From 'Space to Face

Remember when having a Myspace was the norm?

Picking your own themes, music and “top 8” was the cool way of self expression and for many people in our generation, the first real form of connecting with our friends and peers. Posting selfies started in this very place. Liking, commenting, and “friending” began with Myspace. Then came 2008- The Facebook BOOM.

Fizzling Out

As soon as this new platform, foreign to what we were used to, surfaced, it seemed as though it took no time for everyone to hop off the Myspace bandwagon and hop on the Facebook train. But why did this switch happen so suddenly? Better yet, why did the mass population opt out of a social media platform that had more creative

capabilities than the one they were switching to? The answer is this: people are always after the new thing. They are always anticipating what comes next that they cannot even enjoy what they are using in that moment. Unfortunately, Myspace failed to give the customers what they wanted and needed in order to keep a brand loyalty. After some time of reconstruction, Myspace then attempted to remodel their sight to be more appealing and up to date with its competitors. This was a flop. The reasoning behind it being such a dud is the fact that they did not do any advertising for the new site whatsoever.

The Good and the Bad

Sure, Facebook gave users a sense of simplicity and the opportunity of finding friends much more easily. However, Myspace let you personalize your profile to fit your likes and interests. It was aim

ed to be visually appealing. The creators of Myspace were not technology guru’s, they were professionals in the entertainment industry. The main problem with Myspace was its lack of development and marketing strategies. Myspace quickly hit its downfall when users recognized that its software and features were not being updated and modernized.

The Revolving Door

Technology is like a revolving door. In with the old, out with the new is the unspoken motto. Although Facebook has been the top dog since 2008, it is also constantly changing. It especially is changing its audience. When Facebook originated, it was mainly a young demographic that were the mass majority of users. Now, however, Facebook mainly consists of an older crowd and it is not used the same way that it once was. Similarly, Myspace (or what’s left of it) is mainly used by musicians and people in the entertainment industry as a way to share their work on a much broader spectrum. Our generation and the younger ones after us determine how rapidly a product of social medias lifespan will be.

When trying out new social media trends and sites, its important for us to keep in mind that there will always be something better, faster, and more innovative. Technology is like a tumble weed. It started out as a small idea. As time goes on it will continue to branch out into newer and more complex forms.