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There are interesting things taking place in the world of social media, but the biggest story is easily Facebook. The social networking giant is now publicly trading shares on the stock market and trying to prove its worth to the parties that made huge investments in the company that has shown so much promise since debuting in 2004. Will the IPO mean immediate changes to the user experience? It is too early to tell, but there could soon be major implications.
More Sponsored Content
For the most part, Facebook has done a solid job of making sure the ads it displays are as less intrusive and distracting as possible. That may change now that generating consistent revenue is no longer an option, but a must. Facebook has identified display advertising as its top money maker, so it would not be surprising for users to see even more sponsored content now that it has gone public. In fact, the company recently announced a suite of new advertising products designed to help marketers reach their target audience, including ads that appear in the news feed and on the logout page as well.
New Features
Going public not only means Facebook has a greater obligation to the brands that will enable it to maintain profitability, but the users who drive its very existence. After all, without the users, marketers have no reason to invest in advertising. One new feature members may be able to get their hands on soon is “Highlight”.
Currently being tested in New Zealand, Highlight allows users to promoted their posts by actually paying for them to be displayed to more of their friends. As you may know, Facebook recently acquired Instagram, so it will be interesting to see what, if any new features arise from that acquisition.
Better Mobile Experience
Facebook has well over 900 million users. More than 400 million of them are connecting via a mobile device. Recently, the company let it be known that mobile happens to be an area it is struggling in, admitting that it is generating very little revenue from the channel despite all the activity. Many are expecting Facebook to adopt a stronger mobile focus, and this would not be surprising considering the potential goldmine that lies beneath it. We have already seen mobile ads, and with Instagram being a big hit with smartphone users, it could also be a part of the plan to create a better mobile experience.
Conclusion
More than likely, any changes Facebook endures following the IPO will have very little affect on the everyday user. As long as things remain relatively the same, most people will continue to log in and interact on a regular basis. That does not change the fact that the company is now under tremendous pressure to not only keep those members content, but maintain their value in the eyes of hungry brands and advertisers. There is no turning back.
Author Bio
Chiko Noguchi is a best practices activist and advocate for a leading provider of email marketing services.
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