The New Myspace: Why It Will Be a Success
If you haven’t already seen the sneak peek video Myspace recently published, you are missing out on some big news. Myspace has announced its plans to launch the “new” Myspace which will feature an entirely new format.
The featured song on the video by JJAMZ is no coincidence. The song features lyrics about fixing a struggling relationship. What does this mean? Myspace isn’t afraid to admit that it is no longer the social media giant it once was, and that they are ready for a second chance. With the spotlight on Facebook and Google+, Myspace has had plenty of time to learn from their mistakes and focus on fixing the problems.
The video features a very different Myspace. It’s not the typical social media site with the lame picture in the top left corner with the latest posts going down the middle. The new Myspace features a very similar layout to Pinterest, only with a more social twist. The design also seems like more of a “full screen” layout with smooth transitions between pages.
If Myspace is doing what I think they are doing, they are going to be successful. That being said, here is what they need to do.
Go back to the roots.
When Myspace first launched in 2003 it built its success off of music and entertainment. Myspace was the place to hear sneak peeks of your favorite music and discover new artists. Many bands were dropping their websites and doing everything entirely through Myspace. It wasn’t long after that the movie industry caught on to the craze. Just about every movie trailer you saw ended with the address to the official movie page. Where was that page located? On Myspace.
If Myspace goes back to its roots (music and entertainment) and focuses entirely on that it will be huge. Based off what we can see in the sneak peek video, Myspace isn’t just allowing you to build a simple “fan page” for your band, but rather an interactive tool for both the artists and the fans. It’s also a plus to know that Justin Timberlake is behind this 100%. Why does that matter? He knows from experience what artists and fans want, rather than an office of nerds trying to “guess” what artists and fans would love to have.
The new Myspace splash pages says “…whether you’re a musician, photographer, filmmaker, designer, or just a dedicated fan, we’d love for you to be a part of our brand new community.” I think it’s safe to say that Myspace recognizes it needs to focus on that niche that made them big in the beginning.
No more pimping!
One of the reasons I left Myspace long ago was because of the ridiculous pages my friends would make. Myspace allowed its users to customize or “pimp” their profile page….like every detail! Teenagers all over America went pimp-crazy and threw any HTML snippets they could find onto their page. The result was content that was unreadable, backgrounds that nearly gave me seizures, and pages so packed with HTML code that they took about 5 minutes to fully load.
Based on the new video, Myspace features a layout that is simple, requires no awful HTML coding, yet still allows you to be you. How do they do that? Photos. Myspace has learned a thing or two from Pinterest. On Pinterest, every user’s page has the exact same layout, yet they each have their own unique feel because the photos set the tone and tell the story. Myspace will be heavily revolving around photos. Whether it’s a fans photo of an awesome concert, or a musician showing some behind-the-scenes photos, Myspace will let the photos do the talking. It’s no secret due to Pinterest that people love looking at photos for hours over reading status updates.
Embrace the Hipsters
You’ve likely had a Myspace profile in high school, and probably have great memories associated with it. But like me, you left because it was going downhill and Facebook was doing something better. Although I’m sure you’ve had your days where deep down inside you were just looking for an excuse to go back. If Myspace actually does deliver something that is useful, unique, and beautiful, it’s going to win a lot of hearts back. Hipsters especially love being in places that are “retro” and “uncool.” Nothing screams those two words like Myspace. With the focus put on musicians and fans, hipsters are going to be a large part of that target audience. With that being said, I see Myspace’s fan base going up once the new launch happens.
When I say Myspace will be successful, I don’t mean to imply that it is going to be the social media giant it once was. They are smart and are not trying to compete with today’s social media giants. Myspace will allow its users to sign-in with their Facebook and Twitter accounts. By providing a unique user experience that can’t be found anywhere else, and providing a platform that truly is valuable to artists and fans, Myspace will be able to hop back into the social media game quickly. Let’s not forget the PR it’s going to get with Justin Timberlake behind the madness. With a few quick phone calls he can have several major musicians on board and the fans will naturally follow. Let’s just say I’m excited to see this new Myspace in action.
Brandon Hassler
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