I’ve been reading with interest the news that Path.com, a new social network, has launched this week. Founded by Napster’s Shawn Fanning and ex-Facebook executive David Morin, the site is already drawing lots of attention in the social networking industry and the online media.

Currently only available as a free download from the iPhone app store, Path is designed to allow people to share their experiences through photographs; users take snaps on their smartphone and then tag them before sharing them with their friends.

Billed as ‘The Personal Network’, Path restricts each user to having only 50 friends at any given time, meaning that only your closest family and friends can see what you’ve been up to and where you’ve been. Photos can be shared but there’s no functionality to attract ‘followers’, or ‘retweet’, or even comment.

This approach is distinctly different from the culture of Facebook, Twitter and the like, where a person’s standing is often measured by the amount of friends and followers that they have.

Some are already calling Path an ‘anti-social’ network although, if you’re invited to view someone’s profile on Path, you can be flattered that you are considered to be a close friend indeed (well, you’re in that person’s top 50 at least!)

Despite tighter controls on Facebook, there’s no doubt that the rise of social networking has encouraged many people to be less reserved about what they put online. Hilarious – and sometimes jaw-dropping – examples on sites like Lamebook.com and FacebookFails.com demonstrate the folly of people who have perhaps been a bit too open in sharing their personal lives, so Path could be a welcome antidote.

The decision to launch Path exclusively as an Apple app will undoubtedly restrict its usage; as an Android phone user I’m frustrated that I can’t try it out for myself. Until the service is fully rolled out and developed it’s difficult to predict what the take up will be but I’ll certainly be watching its development with interest!

Get Path from the iTunes App store

What are your thoughts on this new way of social networking? Will you be signing up to use Path? Let us know your opinions by leaving a comment below. Plus, don’t forget to vote in our social networking poll opposite!

We’ve had a poll in our blog giving you the chance to pick your favourite major US affiliate/advertising networks – we hope you were able to cast your votes.

After some late voting activity, we’ve closed the poll and you can see the results on the left-hand side. Commission Junction have taken top honours with a decisive 50% of the total vote. Congratulations to CJ on being voted the most popular network; we count ourselves amongst their many fans.

Jennifer Lovette, Vice President of Client Development West for Commission Junction’s US operations, says the following about the result: “We are delighted to be chosen the best US network. Commission Junction is committed to growing relationships on both sides of the pond and we would be glad to help any affiliates who are interested in extending into the US market”. 

CJ have a truly impressive roll call of advertisers in the USA including Yahoo!, Home Depot, Buy.com and Dell. The annual CJU events, held at their sunny headquarters in Santa Barbara each year, give publishers and advertisers the chance to network and exchange marketing tips in perhaps one of the most enticing conference locations in the world!

Second place in our poll was taken by Linkshare, the ‘grandfather’ of all networks, which remains at the forefront of affiliate marketing with clients including iTunes, Delta Airlines and Walmart. Specialising in Finance, Retail and Travel, the network has made a big impact on the international affiliate marketing scene since starting up in 1996 and we recommend them as very worthy runners-up!

Perhaps most surprising was that AzoogleAds and Pepperjam came bottom and second bottom respectively, with only 5% and 10% of the votes. Both networks have gotten a great deal of publicity over recent times, but it seems that this does not reflect on how they are rated by the community.

We now invite you to vote for your favourite social networking media in our new poll, which you can find on the right-hand side bar if you scroll down the page.

Client News: The Belmont Thornton affiliate program is now live on the Tradedoubler network. Earn a generous £10.00 per lead. Contact karen [at] azam.net for more information.

For the last few weeks we’ve had a poll in our blog asking visitors to vote for their favourite major British affiliate network(s).

You can see the final results on the left. I suppose it’s little surprise Affiliate Window comes out top of the pops. The network is certainly at its peak. The question is whether Awin will be able to retain their lead if/when they are bought by their latest suitor, but one can certainly say that, as things currently stand, the Account Management, user-friendly widgets, and vast selection of brand name advertisers is something many other networks aspire to replicate.

Talking of buy-outs, Buy.at came in second with 32% of the votes and do not seem to have suffered from the recent dramatic changes since becoming the delightfully named Platform A.

Affiliate Future, who were also acquired by a bigger entity a short while back, retain the affection of the industry and come in third, closely followed by Tradedoubler, who must be kicking themselves for not selling to AOL for 215 Swedish Krona a share in January 2007 since when their share price has collapsed to 31 Krona.

Our new poll, which you can find on the right-hand side bar if you scroll down, asks for your top US network(s), so get voting!