I remember in second year university when a friend who moved from the U.S. showed me Facebook which, at the time, was a smaller website dedicated to student bodies. It was simple and not many people knew about it, but that changed quickly and drastically in the following years, much like the growth of YouTube.
But where YouTube – under parent company Google – is now a thriving commercial enterprise and media platform, supporting mainstream entertainment and paying video makers for original content by sharing ad revenue with them, Facebook might be at an odd place.
For the first time in forever, Facebook shared a stat that usage among young teens had actually declined quarter to quarter for the first time. Is it because it’s no longer the “new hotness” it was years ago? Is it too messy and ad-focused? Too commercial for something that should be personal? Is it no longer a place for socializing and wasting time with browser games?
The issue with some people not using it, is that it makes it less appealing for everyone else who does – that’s a snowball effect Facebook can’t afford to let slide. Coming from the business side of things myself, where our sites each have Facebook pages which no longer reach their entire audience without paying Facebook money, I’d say they need to make some changes. I never look at the Home page to see what’s up with other people because of the ads and the heavy control over what displays in my feed.
Source: Adweek
