites and attracting members

Abstract

This paper conducts a review of the literature to identify best practices for building social media sites and growing a user base. To inform practitioners, these best practices are presented in rank-order lists. Among the best practices identified, the most important include such themes as promoting personal connections, sharing information and meeting individuals’ desires. The study concludes that website builders should place less focus on aesthetics, and more on the perceived needs of users. This requires careful planning from the outset of the development process. Furthermore, these best practices should serve as a lens for decision-making throughout the lifetime of the site.