Times Business To Launch Professional Networking Site - Peer Power
You’re probably reading his here first - BCCL owned Times Business Solutions is preparing to launch a professional networking site called Peer Power. The DNS points to Indiatimes servers and the domain registration was last updated earlier this month. I just filled up an invitation form, and am awaiting a (moderated) approval.
Rajat Gandhi, GM of TBSL confirmed to contentSutra that Peer Power is intended to be an exclusive professional network; the site is in closed beta right now. Entry into this network will be by invitation only and they’re going to target a senior level profile. TBSL is currently in the process of formulating a set of rules for invitation, and the site is expected to be launched within the next 6-8 weeks. But why an exclusive site - why not a site that can leverage TimesJobs? Gandhi says that the idea is to create a business networking site - not just a job site - to help senior executives profit from the network. It’s intended to be a business exchange, and shouldn’t be seen with the prism of TimesJobs; it’s a standalone business. Something on the lines of A Small World? A Small World is too exclusive, and only for rich and famous.
Gandhi wouldn’t comment on rollout plans yet, or whether the business reach of the Economic Times will be put to use. He says that marketing plans haven’t been finalized yet.
There have been other attempts at business networking websites in India:
—Rediff (NSDQ: REDF) Connexions, which claims to have over 1.4 million users and 18000 groups
—TechTribe, funded by Canaan Partners, The Entrepreneurs’ Fund III (TEF3) and Miven Venture Partners; 1500-2000 job referrals/week (source).
—Brijj from Info Edge (BOM: 532777), which claims to have 600-700,000 registrations, but not much engagement (details)
—ApnaCircle.com from Sabeer Bhatia - is a social and career networking site, and a part of the BCCL Private Treaties portfolio.
Another exclusive business networking site that I know of is Doostang; last time I was invited by a friend a few months ago, it wasn’t open to users from India.
Posted In: Social Media, Companies, Times Group (BCCL), Times Business
Newsletter
Comments (16)
May 26, 2008 6:00 AM
they should have named it Yawn…. Yet Another Worthless Network
Yawn
May 26, 2008 6:09 AM
i really don’t get these guys’ paranoia about synergy with existing properties!! yeah, i know, its their company, not mine :)
May 26, 2008 6:23 AM
manuscrypts: how are they paranoid about synergy with existing properties? :S they’re just not utilizing TimesJobs, in this case, but they’ll probably use others. money stays within the group if they leverage existing properties
May 26, 2008 6:35 AM
i’m also looking at indiatimes vs i-times… timesproperty vs magic bricks.. times matrimony vs simply marry… and thus a pattern… isn’t there great potential in drawing synergies from properties in the same space, esp when they’re doing well?
May 26, 2008 6:58 AM
k…from what i’ve read, itimes and indiatimes may be due to legacy issues with indiatimes - more in the last few paras of http://tinyurl.com/4f7aos
times matri was rebranded as simplymarry…but you may have a point there, if you’re referring to separate sales teams for online and offline properties (I’m not sure), and no uniformity in branding for specific verticals. otherwise, they use their newspaper for publicising online properties. maybe it’s because the customer segments are different?
May 26, 2008 7:04 AM
hmmm..just looking at indiatimes vs i-times, times property vs magic bricks, times matrimonial vs simply marry.. doesnt it make sense to utilise the existing equity of these properties (in the same vertical) while building properties online?
May 27, 2008 8:25 AM
oh, the second one also appeared!! i thought the first timed out :|.. wrote a post on this today..
May 27, 2008 10:51 AM
ROFL :d
Another Thamasha :P
Jul 22, 2008 5:05 AM
business networking websites in India
Another exclusive business networking site that I know of is
http://www.back2office.com
Aug 28, 2008 10:51 AM
looking for real esattae seminar in mumbai
Sep 12, 2008 7:09 AM
guys you are missing one more indian site that claims to be a business network http://www.livebiznet.com
Oct 1, 2008 6:53 AM
I got an invitation for this one. I had a phone conversation with the Assistance Manager of Time Group, this is some site where top level ppl post articles network… etc.. I got a mail which has all the details..
Oct 21, 2008 12:37 AM
PeerPower is a networking site with a difference. Its target audience is only exclusively Top Management people, so I think it should work. Also, it’s an invitation based site, so I have a feeling that it should make a mark in the internet space.
Nov 14, 2008 6:49 AM
I am looking to Network with the Software Industry captains.
Dec 19, 2008 3:59 AM
weoiencoencecwc
May 8, 2009 2:46 AM
book jetlite flights here