As more social networking sites evolve with new flashy features, Facebook is left to adjust with the times. It seems as though since changing its privacy features to mimic Google+, Facebook has shifted from being proactive to almost being a copycat. Facebook product manager Kate O’Neill says the company has been planning these changes long before Google+ came out. For many it seems some changes mimic the features of Google+ completely. So what are the big changes?
Facebook now lets users choose who among their friends will see each update they post. Sounds a lot like Google+ Circles, right? This was the main factor that set Google+ apart from Facebook and actually gave it an advantage over the powerhouse. Facebook users now see a tab just below the text entry box allowing them to pick from “Public,” “Friends” and “Custom.”
Permanence is a big on any social network. Once a user posts publicly on a site, that potentially embarrassing thought is there for anyone to see — forever. Facebook now allows users to change who can see updates after they are posted. If you weren’t exactly in the right mindset the night before, posted something and woke up the next morning regretting it, you can change who can see the post. Then you just have to hope Grandma wasn’t up past her bedtime to see that ridiculous picture you posted.
Pictures posted on pages tend to be the biggest issue for young adults entering the workforce. Now you won’t have to go back through and delete your pictures when you decide to get serious about a career. As people tag you in pictures, you have the option of accepting the tags. On the flip side, you can now tag anyone in a photo whether they are a Facebook friend or not.
And look out all you Instagram users, ahem… me. Facebook sought to buy the photo filters company and was rejected, which means Facebook will soon integrate its own photo filters into the site. The plan is to feature filters similar to those used by Instagram, as well as new features intended to keep users inside Facebook rather than exiting to post their photos with the leader of photo filtering/sharing apps.
Not all of Facebook’s copycat endeavors have turned out well. Four months ago Facebook rolled out a spin-off of Groupon called Facebook Deals and Mashable reports Facebook will pull it from the shelves. Deals joins another Facebook copycat turned sour, Places. Facebook is starting to phase out the geolocation service and it seems it will leave that space to the innovators at Foursquare.
So the question now is, will the recently added features secure Facebook’s status at the top? Facebook has a real advantage with its prominence in the social networking world. Since the site has more users than any competitor network, this is where the most conversations happen.
As long as Facebook continues to innovate, I see them not going anywhere. Just last week we learned Facebook users clicked past one trillion page views and I’m sure before we know it Facebook will pass two trillion. That’s my opinion. What’s yours? Is Facebook turning into a copycat as its competitors add new features or is it still the innovation leader as well as the leader in terms of active users?
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Emma Walter is an assistant account executive for WordWrite Communications. You can find her on Twitter @emmasreallytall.
