I have come across some clients in the past, who have attested to the fact that social networking sites eg Facebook and Twittter has been an effective internet communication tool to satisfy their online presence.
Though i grossly disagree (not because i am in the web business), i still feel these social networking sites have reduced the need for customised websites, despite their limitations, eg customized mailing systems, flexibility to update the site and somewhat a more respected corporate outlook.
So if these challenges exist for an average web developer, how can we benefit from the afforementioned point?
Over to you peeps

Infact its a blessing to Web Developers as it allows one to leverage the tools of the API rather than building a social community from scratch and also creates another room for the Social Network Programmers.e.g the Facebook Application will have to be built by a Programmer so i don't see Social Networks as a threat infact its an interesting tool to invest in.trust me when i say that every client i know wants a Facebook Application.so am going back

hmmmm, quite interesting

It has been a very great blessing. Let me give you this scenario, just yesterday, a friend of mine who once told me that he needed a website
now told me that he now has a website, i said wow that is good. And i said, so what do you have on your website, and he started listing,
when he finished, i said - does you website connect to facebook, twitter, linkedin. . . . .does your website have a facebook page?
and all the answers were no, i said. . . .well, whoever did the site is either unprofessional or . . . . .

These days, i collect separate money for facebook applications (something that was never in existence before)

Existence of social networking pages have not and will not reduce the need for customized site, generally speaking. Maybe it will, in countries where there is no respect for web developers and where some "webmasters" are willing to charge N1000 for a website but not in other countries. There will always be a need for unique websites.

Having said that, social networking sites should complement regular sites. In fact, I just read and SEO article yesterday that stated that search engines are adding sites with social network buttons as one of their many variables to determine site ranking on the SERPs. Though I create social site pages upon request for "free (not really as I calculate this into the cost of the site)", I don't do updates unless I am paid to do so.

In today's world, one must use ALL arsenal at their disposal, within legal limits of course, to win over the customer. This is as opposed to locking out one avenue over the other just because you think you are smart and that you are saving money by not having say, a website.

Existence of social networking pages have not and will not reduce the need for customized site, generally speaking. Maybe it will, in countries where there is no respect for web developers and where some "webmasters" are willing to charge N1000 for a website but not in other countries. There will always be a need for unique websites.

Having said that, social networking sites should complement regular sites. In fact, I just read and SEO article yesterday that stated that search engines are adding sites with social network buttons as one of their many variables to determine site ranking on the SERPs. Though I create social site pages upon request for "free (not really as I calculate this into the cost of the site)", I don't do updates unless I am paid to do so.

In today's world, one must use ALL arsenal at their disposal, within legal limits of course, to win over the customer. This is as opposed to locking out one avenue over the other just because you think you are smart and that you are saving money by not having say, a website.


fellas making more sense

@yawatide donde esta la pais donde sites are done for 1000 pesos?