Social Spaces

Barbara Pudlowska Pires, Joseph HollandConor Walshe, Daire Lynch

CS3107 Group Wiki

What is a Social Space ?

• Mailing list– a list of the names and addresses of people to whom material such as advertising matter, information, or a magazine may be mailed

• Chartroom - an area on the Internet or other computer network where users can communicate, typically limiting communication to a particular topic

• Social Networks - a network of social interactions and

personal relationships.

• Newsgroups - A forum or service for the discussion of a particular topic

• Electronic communication is increasingly becoming the way people communicate on a daily basis

• With the introduction of mobile devices the role of social media in everyday communication has expanded greatly.

“200 million Facebook users access the social media service through mobile devices alone.”

- Felix Richter 2013 -

The Growth of Social Spaces

Social spaces such as Facebook have recorded massive growth in the last number of years with as many as 80% of regular internet users reporting ownership of a Facebook account.

If current trends are accurate the only factor reducing the growth of social spaces is down to over-saturation.

The Growth of Social Spaces

The Growth of Social Spaces

Currently Facebook holds the majority share of registered users at 80% of internet users claiming to have an account. However sites like Google+ and Twitter are expanding with current numbers at between 35-45% of users holding an account.

However there is an entirely different Social Space found in countries like China where Social Spaces are highly regulated, in these markets the leading sites are  Qzone, Weibo, and Tencent.

Competition within Social Spaces

EuropeUSAChina

One of the major challenges for those leading the field in social media is the question of how to make their investment a viable business.

How do you monetise a free service without angering your target market ?

Facebook’s approach was to sellAdspace.

Competition within Social Spaces

Another way the leaders try to distinguish themselves is to offer new features on a regular basis.

Frequent updates add longevity to a market which can easily become stagnant.

Competition within Social Spaces

Top 10 Spaces

FacebookGoogle +YoutubeTwitterSina WeiboTencent WeiboQzone (China Only)Tencent (Chine Only)LinkedInRenRen (China Only)

With the introduction of mobile devices the shape of the Social Spaces has been greatly altered. The introduction of mobile Apps has lead to multiple services being mobile exclusive, these include social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

Impact of Mobile Devices on Social Spaces

What has the introduction of Mobile devices meant to Social Spaces?

With their limited functionality mobile devices require a different approach when it comes to Social Spaces. A mobile centred Social Space must be :

• User centric• Highly interactive• Highly intuitive • Easily Navigable

Impact of Mobile Devices on Social Spaces

What is the cost of not keeping up?

For those Social Spaces that fall behind in terms of providing mobile versions, updated interfaces or fresh content the cost can be quite high.

Two prime examples are Myspace and Bebo

Impact of Mobile Devices on Social Spaces

For the leading Social Spaces the only way to ensure a future is to optimise their Social presence.

A large part of this is determining what kind of market to aim for. Social or Professional.

The Future of Social Spaces

The Future of Social Spaces

A breakdown of what users expect from the two different spheres of Social Spaces

The Future of Social Spaces

The Most successful sites recognise their target market and optimise their services appropriately.