I did the unthinkable today. I created a MySpace profile. I have several close single friends who will find this highly amusing since, just a few short years ago, I chastised them for killing their professional reputation by publicly chasing high school girls. Then again a few years ago, MySpace was the social network site for pre-pubescent teens and tweens and well today… uh… I guess it’s pretty much the same.
However, the business opportunity forced me to create a profile and take a look. Like it or not, MySpace reportedly has 130M+ users, and something in the ballpark of 28 pages of apps. Amusingly enough, when you click "Most Installed," the only apps displayed are actually ones with 0 installs. Yes, it would be more accurate if it read "Least Installed."
But despite the warts, if you are starting a company like I am, you’d hate to be blindsided when all the cool kids move to another playground. We are starting to see a number of prominent Facebook developers port their successful applications to MySpace — perhaps for the novelty, perhaps for the fact that growth is rather easy when there is an untapped mass of 130m+ users starving for a richer social experience.
Don’t confuse my diligence with an endorsement. Do, however, assume that Notice Technologies is willing to write applications for any social platform with a large audience eager for what we are marketing. I’ll be happy to report back with more impressions about MySpace. First things first — how in the heck do I make friends here!?!???
but it’s SOOOOO ugly. and i held that opinion well before i had a Facebook account.
but it does seem to have the band-page market cornered. and there’s $$ in music. sooooo….
Great observation on MySpace, I often see startups that seem to be more interested in having something cool to say if they ever meet Mike Arrington instead of going after solid business opportunities. Here’s my take on the MySpace app platform: http://astartupaday.wordpress.com/2008/02/15/7-simple-myspace-app-ideas