namod65;816917 wrote:I don't see it. Facebook is such a big success because everyone who does the social network thing uses it. If you want to network with someone, look someone up, see who they know, etc..., you go to Facebook, because that's where EVERYONE is. It's essentially a giant database with information on anyone who uses the internet frequently. If Google+ comes in and some people switch over, then it's divided, losing the attractiveness of being able to network with anyone. Why would I go to Google+ when I know the success of networking with anyone I want is less likely because not everyone is on there. I would stay with Facebook because I'm almost guaranteed to be able to network with whoever I want because that's where they all are. I feel that there is only room for one social network site at a time. Myspace had it's time, but was flawed, and Facebook knocked it off. I don't see Google+ taking a significant amount of members away from Facebook. Google rules the search engine arena, and no one will ever challenge them. You want to search something, you go there without question. It's pretty much the same with Facebook. You want to socially network with someone, Facebook is the place to go and that's not changing. There's two sites that most people visit multiple times EVERY day. That's a search engine like Google, and Facebook. I don't think there's any chance that Google could claim both those positions.
Established presences are always up for change if the challenger can (a) improve on the model, and (b) market successfully.
'B' is a given, as Google can market like no other Internet entity. It's all on whether they can improve on the model.
Google is a testament, in fact, of this process. It used to be a series of small search engines. Yahoo, Ask, MSN, and a few others (Dogpile, anyone?) had their cuts. Google came in as the small fish in a big pond, but they began offering advantages, ranging from a more effective search matrix to effective marketing platforms to exclusive email.
Same happened to AIM. People still use AIM, but not NEARLY like they use Skype. Why? Because Skype is everything AIM was, and then some. It has adapted to the Web 2.0 feel. It has prominently incorporated streamlined voice and video calling. It has added the capability to call non-Skype phones. From a usability standpoint, it blew AIM out of the water. As such, people moved over. It took some time, but it happened.
Now, I'm not saying this is a lock for Google. They've failed before. However, nobody has the potential to succeed on every project like they do, so if ANYONE can rival Facebook (not just the smaller niche social media sites like LinkedIn), it's SkyNe - er - Google.
