>Of course Facebook’s days aren’t over…yet… but I do think they should watch out that they don’t become a victim of their own success. An often made mistake is that brands extend their activities and innovations so widely that they estrange from their core values and core business, like Google does with Google+.
A quick example: Google is a search engine. A free providers of useful tools (gmail, Google alerts, analytics, maps, etc. – all data driven design). However Google is NOT a social platform, although it is trying to become one. They still haven’t managed to do so.
Microsoft is an OS and software company. Not a social network or webbrowser builder. Does anyone remember Bing…? I don’t … mission impossible…
Facebook is a social network, a global community as I would rather call it. There are a lot of things that Facebook could do with their connections: create better understanding amongst people worldwide, becoming a global incubator, becoming a think-tank to tackle world problems, connecting countries and overcoming hunger… up to now Facebook has been interested in just a few things: adding data, making consumers more dependent on Facebook (my whole life is on it these days) and making money through advertising. But what if …

– A new social network will emerge shortly that is easier in use and goes back to the essence why we embraced Facebook (no ads, or hardly any, just a tool to share your thoughts, experiences and photo’s and follow your friends life virtually). Remember Instagram? They bought it… killing competition is sometimes more effective than fighting them.
– Apple moves into social…?
– YouTube moves into social…?
– Steam moves into social…?
– Zynga leaves Facebook…?
– Brands find out that using social media is not really all that effective as all the bullshit digital guru’s (like myself) tell you…?

Zynga is responsible for about 17% of Facebook revenue. There are rumors that they will start their own social network (platform) providing free and paid casual games. Gaming takes 20% of consumers digital time these days, just like ‘social networking’… and gaming is predicted to grow-and-grow-and-grow…

So… how long will consumers stay loyal to Facebook? I think just as long as they don’t feel robbed and advertising doesn’t take the fun out of the community… Still, I am not buying any shares…

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