2010 03 10

MySpace Revamp Aims To Reverse User Exodus

MySpace is attempting to bring back old users and attract new ones with a complete revamp of the social network. The plans to change come after the social network has lost market share against its rivals. Once considered the household name for social-networking web sites, MySpace lost its top position in the market once Facebook began to attract new users at high rate. Expected changes include a cleanup of the cluttered layout and faster page loads. The bigger changes include a focus on music. These features will be made available in the next few months, according to MySpace, with users able to share music playlists with other users. MySpace executives have been talking about the changes in recent weeks. The revamp is because MySpace "really wanted to show the crowd how MySpace is thinking different about the advertiser experience," said MySpace's Nada Stirratt, chief revenue officer, in a post. Focusing on Youth This lets MySpace hone in on a core user base of music-oriented fans and young people seeking self-expression, according to Ray Valdes, a Gartner analyst. MySpace's focus on a younger audiences makes sense since adults favor Facebook, according to recent data from the Pew Internet & American Life Project. A total of 73 percent of all adults 18 and older who use social-networking sites have a Facebook account. Seventy-one percent of those adults are between the ages of 18-29. "These changes are welcome and necessary, but by themselves cannot reverse powerful market trends," Valdes said. But many observers question if these changes will be enough to attract new users. In January, MySpace had 119 million unique visitors, a 7.4 percent decrease from the same month in 2009, according to ComScore, a provider of online traffic reports. MySpace executives, however, expect that number to grow to 200 million or 300 million. While the number...