Facebook is crazy popular right now. This wasn't always the case. When Facebook started, accounts were limited to students at a handful of Ivy League universities. The site was popular but of course enrollment limited so it didn't take on the global role that it does today. Facebook then extended accounts to all students at universities, and then all students at any institution of higher learning.
Still, MySpace was far more popular with users as recently as just a few years ago. This changed very quickly though. Facebook made the decision to open up membership to high schoolers, and finally to the general public. This move was first met with criticism, but we know how the rest of the story played out. Once membership became readily available, the number of accounts on the network skyrocketed, propelling the company to mega giant status.
This did not create backlash among the original users as people feared that it might, even though the site's former exclusivity was gone. Instead, it became even more popular and started the current Facebook craze. How does Facebook maintain its huge popularity, maintaining growth when it seems as if they couldn't possibly get any bigger? Several factors contribute:
Everyone is on it. Facebook's popularity has grown beyond imagining. Some time ago it passed the tipping point where the number of people with Facebook accounts was larger than the number of people who were not on Facebook.
If you aren't on Facebook, you aren't socially plugged in. Plus, Facebook links businesses and entrepreneurs with regular individuals in a way that other sites like MySpace do not. Facebook's commercial potential is huge, but still does not get in the way of user enjoyment.
The ads are livable. Sure, Facebook has ads and the ads get repetitive. But the quality of the ads on Facebook is far higher than the dreck that you see on sites like MySpace. Facebook also uses targeted advertising, which means that users see ads that have to do with their own interests and preferences. You may even see a new hobby or useful item that you need.
We love the games and apps. Facebook users can play games with one another or play solo games like Farmville and My Kitten. Games on Facebook keep users coming back and logging in * the more you play the games, the more benefit you get in the games like awards or higher levels and so on.
When I'm not writing about social networking, I write about wedding gifts for parents on my blog at http://weddinggiftsforparents.net/. |
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