I only see immediate answers:

(1) Pay for loyalty – share ad revenue with me if I create content

or

(2) Focus on quality over quantity.

I check Facebook a few times per day because I run a group focused on young Jamaicans wanting to make a positive impact in that country. They discuss news, non-profits and solutions.

I also connect with other entrepreneurs and learn about upcoming events, ideas and case studies.

Content has always been king and the few “friends” I have creating quality content has kept me coming back to facebook and wanting to contribute quality content as well.

Social networks are merely tools – how you use them is what matters.

However, it is becoming quite obvious that over the next few years, the economic power is gradually spreading from the US to other countries. Even from a strictly Internet Users perspective, China will be passing the US this year.

Anyhow, feel free to read more of my thoughts on this on my latest blog post at http://www.socialadblog.com.

Exactly how much should the make before they’re considered successful?

As to your specific question, I am trying to formulate an answer though it is a big foggy. The answer lies in the fact that we get our time wasters depending on our interest/age and environment. I think it is where the social networks need to find an answer.

The current social networks are tied into their inertia of “social”, right? A Stanford Podcast with guys from FB, MySpace and Ning skims over this. Regardless, it seems people are happier to waste time throwing sheep. The Kissme application was one of the first to hit a million, was it not? These are surely amongst the reasons many stay, but then grow apart from their social networking service?

@ Blog Bloke – well said with regards to privacy, however, do the majority really listen? After all there are cameras everywhere now, and we remain aloof. So what actions should social networks take to raise the benchmark where privacy is concerned? It seems the foundations of FB would make it difficult for us to believe the hype whatever is done to persuade us otherwise? http://www.albumoftheday.com/facebook/

@ Om, would you mind expanding on your most pressing point: “Social Networks need to find new purposes for people to come back every day and be loyal.” What new ways to encourage interaction, engagement and loyalty do you foresee, other than just having a focus on niches?

Also the same graphic is doing the rounds elsewhere as well. It is on a whole slew of other blogs.

You are right – even though I gave Le Monde credit at the bottom of the page. I decided to take it off the story. Not worth the trouble.

It means that 2000 people do the easy sign-up process at Ning to create a “social network”. I would estimate that about 80% leave right after that and never come back, maybe 15% invite a single friend and don’t re-appear after a week. The other 5% may be used continuously, perhaps with only a very small number of people. But still most are “abandoned” social networks – so who cares?

I do like the Ning idea, the conversion rates are of course made up, put please use some more substantial data. Let it be page views, unique visitors or revenue – or internal data like how many networks are really used continuously.

I compare the SN phenomena to bar-hopping. Today’s popular hangout will be yesterday’s flavour of the month.

Sooner or later the barflies are going to wake from their delerium and regret all those years wasted and realize their privacy has been raped and come back to haunt them.

Sad but true.