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Looking for our <a href="/socialengine-review/">SocialEngine Cloud Review</a>?In my view, there’s a notable lack of capable social network builders out there. They exist, sure, but if you compare it with the eCommerce industry, there’s a serious shortage of vendors.SocialEngine though is one platform that has been around for a number of years (since 2006, actually). It was also voted in as the <a href="/announcing-the-2015-winner-for-best-social-network-software/">Best Social Network Software of 2015</a> here on CMS Critic.It comes in two flavours; SocialEngine Cloud and Social Engine PHP.As for SocialEngine Cloud, it’s a SaaS (Software as a Service) solution that lets you launch a community from SocialEngine’s servers. You can read our <a href="/socialengine-review">SocialEngine Cloud Review</a> for more information.SocialEngine PHP on the other hand is a downloadable and self-hosted version of the platform which I’ll be focusing on throughout this review. Let’s get started!<h2>Getting Started</h2><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/socialengine-get-started.png" />You can download a free trial of SocialEngine which lasts for 30 days, or you can try it out via their online demo.In either case, what you’ll find is a functional admin panel that lacks decoration.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/socialengine-app.png" />It serves up recent SocialEngine news, site stats, and some quick links to help you find vital areas of the dashboard. It does it’s job, but it’s not as beautiful as the SocialEngine Cloud dashboard – which I find odd.The rest of the dashboard is equally bare in terms of design, but it is quick and easy to navigate.<h2>Core Features</h2>SocialEngine really is feature-rich – there’s no denying that. Here's an overview:<ul><li>Mobile Web App</li><li>Chat and IM</li><li>Private messaging</li><li>Social feeds</li><li>Photo galleries</li><li>Groups and sub-groups</li><li>Events</li><li>Forums</li><li>Blogs</li><li>Polls</li></ul>You can also use drag-and-drop software to visually arrange content, customize widgets, create whole new pages, and position banner advertisements.This is all after you piece together your social network using themes, addons, and social frameworks. Here’s a breakdown of those features, and more.<h3>Plugins &amp; Themes</h3>SocialEngine boasts a plethora of addons in the form of plugins at themes, many of which are third-party contributions.The quality of the addons vary, and although themes have started to look a lot more modern, I wouldn’t put them on par with the average WordPress theme – if I were to use them as a benchmark.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/socialengine-plugins-and-themes.png" />All SocialEngine addons can be found via the SocialEngine marketplace.<h3>Full Content Ownership</h3>Your community’s content is yours to own. Unlike most hosted services, SocialEngine PHP never prevents you from moving your community or serving your own advertisements.SocialEngine PHP gives you a simple, unbranded network that you can customize in any way. You’ll have the freedom to maintain fine-grained control over all aspects of your site and content.<h3>Site Stats</h3>SocialEngine offers a relatively stellar site stats solution, and I’m a fan of native analytics systems within content management systems, even if they aren’t that detailed.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/socialengine-site-stats.png" />SocialEngine’s analytics system is fairly well detailed, though. They offer site-wide stats, referral stats, as well as stats within your community. That includes metrics on things like:<ul><li>Private messages</li><li>Friendships</li><li>Comments</li><li>Abuse reports</li><li>Sign ins</li></ul><h3>Multiple Social Frameworks</h3>SocialEngine lets you choose from two-way friendships (like Facebook), one-way followers (like Twitter), verified/unverified friendships, and more.This lets you build a community around common frameworks that your members will be familiar with.You can also add sub-networks to segment members by factors such as age, workplace, location, gender, or anything else you deem necessary.<h3>Moderators &amp; Membership Levels</h3>Create multiple levels of membership in your community to give some members access to special content or extra privileges. You can also assign moderators to help you maintain your community and remove unwanted content for you.<h3>White Labelling</h3>Thanks to SocialEngine have been generous by not including their branding on licensed versions of their product. That means you can go ahead and white label it – so it looks like the software is your own invention.This goes a long way in convincing potential community members of your website’s autehticity and prestige.<h2>Pricing</h2>Unlike SocialEngine Cloud – which requires you to pay a monthly fee – SocialEngine PHP is available at for a one-time fee.There are three deals currently on offer, as seen in the image below.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/socialengine-pricing.png" />Starting from $299, you can’t say that SocialEngine is pricing anybody out, but it’s not exactly cheap either. You could say it’s pretty well priced, actually.However, it must be said that, despite being well priced, the $299 version doesn’t give you access to SocialEngine’s best features.As for the higher plans, they afford you extras like mobile apps, instant messaging for members, forums, blogs, polls, marketplaces, and so forth. Those deals come in at $499 and $699. Which is kind of pricey.<h2>Getting Help</h2>With every purchase of SocialEngine PHP, you get 30 days worth of ticket-based support. Which isn’t a lot.Further help can be found via the <a target="_blank" href="http://community.onsocialengine.com/">global SocialEngine community</a>, as well as through detailed documentation. But to be quite honest, for a product that costs at least $299, I expect ongoing support from the SocialEngine team that lasts longer than 30 days.You can get extended ticket-support access, but that comes at an extra cost.<h2>Verdict</h2>SocialEngine PHP is indeed a platform with plenty of history, and a strong community. It ships with a wide range of features, and it has the potential to power a seriously epic social networking website.But I must say, it is still a platform that’s rough around the edges.Regardless, if you’re in the market for a social network builder, SocialEngine PHP is certainly worth a try.<h3>Pros</h3><ul><li>Awesome amount of features out of the box</li><li>Different social frameworks to choose from</li><li>A solid community to help you grow and provide you with addons</li><li>No SocialEngine branding</li><li>An industry veteran</li></ul><h3>Cons</h3><ul><li>Templates and plugins lack quality for the most part</li><li>Support options are very limited unless you pay extra</li><li>The $299 deal gets you a very bare-bones version of SocialEngine PHP, while more feature-rich plans are far from cheap.</li></ul><h2>Final Remarks</h2>SocialEngine is a solid social networking solution, with an excellent range of features. Themes, plugins, and the admin panel aren't of the highest quality though, and you will have to pay a high price to make use all of features,<a target="_blank" href="https://community.socialengine.com/signup">Click here to sign up for a free trial with SocialEngine</a>.

SocialEngine PHP Review

mike-johnston

<a href="https://www.socialengine.com/" target="_blank">SocialEngine</a>, the online community building CMS, has unveiled a new version that brings in a wide range of bug fixes and improvements.
This update follows up from version 4.8.7, where <a href="/socialengine-cloud-gets-responsive-themes-roadmap/" target="_blank">SocialEngine Cloud received responsive themes and a roadmap</a>.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/4_8_9-image-1.png" />
Here's what Social Engine users can look forward to after they upgrade.
<h2>Upgraded Ning Importer, Facebook &amp; YouTube API Fixes</h2>
Online community nurturers who are looking to move from Ning to SocialEngine can now do so with greater ease, as Social Engine 4.8.9 comes with an enhanced importing feature.
Furthermore, SocialEngine has been tweaked to align with new Facebook and YouTube APIs which were recently introduced. That means that users who were experiencing issues with embedding and integration with either Facebook or YouTube should no longer have a problem.
A long list of bug fixes have been implemented also, while a range of plugins also received updates. The full changelog, along with other details, can be found on the <a href="http://blog.socialengine.com/2015/06/22/socialengine-php-version-4-8-9-is-here/?mc_cid=221217ebb7&amp;mc_eid=4633301b38" target="_blank">SocialEngine blog</a>.
The social networking CMS space needs a hero right about now, and although this update alone won't change that fact, SocialEngine 4.8.9 is a small but healthy step forward.
To find our more, you can explore <a href="/products/social-engine/" target="_blank">SocialEngine through our CMS Directory</a>.

SocialEngine PHP Version 4.8.9 Released

Currently in Beta, <a href="http://www.online.me/" target="_blank">Trident</a> is a self-professed SCMS — a Social Content Management System.
Trident is being driven by the highly experienced team behind Boonex Dolphin, and can be downloaded and installed to a hosting server before being extended and tweaked through various apps.
<a href="http://www.online.me/" target="_blank"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/97413screen11079x0.jpg" /></a>
At first glance, Trident looks like the sleek and sexy platform which the social networking space has been crying out for. But let's not judge this book by it's cover. Here's what Trident can do.
<h2>Beautiful &amp; Uber-Friendly</h2>
On top of looking the part, Trident is designed for responsiveness.
Most traffic to social networks come through mobile devices, and Trident have prioritised accordingly:
<blockquote>“We test on mobiles, tablets and desktops, and make make sure that all graphics support 1x and 2x resolution, and all interface icons are vector-based. Typography, link targets and navigation are all optimised for tap-control and reading from compact screens.”</blockquote>
Here's a further breakdown of Trident's responsive features, as well as all of its other capabilities.
<a href="http://www.online.me/" target="_blank"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/p2zze0w.jpg" /></a>
Mobile-Friendly
Every page and every action in Trident is designed for mobile devices first and foremost.
The Trident team says that they have, “acknowledged that today's social networks receive more mobile traffic than desktop traffic. So, we've created the system that is not just adapted for mobile devices, but is built for them from ground-up.”
Retina-Ready
All modern mobile devices have beautifully crisp screens, and Trident isn't looking to be a platform that lags behind in terms of aesthetics (like many other SCMS). Trident is 100% retina-optimized with all its vector icons, CSS-based layouts, and hi-resolution graphics.
Trouble-Free
Almost all web platforms require a lot of technical maintenance – installation of new modules, version updates, module updates, modification, customization – all these tasks require technical skills and a lot of time.
Trident is not like that. Instead, everything is automatic and simplified.
Multi-Profile
Previously, this feature was something only ever found in the top-tier global social networks like Facebook or Google+.
Trident though, supports multiple profiles under single account, meaning that one user can create a Person profile, an Organisation profile, and other kinds of special profiles. Users can also switch between their profiles on-the-fly.
Studio
Trident features an unprecedented configuration system, called Studio.
The idea behind Studio is in the separation of site content administration and general site configuration. Administration can be done by trusted site members (such as moderators) or by hired admins, whereas configuration is a creative process that is best suited for the site operator or owner.
<h2>App-tastic &amp; Down Right Exciting</h2>
The aforementioned Studio is the place where all of Trident's site settings, pages, modules, languages, templates and plugins are controlled. These are called Trident Apps.
<a href="http://www.online.me/" target="_blank"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/61610screen21079x0.jpg" /></a>
Every app adds and changes functionality, just a building block. Users can mix and match Apps to achieve whatever type of social networking site they have in mind.
Essentially, Trident is aiming to make social network building easier for developers, designers, and administrators on the go.
For me, this level of responsiveness, flexibility, and accessibility ties in perfectly with <a href="/cms-in-2015-what-we-want-to-see/" target="_blank">what I called for from social networking space at the beginning of 2015</a>. Because Trident seems to have hit the nail on the head so well, I'm personally excited to see how this Boonex project progresses in the coming months and years.
Learn more about Trident and try out a demo by <a href="http://www.online.me/" target="_blank">visiting their website</a>.

Trident Beta Released: Build Mobile-Friendly Social Networks

<a href="/social-engine" target="_blank">SocialEngine</a>, the CMS which enables you to build communities online, has gifted its Cloud users with responsive themes across the board.
The popular social network software comes in two editions; SocialEngine Cloud and SocialEngine PHP (non-hosted).
This new update sees all SocialEngine Cloud themes become responsive to mobile devices with immediate effect.
<a href="/social-engine" target="_blank"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/imagescan1lng8-1.jpg" /></a>As for the roadmap, SocialEngine is using Ramen.is to get their users involved, and are hoping to have it integrated into each user's admin dashboard within weeks.
In the meantime, SocialEngine has <a href="/socialengine-cloud-gets-responsive-themes-roadmap/" target="_blank">released some imagery that outlines their future plans</a>. The roadmap is categorized by, “Ideas, Planned, Being Developed, Deployed and Validated”, giving users an idea how how far along each new feature is in development.
<h2>SocialEngine PHP 4.8.7</h2>
Furthermore, the latest version of SocialEngine PHP is out, along with a long list of features and bug fixes.
Here are some highlights:
<ul>
<li>Speed enhancement achieved by not rendering CSS of disabled modules, and by resolving issues of translation performance (Converting language pack CSV files to a PHP array. This is a setting available in “Performance &amp; Caching” section of Admin Panel.).</li>
<li>“Browse Members” page is now available for editing in Layout Editor. You can now add desired widgets to this page from your website’s administration.</li>
<li>Enabled synchronization of likes and comments, for content posted as attachments from activity feed updates (photos, videos, music), between the content’s activity feed and the main content. Thus, when a like or comment is made on content from its activity feed, then that will also appear on the main content profile.</li>
</ul>
The update consists of lots of minor tweaks, which is exactly what the potential-filled platform needed (and perhaps still needs). Although, this is certainly a good start to 2015 from SocialEngine, and in line with what I was calling for in <a href="/cms-in-2015-what-we-want-to-see/" target="_blank">my recent article about what CMS should be doing this year</a>.
If you want to find out more about Social Engine PHP 4.8.7 (and there is indeed a lot more to it), <a href="http://blog.socialengine.com/2015/02/03/socialengine-php-4-8-7-released/" target="_blank">check out the SocialEngine blog</a>.
Also, be sure to explore more of <a href="/products/social-engine/" target="_blank">SocialEngine through our CMS Directory</a>.

SocialEngine Cloud Gets Responsive Themes & Roadmap

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<a href="https://www.socialengine.com/" target="_blank">SocialEngine</a> have released some enhancements and bug fixes in the form of <a href="http://blog.socialengine.com/2014/07/31/socialengine-4-8-6-released/" target="_blank">version 4.8.6</a>.
The popular community-building CMS boasts a range of features, apps and themes. Users can choose between a could-hosted version and a self-hosted version, with prices differing between the two.
With this update, SocialEngine have bolstered their anti-spam defenses and fixed numerous bugs around the software. SocialEngine's last update included the introduction of <a href="/socialengine-php-4.8.3-released-with-html5-video-compatibility/" target="_blank">HTML5 video compatibility</a>.
<a href="/products/social-engine/" target="_blank"><img style="max-width:295px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/socialengine-hosting.png" alt="SocialEngine" /></a> 
Here's a list of what SocialEngine 4.8.6 brings to the table:
<ul>
<li>Added some reliable anti-spamming techniques; you will be able to enable them from Admin &gt; Settings &gt; Spam &amp; Banning Tools.</li>
<li>Fixed bug with Re-Captcha when SSL is enabled</li>
<li>Corrected order of forum posts added by Ning Importer.</li>
<li>Fixed bug with adding link to a wall post where image selector was not being displayed.</li>
<li>Background Mailer Task will run better now and not hang.</li>
<li>Fixed bug where the respective profile field column in field search table was not getting deleted after the deletion of a profile field.</li>
<li>Fixed social network mapping issue when multiple social networks are chosen during signup.</li>
<li>Fixed bug with menu editor where any custom menu added to  Member Edit Profile Navigation  was redirecting to  Browse Members  page.</li>
<li>Fixed an error showing in the log that would be generated when changing the order of photos in an album</li>
<li>Fixed bug where bullets added via TinyMCE Editor were not being displayed in blogs.</li>
<li>Fixed a bug in discussions under Events and Groups where page UI was getting affected in certain cases because of HTML tags not closing after truncation.</li>
</ul>
Furthermore, the SocialEngine team has updated Photo Albums, Blogs, Events, and Groups plugins to 4.8.6.
To download SocialEngine 4.8.6, visit the client area.
For everybody else, either checkout the <a href="https://www.socialengine.com/" target="_blank">SocialEngine website</a>, or start exploring more of <a href="/products/social-engine/" target="_blank">SocialEngine via our CMS Directory</a>.

SocialEngine 4.8.6 Released

So you are looking to create a social network. Whether it be for a local organization or a specific interest group, there are many ways to go about getting started.As with any successful website, it requires the right combination of software, planning and implementation.Today, I'm going to guide you through the process and help get you started by explaining how to create a social network.<h2>Clarify your idea and concept</h2>The most important step before you get started is to make sure your idea is sound and will actually be successful.Some questions you should be asking yourself to help you clarify your idea should include:<h3>What niche am I looking to fill?</h3>This is the single most important question you need to ask yourself when thinking about how to create a social network. Attempting to take on something like Facebook simply isn't realistic but there may very well be a specific niche that you have a passion for and that could benefit from some kind of community / network.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/how_to_create_a_social_network_-_2-1.jpg" alt="How to Create a Social Network" />Since you've already found this article I would assume you already have an idea in mind but it's important to make sure you are realistic with your expectations. Don't expect to be the next Facebook or Myspace easily. It doesn't mean it can't be done but it's not an overnight achievement.Make sure you have a clear understanding of the niche (or specific topic) your social network will be about. Perhaps it's for musicians or animal lovers or something similar.<h3>Are there any existing social networks out there that fill the niche I'm considering?</h3>As with any good business, it's important to do your research and investigate whom you will be competing against. Are there already social networks out there that fill the niche you are looking to enter? If so, what are they doing correctly? Is there anything you would change to make it better? Make notes about what you like and don't like so you know what you need to do to gain an advantage.I'd also recommend trying something like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.semrush.com/">SEM Rush</a> to perform research into the markets, analyze your competition, and more.<h3>What services or functionality do I want to be able to offer my audience?</h3>This is partly covered in the question above but I want to make sure you truly think hard about this. What are you going to offer your audience that will make them want to be part of your community?Perhaps if you are thinking of starting an animal lovers social network you can consider looking into a partnership with a manufacturer to offer some kind of discounts to your audience or perhaps you will offer specialized services like training for pets or videos.Think things through carefully and make sure that whatever you choose to offer, it's unique and something that would convince YOU to sign up if you came across a site like it.—– Cost Considerations<h3>How much do I want to spend at the most?</h3><h4>(be reasonable here, don't expect to put one together for $100, these things cost money in order to be successful).</h4>Obviously spending the least amount of money for the highest return is everyone's goal but it's not always a realistic one. Social networks (like any website) involve a financial investment of some kind. This can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand. Think about what you are willing to invest to get things going.For those of you who are not sure where to start, here are some typical costs websites such as this typically incur (note these are all conservative estimates, don't hold me to them):Logo creation or developmentIf you don't know where to start, check out the amazing Jessica Watts (she did all of our logos throughout our network and is reasonable priced and incredibly talented). Cost – $300-500Website hostingThis only applies if you decide to use purchased software that requires you to set it up on your own web host. If you want an inexpensive and reasonable hosting company with a good reputation, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bluehost.com/">check out Bluehost </a>, they are highly recommended and they will give you a 38% discount on hosting if you visit from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bluehost.com/">our link </a>. You will typically want to start with VPS hosting for a new site so you can have extra control. There are lower cost options but upgrading packages down the road can cause outages. I'd recommend starting with a VPS solution but you can of course choose whichever package suits you best.  Bluehost is hard to beat price wise. Cost – $30 – 100Social Network SoftwareThere are numerous options available for purchase whether it be prepackaged software that includes almost everything you could need or an online solution that offers numerous options. Typically, these are the best bet as they eliminate the huge costs involved in creating something from scratch. Cost – $99 +Custom DevelopmentPerhaps after investigating, you discover that existing software solutions don't fit with your requirements and choose to go the custom development route. Don't expect to get anything up and running reasonably with anything less than a few thousand. To put things in context, a typical blog design and development runs around $3-6k for a good one so a social network which is far more involved is going to cost well in excess of that. Cost – $10k+PromotionYou will need to get your name out there and you'll need someone who can help do this for you. I'd recommend checking out sites like Elance.com and others such as Fiverr.com for inexpensive options that you can buy to help spread the word. Cost – $100+SEO (Search Engine OptimizationAs much as I'm sure you don't want to hear the dreaded SEO term, search engine optimization is critical to getting traffic to your site. Consider joining a network like <a target="_blank" href="http://www.seobook.com/">SEO Book</a> where you can learn how to do this yourself rather than end up spending hundreds on fake or illegitimate SEO companies. There are too many scams out there and you can waste thousands trying to find someone with the right skills when it's far easier and more advantageous to invest in your own knowledge.  Cost – $300 / month through SEO Book or thousands more through other SEO companies  <h3>Do I want to do the work myself or have someone do it for me? Who is going to run it once it's live?</h3>What is my expected volume? How many people could potentially visit and use my social network? (This is important as you need to have a good estimate of sizing in order to be able to help select the right software).There are more questions of course and the list goes on and on but this is a good starting point. I'd recommend grabbing a pen and paper and jotting down your responses to these so you have them readily accessible.—–Use Existing Software or Build your own?<h2>Use Existing Software or Build your own?</h2>The next step is to investigate what options are on the market with regards to pre-packaged social networking solutions. There are numerous options form self hosted (which means you will have to be responsible for putting up the website and keeping it up) or hosted solutions (you pay a fee to a provider each month and they look after this for you).It's important to see what's out there in order to determine if the solutions available can fit your needs or if you need to consider developing the site from scratch. Keep in mind that custom development is very expensive so make sure you absolutely discount all available options before going that route.Let's look at some of the solutions that are available.<h3>PHPFox</h3>PHPFox has been around for many years and is one of the least expensive options on the market. While there are always people who complain about every product that is out there, the fact remains that there are tons of great social networks running on PHPFox and doing quite well for themselves. Cost-wise, the investment has gone down quite a bit since the main company rebranded to Moxi9 and now, you can purchase PHPfox for just $99.<figure class="image"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/phpfox.jpg" alt="How to Create a Social Network" /></figure>I'd consider that a reasonable investment for the amount of work it eliminates you having to do yourself. For less than a hundred bucks, you've got a framework to begin with and should your site take off down the road, you can consider other options such as custom development once you've established a strong foothold and started to generate revenue from your social network.Don't discount options like these as they are fast ways to get things going with minimal investment and see if they take off. You wouldn't want to spend thousands only to find out your idea flopped so start by minimizing your costs first and keeping your overhead low. PHPFox won Best Social Networking Solution in our 2012  <a href="/cms-critic-awards/">Critics' Choice CMS Awards </a>as well.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.phpfox.com/">Get PHPFox</a><h3>Social Engine</h3>Social Engine is generally considered to be one of the top social networking products on the market along with PHPFox. Their offerings are more expansive and include both a cloud version (so you can use their product on their servers without having to install it yourself) which is currently priced at $29 / month or a downloadable version, which you would own wholly and would run you $299.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/socialengine_screenshot600x0.png" alt="how to create a social network" />Both options are excellent ones to consider. Personally, I think the cloud solution might be a bit better due to the fact that you wouldn't be required to fight with configuring your hosting. The downside of course is that you lose a bit of customization capability and do not fully own the product. Either way, SE is a great option to consider when exploring your options.<a target="_blank" href="https://socialengine.com/">Get SocialEngine</a><h3>Dolphin Smart Community Builder</h3><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boonex.com/features">Dolphin</a> is another good option to consider. They offer plenty of great modules and loads of functionality at a reasonable price. While they are certainly more expensive than PHPFox, you may find they fit your needs a bit better (everyone has different tastes).<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/dolphin_smart_community_builder600x0.jpg" alt="How to Create a Social Network" />Prices for Dolphin range from $399 to 799 so needless to say, it's definitely more expensive than most but if you feel the options they offer suit your needs and PHPFox is out of the question, it's a good second option to consider. Certainly, it's far cheaper than developing from scratch so don't discount the price, which in the grand scheme of things is still quite reasonable.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.boonex.com/features">Get Dolphin</a><h3>Evoq Social</h3>If the network you are trying to create is more of a business style network, then you should definitely look into Evoq Social. This offering is from the fine folks at DNN Software and can help you produce a truly amazing social network for your site. They also won last years  <a href="/2013-people-s-choice-winner-for-best-social-networking-solution/">Best Social Network Solution </a>award during our Critics' Choice CMS Awards.If this looks like a good fit for you, you can <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dnnsoftware.com/products/evoq-engage">learn more about Evoq Social</a>.<h3>Oxwall</h3>Oxwall is a great open source solution that you can get your hands on for free. There is a strong community and plenty of options. You can test out a free demo on the Oxwall website to see if it suits your needs as well.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/oxwall600x0.jpg" alt="How to Create a Social Network" />Oxwall is open source which means the code is freely available. It's also free.<a target="_blank" href="http://www.oxwall.org">Get Oxwall</a>—– What's Next?<h2>What's Next?</h2>So you've decided whether you want to use some of the social network software we've recommended, you've made a list of your answers to the questions we identified at the beginning or our article and you are ready to get going.There's only one question now, what's next?At this stage, you've got your concept and the software. Make sure you take advantage of the many communities available to get help with your questions. Places like <a target="_blank" href="http://stackoverflow.com/">Stack Overflow </a>,  <a target="_blank" href="http://www.quora.com">Quora </a>and others can be invaluable resources when you get stuck or need help.If you find yourself in need of a developer, use sites like <a target="_blank" href="http://www.elance.com">Elance </a>,  <a target="_blank" href="http://www.freelancer.com">Freelancer </a>or  <a target="_blank" href="http://www.guru.com">Guru </a>to find someone who can give you a hand at a price point you can live with.Don't forget to use the support services of whichever platform you end up using. For PHPFox and others, use their community and look for fellow users on Google as well. Be sure to work with your hosting provider to help get things up and moving if you choose to do the hosting on your own.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/how_to_create_a_social_network_-_3600x0.jpg" alt="how_to_create_a_social_network" />If you need assistance setting up your social network, drop us a line or leave a comment below. We offer consulting services that can help you get things rolling. Good luck and may your social network be successful!

How to Create a Social Network

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SocialEngine have released version 4.8.3 of the non-hosted flavour of their social networking CMS, <a href="https://www.socialengine.com/" target="_blank"> SocialEngine PHP </a> .
Coming out of the box completely unbranded, SocialEngine PHP can be customized endlessly. Also, thanks to the large SocialEngine Community, a hug range of addons and themes are available to apply to your SocialEngine website.
With SocialEngine PHP 4.8.3, HTML5 video compatibility has been introduced, alongside a number of bug fixes.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/se2.png" alt="SocialEngine" /> Here's an overview of what's new:
<h3>Features:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Added ability to upload and encode HTML5-compatible videos</li>
<li>Added HTML5 video player on mobile</li>
</ul>
<h3>Bug Fixes:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Site-wide statistics now work in Chrome</li>
<li>Corrected an issue where auto-suggest would only suggest friends</li>
<li>Corrected an issue where mobile sign-ups didn’t require a photo in spite of it being required</li>
<li>Login history is now sorted by timestamp by default</li>
</ul>
<h3>Other:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Removed deprecated/unused functions (If you have a lot of 3rd party addons, contact them to ensure everything still works)</li>
<li>Corrected some typos in the Engine library</li>
</ul>
<h2>Uploading HTML5 Videos on SocialEngine</h2>
HTML5 video support is obviously the big news here, and I'm sure many SocialEngine users will be excited at the prospect. However, there are some steps you'll need to take before you're up and running.
To be able to upload HTML5 video, your SocialEngine FFMPEG must be compiled with h264 encoder support. Also, HTML5 Support must be enabled in your SocialEngine PHP video settings.
If that sounds a little too technical for you, SocialEngine have put together a walkthrough video:
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/J4cYUE2fCMM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
You can download SocialEngine PHP 4.8.3 from the SocialEngine Client Area .
Also, be sure to explore more of <a href="/products/social-engine/" target="_blank"> SocialEngine via our CMS Directory</a>.

SocialEngine PHP 4.8.3 Released with HTML5 Video Compatibility

<a href="https://www.socialengine.com/">SocialEngine</a> PHP users will be pleased to hear of the platform's latest release, version 4.8.2.
The widely popular social network software comes in two editions; SocialEngine Cloud and SocialEngine PHP (non-hosted).
SocialEngine is completely unbranded and can be customized to no end. Thanks to the large SocialEngine Community, there are also plenty of addons and themes to be experimented with.
With SocialEngine PHP 4.8.2, numerous bug and performance fixes have been introduced. Here's a quick overview of what SocialEngine PHP users can expect.
<h3>SocialEngine 4.8.2 Features:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Added ability to sort and filter login history</li>
<li>Added option to not automatically friend request invited members</li>
<li>Select language based on the browser’s Accept-Language header</li>
</ul>
<h3>SocialEngine 4.8.2 Bug fixes:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Improved request backoff for activity feed and chat polling</li>
<li>Deleting a photo from an album no longer will remove album from your activity feed</li>
<li>Made searching members less strict</li>
<li>Users who don’t meet the privacy criteria cannot be added as guests to an event</li>
</ul>
Additionally, SocialEngine have also implemented a Core Zend update, which was originally outlined in their <a href="/socialengine-php-4-8-released/" target="_blank">4.8.0 Release Notes</a>. They upgraded Zend to 1.12.3, which resolved a long list of bugs in the software. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite work for everybody who upgraded to 4.8.0 at the time – but with 4.8.2, all Zend-related issues have been fixed.
SocialEngine offer a 14-day free trial. To test the software out, or to find out more, <a href="https://www.socialengine.com/">visit their website</a>. For more information on this new release, the <a href="/socialengine-php-4-8-2-released/" target="_blank">4.8.2 Release Notes</a>.
Also, be sure to explore more of <a href="/products/social-engine/" target="_blank">SocialEngine via our CMS Directory</a>.

SocialEngine PHP 4.8.2 Released

This week, <a href="https://www.socialengine.com/" target="_blank">SocialEngine PHP</a> received a number of updates and bug fixes, as version 4.8 was released.
SocialEngine is a social networking platform which lets you build a social website or online community. For a more detailed look at the platform, be sure to check out our <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/socialengine-review/#.Uzv47_ldXvU" target="_blank">SocialEngine review</a>.
Separate from SocialEngine Cloud, SocialEngine PHP is the non-hosted version of SocialEngine, which gives you a simple, unbranded network that you can customize in any way. It allows you the freedom to maintain fine-grained control over all aspects of your site and content.
Version 4.8 brings about five core changes, which are:
<ul>
<li>Option to hide subscription plans for users after they sign up</li>
<li>Upgraded Zend Framework to v1.12.3</li>
<li>Improved the robustness of the email queue</li>
<li>Improved compatibility with older FFMpeg versions</li>
<li>Added bot sign-up mitigation</li>
</ul>
Furthermore, SocialEngine have also made a long list of bug fixes relating to poll searching, PayPal payment gateway testing, forum quote buttons, ReCaptcha for SSL and sign ins, along with much more.
SocialEngine users can grab the new version from the client area. Although, SocialEngine have made it a point to remind users that they should make a complete backup of their installation before performing an upgrade.
Also, significant custom changes which you may have made to your source code may pose problems during the upgrade process. If which case, SocialEngine also encourages users to enlist a developer to help you if you’re not comfortable with the process yourself.
For a full list of bug fixes, and the official 4.8 version release notes, visit the <a href="https://www.socialengine.com/" target="_blank">SocialEngine website</a>.
Additionally, you can learn more about <a href="/products/social-engine/" target="_blank">SocialEngine via our CMS Directory</a>.

SocialEngine PHP 4.8 Released

After being founded in 2007, SocialGO has grown from strength to strength, becoming one of the best social networking CMS available today, supporting well over 400,000 websites.
SocialGo actually offers two separate social platform builders. SocialGo Classic is the option which allows you to use pre-set configurations to quickly create a social network. Alternatively, SocialGo Pro offers a wider range of features, directed at more experienced users who are aiming to create a fully customizable, feature rich social website.
Both options allow you to get your website and content online within minutes, in a way which is professional and socially optimized. You can be completely hands-on, by editing themes and creating custom pages, or you can opt for a more hands-off option, allowing the SocialGO experts to take on the task of building your social website for you.
<h2>Extensive Social Features</h2>
Since SocialGO is all about social networking, it's vital that it gives our users the ability to utilize their handles from the biggest social media websites around, such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Your users will be able to sign up with your website quickly and easily via Facebook, embed videos and images from YouTube and Flickr, and more.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-3.png" alt="SocialGo" />
SocialGO Pro users will also be able to offer their members access to a Twitter sign up option alongside the standard Facebook feature, advancing an already solid social integration feature.
Whether you are looking to build a social network from scratch, or offer a new residence for an existing one, having these integrated social features is vital for any online community. This is down to the fact that, instead of competing with the giants of social media, SocialGO enables you to use them for the benefit of your members.
<h2>Leave it to the Pros</h2>
If you're weary of setting up your social network, SocialGO offers a service to help give you the running start you need.
From as little as $250, SocialGO offer three comprehensive design and build packages. The packages ensure that your website is built by SocialGo's professionals, who will take your brand and idea, and put them into action for you. Once they're done, you will have a social network which is aesthetically pleasing, and tailored to your own taste.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-4700x0.png" alt="SocialGo" />
Services offered within the packages include bespoke theme designs, custom pages, headers and even CSS coding. What's more is, SocialGO also offer search engine optimization services, logos and a 3 year redesign.
<h2>Everything You Need to Build a Thriving Community</h2>
As well as service to design and build your SocialGO website as previously mentioned, you can also rest assured that you won't be left without the right tools once you begin recruiting members, marketing, expanding and even monetizing your online community.
SocialGO gives you everything you need to build a successful social network, and then some. For example, you can monetize your online community via membership fees, which can be paid via PayPal and ClickandBuy.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-2.png" alt="SocialGo" />
Additionally, you and your members can enjoy the functions of instant messaging, video chat, blogs, forums, and much more. You also don't need to worry about the size of your community, as SocialGO allows you to have an unlimited number of members.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-1700x0.png" alt="SocialGo" /> 
Overall, SocialGO offers a pretty comprehensive social network building solution, dividing their services into both the Classic and Pro platforms. Both platforms have their advantages, with one being suited to a quick, streamlined launch, whilst the other enables you to take a more detailed and executive approach to building your social network or online community.
Whichever of the two platforms you opt for, you can take comfort in the fact that SocialGO has a solid history and a thriving user base, both of which prove the effectiveness of their community building products.
Sound good? Find out more about SocialGO, or check out their 14-day free trial.

SocialGO: Online Community Building Made Easy

A new version of SocialEngine, the social networking platform, has been released. Version 4.5 of SocialEngine PHP offers a new modern theme, a series of bug fixes and some performance improvements. Here is a list of what you can expect to gain from upgrading to this latest version.
Features &amp; improvements
<ul>
<li>New Modern theme</li>
<li>Added link support to poll options</li>
<li>Performance improvements (improved loading of comment likes in feed, optimized Zend locale data files)</li>
</ul>
Bug fixes 

<ul>
<li>Missing attach link icon in composer on mobile</li>
<li>Translation support for profile field privacy settings</li>
<li>Several missing phrases added to default language pack</li>
<li>Hiding the global header/footer using the layout editor now works correctly for mobile</li>
<li>Fixed duplicate results in message search</li>
<li>Fixed event privacy option “Group Members” not saving</li>
<li>Fixed error in Chrome on video view page</li>
<li>Forum widgets now respect forum privacy settings</li>
<li>Fixed placeholder/overtext positioning in the composer on mobile</li>
<li>Twitter OAuth now uses SSL</li>
</ul>
The new theme that is included with this release is a modern theme. Here's what it looks like:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/socialengine.png" alt="socialengine" />
For more info, read our <a href="/socialengine-review/">SocialEngine Review</a> of visit their website, <a href="/social-engine">SocialEngine.com</a>

SocialEngine 4.5 has been released

A new release of SocialEngine has been released. This version promises a boost in speed of approximately 60% for your SocialEngine powered social network. Most of this speed is due to a gzip performance change.
There are a couple of other minor changes as well including an improvement to translation performance (you can now translate using CSV files or PHP) as well as some bug fixes.
For those considering using SocialEngine, you might want to read the comments on our <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/socialengine-review/">SocialEngine Review</a> first and on the blog post below. It sounds like customers aren't too happy with the company / products lately, so keep that under consideration.
If you currently use the system and are happy with it, we'd love to hear your thoughts. Thanks.
Learn more about this release here: <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/social-engineblog/?p=721">https://www.cmscritic.com/social-engineblog/?p=721</a>
[note color=”#DEF1FF”]For those looking to start a social network, check out our list of social networking software (which has links to the ones we've reviewed as well).[/note]

SocialEngine 4.2.6 Released, Makes your Social Network 60% Faster

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Social networks are hugely popular and although we've definitely seen a decrease in the number of “facebook clone” websites popping up like we did a few years ago, they are still heavily used for customer engagement and communities.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/landingi_eicjga.jpg" alt="socialengine_feature" />
SocialEngine puts the power of social networking in your hands making it possible to create your own unique community that you control. Version 4.2.4 adds some more functionality to the already feature rich and modular platform.
<ul>
<li>Two new themes: Kandy (4 color variations) and Grid (8 color variations). see images below</li>
<li>URLs in the RSS widget are now clickable.</li>
<li>Email All Members feature has been improved. Added paragraph functionality, and plain text emails are no longer sent as HTML emails.</li>
<li>Upgrades no longer remove banned IP addresses.</li>
<li>Improved Log Browser navigation.</li>
<li>Improved language phrases and descriptions.</li>
</ul>
How about a quick visual of those two new themes? Here you go…
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/07/socialengine_new_themes1-620x486_cct30e.jpg" alt="SocialEngine_new_themes1" /><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/07/socialengine_new_themes2-620x440_hlk9oq.jpg" alt="SocialEngine_new_themes2" />
To learn more about this product, read our <a href="/socialengine-review/" target="_blank">SocialEngine Review</a> or for a complete changelog and more information on SocialEngine visit their website <a href="http://www.socialengine.net" target="_blank">socialengine.net</a>

SocialEngine 4.2.4 release

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