How Facebook Overtook MySpace
- MySpace = King in 2005.
- Facebook = now kicking MySpace's %#@, taking names, and juicing-up one-legged ostriches.
What %$#%$# happened?
The people happened.
While MySpace focused on maintaining its community, the Facebook management team focused on recruiting the most talented engineers and executives to grow its freakish sleeping giant.
Facebook recruited a revolving door of highly talented Google alumni, the best undergrads available, and top experts within their respective fields.
Facebook brought in:
- Better viral experts
- More efficient programmers
- Stronger usability coders
- More influential public relations teams
- Faster HR personnel
For instance:
- Facebook recruited Sheryl Sandberg, the head of sales at Google.
- Facebook also got Jonathan Heiliger, the former engineering head at Walmart.
- Facebook then recruited David Ebersman, the former CFO and VP of Genentech.
- Facebook got Elliot Schrage, the former PR head at Google.
- etc.
- etc.
- etc.
It became like the New York Yankees vs. the local high school baseball team.
When you have a position filled with better talent than your competitor, you kick your competitor's boo-tay in that position; for example, if you have a better marketing executive, you'll have stronger/smarter/better marketing.
Yet, in Facebook's case, it had Positions A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, etc., etc., etc., etc., etc. filled to the brim with more talented people than its rival.
While MySpace tried to maintain its status quo, the Facebook team invested in a team that would annihilate any social network in its path.
Ultimately, like how Google overtook Yahoo, more talented people will find a way to kick #%@ of Competitor X in every facet of buisness.
Great, enduring, and thriving businesses fill their organizations with great talent.
The People.
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Posted November 02 in Starting It, Finance, Management, Leadership |
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11 Comments
on "How Facebook Overtook MySpace"gorillasan (Rank: #522)
If it is true that Facebook recruited ALOT of most talented staff then this is a very interesting fact!
gammasync (Rank: #533)
It takes a confident management team to hire people who are better than them. Part of that confidence comes from knowing how to bet with the tools you have, like stock options.
heather (Rank: #540)
All of those things discussed above are valid points, and well thought out. I think the perception of MySpace has caused itself to shoot itself in the foot, though. MySpace seems to belong to fourteen year old girls looking to meet someone while Facebook belongs to a more mature and business like audience.
misty (Rank: #547)
I have never been a fan of MySpace, but I am somewhat of a Facebook addict!
It's true that any organisation needs the best people, even though the best people can be extremely expensive, they sure are worth it!
reilly3000 (Rank: #41)
So I have solo startup that is making enough money for my expenses and a little but not a ton, and have been in my in my industry for the past 5 years and know some quality people. How to I get them to come work for my when I gots no cashola for the salaries they can command with their boring corporate jobs?
P.S. I hearts the Trizle
tafa (Rank: #568)
Good point except that this does not explain why Facebook overtook Myspace in the first place. The main reason why such weird event occurred over little time is that Facebook appealed to rich kids in Harvard rather than cavernous, idiotic music fan like me.
T
PS: Not convinced, see Danah Boyd and her research on social networks.
heidelbergchad (Rank: #596)
I was on myspace before it was cool, and i always thought that facebook was a pathetic ripoff. I held out until December of 2008, and only made the switch because of the MANY people I deeply respect who suggested that I join it. I did, and I've never looked back.
This article is right on. A few months back, facebook bought friendfeed, which was a brilliant decision in terms of market share. Friendfeed was built by the developers of Google Maps and Gmail, and while there has been much speculation about what the future holds, it's certain that facebook got a great deal, and will maximize the advantage their new developers bring to the table.
ceefour (Rank: #36)
I should learn management..
electronica03 (Rank: #577)
There will always be another site coming along that will take reign. There have been many popular social networking sites over the years, each new one taking over the previous. Myspace was lacking alot of things, facebook took it to the next level.
carbur8r82 (Rank: #8)
While I can see the connection between facebook and myspace they were never really on the same page. The only thing they had in common was that they were both social networking sites.
Myspace was always open to the world and was generally more of a meet and greet site that was pretty much like a free dating site. Facebook was initially more elitist with certain requirements to join and you actually needed to know a person to a certain degree to track them down.
I see what youre getting at though, and it is true as Facebook loosened up they did indeed blow Myspace out of the water but I still think that initially they were more apples and oranges.
rachallen (Rank: #716)
C'mon,people. Facebook wins because they have Farmville! Just joking. Actually, Facebook is just in another class than Myspace. They have so much more to offer...there is even an application now that you can make money off of. I guess the talented staff on Facebook really do know what they are doing.