Blog Netlog

Netlog launches Word Challenge in partnership with Playfish

Netlog — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:13:21 UT

We’re happy to announce the launch of Word Challenge, created by Playfish, one of the world’s largest and fastest growing social games companies.

In the game, you are given 6 letters and the objective is to create 3-6 letter words from the letters provided, as fast as you can. There are 40,000 words to find in this fast and rewarding game! As a nice extra, you can compete in a head-to-head battle of words with one of your friends in the 'Challenge Mode'.

"Playfish creates high quality, innovative social games which are played and enjoyed by millions of friends around the world," says Sebastien de Halleux, COO and co-founder of Playfish. "We're pleased to bring Word Challenge, one of our most popular games, to Netlog's young and thriving European user community."

Lorenz Bogaert, CEO of Netlog comments: “The partnership with Playfish is an important step in our strategy to move towards more social games integration in the Netlog community.”

AddThis supports Netlog

Netlog — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:50:01 UT

We’re always out there looking for interesting partnerships that can enhance your experience on Netlog. By joining the AddThis Service Directory, we’re sure we found the best way of allowing all of you to quickly share content from blogs and web sites on your favorite community, Netlog.

From now on, when you are on a site reading an interesting article or seeing a beautiful picture it’s as simple as clicking on the AddThis-button, selecting ‘Netlog’ and confirming to have it added to your profile.

Try this at home:

First click the AddThis-button and select Netlog

And add to Netlog

Netlog's first Brand Integration and Developer Day

Netlog — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 09:46:22 UT

Don’t miss our first Brand Integration and Developer Day on April 2 at Kinepolis in Brussels! This is a one-day, free admission event.

The morning is dedicated to developers interested in knowing more about our API, gaming platform and monetization possibilities.

A team of pioneering Netlog and Google developers will be hosting the presentations, as well as an OpenSocial codelab. Registrations start at 9AM.

The Brand Integration Day starts at noon. We welcome creative agencies and media buyers to learn all about leveraging Netlog's Brand Integration Platform.

Launched in the early days of 2008, the Platform allows organisations to engage with our young and vibrant community, and extend that engagement to their audience in a direct, interactive and authentic way.

Key customers will join us to share their successes.

A lot has happened during the past months, and we continue to work on improving our platform – for users and partners alike. We’d be thrilled to see you on April 2 to learn what we’ve done and share some of your thoughts.

So, mark your calendar and start spreading the word! Email us at netlogday@netlog.com if you have any questions.

Spread some joy this winter holidays season

Netlog — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:28:52 UT

Social networking has meant that our friendship groups have grown quickly. But when it comes to Christmas and New Year’s Eve, that explosion in personal contact creates a challenge. How can you spread the cheer to all those people?

While some are using video greetings cards, bringing joy through sci-fi art, or hacking Flickr pics, we thought we’d give you some hints at how to use Netlog to spread your seasonal cheer.

Skins
Why not decorate your profile with a Christmas or a winter themed skin? Skins are a way to update the look of your profile with a theme or pictures. We’ve got some wintery featured skins at the moment – take a look! You’ll find them when you click on ‘manage profile’.

Guestbooks
If you’ve got hundreds of friends, you’re unlikely to have the time, money or inclination to send a card to every single one. So why not fly by their profiles and drop your season’s greetings in their guestbook? It’ll make their day to know you’ve visited!

Profile picture
We’re seeing so many people updating their profile pics with photos of them dressed all Christmassy. Dust off that old Santa hat, take a photo of you with your tree or with a snowy frame.

Clans
If you want to make new friends this holiday season, why not join the clans that are springing up to commemorate the festive season? There are loads of discussions going on, from what’s topping Christmas gift lists to the history of the special day. You might learn something!

Events
The end of the year is a time for special occasions. Our events pages are currently full of local gatherings – from town festivals to clubs, music, comedy and parties. Have a look, sign yourself up and get partying!

And Mashable! makes three!

Netlog — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 11:37:04 UT

We were just celebrating our MetrixLab Website of the Year award when we got even more good news. Not only has Belgian computer magazine Clickx awarded us with a similar title – but now, we’ve also won the People’s Choice prize for best website at the Mashable! Open Web Awards .

We were up against some really stiff competition, including Platinum Lounge and Twitter , so it’s a really great feeling to get this award. Thanks again to all our supporters!

Netlog wins 2008 Website of the Year!

Netlog — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 11:32:55 UT

We did it again! Last month, we were nominated for MetrixLab’s Website of the Year Award in the Communities category for the English, French, Dutch, Italian, German, Spanish and Russian versions of Netlog. And some days ago, we were honoured to win the award for our Spanish and French sites for two years in a row.

We’re hugely grateful to win two consecutive awards – and we’d like to thank everyone who voted for us. Yet again, it’s the nominations from our members that mean the most. The whole team at Netlog is dedicated to making it a fun place to meet people and communicate with your friends, so we’re thrilled you think we’ve done a good job.

The Website of the Year Awards were launched in 2004 by MetrixLab , an independent online market research agency. They are the largest annual ‘people's choice’ website awards.

The organisers explain: “Winning a Website of the Year Award is the ultimate proof that your work is appreciated by your public. It adds value to the success you have already achieved, and will inspire greater loyalty and trust in your visitors and stakeholders.”

What more could we want?

Picture tips for perfect profiles

Netlog — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 11:28:05 UT

Now we’re Twitter fans, we’re reading all we can about it.

This post from Guy Kawasaki has some great tips on how to be a good Twitterer.

Our favourite tip? Create an effective avatar. That’s good advice. We suggest that you do the same for your Netlog profile picture.

So, while we’re on the subject of pictures, here are five tips to help you choose a great Netlog profile picture:

1. Make sure people can see you – including a picture of a pet, something from your hobby or even another family member is great, but people want to see you first! Also, ensure that when the picture is smaller, like in your FriendFinder box, you’re still visible. Make sure backgrounds aren’t too busy, or the picture will be hard to see. And don’t forget to smile

2. Choose a picture that says something about you – remember, first impressions last. Think about what sums you up… Do you like sunny days, or do you like the snow? Are you a sporty person, or do you love the arts? Incorporating something personal to you will mean people will feel they know you straight away…

3. Change your profile picture every so often – friends will want to see a new side of you more often, so change your profile picture once in a while. Have you had a great night out, or a perfect holiday? Why not show off in your profile pic… Remember, it’s the first thing people see!

4. Choose whether you want to go public, or stay private – some photographs are for showing to everyone, some are for friends, and others might just be for you. Use Netlog’s privacy features to set the security settings on your pictures to control who, when and how people view them.

5. Use pictures for polling – did you know that Netlog lets you create polls, then use your photos as the answers? Why not ask the Netlog community about which outfit looks best, or who of your friends is the coolest? Just go to ‘polls’ and try it out!

Gearing up for gaming with Europe’s top developers

Netlog — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 08:07:47 UT

We have joined forces with top games developers Jadestone and Bigpoint , to bring you innovative new multiplayer games.

Thanks to our use of Google OpenSocial API, the games will be fully integrated within Netlog and you will be able therefore to play games directly on Netlog, without having to create extra accounts, to enjoy an instant gaming experience.

One game available to Netlog users will be Jadestone’s Scarab Solitaire, an Egyptian-themed card game that pits players’ strategy and hand-eye coordination against the clock and other Netlog members. Another, still in the process of development and playable from January 2009, is Bigpoint’s Seafight, a complex browser-based multiplayer game, which offers a 3-D, real-time adventure to Netlog users without the need for additional software.

Growing smarter

Netlog — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:26:11 UT

We are proud to announce that Daniel Fazekas is joining the Netlog team – another addition to make us feel even more smart, dynamic and international! He is our brand new Product Manager, and joins the already established team of Clement , Davy and Gunther. They all have the mission of improving the Netlog platform by bringing more features that make it safer and easier to use. Daniel is an experienced product and service developer, having mastered the art of narrative brand management as well as that of marketing and engagement metrics. Daniel has a great understanding of consumer insight generation, thanks to an MA in Communication Studies from the University of Calgary , Canada. Fluent in English, Hungarian and German, Daniel likes to get involved in community projects such as theBudapest Complaints Choir which he helped organize last year. Before coming to Netlog, Daniel worked for Yahoo! ,IndexTools and Research International .

We’re Twittering…

Netlog — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 22:45:12 UT

At Netlog, we’re keen to try out new ways to make friends online, discuss things we care about and share experiences.

Which is why we’re trying out Twitter. Check us out at www.twitter.com/netlog

We’ll be discussing cool stuff that’s going on at Netlog, events we’re at, new things we’re launching and interesting things we see online.

Oh, and random thoughts when we’re on the move.

If you’re a Twitterer, follow us. We’ promise to follow you right back.

Heads in the cloud

Netlog — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 23:33:45 UT

There has been a lot of chat about how cloud computing – where information is stored in an internet ‘cloud’ – is being championed by the social networks.

Cloud computing describes the saving of information somewhere online, not on your computer or on a disc. After all, do you keep your data to yourself, or do you share it?

People, it seems, are very happy to host their photos, videos and other content on external sites. Studies suggest that these are the best ways to store, share and (come on now, admit it) spy on other people.

So, we thought we’d put some of our statistics out there. Here goes…

• Netlog hosts almost 180 million user photos online
• Our users upload more than 4 million photos per week and view 6 million photos per week
• More than 21 million Netlog members have at least one photo on their profile

Do you have a set of images that you’re proud of? Do you use Netlog for pictures of yourself, or do you publish some of your finest shots so other people can share in the joy?

Actually, the most popular picture tag on Netlog is cool – read into that what you will!

Netlog launched iPhone app

Netlog — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:18:30 UT

After launching a new and fully customisable homepage and our own bookmarklet , here’s another application for Netlog and Apple fans: the iPhone Netlog application. From now on, every iPhone and iPod Touch user will be able to have all their friends in their pocket!

Each Netlog user owning an iPhone and iPod Touch will be able to stay in closer contact with friends and like-minded people, leave guestbook messages or check their own messages. Moreover, pictures taken on an iPhone can be uploaded to Netlog immediately. And, for those fond of shouting about what they’re doing, they can include their GPS location in the shout so that everybody knows where they are.

The application is available now from iTunes in Chinese (Simplified), Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian and Swedish and can be downloaded from here.

For owners of different devices who want to use Netlog on the move, the Netlog mobile site offers similar features to the Apple app. Check it out here.

Share the news ordownload the official press release.

New Netlog homepage launched

Netlog — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 10:19:09 UT

The days of the one-for-all homepage are gone. Our developers have worked hard to create a customisable homepage designed to make each member’s stay on Netlog more pleasant – by giving them the power to choose.

Now, Netlog’s homepage synchronises with each user’s privacy settings, and allows them to select exactly what information is shown on their page. It also lets members choose their page’s layout and add all sorts of other features – including direct links to friends’ blogs and photos.

We have issued a press release on this topic, so if you’re interested, read about it here .

Netlog Bookmarklet

Netlog — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 10:40:02 UT

Web 2.0 is a beautiful thing that offers infinite possibilities to its users. However, with all the news, information and sites available, it can also be pretty hectic - and can leave you wishing there were more hours in the day!

So from now on, Netlog users will be able to share and save links on their profiles through our new LINK feature. This can be added on the shortcut toolbar by going to Settings/Display/Shortcuts and activating the “Add a Link” option. With this activated, each user can add any website link manually to their profile.

Add a Link page on Netlog

To make matters even simpler, Netlog has created a bookmarklet that will make linking straightforward and quick. So if you’re reading the news online or happen to stumble upon a really interesting site, the Netlog bookmarklet will let you share this link with your friends and peers.

Moreover, thanks to the Add to Any and Shareomatic bookmarking widget, each Netlog user can gather everything they want to know in one place. For example, readers of the Belgian newspapers De Standaard , Het Nieuwsblad and De Tijd – and Het Laatste Nieuws in due course - can use the bookmarking service to save and share news items with other Netlog members.

Netlog Bookmarklet on De Standaard

Now, every Netlog user can:

• Add any links to his/her profile by using by using the Netlog Toolbar for IE (Firefox support is in development), or through manual input
• Import links from Belgium’s most read newspapers online or from any other site using the “add to any” and “shareomatic” buttons

Netlog attends IAB Italy

Netlog — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 10:33:22 UT

For the first time ever, Netlog will attend the International Advertising Bureau IAB forum in Milan , in our capacity as corporate member of IAB Europe .

Luisella Giani, our business developer for Italy, will represent us. She’ll most definitely talk about how proud we are to be the country’s leading social network, and amaze attendees with our latest statistics. These include the fact that we registered more than 1.5 billion page views during September on the Italian site, which means over 850 million minutes were spent online by our two-and-a-half million Italian members. She’ll be giving out some really cool gadgets, too.

So, if you have any questions about Netlog, are curious about our latest statistics and campaigns, or simply want drop by and say hello, you can find us at stand number 62. We’ll be sharing it with WebAds , our sales house in Italy. So for great giveaways and hot new info, come and see us!

Radio Veronica tunes in to Netlog

Netlog — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:54:27 UT

From today, Holland’s Radio Veronica will have its own community on Netlog – allowing its fans to interact with the station’s DJs, programmers and other listeners. To mark the beginning of this wonderful collaboration, Radio Veronica is launching its famous Top 1000 of 80s and 90s songs on Netlog. Listeners can submit their top ten favourite songs to help Radio Veronica compile the list.

Veronica fans already on Netlog, who want to enjoy its great music and get the latest scoops and news, can simply join Veronica’s brand page. For listeners not yet on Netlog, the registration process is easy and quick.

We’re thrilled about this partnership for many reasons – but mainly because it’s our first media partnership with a very popular radio station and big media group. In fact, Sky Radio Group, to which Radio Veronica belongs, is the biggest in Holland. Radio Veronica also plays Holland's best 80s and 90’s hits, and boasts DJs including Rob van Someren, Ferry Maat, Bart van Leeuwen, Colin Banks, Patrick Kicken, Erik de Zwart, Rick van Velthuysen, Ben Liebrand, Erwin Peters, Peter Teekamp, DJ Silverius, Silvan Stoet and Luc van Rooij en DJ Sven.

For the official press release, please check the press page.

Netlog partners with sales houses in Europe

Netlog — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 10:44:17 UT

Netlog has signed contracts with prestigious online advertising platforms in both Austria and Slovenia. The companies will represent us in front of the local advertisers and spread the word about our great interactive advertising solutions.

AdLINK Media is the leading sales house for online advertising in Austria and Europe’s leading premium online marketing agent, with offices in 12 countries throughout the continent. It is a competent and experienced promoter and we expect nothing less than first-class representation in the Austrian market.

For Slovenian advertisers, we have partnered with Httpool – a rapidly growing international advertising network with a focus on emerging markets. Established in 2000, Httpool’s network covers Central and Eastern Europe as well as the US.

Both companies released local press releases to announce these partnerships. Both the AdLINK and Httpool media releases are here .

Netlog named ‘Most Promising Enterprise’ for 2008

Netlog — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:21:48 UT

Last night Netlog won the Flemish Government Award for the Most Promising Company in 2008. Patricia Ceysens, the Flemish Minister for Innovation, presented the award to our founders – Toon Coppens (CTO) and Lorenz Bogaert (CEO).

The awards, now in their fourth year, are a joint venture between Flemish Government and Ernst & Young. They were launched in 2004 to honour new companies for their growth, competitiveness and innovation – as well as international approach, entrepreneurship, good governance and vision. Previous winners of the Most Promising Company Award are Financial Architects, Transics and Televic . 
Netlog received the award at the ‘Company of the Year’ gala, organised as usual by Ernst & Young . Once again, the ceremony put successful Belgian businesses under the spotlight – including Carta Mundi , a playing cards manufacturer, who took the glorious title of ‘Company of the Year’.

Netlog grows smart

Netlog — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 06:35:05 UT

We have very good news to share. Not only that the Netlog community is growing steadily, but our team is growing as well having every day more colour, more strength, passion and intelligence. Just recently LuisellaG from Italy joined us as Business Developer. She will be concentrating mainly on her native country, the beautiful and lively Italy, but she will also assist our Business and Marketing teams with her pan-European knowledge. Before coming to Netlog, Luisella worked for prestigious clients such as Lycos, eBay and Skype working from Germany, UK and many other exciting places around Europe. She is also the proud owner of 2 master’s degree titles (one in web and new media marketing and one in marketing, advertising and publishing) and the author of a couple of articles on semantic search engines. She also has a chapter in Instrumentum Vocale and she’s a talented writer (well, she has to be if you think that she also worked as a journalist for around 5 years). We give her a warm welcome and wish her many happy days with Netlog!

OMD '08

Netlog — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:35:38 UT

If you’re planning on visiting the OMD’08 onference, don’t hesitate to get in touch . After witnessing the smooth organization and interesting topics last year, we felt Netlog can’t be absent on this year’s online-marketing-düsseldorf. If you’re looking for a refreshing talk while crossing the 36.000m2 large exhibition area, just go to Hall 11, booth 11H52 to meet with Netlog’s busdev team. Also both our founders confirmed their presence! We’ll all be available to discuss partnerships or demonstrate the Netlog site. Unfortunately we can’t invite all of our 3 million German speaking members, but we do have some entrance tickets available for commercial partners of Netlog! Feel free to contact leen_en to make an appointment on OMD.