I must have missed the boat on MySpace.

I know the network is huge, but it’s full of spam, fake friend invites, and bad ads. Plus it’s really, really ugly. If you’re an organization trying to establish a consistent brand or image, there are much better options when it comes to social networking. To illustrate this point, Let’s look at two key factors in social networks and some MySpace alternatives.

Building a Brand
If you’re looking for a cool way to present your brand, AND connect with people, look no further than Virb. (www.virb.com). Virb is a new network with a clean, easy interface that’s extremely customizable. If you want to see some of the possibilities for Virb profile pages, check out Naive Clothing on Virb, or the page for designer/artist Garrett Miller (also awsome – Adam Morse). Compare them to one of the better MySpace pages I’ve seen – Nixon Watches.

Establishing A Network
If you’re looking to connect with a large number of people in the most meaningful way, Facebook (www.facebook.com) is the way to go. What started as a networking site for college kids (I’m a 3 year veteran, so if you have any questions feel free to ask) has now opened it’s doors, and it’s API, to everyone. Facebook’s interface and GUI are much cleaner than MySpace and the ads are much less obtrusive. Now that the API is open, applications are starting to emerge that expand Facebooks functionality to equal or surpass MySpace.