Yesterday, Shelby covered this topic and I must say by and large I agree with her. I know, where’s the fun in a “She Said, He Said” topic when we agree? Well, sometimes it’s more about different perspectives and I think this is one of those times. While I agreed on the word “obsolete” when Shelby and I discussed the topic, I was thinking more along the lines of ineffective.
Ineffective social media networks
Let’s start with one Shelby cited: MySpace. She makes a great point that many musicians still consider it a platform to promote their music. It’s been at least a couple years since I deleted and closed my MySpace account but I do remember it being easy to share music. So with the hipster music crowds, is MySpace something more than ineffective or obsolete? I guess, but if the mainstream, you know middle of the road folks like me, never had or no longer have a MySpace account how are you going to reach us?
I still think Google Wave was pretty darn cool. The problem is, other than social media and technology geeks, nobody really jumped on board. So the technology behind Google Wave is anything but obsolete. It’s just ineffective because not enough folks utilized it. I’m guessing that once I get inside Google+ I’m going to see some of the Wave technology reused; much like Apple reused the Lisa technology in the Mac product line.
Degrees of obsolescence of ineffectiveness
Geolocation services like Foursquare will not make it on their own. Again, their technology is anything but obsolete. It’s actually cutting edge, pretty cool and fun stuff in my opinion. The problem is that Foursquare as a standalone network isn’t very useful to me. I only check in when I want to add context to a status update on Twitter by sharing my location. That’s pretty much the only reason I use the Foursquare application on my phone. As for the Foursquare website, I think I have logged in once in the last several months. So, paired with other social media networks like Twitter or even Hashable, Foursquare’s geolocation can be effective. Alone, I’d day Foursquare boarders on ineffective and obsolete as a social media network.
#shehechat Update
If you find the back and forth discussion style Shelby and I employee with posts like this, you are sure to enjoy our Twitter chat tonight at 8pm CST. Each Thursday evening, we discuss social media topics live on Twitter in a back-and-forth style. We fire our 140 character responses to each other and other chat participants jump in as well.
Here are the topics for this week:
1. Which social media network will become obsolete first: FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn, FourSquare, etc.?
2. Respect and decency in social media related but not limited to #CaseyAnthony trial and verdict.
3. Automated Tweets. This one goes out to @Spiffter’s automated Tweet to #shehechat last week.
If you’re new to #shehechat, here is some background:
* Introduction to #shehechat and how to follow along on Twitter
* Our blogs on this site in the “She Said, He Said” category which started #shehechat
My early impression is that Google+ is Twitter’s biggest enemy and will reduce it down to little more than a glorified RSS feed which is the primary way I use it now anyway.
FourSquare will eventually be acquired since as you stated, it can’t profitably exist on its own because it’s hyper niche. I still believe that it’s still too intrusive (big brothering yourself) to totally hit the mainstream. But that’s just my take.
I didn’t like Facebook before Google+. I like it even less now. But I don’t see it going anywhere since it’s become a lifestyle to most of its users. Google and FB may just have a Pizza Hut vs Domino’s relationship long-term.
But I don’t like Pizza Hit or Domino’s (even though a eat both from time to time).
So, does that say I’ll have to pick from a lesser of two evils? *stomps feet* I want perfect darn it!
It’ll be easy to decide the Google+ / Facebook question about a month after Google+ goes public. Everything sounds good about it and I find I am not alone in Facebook hate (how could a site with such a terrible user interface become so popular?).
I also haven’t heard of anyone on MySpace in years.
I disagree with Bus Bandit. Twitter’s 140 character limit makes it different from Facebook and + (as far as I can tell – still waiting for that invite). Twitter nearly forces link sharing with short commentary, not conversation. A lot of posts on FB couldn’t work on Twitter and I have to admit, my Twitter stream is very foreign to most of my Facebook friends who don’t know Twitter.
I agree about Foursquare being acquired or a competitor being perfected by Google or FB.
James – I agree, Twitter is just a different animal than all the rest. I use it differently and generally have better realtime conversations there than anywhere else. I think keeping it to 140 characters keeps it focused and on track.
I started to post a comment earlier but upgraded it to a blog post: http://bit.ly/nJZl9t
The Bus Bandit raises a fair point, too: longer-term, it could be a Pizza Hut vs Domino situation. We’ll have to wait and see, but it sure is interesting to watch!
Just back from reading the post. Love it!
Jim, you committed the cardinal sin of judging a marketing tool based upon your own personal experience – a faux pas I thought sure that Shelby would commit when I read the “She said, He said” subject at hand. She is innocent of that sin in this case. 😉
You may have logged on to the Foursquare website only once in the last several months and check-in on a limted basis, but you’re viewing the platform from a personal user’s perspective. From a business standpoint, Foursquare has become increasingly valuable as a way to drive customers, demonstrate ROI, reach key influencers and leverage events.
This comment will have to serve as my contribution to the #shehechat on the subject as I will be on the road at 8:00PM CST this evening. I will, howevr, be sure to look at the timeline of tweets afterward.
An interesting point, Vin. We talked about this extensively in last night’s #shehechat.