MYSPACE: Don't Call It A Comeback ...

Someone once said it’s not who does it first, it’s who does it better is what really counts.

Back in 2003 when crime drama the Wire was a primetime hit and the Hokey Pokey Elmo was hot, social media was invented in the form of MySpace. Myspace wasn’t really the first, there was also Friendster, Xanga and Beboe, but come on.

The appeal of My Space, “ A Place for Friends,” was that it gave users a sense of ownership.  From 2005 to 2006, user profiles on MySpace jumped from 2 million to 80 million.  They were untouchable, it seemed. But plagued by security issues and Facebook on its heels, the rest is history.  In the words of a 2011 CNN article, Facebook kicked Myspace into relative obscurity.

Myspace owners Tim and Chris Vanderhook hope to change all of that with last week’s re-launch of the site.  This time around, they say MySpace will cater more to the creative community combining social networking with streaming music.

So what’s so new about it?

• Gone is the unruly stream of “add” messages replaced instead by a photo-centric layout that echoes the pinboard feel of Pinterest.
• Along the bottom: a user-friendly music player that ostensibly links the old site, once used by scores of artists as a music sampling hub, to the new.
• Via the My Radio option, Myspace users can access 53 million songs through the player, which  the company claims delivers faster streaming and intuitive drag-and-drop functionality for a superior music experience

I don’t doubt that the technology will be on point. I just wonder whether for some it will be like going back to an ex.  Most people have a  “been there, done that,” attitude and may not even want to give the new MySpace a chance.

But if you’re going to be successful in the social media game, don’t turn your back on anything new.  Even if you don’t decide to sign up for it, make knowing about the latest technology your business.

   

Depending on what you’re trying to accomplish with your message, product or service, MySpace may be the perfect tool.

If MySpace is a success it will be one of the biggest comeback stories in history, but if it fails, there’s a lesson there too.   None of us in business can afford to rest on our laurels or assume we’ll be on top forever. 

The more you expose yourself to new and different platforms the more chances you have to discover what you need for taking your Global Visibility to the next level.