Everyone likes a good plot twist, so let's talk about how one can find fame and fortune by creating new media that some claim is as addictive as cigarettes! The media from the top of my head that fit this category are: Facebook, Twitter, and Zynga Games. All of these different avenues have successfully built an empire on creating their own pop-culture, in which people just get sucked into. In addition, these outlets have actually teamed up to an extent and created a multi-billion dollar industry of user-generated content and a couple of online games.
First, let's talk about Facebook. You can either look at their company page or continue with my grueling synopsis. Facebook is site that allows users to update their friends with "statuses", check-in to local places, post photos and videos, and play games with friends. There is a lot more to it than that, but I'll save the pleasantries. Let's look at it this way, Facebook relies on its users to generate all of the content that is displayed on our individual "feeds". We can decide who we see and who can see us, so its a very user-based application.
According the Facebook Newsroom there are over 845 million users floating around the Internet! The profit comes from a variety of services which include: advertising, Facebook Dollars, and an assortment of applications.
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| Courtesy of www.img.labnol.org |
Twitter is not quite as elaborate as Facebook. There aren't any games or ads perse, the idea is still somewhat the same. Users create the content that is shared with everyone in the Twitterverse, this includes text posts, links, photos, etc. Twitter allows for quick little blerbs to be seen by millions of people with the right subject tag, which are indicated by a pound sign (#). Posts with similar "hashtags" are clumped together until they become trend. These trends can range from current events to people posting about life in the 90's.
Zynga games, the company that brought us the plague of Farmville. I know many people who can attest to getting completely suck into this game to point where they were willing to pay for items in the game just to get an edge. As of late, the new Zynga bane of those with smartphones include games like Words with Friends, Hanging with Friends and of a day ago Draw Something. These games can be linked with Facebook, so basically Zynga get's free marketing from those who decide to invite their friends that do not already play the game, it's genius! Of course they offer a free version to get us hooked then keep blasting ads telling us to buy the full version of the game.
To me, we have put such an investment of our lives into these sites and games that its almost sickening and what's worse is that people are making money off our lost time. I may not agree that Facebook can lead to addiction, but it's become so ingrained into our culture that not connecting to these media is stigmatized. This new area of business is only predicted to grow and there is no telling when, we are the key to their success.
Below I posted a video feature about Draw Something the newest acquisition of Zynga Games.
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