There are plenty of ways to build a community around your brand. At the very least, a Group or Fan Page can be created on Facebook. But if you really want to create a branded experience, take a look at these social networking solutions – all of which can be white-labeled and customized to fit your brand and the needs of your community.

Ning.com: Ning offers a free solution (ad supported) but can be purchased for full customization and for the right to run your own advertising. Ning is one of the most popular custom social networking solutions, boasting more than 1.5 million networks and 33 million registered users.

SmallWorldLabs.com: Using Small World Labs, clients can create communities that are customer-facing or internal social networks. The company also offers mobile integration for community networks and premium modules, such as the ability to create a paid membership site.

KickApps.com: This platform can be integrated into an existing website to offer social functions and features the ability to create WidgeADs; custom, widget-based ads that can be shared by just about anyone. KickApps offers a free, 30- day trial.