Behind Our Backs: Facebook Reflections
Posted on November 1, 2010 by admin
Here are some reflections about Facebook as a result of our conference on October 6th at INIS. The complete post appeared on Octavian’s blog.
A recurrent question was trying to find how Facebook compares with Google. This was driven by some news that Facebook traffic overtakes Google and that Facebook might be worth B. Many compare Facebook to Google’s growth.
FACEBOOK VS GOOGLE
Will Facebook become the next Google? No. This is not Google’s story. Google had as mission to make information universally accessible. Facebook’s mission is to connect people. Facebook comes from a different age. An age where good and evil are relative. An age of no nonsense. An age where instead of scanning and using artificial intelligence to process every possible content in order to make a recommendation, you just ask your friends.
SOME REAL MONEY
One thing is sure. Facebook is pretty strong. And it will only become stronger. The power of FB comes from the strength of its social graph.
Its current valuation varies between B – B with revenues of around B for 2010. And this does not mean anything. Compare it with eBay that has a cca B market capitalisation, B in revenues and around B profit (2009 numbers). eBay makes real money.
MORE REAL MONEY
Tactic-wise Facebook still has lots of money on the table to tap into. Consider:
- Places becomes widely used – point-of-sale deals
- The revamped groups have the potential to replace small businesses enterprise softwares (intranets & co)
- Brand Pages have exceptional consumer traction displacing classic banner ads. Big brands with great social media strategy and community management will be ready to invest to make their communities stronger and attack their competitors.
- FB took control from Microsoft of their exclusive deal on banner advertising, one year earlier than originally dealt.
- The Social plugins can be extended to extreme levels (see even WordPress). FB should continue to connect people at any price and not necessarily take over the internet. That would be a useless fight.
- Applications + a more comprehensive micro-payment platform.
- Trends and analytics (insights) can also be a great model. Microsoft it’s on it already. But so it’s Canada :). Facebook’s correctional officer. (A new partnership between Facebook and Microsoft has just been announced)
- But more important somehow they will get the beacon out. Maybe through the Instant personalization. And once they will get a working model (it’s not yet the case) and if it will be adopted then Facebook will be ripe. Only then FB should IPO.
LOVE IT OR HATE IT
Facebook’s genius is knowing how to walk the privacy line. They always generate ambivalent feelings in users. Facebook is a brand users love to love & hate at the same time.
Philosophically it is refreshing to watch Facebook fight the bad/good fight trying to push our privacy boundaries, struggling to connect us to one another and to the things we consume. Behind our backs.
Some young couples who are facing varied health problem, these individuals can buy remedies from the Web without any problem. Unconditionally, one of the wonderful place where buyers can purchase medicines is Internet. One of the best treatment for inability to get or keep an erection is Viagra. Today sundry articles were published about viagra substitute. You may have heard about “where to buy viagra“. Various companies describe it as “how to get viagra“. Sure, for a lot of guys, bringing up the problem in the first place is the toughest step. The most common potentially serious side effects of such medications like Viagra is headache. Contact your doctor if you have any dangerous side effect that does not go away. The very much important point make sure that when you buy medicines like Viagra online, you get real preparation. Some of the web-sites offer really hazardous fakes.
