The Battle of the Networks

With The Battle of the Networks commencing as each one grows in numbers and egos – what is happening in each corner and how can brands avoid feeling like children of divorce?

In the Blue Corner…Facebook

The Big Daddy of the networks is soon to have a mutiny on their hands. Facebook’s stance is to improve their mobile offering and ensure they are generating income on that level. Quite a challenge, especially as they continue their development of feed algorithms.

Apparently, the complex algorithm that decides whether a brand’s posts are newsfeed worthy is causing quite a bit of controversy in confliction with the Facebook promoted post. A sneaky way for Facebook to make money from promoted posts?

Graph Search is also upping the ante in the game with The Big Boys as it will be using a similar template to Google in ranking pages on Facebook through engagement, popularity and whether your friends like it. A great blend of search and the Facebook USP. An additional hit in Google’s direction is that any additional data that Facebook cannot provide will be provided by Bing…ouch!

In conclusion: Brands still need to be treating Facebook as a priority in terms of community management and social strategy.  Facebook’s target is Google; what a fight that will be!

In the light blue/turquoise corner….Twitter

Twitter has been ruffling some feathers in recent months. They introduced sponsored tweets, which hasn’t gained a great deal of engagement from the average tweeter.

In addition to this, Twitter has recently launched an Ads API which allows more flexibility in purchasing adverts on Twitter for advertisers. This triggered a fear of advertising overkill on Twitter, none of which has really made an impact in usage, but it shows signs of Twitter being more revenue conscious.

Adding this to the old Instagram debate where Instagram removed viewing directly in the Twitter feed capability; this was a strategic move to some indicating which ‘side’ Instagram was on (Facebook). This effected Twitter photo engagement, resulting in fewer replies and retweets.

In addition to this – Twitter has bought and launched Vine, the short video sharing network that looks curiously like Instagram in format.

The icing on the cake, for Team Twitter, is the recent announcement that they will be discontinuing TweetDeck on mobile in order to ‘focus on web-based versions’. They will also be removing the Facebook capability as part of the app as well (though not really surprising). TweetDeck knows this is an unpopular move, and even apologises for the inconvenience; making it quite a cryptic move on Twitter’s part. Brands, in particular, will be affected by this as TweetDeck is a popular platform for community management on Twitter.

In conclusion: Twitter really is upping its game in revenue generation. There are some peculiar headline grasping moves they are making that will make it an interesting year ahead in where the social network is going. Brands need to be on the ball with Twitter strategies, particularly when it comes to advertising and how that may affect engagement.

In the Valencia filtered, water-marked and framed corner…Instagram

Well, what a couple of years it’s been for Instagram! A basic, yet unique concept of editing photos with filters and effects has caused a great following across the entire social media community.

It made headlines when it was bought up by Facebook for $715 million; loose change in Facebook’s pocket, but a bold move for Instagram.

Everything was tickety boo until it announced a change it announced a change in the terms of service (that thing you confirm you have read and accept, but never actually read). It highlighted the main changes being that Instagram would be allowed to sell users’ content without compensation to the user, as well as using user’s information for targeted advertising.

 Outcry, boycotts and a lawsuit followed, causing Instagram to retreat the statement and amend the changes due to take place (all the while saying they had never intended to do it in the first place. Smooth).

What hasn’t been highlighted enough, however, is that these terms of service do not differ hugely to other network’s terms of use. Clauses about using personal information in order to target advertising is there, along with the content that is posted is shareable, and not copyrighted.

The surprising thing, though, is that Instagram engagement has not really floundered since this incident, and it continues to be used cross-platform as it introduces web-browser versions.

Brands like Red Bull and Starbucks carry on using Instagram, but more integrated with Facebook than previous years.

In conclusion:  Instagram, while not thought of as one of the ‘big boys’ shouldn’t be forgotten by brands. Facebook’s younger brother continues to ruffle feathers whilst whispering ‘I got your back’

In the aqua green corner…Vine

A newbie to the world of social media, but Twitter’s new venture certainly is making an impact. A short video sharing app, currently only on iOS can be integrated with Twitter – it’s layout is scarily like Instagram’s. You know that moment in Friends when Rachel dates Russ, the doppelganger of her ex, Ross? That’s Twitter and Vine.

Whilst it has made the headlines for its pornographic content issues, these seem to have smoothed over, and Vine still needs to expand out of iOS. There is a LOT of potential for it, though.

GE have already demonstrated the ultimate brand usage of Vine – ultimately it is a platform that enables brands to show their light-hearted side. Once the novelty wears off and Twitter demands revenue from it, Vine will be available to brands as a 6 second advertising platform.

In conclusion: Don’t be ignoring Vine, but for now you can just watch.

In the Red Corner (sort of)…Pinterest

Pinterest currently isn’t playing the big fight. It is happily sitting amongst the creatives holding hands will all the big boys while it strategises. It has introduced Brand pages, which indicates it is being business conscious; but it is yet to show any advertising on its network. There is plenty of scope for this, with sponsored pins being an obvious avenue. Pinterest has got a niche with the female market and it must tread carefully so as to not upset that apple cart the same way that Instagram did.

In conclusion: Silent but deadly?

In the Blue, Red, Yellow and Green corner….Google

Google’s master plan to take over the tech world is very much in motion with their most recent toe-treading in Spotify’s direction and Google Play. I could list all their innovations and plans until the cows come home: the introduction of Google + sign in, meaning you can log onto web and mobile apps with your Google + account, their introduction into the eCommerce market, as well as their eerily futuristic Google Glass invention

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Whilst Google + hasn’t quite bitten the fingers off the likes of Facebook, Google’s acquisition of YouTube, and it’s continuing expansion in search means it is by no means shrinking in the corner and is fighting away.

And whilst I may have the opinion that Google Glass will be used by those people who ALWAYS wear Bluetooth headsets, and will lose the ‘cool’ factor. The ultimate question is, how far will Google go to make sure they have full domination of every single aspect in the tech industry? The most annoying thing is that while they expand into these areas and we all get irritated and the rapid growth, the products Google is giving us are bloody useful and thorough.

In conclusion: Ever innovating, it may evolve away from being Facebook’s competition, but it will always be a firm holder on the web and brands cannot, and never will, lose touch with Google.

Summary
In my humble opinion, 2013 will be an interesting year for these networks, as well as new names that may pop up. The amount of expansion, innovation and separation from each other is demonstrating that everyone is upping their game to ensure they become the most profitable and successful that they can be, without losing the cool factor that got them status in the first place.