As the reach of net increases and every day a new site is launched, every site on web is feeling the heat of competition. Social networking sites are these days in fix, innovating day in and day out adding new features just to increase their member database.
User today want action something new that can take hold of their senses so that time he/she spends on net is entertainment.
There are broadly two lines on which sites are thinking these days those are:
1) Adding videos or making a free video sharing site
2) Making a social networking site sort of competition based with cash awards to winners
Adding videos:
The success of YouTube has forced the website owners to think on new lines. The user generated video content is the only thing that is keeping YouTube numero uno in the video sharing world.
Seeing the success Google launched its on Video site plus bought YouTube and Yahoo has followed the footsteps by coming up with Yahoo7Video.
The copyright infringement is the issue that have been discussed widely and I will not go into those but the fact remains that these video sharing sites are drawing net users in hordes and many copycats have emerged signifying the urge of net users to see some action. There was a time that on YouTube you could watch all the popular TV shows before they clamped on them.
Bigpond inked a deal with Network Ten to launch a trial site, which will feature TV downloads and movie services as well. Even ninemsn has also found a way to distribute amateur video content through Revver. LiveVideo is another example of new innovative video sharing site.
What my point is that the videos are the new fad that is attracting traffic and many social networking sites are or will go in for incorporation of this service mixed with these you will find stories on the latest happenings, matrimonial services, horoscope service, weather, and list of TV programs.
Mixing social networking with competition:
Up until now, what social networking sites were giving was a platform for users to come and make online friends and that was all but the trend is now changing the users want more thrill and action and to fill the void in come sites like Xuqa.com, a mixture of social networking-cum-competition.
On this site, the users can take part in games, surveys and other online competitions so as to earn popularity points and to attain a status level of ‘10′ so as to earn the $1000 award. This mix and match of accumulating virtual kisses, hugs, games and looking at ads give users a sense of action and many are being hooked to this. Its current user base is 1 million.
Yahoo has also come up with its own version called Bix.com, which like Xuqa host sponsored competitions, and the winners are then awarded in cash.
The second option for the thrill seekers is ‘Second life’ a virtual world were you could be any body that you want. Even firms like IBM and Dell were tempted to open virtual offices in this virtual world.
If we take a look at blogsphere, now day-by-day sites are being converted into social networking-cum-gaming sites and well-established sites are in for competition if they do not change with the changing scenario. Either swim with the tide or sink seems to be the only option left for social sites.
