There are people who use MySpace, Facebook, and those who feel compelled to use both social networking sites.  MySpace has the title of the country’s leading social networking service, yet has been slowly losing its users.

There is a recent trend showing some users gravitating to other social media networks, notably Facebook.  According to ComScore, MySpace users are younger and have lower incomes than Facebook users, so it is important to separate user demographics in order to obtain a more complete perspective on the issue.
The trend for parents, executives and career-oriented individuals to choose Facebook over MySpace is mostly due to the available features incorporated into the site that make it ideal for business connects and use.  The music industry is still connected deeply to MySpace, where nearly every band seems to have a MySpace page for fans. 

Social networks are evolving and becoming a part of everyday personal and business dealings, with new features and politics keeping users interested.  It seems that the platform MySpace utilizes simply does not offer enough interactive features to satisfy a user base that is becoming accustomed to them.  Relayed by Deep Blue Interactive, SEO web design and internet marketing firm in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Another Google executive has left the nest to join a venture capital firm.  Top Google sales executive for Asia-Pacific and Latin America Sukinder Singh Cassidy has accepted the position of C.E.O.-in-residence at Accel.  Accel is the venture firm behind Facebook, MetroPCS and Baidu, where Cassidy will work with companies in Accel’s digital media and advertising portfolio and evaluate new investments-potentially starting a new company or running one of Accel’s portfolio companies.

Her exit comes on the heels of Tim Armstrong’s departure from Google to serve as chief executive officer at AOL.  Armstrong served as Google’s top sales executive in North America.  Dennis Woodside has since replaced Armstrong, and it was previously rumored that the spot may go to Cassidy. Cassidy has since told the New York Times that the timing of her departure had nothing to do with that of Armstrong’s, that it was coincidental.  In the article, Cassidy also mentioned that she had always planned to run her own company at some point, and had been very open with Google about those plans.  Brought to you by Deep Blue Interactive, your Fort Lauderdale SEO web design, copywriting and interactive marketing solution.

Facebook seems to have been going through a stealthy re-branding over the past months, steadily changing features, incorporating behavioral targeted advertising, attempting to alter the user agreement policy and many other details.

All of these changes have left many wondering where the old Facebook went, while becoming increasingly frustrated with a constant stream of changes and redesigns.  It is popular opinion that the new homepage has become less personal and informative, and less attractive to users and developers of applications.
There does seem to be someone benefiting from the Facebook changes, and that would be Brands. 

Facebook Pages are a competitive play against Twitter reviews, only revamped and more social, and their updates are taking up space on member homepages where data shows increased traffic and brand interaction. 

The incentive to buy ads on Facebook is higher now because each “Fan” a company gains can be marketed to free of cost, via the Facebook homepage feed.  This is where Facebook’s redesigns begin to make complete business sense-even if it is a fee of $5-10 to acquire a Fan, it is a relatively small price to pay for lifetime access to engage that Fan.  PPC ads range from roughly 50 cents for pages, assuming an impressive 5-10 percent conversion rate.  Brought to you by Deep Blue Interactive, your Fort Lauderdale Internet conversion and interactive web design firm.

In the midst of all the recent controversy surrounding Facebook’s seemingly unpopular decision to declare rights to all user content, and then hold a democratic-style vote among users on the matter, popular social networking site Facebook has opted to hire a Public Policy Director, Timothy D. Sparapani.

Sparapani was formerly a senior attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), where he was dedicated to issues including data mining, open government, national ID cards, and E-Verify-the Internet system employers use to check an employee’s immigration status.

Facebook seems to be doing some PR work, as Sparapani has excellent rapport and ties to organizations such as the Center for Democracy and Technology, the Electric Frontier Foundation and the Center for Digital Democracy, which are some of Facebook’s most pronounced critics.  These critics have been alarmed about targeted advertising techniques and the revised terms of service agreement proposed by Facebook.

Sparapani will join forces with Facebook’s Chief Privacy Officer, Chris Kelly.  Kelly is expected to run for Attorney General of California in 2010, and therefore will be taking a leave of absence at that juncture.  Kelly is a former adviser to the Clinton administration’s White House Domestic Policy Council.  Sparapani will officially join Facebook in April, assisting Kelly from Washington until he hits the campaign trail.  Brought to you by Deep Blue Interactive, your Fort Lauderdale online marketing and branding firm.

Facebook has recently learned the awesome power an online community can wield.  In addition, Facebook users are now learning how Facebook saves face.  Following protests of members regarding changes in terms of service that appeared to give Facebook control over the information provided by users, Facebook announced that all significant policy changes would be subject to comments from members, and if they prove to be controversial, a popular vote.  Very democratic Facebook, and very savvy in the PR department as well.

Founder and Chief executive of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg told journalists in a conference call,
 “If we are trying to move the world to being more open and transparent and to get people to share more information, having an open process around this is ultimately the only way to do that.”

Elliot J. Schrange, vice president of communications and public policy went on to say,

 “I think we really underestimated the sense of ownership Facebook users feel over the site, because of the information they post and share, the personal nature of that information, they want to feel a real strong sense of ownership over what happens.”

The controversy over the changes in the terms of service ignited in the form of comments, and some users went as far as to create protest groups against the changes.  The internet is a powerful tool, and its users are taking control over its future.  Brought to you by Deep Blue Interactive, your Fort Lauderdale web design and interactive marketing company.