How Finicky We Social Networkers Are

Remember Myspace and Tom? Tom was the guy everyone added on the once popular social networking site, which has become a virtual dust bowl, with a shadow of its former user base.

Recently, Digg was dismantled – literally, as parts of it were sold off to various bidders, from the media and private corporations.

Eight-year-old Digg also once was a giant among social networking sites, but as the lawyers dig through the company’s bits and pieces, it too will slowly vanish into the night.

Is it that Myspace and Digg really lost focus, and could not keep up with Facebook, Yahoo and newcomers like Google+?

Or, are attention spans to short online, and we’re only really interested in the next big thing?

Technology is a wonderful thing, but all too often what we once thought of as amazing eventually becomes horrible gone wrong, as newer things – that do the same thing – shine brighter.

Myspace and Digg did the same things most of the other social networks do – they bring complete strangers together, sharing ideas and stories about the world we live in through the multimedia universe of the worldwide web.

Each social network has its own identity in a way – how you share content and connect with people on each is different – but generally they all serve the same purpose and function.

We are driven to the latest greatest thing.

Why?

Perhaps, it’s because the vast majority of social networking users are younger generations, raised on a fast-paced high tech diet that teaches “new is good,” and “old is bad?”

When the new iPhone 4s came out with Siri, everyone just had to have it. Then Samsung came out with the Galaxy S III, and everyone just had to have that.

They are both smartphones with cool features, and boundless apps. But alas, only one thing can ever be the newest thing.

Just ask Einstein about time and space.

Though what usually spells the beginning of the end for a social network isn’t the sudden rush of its users to the latest newest social network. Nope, usually the final dagger is jabbed by the outgoing social network itself.

As Myspace’s users started to leave en mass to join Facebook, Myspace began introducing new features and even re-designed their layout. Their new features were buggy, their customer support was non-existent, and so they actually drove the few stragglers away to the other social networks.

Digg went through a similar set of disturbing changes – as people lost interest in the site, they made many changes, which fell far short of winning back users.

And now, Digg is being broken up, sold off in pieces like an old car is sold off for spare parts.

But the real reason social networks fail is because we lack the attention span to stay with them. Which makes you wonder – will the almighty Facebook be around in ten years?

Why Everyone is on Facebook’s Back?

Not long ago Facebook was the golden child of the Internet. Not as old as Yahoo, or Google, but had just as much of a following and fan base.

Everyone had a Facebook account. Everyone was hooked on checking their Facebook regularly. And everyone was into bitching about Facebook’s constantly changing privacy features.

We still complain about Facebook, but now it’s the largest social network itself which we just can’t seem to stand, instead of its constantly changing privacy settings.

For over a week, trending topics about the death of Facebook have been popping up on the social networks.

Why?

Could it be all the hype surrounding the spunky rarely wearing a suite Mark Zuckerberg, founder and head geek at Facebook?

Just prior to all the negativity online, the world was glued to news of Facebook going public. The mainstream media, the blogosphere, and all the social networks were buzzing with rumors about the date, the price and how much those that bought into Facebook in its early days would make.

On that day, when Facebook went public, everyone was so focused on the massive amount of money flowing into the pockets of those with Facebook stock, people forgot to invest, and within hours of it’s launch, the stock had nose-dived well below expectations.

The same week Facebook went public, Zuckerberg marries his long-time girlfriend at a surprise wedding ceremony with a handful of select invitees.

Very romantic, and a poetic conclusion to one life ending and another beginning for the couple, as they enter marriage and adulthood.

But maybe, the world just had enough Facebook? Too much of a good thing and all that?

Maybe all the hype around the stock offering, around the wealth, around the life and times of the social network’s boss – we just couldn’t stand it anymore!!!!

So today, the world’s largest social network is taking a beating in both stock and word-of-mouth. It’ll be interesting to see which has the greater effect -- the ups and downs of dollars, or the rants on the social networks – because it was those initial rants and raves which made Facebook the giant which it is today.

This could be the true test of social media influence and an even bigger test for the public relations team which has to figure themselves out of this mess. Although the all mighty dollar rules the world, it’s word of mouth which rules the social networks.