Chances are, if you’re like us (and the other 39 million ‘frequent social networkers’) you check your Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn account at least twice a day (if it’s more like 12 times a day, well, your secret is safe here).  But as beloved social network sites like Facebook continue growing yet more every day, and pervading both the web and our lives, it’s worth taking a step back to consider how these virtual connections will continue to evolve over the next few years.

In his blog for small businesses, John Jantsch recently asserted that “The future of social networks is vertical.”  Although most opinions aren’t stated as frankly, several social media analysts have echoed this thought.  For social network developers like us, this seems like a very natural evolution considering the incredible number of groups present on Facebook that segment users based on their particular interests.  But ultimately, the interactivity of groups is limited, and right at that point—where Facebook groups hit a ceiling—niche social networks come into play.  Creating such a network can be a difficult undertaking: attracting members, reaching visibility and determining a viable revenue model are challenging tasks.  But in many cases, there is a definite calling for such a community in the broader Facebook marketplace where group members share their common passions, and where vertical social networks are born.

And where there is common ground, communities come together.

The growing willingness of users to share and connect through social media explains the success of online communities such as Style Circle, a network we built to bring wedding aficionados and brides-to-be together and to help them share stories about their big day.  Style Me Pretty, the creators of the elegant niche network, recognized the calling for such an online community and have since very successfully capitalized on this niche.  But the potential for assimilation online is not limited to brides; groups such as realtors, educators and sports fans have expressed growing interest in niche online communities.  For this reason, predictions like Jantsch’s—that as social networking evolves more and more, vertical communities will continue to emerge—make perfect sense.  And while major and public communities like Facebook and Twitter are here to stay, now is the time for niche networks to thrive.