Weblog as Social Networking

OK, you probably know about all the social networkings sites like Orkut, Friendster, Tribe etc. They are very popular (perhaps too popular). Lately folks have been considering how weblogs differ from these services. Below I've listed a few references to thoughtful posts on the subject:

Biz Stone: How to Network with Blogger

Social networking applications barrage you with questions about your hair color, favorite TV show and what kind of pet you have. Does this communicate who you really are? Blogger provides a big, blank space for you to divulge your soul. Or anything else you think is significant. As the weeks and months go by, your readers develop a true sense of what you're all about.

Dina Mehta: My Blog is my Social Software and my Social Network

My blog is my social software. It is also my social network.
It has my profile and much more - it has my identity fleshed out, through my posts.

Scott Allen: How to network with your blog, Part 2 This one is filled with tactics and links to tools that will help you get a handle on all the services and products that can help.

I’m not saying that you should blog instead of participating in online social networks. I’m just saying that if you’re not blogging, you’re missing out on one of the very most effective ways to build visibility and credibility on the Internet.

Here's my take: My weblog represents me and how I want to represent myself and my business to the world. There is not a networking service out there that can represent me better. No single service can account for an individual's style in the way that a weblog does.

Further, the constant updates of a weblog in the context of the person's own style and presentation allows readers to get a close-to-complete picture of the person over time. These relationships are developed over time and through reading and writing, not because two people both like sushi and have blue eyes.