Earlier in the month, I posted Strategies for Managing Social Networks and a Full-Time Job, and one of the strategies I mentioned was using a social network aggregator to stay on top of activity in your networks. I decided to take my own advice and recently started a search for the “perfect” aggregator. I’m just in the beginning stages of the process, but I thought my research might be useful to others, so here is a list of what I’m looking for and the apps I plan to try out.

The Criteria

Despite it being a staple of most aggregators, I don’t need to be able to post one update across multiple networks. I tend to use each network differently than the next, so this functionality would be lost on me. Having said that, I do have an optimistic wish list. Here is some of what I want the aggregator to do:

Provide one place (app, web site, etc.) where I can catch up on all network activity

Allow me to post (different) updates to all of my networks in one location

Condense status updates of my connections across Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn

Show people I am connected to in more than one network

Present data in a pleasing and easy-on-the-eye interface

The following items would be amazing to have, but I haven’t seen them at work in any of the aggregators I’ve taken a preliminary look at:

Ability to track drill-down activity, such as Facebook Fan Page posts and LinkedIn Group discussions

Mobile access

Integration of RSS feeds

The Contenders

Flock.com: A social network browser developed by Mozilla.

A social network browser developed by Mozilla. FriendFeed: A popular application that allows you to share content across Facebook, Flickr, Twitter and other social networks.

A popular application that allows you to share content across Facebook, Flickr, Twitter and other social networks. HootSuite: A web-based social media aggregator for tracking and posting updates.

A web-based social media aggregator for tracking and posting updates. Minggl: A browser add-on that lets you manage and interact with all your contacts from one place.

A browser add-on that lets you manage and interact with all your contacts from one place. Netvibes: A web-based start page that lets you personalize the information you want to see, including blogs, weather, email, social networks, and more.

A web-based start page that lets you personalize the information you want to see, including blogs, weather, email, social networks, and more. Orsiso: A social networking tool that lets you organize, simplify and socialize in one place.

A social networking tool that lets you organize, simplify and socialize in one place. Tweetdeck : An app that provides real-time social web access, allowing users to connect with Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and MySpace.

: An app that provides real-time social web access, allowing users to connect with Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and MySpace. ???: What do you recommend?

The Test

I will be installing/signing up with each of the services listed and trying them out to see how they work for me, measured against my wish-list criteria. I plan to report back on my findings over the coming weeks after I give these apps a test drive, so stay tuned.

Do you use an app to aggregate your social network activity? What do you recommend I add to my list of possibilities?