Are you worried about the power and reach of Facebook? Is it becoming a must have membership or life saving utility such as water? Is it becoming too addictive? ( I saw someone a few days ago call it “Crackbook”) Or are they about to lose there way with over 800,000 members pushing back on the new look and feel of the site? http://www.new.facebook.com/share.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.next2friends.com%2Fvideo%2Fonce-was–short-film-%2FMDYwYWI5&tid=6614848052&src=box&appid=2530096808#/group.php?gid=25495244052
OK, so we all now that since it was founded in February 2004, Facebook has grown and grown and is a now that huge social utility that helps people communicate more efficiently with their friends, family and co-workers. The company claims to develop technologies that facilitate the sharing of information through the social graph, the digital mapping of people’s real-world social connections. Anyone can sign up for Facebook and interact with the people they know in a trusted environment. Facebook go on to claim;
- More than 100 million active users
- Facebook is the 4th most-trafficked website in the world (comScore)
- Facebook is the most-trafficked social media site in the world (comScore)
So all this is great but what does in mean to new entrants in the space? Is there room for another, can they attract the masses away from Facebook or are they just too powerful and deep in their reach? Well they could be too powerful, they may have very deep pockets, but they certainly lack in innovation and vision about what the future holds.
So why do I get so frustrated with Facebook and potentially their users?
Facebook totally dominate the market and yet fail to truly innovate. Come on guys with all that cash, you should be able to think of something new rather than the same old static social network features which have a revamped menu, look and feel which confuses and alginates users.
Facebook users are on the site purely because their masses of friends (peer pressure) family and long distance acquaintances are, and they want a way to key in touch. I have no issues with that, but there are far more interesting ways to keep in touch rather than in front of your PC/ laptop and using the so called FB mobile app ( which is nothing more than a basis site interaction)
So what does the future hold for the space and the new entrants?
Well I personally feel it will be very tough to gain a significant membership base and interest for any new entrant, unless they are truly unique and highly differentiated from Facebook. I don’t feel the masses will leave Facebook ( some early tech adopters will, the mass adopters may follow eventually) but this will be an up hill struggle unless the new entrants really have a compelling reason to use their service.
At Next2Friends, we’ve “put together feature and function rich social media platform packages that members of our social groups have been waiting years for”. Next2Friends extends social media into the real world through patent-pending, proprietary mobile technology. This game-changing platform enables anyone to instantly reach, connect and engage, sharing their feeling, emotions, communication and content messages when, where and to whom they want. Next2Friends mobile technology blends the proven benefits of real-time social mobile media and traditional offline social networking into a comprehensive, scalable and innovative range of interactive tools and site.
I am so proud to lead a team of highly talented, skilled, passionate and loyal Co- Founders and staff at Next2Friends, as they pioneer the real-time mobile social media space. On a tight budget and with tight deadlines, they have created a legacy which they can all be proud of and one that our early members are embracing with a refreshing excitement which is a real-time alternative to Facebook.
With the launch of lost of new handset support such as Motorola, Blackberry, Samsung and even the iPhone shortly, there is lots happening within the Next2Friends Camp.
When I sit and compare Next2Friends to Facebook- we all know they have far, far more members, staff, reach, brand awareness, cash ( I could do on and on and on, and on- but I wont- I think you get the message) THE MOST IMPORTANT THING= THE USER EXPERIENCE. I hope you agree.
