Path is "Slightly" Social

Facebook fatigue, social media oversaturation.  Whatever you call it, social media’s hold on our lives is arguably at its peak.  It is difficult for new platforms to come and compete with the big guys – even the biggest guy, Google, is having a hard time of it.  So the little guys will have absolutely no chance, right?  Not quite.  Path, which began life as an iPhone app, has carved out a niche for itself as a more selective sharing site.  It offers, says CEO Dave Morin, a “slightly social experience.”  And after dealing with the time-suckers that are other social sites that may be a very welcome experience indeed.

Don’t expect marketers to descend on Path quite yet.  With a million users, it has a much more modest fan base than other social sites, and this is how Morin and his staff like it.  “The idea has always been to give you a trusted place to share with your close friends.”  It is a journal that documents your life and shares it within a close circle. Path has released a new version of its year-old program, which adds auto location updates, increases the number of friends a person can have from 50 to 150, institutes strict privacy controls, and integrates Twitter, Facebook, and Foursquare.

Path is redefining itself as a “smart journal,” a way to share the important moments in life with others – and yourself.  The switch in strategy may help the rookie social network survive another year and find other users who want to be slightly social.