For all the excitement about Facebook’s explosive growth, it somehow feels like a huge fad that could disappear or, at least, dissipate, if something cooler comes rumbling over the horizon. When parents and businesses start embracing Facebook, it’s probably the time for the new “bar” down the street to suddenly get “hot”.
Based on posts by Brad Feld and Fred Wilson, here’s my list of why Facebook could go from fast-growing to so yesterday sooner than we think:
1. The evolution of its business model: What many people like about Facebook is it has a clean, easy-to-access look and feel. You log in, you quickly see what’s been happening in your world, you do your thing. What happens when Facebook starts to introduce more advertising into the mix so it can start taking advantage of its billions of pageviews? Suddenly, the lean look disappears as the business model starts to move onto the scene.
2. In-box Contamination: Facebook works right now because you decide how big or small you want your community to be. As much as Facebook is hot, it’s still manageable in terms of deciding who you want to invite/accept as a friend. But what happens – as Fred Wilson points out – when you’re swamped with Facebook invites? Suddenly, Facebook runs into the same annoying problem as Plaxo and LinkedIn as your in-box gets invitation contamination.
3. Application noise. For all the excitement about Facebook opening its API to the world, it’s also more noise for users. I can’t tell you how many multiple invitations I’ve got for Flixster, for example. It’s already getting annoying. This is an issue Fred Wilson focused on.
4. The IPO: There’s plenty of speculation Facebook could go public later year – a move that would allow Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to pull some money out of the company without giving up control. Once Facebook becomes a business that needs to meet the lofty expectations of Wall St., it’s about the same time that the fun and all-for-one, one-for-all mentality starts to disappear.
5. Facebook Fatigue: Right now, Facebook is fun, it’s new, it’s a novelty but how useful is it really? How long before the millions of people who have piled into Facebook stop checking their profiles every day or, for that matter, every week.
Don’t get me wrong; I think Facebook is a fascinating social phenomena as well as an amazing social networking tool. Maybe I’m being too pragmatic or a non-believer but every party reaches a zenith before leveling out so I’m curious about when that time comes for Facebook.
Note: For an interesting take on Facebook’s future, check out Richard Stelmach’s post on what Facebook could look like in 40 years.
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The Facebook Marketing Toolbox: 100 Tools and Tips to Tap the Facebook Customer Base – Inside CRM
[...] Five Things That Could Kill Facebook: From inbox contamination to application noise, learn how not to overdo your Facebook activity. [...]
I’m one of many active facebook user from hungary.
First time I thaught it’s so cool to sare your feeligs and every stuff what you want (favourite video, photo,…)and seemed to be very awesome website with flashes and applications, but nowadays I’ve realised Facebook has become one of the most dangerous thing to the youngsters.
I mean it has grown up from the nothing to a huge uncontrolled monster, which has a big influence to the young adults who’re going to be our next generation on this earth.
Let me think about it; what could causes, if millions of people’s oppinion would in one hand, and people (mainly the youngsters) would act like this? Terrifying…
It’s kind a hard stuff , that right now millions of people are trying to be better than the others on this website with eg. uploading stranger and stranger photograph about themselves, or posting everything about themselves; even the recent use of their restroom! (mainly 14 year of age girls and boys).Trendy???
I’m just trying to describe how exposed the economy to this kinda sh*t, and this “tool” how easy can form the people ways of thinking…
I don’t know does anybody can stop this!
Please tell me your oppinion if you’ve read this.
Sorry for my englis.
Tried and tried not to join FB but after launching own site decided needed networking. FB is just full of people making comments! no dialogue, just things like “I like cheese” and then “yeah that cool” what? i’m checking in daily to read this crap from my friends? no thanks! just deleted account fully!!!!! not deactivated!! back on my high horse now that social media sucks
Inside CRM Facebook Marketing Toolbox « Web Design | Media Producer | Designer | Tancie Trail
[...] Five Things That Could Kill Facebook: From inbox contamination to application noise, learn how not to overdo your Facebook activity. [...]
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[...] so much that could go wrong on the way to the billion-dollar payoffs. One of my favorites is simply People will stop checking their Facebook profiles when all their friends stop checking their profile… That one, by the way, is in a comment to a good post, listing five things that could kill [...]
Facebook Updates | Success Online
[...] Five Things That Could Kill Facebook: From inbox contamination to application noise, learn how not to overdo your Facebook activity. [...]
I am an artist, performer, and playwright and find facebook useful mainly as a way to share information about upcoming shows and events, and really want to know what’s going on. But I don’t like facebooks exploitation of users, I don’t like many users exploitation of themselves. And as far as the social effect? There is a degree of narcissism involved. I also lost contact of people I don’t like for a reason. It is fairly disturbing they are in my virtual life now.
The Facebook Marketing Toolbox: 100 Tools and Tips to Tap the Facebook Customer Base | The Social Marketing Webiste
[...] Five Things That Could Kill Facebook: From inbox contamination to application noise, learn how not to overdo your Facebook activity. [...]
The Facebook Marketing Toolbox: 100 Tools and Tips to Tap the Facebook Customer Base « Bellwort Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
[...] Five Things That Could Kill Facebook: From inbox contamination to application noise, learn how not to overdo your Facebook activity. [...]
How To Facebook - 100 Tools For Facebook Marketing | David Sigouin Blog
[...] Five Things That Could Kill Facebook: From inbox contamination to application noise, learn how not to overdo your Facebook activity. [...]