How MySpace Became the Number One Social
Networking Site

There are many reasons how MySpace became the number one social networking site on the Internet. Besides a promising marketing strategy, MySpace offers today's teens and young adults an outlet to express themselves and meet others like never before. Dubbed the "MTV for the 'Net generation," MySpace, in just a few short years, garnered more than 114 million users.

But times, well, they are changing.

Facebook Bumps MySpace Out of Top Spot

A report by Business Week (August 2008) reported that rival online network Facebook has officially taken over the number one social networking spot, reaching more than 132 million users globally. Of this amount, more than 60 percent are registered as living outside of the United States. As a matter of fact, Facebook is reaching more foreign countries than ever before (or than any other social network) because of its ability to be translated into almost 100 different languages. MySpace has a similar capability, but is currently only reaching into about 30 foreign countries, with the most common being Britain, Australia, India, Korea and Malaysia.

It is because of these translation tools that Facebook is reaching a larger market globally than MySpace. Instead of creating a language-driven site, such as Spanish or French in Spain or France, users can choose the language of their choice and have an existing site translated. This is unlike MySpace, which has actually opened satellite offices in various countries with the hopes of driving in new users, as well as advertising revenue.

However, MySpace had been in the top spot pretty much since its launch in 2004. It had to be doing something right.

How MySpace Became the Number One Social Networking Site

So, how did MySpace become the "go-to" social network? Young adults and teens finally found a way to connect online with "friends" either in their own towns or clear across the world. They found the site to be more exciting than instant messaging or e-mail, and the feedback was quicker than visiting forums.

MySpace enabled users to show the world through personal profiles all of their likes, dislikes, hobbies, interests and preferences. Their profiles are a showcase for their personalities. If the user was looking for love, a profile can highlight that. Sexual, religious and social preferences could be immediately found upon looking at someone's profile. If heavy metal or alternative rock was an individual's way of expressing his or herself, then the profile would surely show that. Is the user in love and wants the world to know? Well, his or her profile can show that too.

The possibilities are really endless. Users can customize pretty much everything on their pages, including background, photos, videos and music.

Never before did a social network offer so much -- for free. MySpace has features that other networks haven't yet developed, including:

• Bulletins
• Groups
• Accessibility from cell phone
• Ability to display RSS feeds
• Video and photo hosting and sharing
• Instant messenger (via your MySpace profile)
• Blogs
• Comments
• Moods
• Categorizing of top friends
• Music
• Customizing of profiles
• Security of profiles (ability to make it private)

Rising to the Top

When MySpace first hit the Internet, it didn't take long for the site's popularity to rise. Teens and young adults started spending hours -- four, five and six hours a day -- on MySpace. Students were logging in on school computers, cell phones -- wherever there was Internet access. For many, it was becoming an obsession.

Within 18 months of its launch, MySpace founders Chris DeWolfe and Tom Anderson sold the business to Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. for a hefty $580 million. Within a month of the acquisition, MySpace logged more than 24.4 million unique visitors, up 12 percent from the previous month. It soon garnered more page views than eBay and quickly surpassed Yahoo! and Google with the number of unique visitors. This is when (and how) MySpace became the number one social networking site.

Success Didn't Come Without Problems

But even the best-oiled machine still has its kinks, and MySpace is no exception. Users have complained about the following:

• Loading time: Because there really are no restrictions as to how much can be put on a MySpace profile, some pages can take awhile to load. Because the pages overload the server, many users report getting error messages during peak hours.
• Customer service: No customer service phone number is available; e-mail is the only way to get touch with tech support.
• Safety: Because the identity of the registered users cannot be verified, MySpace can be a haven to stalkers, sexual and child predators, although tools are in place to filter them out. Also, individuals must be 14 to open an account, but many have been known to lie about their ages.
• The -isms: Racism, sexism and religious discrimination are just a few of the problems social networks face, and MySpace is no exception.

The Future of MySpace

Can MySpace regain its spot at the top of the social networking ladder? Or is it a fad that is losing its steam? Many have tried to answer this question over the last few years. It all comes down to keeping visitors interested in returning and whether the advertisers will continue to support the free site long enough to keep it profitable. Or will social networks continue to evolve into something bigger and better than what is on the market today. In this case, only time will really tell.

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