Should Facebook Ignore Snapchat? A Look At The Social Networking Space

Following last week’s bombshell news that Snapchat turned down a $3B offer from Facebook, Ben Thompson just wrote a brilliant post on his blog about the different social networks out there and how each fits a different purpose for users. Here are 2 excerpts from his post:
In the last two days I have used 10 apps you might characterize as “social”. In no particular order:
  • Twitter, for keeping up on news and commenting on tech and stratechery
  • Facebook, for posting personal status updates and checking in
  • LINE, for text messaging with my wife and friends in Taiwan
  • Snapchat, for exchanging photos with my wife
  • Skype, for instant messaging with my colleagues
  • Facetime, for talking with my wife and kids
  • Instagram, for posting cool photos
  • Email, for all types of content, both work and personal
  • Photostream, for sharing photos with my family
  • WordPress, for posting to this blog
… Look again at my list of apps: each of them has their own place… In fact, there is hardly any overlap at all – and none with Facebook.
Ben then continues to argue that Facebook should stop trying to buy startups like Snapchat, which don’t contribute to their potential “gold mine” of a display business. What do you think? As a social marketer, are you finding that your audiences have barely any overlap with Facebook, and is ignoring them the right strategy?

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