Will branded online communities continue to grow in popularity and use?

Of course yes. They fulfill a need for people to communicate that misses more and more in ral life...

yes suerly it will.

Reality is not as simple, and human destiny is not as fixed. Major stresses are inevitable, given the sheer size of the growing human population and the need to adjust to technological changes. In these advent times, the social medium practically exists in the virtual world of connections.

You want to express yourself; you Blog, You want interaction, you join a community. How good? How well endorsed or how great is the content? Will depend on the forum of purpose and its target.

It will grow its the future...and as the technologies improves with easy accessibility branded online communities will continue to grow in popularity... as time pass it will become the cheapest medium for communication,trade,entertainment...

I am very impressed with the comment given by Mr.Aditya.He has exactly given the reason for online communities to survive for years down the line & I completely agree with him.

No DOUBTS about it. They are growing, they will grow & keep growing. This is NOT like a Fashion style. Its about you, me & hum. In today's world HUMAN is alone, so he need some virtual place to get a feel of he is in a society & this ALONESS is increasing due to HUMAN Physical needs. Today HUMAN require a Mobile phone or a Laptop more than a Healthy food. We will bargain to buy Vegetables but we will not bargain to buy a Mobile Recharge (we can not). HUMAN become a individual so he needs a place call Community.

Lets take TOOSTEP as a example. why we are here? Why we are discussing? Because we do not do this at any place may be.

Even new features, new gadgets, new technologies keep adding sustainable values towards Internet & Online communities.

Online communities will continue to grow in popularity and use till they reach a point beyond which growth is not possible. But they will not fade away or die, but remain constant thereafter. These communities consist of real people, and therefore, there is a life cycle of the members presence, and not of the site hosting the community. When a visitor joins, he/she is a lurker, a person just looking around. After some time, breaks the ice and starts contributing, as a beginer. Then, after sustained contribution, becomes a regular. Next stage is that of leaders and thereafter become elders after contributing to the community long enough. This could be the exit stage of the members presence due to time constraints, change of interests, etc. But there are many more joining every minute and the population, as in real life, continues to grow. Belonging is what keeps the community together during the life cycle. New communities may form and nobody keeps anyone from becomming a member of any number of communities.

I also believe that these sites continue to grow as every company is looking forward to social marketing as a medium to reach out people. With the number of internet user growing worldwide, this is most cost effective medium to reach out different people.

Only thing that may change with time is the site…Today it is Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter or any other social networking site….tomorrow there may be some other site or sites.

With growing awareness of computers purchases online will grow. This will also help in keeping product cost low and also B2C will reduce in-between businesses adding cost for no value addition. Example is Dell who is doing most of its sale through web. Cost of transportation also reduces drastically. Online purchase also has advantage of any time/anything purchase sitting at Home/Office.

With this buyer will recognise products through Brand and not by shops. However Manufacturer will have to display products at distinct places to tryout and understand functionality and have touch feel.

According to me, branded online communities will continue to blossom as they are an extremely cost-effective platform for having meaningful dialogue and build relationships with customers. What do you say guys??