Table of Contents
Undoubtedly, Facebook has been making a stride when it comes to social media companies. By February 2007, it had already hit 18 million users, unlike other social platforms like MySpace. In one month, Facebook had attracted more than seven million users. Nonetheless, this success has not come in a flash. The company began as a closed social platform for high school and university students. Users could join the network using a valid email address only from a registered school. This paper researches the strategic moves employed by Facebook, to surpass other social network platforms like MySpace.
When MySpace was on top of business, Facebook had been laying low. Nonetheless, in 2006, when Facebook opened its network to other users all over the world, the things changed. Many were concerned with privacy issues if Facebook would go viral like MySpace. Users feared that the common, random “friend adds” will dilute the former quality of the social network; however, Facebook had realized this potential setback and tackled the transition in a respectable manner. According to Daft & Marcic (2010), the usual searching that is common with other services is not realized on Facebook. Users have to know the name or email addresses of the friends they want to add to their lists. Unlike MySpace, Facebook learnt the importance of adapting to the changing dynamics and the growing tide of public.
-
0
Preparing Orders
-
0
Active Writers
-
0%
Positive Feedback
-
0
Support Agents
Collier (2012) also stipulates that, the company has identified their demographic and has been adapting to the unchangeable changes. The company has also adapted to the rapid growth in its user base. Facebook also allows its users create application and add them to their Facebook profiles. This option was added after f8 keynote announcement. Facebook is still relevant to date because the company offers its user additional options each time. The site lacks poor layout pollution that is characteristic of other social platforms. Sharing profiles changes with friends. Facebook embraces both the technological and social aspects of true social networking.
Keyboard Business Level and International Strategies
As a part of the international strategies, Facebook strives to tackle its direct competitors on the international stage. Recently, the social giant was caught playing dirty on other social sites like Google. The company engaged Burson-Marsteller, a top PR company, to come up with negative news regarding Google Inc. According to the news, Google was involved in social networking issues that raise public privacy awareness. Furthermore, Facebook did not like the way Google wanted to use their data to their company service. That apart, Facebook utilizes the flaws that its competitors exhibit.
Facebook has also embarked on a campaign to do business with other likeminded social networking sites, like Twitter and YouTube. According to Daft & Marcic (2010), this strategy ensures that the social networking giant reaches out to as many new users as possible. Facebook business model offers venues, through which its users can share information, events, photos, and videos. According to Mark Zuckerberg, the networking giant is not trying to build a community or a new set of connections; Facebook has a wide goal when it comes to social networking. Other social networks serve a specific purpose of business networking while some act as media portals; however, Facebook strives to make it easy for its users to communicate, acquire new information, and share that information. The company strives to expand on the utility component.
Facebook has also entered into partnership with other companies, including Microsoft, to sell adds on the social networking site (Treadaway, & Smith, 2012). Most of the company’s expansion plans and strategies have been oriented on the international scene. For example, over 15 percent of Canada’s population is using Facebook currently. Furthermore, every action or decision the company makes is applicable to different age groups, places, and demographics around the globe. This strategy appears to be the future of Facebook; a large company that does not look for an easier exit, but builds a huge customer base worldwide.
Strategic Implementation and Key Strategic Implementation Issues
A large percentage of strategy success of any business depends on the implementation, which, in turn, depends on people.
Every company should be able to measure or monitor every business, in which they are involved. Facebook is able to measure its business by being an integral part of the community. The company develops high affinity with its target audience; in addition, it increases engagement with its new users. Facebook seeks to shape the entire web by becoming a distinctive tool that connects its users to family, friends, businesses, and many more. It appears that Zuckerberg and Sandberg, Founder and COO respectively, have no interest in other markets apart from social media. According to them, the Social Era of the Internet is distinctively moving away from the Information Era.
Russell & Cohn (2012), stipulate that the main aim of the company is to connect the entire world through various technological means. Recently, the company launched a mobile application that allows connecting people using the mobile phone applications; however, the launch experienced some issues. According to its founder, the company did a mistake when it used HTML5as an alternative to native applications. The company strategizes to invest more on mobile devices, using a native application for iOS and Android, which will work for Apple products, eventually. A native application will enhance the speed of browsing, linking personal devices with massive data files, as well as executing applications. In doing other businesses, Facebook Inc. cooperates with numerous companies. Consequently, the site does not want to make its users read articles or watch movies on Facebook; nonetheless, the company offers other social technologies where users can connect with numerous pages online. Facebook is confident while it strikes ahead, despite other companies scrambling to do business on other arenas.