VC looks behind the numbers of social networks

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Jeremy Liew is a venture capitalist with Lightspeed Partners and is becoming one of my favorite VC blogs. Anyway, tonight he digs into the usage numbers of the top social networks. I learned some interesting things. First, Facebook isn’t most popular. I already knew that. MySpace is used WAY more often (my brother, Ben, is on MySpace). Second, that Google’s Orkut usage is higher, even in the US, than I expected.

I have some theories about all these numbers. I might do a video for my Facebook friends in the morning, but gotta get some sleep first.

Published by Robert Scoble

I help entrepreneurs build their technology business' story, help with getting ready for investors, with other launch plans, and many other strategic things that can help your new startup. Call to talk: +1-425-205-1921 (text first).

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24 thoughts on “VC looks behind the numbers of social networks”

  1. Pingback: Scoble notes the profusion of social networking sites at The Social Programmer

  2. In India Orkut takes the cake for being the most notorious and famous social Network, Facebook is slowly catching on quickly . Though i like facebook much better, coz after a point of time orkut just got static, there was nothing beyond scrapping.

    This post makes interesting reading for why Orkut works in India http://watblog.com/?content=detail&id=930

    Cheerio!

    Like

  3. In India Orkut takes the cake for being the most notorious and famous social Network, Facebook is slowly catching on quickly . Though i like facebook much better, coz after a point of time orkut just got static, there was nothing beyond scrapping.

    This post makes interesting reading for why Orkut works in India http://watblog.com/?content=detail&id=930

    Cheerio!

    Like

  4. Did anyone consider the fact that Hi5 considers 20M in VC as a huge find troubling when Facebook a site that trails it in Alexa traffic rankings is supposedly valued at 6 Billion dollars?

    Hi5 says:
    “Yahoo! We have 20 Million dollars!, Finally!, now we can afford to REALLY do something cool”
    while sitting at #11

    Facebook says:
    “We’re worth wayyyyyy more than 6 billion”
    While they’re 2 back at #13

    Are you guys over in the Silly Valley all on crack?
    Sorry, It just defies all logic.
    You all over there, Scoble included are MASTER illusionists. With a capital M.

    Like

  5. Did anyone consider the fact that Hi5 considers 20M in VC as a huge find troubling when Facebook a site that trails it in Alexa traffic rankings is supposedly valued at 6 Billion dollars?

    Hi5 says:
    “Yahoo! We have 20 Million dollars!, Finally!, now we can afford to REALLY do something cool”
    while sitting at #11

    Facebook says:
    “We’re worth wayyyyyy more than 6 billion”
    While they’re 2 back at #13

    Are you guys over in the Silly Valley all on crack?
    Sorry, It just defies all logic.
    You all over there, Scoble included are MASTER illusionists. With a capital M.

    Like

  8. BTW, buddy Matt from Copernic still needs a contract so if you are interested, you can still contact us. He is wicked good with the desktop application of search engine technology. I have one offer from GB, but that is on hold for 2 days. Even if you want him at your company offices, I can try arrange it for a transaction fee. Good people are very hard to find. Now to tie it into this post. Perhaps Hi5 with their new found 20M would like to hire somebody to improve their site or search. I would happily broker it for them. Matt is a friend and a super programmer.

    Like

  9. BTW, buddy Matt from Copernic still needs a contract so if you are interested, you can still contact us. He is wicked good with the desktop application of search engine technology. I have one offer from GB, but that is on hold for 2 days. Even if you want him at your company offices, I can try arrange it for a transaction fee. Good people are very hard to find. Now to tie it into this post. Perhaps Hi5 with their new found 20M would like to hire somebody to improve their site or search. I would happily broker it for them. Matt is a friend and a super programmer.

    Like

  10. My 2 cents, Myspace has been a lot more customizable which is a big draw for a lot of the creative types, or those that want to feel creative. Whether or not this was a good idea varies from person to person, but it can definitely puts it’s flaws right out in front.

    Facebook Always seemed so elitist to me because at first you couldn’t get in unless you were enrolled in a school. Fresh out of college, and it wouldn’t let me sign up for an account so I never went back.

    Personal blogs, now that’s where it’s at. It’s a pitty livejournal isn’t up there, but it’s stayed the same for so long.

    Like

  11. My 2 cents, Myspace has been a lot more customizable which is a big draw for a lot of the creative types, or those that want to feel creative. Whether or not this was a good idea varies from person to person, but it can definitely puts it’s flaws right out in front.

    Facebook Always seemed so elitist to me because at first you couldn’t get in unless you were enrolled in a school. Fresh out of college, and it wouldn’t let me sign up for an account so I never went back.

    Personal blogs, now that’s where it’s at. It’s a pitty livejournal isn’t up there, but it’s stayed the same for so long.

    Like

  12. The question though is quality over quantity. Since advertising pays for so much of this activity things get more complex. Facebook reaches a different demographic than MySpaces. Would you rather reach 70,000,000 teams with small amounts of money to spend or 35,000,000 18-35 years olds with much larger amounts of money to spend? It may depend on what you are selling of course but in general isn’t the 18-35 group the “prime target” for most advertising?

    Like

  13. The question though is quality over quantity. Since advertising pays for so much of this activity things get more complex. Facebook reaches a different demographic than MySpaces. Would you rather reach 70,000,000 teams with small amounts of money to spend or 35,000,000 18-35 years olds with much larger amounts of money to spend? It may depend on what you are selling of course but in general isn’t the 18-35 group the “prime target” for most advertising?

    Like

  14. Alfred – you miss the point. Facebook is not targeted anymore. Everyone can join.

    Like

  15. Alfred – you miss the point. Facebook is not targeted anymore. Everyone can join.

    Like

  16. i signed up at Facebook to evaluate.
    I’m tired of re-adding friends, etc. I’ve already done that at Xing, LinkedIn, etc.

    Like

  17. i signed up at Facebook to evaluate.
    I’m tired of re-adding friends, etc. I’ve already done that at Xing, LinkedIn, etc.

    Like

  18. You’re surprised that Orkut has ~600,000 unique users a month which is less than Vampirefreaks.com and Hoverspot.com? How unpopular did you think the service was?

    Oh, maybe you were confused by the fact that they seem to have a huge number of page views per user (in the hundereds)? That usually points to a badly designed user interface in this age of AJAX.

    Like

  19. You’re surprised that Orkut has ~600,000 unique users a month which is less than Vampirefreaks.com and Hoverspot.com? How unpopular did you think the service was?

    Oh, maybe you were confused by the fact that they seem to have a huge number of page views per user (in the hundereds)? That usually points to a badly designed user interface in this age of AJAX.

    Like

  20. Pingback: Monday Marketing Foo for July 23, 2007 - Social Media, Search Engines, Website Marketing

  22. I’m using Orkut,Facebook and Hi5, but I little bit feel sick about Facebook system. Every time I send message to people it asking me to enter security code(captcha), the letters in the box also not clearly visible..
    car insurance comparison

    Like

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