In a question posted to LinkedIn Answers, entrepreneur and consultant Stephen Dunham asks:

How do you build a social networking site from zero? Can it be bootstrapped?

It's a question I myself posed back when trying to start up PostRanger.com last year.

Of course, a new social network can mean programmers, bandwidth and lots of outside investment, but it seems to me it doesn't have to.

See the answer given by Timothy Trudeau, president and founder of Syntax Records.

In addition to ning.com, I could also suggest:
• SnappVille (formerly Me.com)
• Yuwie
• Yahoo! Groups
• And many, many more...

Of course, taking these bootstrap routes won't give you the kind of distinct branding that building your own social network would, but if you can build a community and purchase a URL for an inexpensive fee there's always the opportunity of moving over to your own platform in the future.

Whether social networks are a way of building traffic and buzz or the beginning of a primary business, finding faithful users is key. Free tools abound in this expanding field. Make use of them.