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The challenge with being on top is that it can get lonely. The other challenge is that sometimes, someone comes up the ladder and horse-collars you and yanks your complacent butt right off. This is potentially what could be happening to Facebook. Yes, the Zuckerberg brainchild that’s been the subject of so much fascination this past year (thanks Sorkin) is actually behind the 8-ball a bit in terms of innovation. Meanwhile Google+ is showing huge promise and with cutting edge technology and strategy, looks poised to compete with ol’ FB.
According to Steve McClellan over at Media Post, “An internal memo written by agency strategist Aaron Friedman about the social media network says that Google+ is leaving Facebook in the dust when it comes to innovative new user features. The main problem, Friedman believes, is complacency. But Google could change that, he said, by providing competition.” He goes on to describe Google+ and their really cool and kind an obvious ability to edit posts. We all know how difficult it can be to edit posts in Facebook (read: impossible), without deleting them. I’ve never understood why that was such an oversight… Make a mistake on a profound status update, and you will have to delete the whole thing and start over. And this is when you’re actually on a computer. Mobile phone? Fuggetaboutit.
Friedman goes on to explain about another pet peeve with Facebook, the ability to mute updates. Personally, I see friend’s posts all the time, but won’t comment because I know that 19 other people are going to make comments and I don’t want to have my phone beep all those times (especially when it’s just a congratulations, or something like that) I finally did find a way to remove people from your news feed, which was key, because if I had to watch my girlfriend’s sister say how awesome her Dream House was (*cough, townhouse), I was going to gouge out my eyes with a plunger handle.
“Facebook probably feels like they are in a very comfortable spot right now,” Friedman said in a follow-up interview. “And if they don’t wake up they are going to fall behind.” To piggyback off of this, I will say that I agree. Facebook has tried some innovative things, some of which were cool (Bejeweled!), and some of which backfired horribly (telling your business from other websites on Facebook – remember the engagement ring story?).
Google+ is growing and they are growing faster than a kid in high school. If Facebook isn’t careful, it’s not long before they go the way of the My_. One thing I do have to say about Facebook is that the interface does change from time to time, and that can keep things fresh. By giving the option to keep the old one (sometimes) that can keep old scholars and new scholars happy. Integrating with Skype rocks, but what’s up with the chat feature. They should have just incorporated AIM, because their current model is more ancient than Adam & Eve (the Biblical reference, not the sex shop).
Facebook is still on top, however. According to McClellan, “ComScore reported it had a record 162 million visitors to its U.S. site in July, compared to a little over 5 million visitors for Google in the same period.” Facebook needs to be like the Patriots and never let off the gas if they want to stay on top. If they get happy with the lead, they could end up sliding down the same ladder they ascended, passing the soon-to-be revamped MySpace along the way.
Only time will tell.
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