Blackplanet began in 1999 as an African American social network site, and is ranked number 4 in the top 10 U.S. social networking sites (HitWise).

Upon signing up, members can find their friends by searching their web-based email accounts.

Once developing a profile, members can begin meeting people through groups and chat sessions

Blackplanet also allows members to find jobs, post jobs, and find potential employees through their Professionals section and Jobs section.

Members may also easily find others to chat with through instant messenger.

The site seems to want to stimulate conversation between people because as visitors visit various profiles, there is a Member Dock showing you who is online right now and available to chat.

It’s also easy to find other members by searching areas, colleges/schools, and/or interests.

Demographics
The site seems to average around 2 million unique visitors per month.  The majority of visitors are from the United States.