We have successfully used niche online social networks as a way for participants to stay involved and discuss next steps after face-to-face workshops and events. By providing a shared online space, all participants can connect, keep the conversation going, and share resources and information.

Ning.com is a hosted service that allows organizers to create their own social network online. It lets creators of networks determine the site’s appearance, features, and whether the site is public or private. In general the functionality is similar to that of more well-known online networks, such as Facebook and MySpace. Net­works on Ning can include features such as photos or videos, lists of network members and events, groups within the network, and communi­cation tools such as forums or blogs. Users can join, create their own profiles and participate in the network.

Barely any technical skills are required to set up a social network. Ning offers no-cost hosted networks, which are supported by advertisements, or a premium service without ads which also lets users choose network URLs that are separate from the Ning domain. ­