Social media sites are used by more than two-thirds of internet users so, how has it become so massive?
Our smartphones vibrate and light up with notifications from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat all day, multiple times a day. There is one similarity that most, if not all, modern social networks have; they wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for Myspace.
MySpace was the first social media platform to reach a million monthly active users. MySpace achieved this milestone sometime around 2004. For many people, it was the gateway to modern social media making it arguably the ‘coolest’ place to be on the internet
The Social Media Revolution!
MySpace revolutionized social networks during the early days of the Internet, setting new standards for online interaction. MySpace pioneered connecting users with real-life acquaintances and fostering interactions beyond simple conversations.
The website was developed in 2003 by two employees who worked for an internet marketing company called eUniverse. The thought behind MySpace was to build the Friendster model. At the time Friendster was one of the only platforms that focused on gaming and social interaction between it’s users. Think ‘Gaming Penpal’. MySpace aimed to be a platform where users could customize profiles with their interests, add music, and follow favourite artists. Similar to how Instagram works today.
For the very first time, users could create their own online personas. Myspace profiles were fully customisable, allowing users to craft unique identities for all their “friends” to see. Customisation has become a crucial element of social networks. Myspace offered users the ability to use simple coding to modify their page’s background, select profile songs and upload a profile picture.
MySpace was successful especially because it combined two major cultural driving forces these were young people and music. They used music as a way for users to express themselves on their page, the same time as the rise of mainstream emo.
Myspace, where did you go?
With the knowledge the co-founders Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe had gathered, they had no problem acquiring a large user base in a short period of time. In 2006, three years after the initial launch there were over 100 million users, they even passed Google as the most visited website in the US.
While MySpace is no longer the biggest social media network the site does still exist. It has undergone such a transformation from its peak that today, only a few elements from that time remain recognizable.
One of the site’s biggest flaws was the lack of interaction. Social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook allow you to post and react to people’s stories, reals and posts. Some of MySpace elements still live on today, almost every social media network today requires you to send friend requests which appear as notifications similar to comments.
It was during the early days of MySpace that profile pictures became a standard for social networks, thanks to our first friend on the platform, Tom. The term “Selfie” was coined during the MySpace era and went on to become the word of the year in 2013. Myspace was also the first platform where we encountered emojis, which were created using code or added to our profiles to show our moods.
MySpace lost its dominance to Facebook in 2008 due to its inability to adapt to changing user preferences and competition. Its cluttered interface, privacy concerns, and the rise of mobile apps further eroded its user base, leading to it’s users moving away from the platform.
Conclusion
We miss Tom!
In our opinion, the space he established for many young artists and individuals to express themselves will never find an equal. It allowed users to be whoever they wanted to be and say what they felt. It created a bunch of behaviours and concepts that still exist today.
Various social networks now incorporate the original features that were once exclusive to MySpace. Today, we access different networks for listening, learning, and reaching out. Nevertheless, Myspace’s impact is still evident in our daily use of social media. Here at Fresh Digital, we use social media relentlessly for advertising and even ads it’s a massive part of our daily lives and we would be stuck without it!
Here’s to MySpace nostalgia, eyeliner smudges and MCR on repeat. Till next time, keep your fringe straight and your top 8 in order!
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