The Fall of MySpace and the Rise of Facebook

This article explores the reasons behind MySpace's decline and how it failed to keep up with the success of Facebook. It focuses on the critical role of user experience (UX) and how MySpace prioritized short-term monetization over the long-term value of a great product.

• The article highlights how MySpace's focus on pageviews over engagement contributed to its downfall. It emphasizes the importance of building a platform that users love and find valuable.
• The author explains how the team's decision to prioritize short-term revenue over user experience led to a series of compromises in the platform's UI/UX, ultimately hindering its growth.
• The article discusses the contrast between MySpace and Facebook's approaches to user experience. While Facebook focused on creating a seamless and engaging experience, MySpace prioritized maximizing pageviews for advertising revenue.

MySpace's Short-Term Focus on Monetization

The article highlights how MySpace's new redesign prioritized short-term monetization at the expense of user experience. It explains how the interaction designers, while aiming for a better user experience with larger images and a more scannable feed, were ultimately forced to compromise by reducing the size and number of images to generate more pageviews.

• This decision was driven by the company's declining revenues, illustrating how financial pressures can lead to poor product decisions.
• This approach inadvertently created a worse user experience, making the platform less appealing and ultimately contributing to its decline.

The Importance of a Great User Experience

The article emphasizes the crucial role of user experience in the success of any social media platform. It argues that prioritizing user experience is essential for creating a compelling and engaging product that users will want to use.

• This point is further reinforced by the comparison between MySpace and Facebook. While Facebook's focus on a user-friendly and engaging experience led to its success, MySpace's focus on monetization over user experience ultimately proved detrimental.
• The article stresses that a great user experience doesn't happen by accident; it requires a deliberate and conscious effort to design and build a product that meets the needs and expectations of users.

MySpace's Misunderstanding of Social Media Engagement

The article highlights the stark contrast between MySpace and Facebook's understanding of social media. While Facebook focused on building a platform that fostered engagement and interaction, MySpace prioritized generating pageviews for advertising revenue.

• The article cites the example of Sizhao Zao Yang, co-founder of myminilife, who was invited to give suggestions on product improvements to MySpace. His recommendations focused on enhancing engagement through features like larger pictures, more descriptive content, and easier social feedback.
• However, MySpace leadership dismissed his advice, believing that their users were simply more interested in generating pageviews, demonstrating a fundamental misunderstanding of how people use social media platforms.
• This lack of understanding contributed to MySpace's inability to adapt to the changing landscape of social media, ultimately leading to its decline.

The Facebook Model: Prioritizing User Experience

The article contrasts MySpace's approach with Facebook's strategy of prioritizing user experience and engagement. Facebook's focus on a seamless and engaging platform, with features like the newsfeed, ultimately led to its dominance in the social media landscape.

• Facebook's approach demonstrates the importance of understanding user behavior and building a platform that meets their needs and expectations.
• By prioritizing user experience, Facebook created a platform that users found valuable and engaging, driving its rapid growth and lasting success.

Lessons Learned: User Experience Drives Success

The article provides valuable insights into the importance of user experience in the success of social media platforms. It illustrates how a short-sighted focus on monetization can be detrimental to long-term growth and user engagement.

• The article highlights the contrast between MySpace's focus on pageviews and Facebook's focus on user experience, showcasing the importance of building a platform that users find valuable and engaging.
• The article ultimately concludes that a great user experience is essential for the success of any social media platform, and it is something that must be consciously prioritized over short-term financial gains.