Facebook Listens to it's Users, MySpace Needs To

Implications: It's not about video, it's about the network - social network - and keeping it updated for the users.  Not only is MySpace more cluttered and less user friendly than Facebook, it shouldn't lose focus and try to beat YouTube.

Analysis: Remember Friendster?  You know, the social network that got really big, then made a critical mistake in doing whatever they wanted by selling out and not what the users asked for?  In came MySpace with a better product and more transparency - until News Corp bought them.  "Tom" isn't people's friend anymore, and anyone in college is likely to have two spaces - one on Facebook and one on MySpace.  Now that Facebook is open to everyone, will that still be the case?  Or will teens choose Facebook over MySpace from the beginning, then after college, too?

My guess is that because Facebook allows any number of widgets to be embedded into their pages, which is unlike today's MySpace, users will appreciate the flexibility and make Facebook their #1 social network over time.  For example, Photobucket wasn't allowed on MySpace - until MySpace bought them.  And now that LinkedIn can be integrated into Facebook, there's little reason for users to leave Facebook once they hit the professional world.  But the question was what about video?

Will MySpaceTV be the only video player allowed into the social experience?  Or will YouTube, who they're apparently trying to "kill", still be allowed?  Now that's the question - do they lose users over YouTube integration or gain engagement with MySpaceTV?

I'm not convinced online users will move away from YouTube, mainly because it's so simple to use.  Going to MySpaceTV today, there's nothing noteworthy about it.  Even the original programming isn't enough to keep me there.  If they're trying to replicate TV, then they've already lost something to Joost because of the full-screen, high quality experience, and to Xbox Live for HD content downloads.

So what's a once-failed MySpaceTV to do?  Apparently, it's try, try, try again.