All Hail Facebook (MySpace Sings this Tune Too)
MySpace has added Facebook “Like” button integration to its fading social network, marking the end of an era, in so many words. Many are hailing this as MySpace throwing out its hand, bowing down to Facebook as the reigning social network in town. If that’s all it took, then by all means, all hail Facebook.
In the grand scheme of things, it was also a necessary move for MySpace. This isn’t the first time its conceded to a competitor’s software intgration on some level, but it could ultimately help MySpace in the end. Just like every other social networking hopeful that emerged in the past decade, MySpace, too, realized that its very network is reliant on Facebook. Why?
Because Facebook has become the primary social network mainstream users need, and its platform has enabled everyone else to leverage that network for their own purposes. That whole platform approach thing seems to be working out quote well for Facebook—just wait until it goes mobile.
The saddest (but also happiest) part about MySpace’s decision to incorporate Facebook more into its site is that it’s part of its larger re-branding initiative. It seems the only time we care about MySpace is when they’ve made an announcement regarding their latest attempt at a comeback (social gaming was one of their most recent developments).
And while an unnamed editor here at SiliconAngle is still convinved that MySpace stands a chance, I’m happy to see that the historic network is finally doing what it needed to do all along – give users what they want. A clean, simple interface, integration with the other social tools, and a general ease of use.
MySpace in all its misery is often compared to Yahoo, and for good reason. They’ve followed similar patterns of user adoption and decline, struggled within a large corporate structure and lost out to more innovative platforms that support enterprise beyond their own initial goals. Perhaps we can continue this line of reasoning, as Yahoo was another late-comer to the Facebook feast, but a happy glutton nonetheless.
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