Domestic SNS Status: 2008 ago Facebook: School

(a) Review of SNS prior to Facebook
Social network Services (SNS) is not created by Facebook, before Facebook, "Friends" and "community" (especially the BBS community) two types of Internet applications have SNS attribute. In particular, the former dating site, almost entirely attributable to SNS. In order to facilitate the discussion below, in this paper to deal with "people" and "relationship" of the Internet applications, are vested in the category of SNS.

Because the BBS community's "media" property is stronger, so we do not discuss this article for the time being. In this way before FB, observation SNS is mainly to see "Friends" website. Dating site in the previous years of development, roughly three stages, with three case site representatives:
1, Asian Dating Center, about 2000 years, the most basic mode of dating site
2, uuzone:2003 years, introduced the concept of "six-degree space"
3, myspace:2003 years, the introduction of the photo service

Let's put it here first. Say another question: what is SNS doing? In the final analysis, SNS do two things: 1 help people "know Friends" and 2 help people "Keep in touch". All SNS sites do, are not out of the above two points, just some SNS site only do one point, some two points are done. Before FB, the mainstream SNS website mainly do "know Friend"

How to use Internet tools to make people and people "know", the surface looks very easy, but actually very difficult. I use a different kind of Internet application "media (Portal)" to illustrate. In a consumer's physical world, he gets news by reading newspapers, and on the internet, he gets news by reading the news page of the media portal. However, in the physical world or the Internet world, users in order to meet the needs of their own news, his behavior pattern is consistent-all through the "reading" behavior.

If a user behavior pattern is not changed when he moves from the physical world to the Web, users will soon get used to the web. This is the Internet, the media (portal) the first development of the reason. The media portal only changes the user's "read" content, but does not change the user's "read" behavior.

But "making friends" is different. In the physical world, in general, there is no specific "dating" behavior. Our behavior may be dinner, clubbing, playing football and so on, "making friends" is just a result. Trying to transplant "friends" into the network, we found the problem--online dating sites, you can not make users really drink and eat, so it is difficult to replicate the user's true friend behavior. (Compare the example of "reading" with the above media portal).

So it seems that online dating can not be done ah. But the smart people who do the internet have come up with a way. They found a special kind of dating in the real world--dating friends. They found that the physical behavior patterns of dating and marriage are different from those of ordinary friends. Love and marriage is basically a user list of data reading, searching, screening, and this behavior pattern can be copied to the Internet.

So abstract that the early Internet dating application is the processing of user databases. From this, the application of friends developed two schools. One genre is to "close" the user data, block users access to other user information, the station to make money, this is the "marriage website"; a genre is to "open" the user data, users randomly search and contact other users, the station to try to pass the user's viscosity, and advertising fees or value-added fees to obtain income, which is " (general) dating sites. "

Each of the two schools has its own pros and cons. For the former "marriage website", the business model is very clear, but the market potential is limited. It's a business, but it's a business that lacks imagination. This includes two issues: first, the love and marriage website is essentially selling "list", so the price users pay is to get the list, and the real need for users to spend a lot of money in the process of making friends, not in love and marriage website to achieve, so the marriage site can not earn the money; Normal users in the dating site to meet people and married, often two people will also write off the account to show the loyalty of marriage. Therefore, from the efficiency of the station, do the "marriage website" may be better than do the recruitment site. And over the years, there has been little revolutionary change in this genre. For example, some kind of small innovation such as love and marriage evaluation, is actually a gimmick. In the final analysis, the "marriage website" is the traditional business, does not play the internet characteristics: the network effect.

For the latter "(general) dating site", the market potential is very large, but the business model is not clear. But because it has the network effect, is the real internet business, so these years development innovation many. Before Facebook, we included the 3 stages of development that we first mentioned; and then the most critical change: Facebook


(ii) The plight of "prostitute friends"
Prior to Facebook's appearance, observing the three stages of the development of a dating website reveals a clear thread-the evolution of interactive patterns. The so-called "interactive mode" of a website, basically is to answer the website "Do what", the user in your website "Play What" this question, after the interactive mode is certain, only then the product, then can operate, promote a series of work

At the beginning, similar to the Asian Dating center such a website, or a simple list, the user's main interactive mode (play) is the search data and so on. This kind of website development is not successful.

To the Uuzone stage, the "six-degree space" theory is used to try to get users to play an upgraded version of the list--containing the "relationships" list. This kind of website is still unsuccessful.

To the MySpace stage, web2.0, especially the digital camera and ipod activated the MP3 market, the user's play is mainly "photos" and "music", especially photos. This time the interactive mode is centered around the "individual". That is, through photos, diaries, music and so on, make the "individual" really rich. Is this model successful? The status quo of MySpace and the domestic follower 51.com can be proven.

"Cold" List of user data-"cold" with "relationship" of the user data List-digital "live" individuals, these three stages, is the dating site these years of development, around the design of the "interactive mode" of development, that is, users in your site "Play what" development!


Even before Facebook, very many dating sites have been exploring for a long time. But we can say that before Facebook, all dating sites were failing in the "interactive mode" issue. Because of the "three flaws" in the design of these interactive patterns

Defect One: "God's Perspective"-users can search for or retrieve other users globally and "arrive". The "arrival" here includes texting, space messages, and so on.

Defect Two: "Virtual identity"-Users can register any ID, without any acquaintance "endorsement", completely independent appearance in the dating site

Defect three: "Not fit"-small horse cart, interactive mode can not become a universal user needs, commonly used, willing to use the interactive means. For example, "play space" This interactive mode, ask who said that friends must have "personal space"? Let users continue, long-term maintenance of "personal space" to make friends, the cost of users is actually very large. The user originally hoped that makes friends the website to make friends easily, but the website interaction lets him more and more feel heavy, does not fit, the user will feel is not worth, is not fun, does not play


What does the "three flaws" mean in the old dating site? Danah Boyd, an expert on SNS research in the United States, gave an answer: "Prostitute make friends"--so-called "prostitute friends" includes three layers of meaning: one, too cheap to get friends, so do not cherish, can easily give up; second, can not understand the real identity of friends background, so friends are illusory; The way and means of communication between friends are monotonous, so they tend to direct sexual

Even more troubling, when we think about it a little bit, we will find that "prostitute friends" is actually a kind of objection to "making friends", that is, "prostitute friends" mode, so that users can not make friends! (We say the user is the mainstream user, do not mention extremely individual is for sex and make friends of the user-these for sex friends, in fact, has been non-mainstream, not our dating site to consider the category)

In other words, because there are "three major flaws", will inevitably lead to "prostitutes make friends", so that the dating site "many mistakes"-the more they want users to make real friends, but the more users do not make real friends. This is the deadly logic of dating sites.

From the date of its birth, until now some dating sites, for 10 years, dating sites in this deadly logic have never changed. Although with a round of concept hype, investment intervention, dating sites each lead for several years, but then will quickly tend to plain, from no one dating site really completely "stand" live. In domestic terms, do not say 51.com, such as  Uuzone, wangyou, billion friends, these have to invest in the dating site, is not a scene, but now?

Until Facebook was born.


(iii) "Refactoring" of relationships
In the front we have been discussing the "know Friends" class SNS. As mentioned earlier, before Facebook on-line, SNS application mainly concentrates in "know friend" this direction, and "Keep in touch" SNS relatively few. However, it is not no, such as "alumni" application. Then you find out, Facebook and "alumni" do "Keep in touch" SNS Internet application, and they are faced with the same kind of relationship-"classmate relationship".

So, what is the "keep in touch" type of SNS? The so-called "Keep in touch" is through the Internet, the existing relationship for network reconfiguration. Here, "relationship" includes two categories: one, the existing relationship in the physical world, such as blood relations, classmate relations, colleagues relations, fellow-countrymen relations, etc., "refactoring" refers to the relationship between such entities to move the Internet; two, in the network world of existing relations, because for netizens, internet for a while, has formed a network relationship, such as QQ friends, MSN Friends, blog friends and so on, "refactoring" means to transfer network relationships from one network to a new network. These two types of "refactoring" are described below

(1) Network reconfiguration of entity relationships, Representative website: Facebook
I think there are only two types of entity relationships that have the possibility of network reconfiguration, "classmate relationship" and "coworker relationship". Since the entity relationship is reconstructed, the "density" of the original entity relation itself is the key factor, and the threshold is the "150 principle". Density is too tight, then the network relationship after the reconstruction can not break the threshold to generate network effects, for example, the blood relationship, so some so-called "family SNS" must not do it; density is too loose, the reconfiguration of the network relationship can not converge, will quickly "hydration", also can not produce network effects, such as fellow-countrymen relations, so some so-called " Fellow SNS "certainly cannot do up." And just the "classmate relationship" and "colleague relationship" in the "complex system" state, each individual's relationship circle is almost exactly in line with the "150 principle", not loose, just can produce network effect.

Based on the relationship between students, Facebook and the school have been generated, based on the "colleague relationship" of the large SNS, foreign LinkedIn, if it is counted, there will be a home. But the domestic currently do those so-called business SNS, basically did not do in place.

(2) Network reconfiguration of network relation, Representative website: kaixin001
The key factor of network reconfiguration is the "openness" of the host network. For example, the Kaixin001 of MSN relationship, because of the openness and success of MSN, 51 to the QQ relationship, because QQ is not open and difficult to develop.

(about kaixin001, in fact, it has a lot of "colleague relationship" and "classmate relationship" reconstruction, but its most central restructuring, or the MSN relationship; So we put it in the domain of network relationship refactoring)


When Facebook was positioned to "keep in touch" SNS online, the "three major flaws" of SNS, formerly known as "Friends", did not exist for "Keep in touch" Facebook. If used as a metaphor, the old dating site n years to rack their brains to do a problem, Facebook came up with a change of title. This is a smart choice!

But when Facebook comes online, he has his own problems--facebook need to develop an interactive model that fits the "Keep in touch" type of SNS. This very important innovation, Facebook has done! The "feed Stream", which is formed by the application of photos, diary, sharing and so on, is the interactive mode of "Keep in touch" type SNS. In layman's parlance, it is the feed that plays Facebook. Then, Facebook got a huge success.


Let's make a summary: Facebook's success proves one thing-if you do SNS, it's smart to follow Facebook and use the feed interaction model to do "Keep in touch". But this issue has changed in the domestic context: because we have--qq!

QQ is in fact "keep in touch" SNS. Although QQ at the beginning did not do SNS, they only made an IM tool. But it is this unintentional inserted Liu's "im tool", in fact, is suitable for Chinese users "Keep in touch" class SNS "interactive mode". QQ by virtue of the core IM and "QQ space" and "QQ Group", in the Chinese network has met the fact that the user "stay in touch" most of the needs (note, not all users of this category needs, because to the net to set aside space, the following). So, although from the efficiency, do "keep in touch" SNS more effective, but in the domestic, this demand blank market space is very small!

So my conclusion is that for the "refactoring" of relationships ("Keep in touch" type SNS), "Im tool is the most suitable interactive mode for Chinese users," feed stream "is the most suitable interaction mode for Western users--but both in China and the West, this kind of SNS website has found the suitable" interactive mode ", thus can continue to grow rapidly , unlike the previous "dating site", which has its own logical bugs.

As an appendix to this section, let me talk about two more questions:

One, about "innovation". Some friends think that innovation must be in advance to do so. But it's not! You see Facebook, they are online, in fact, even the most important feed is not designed to play (FB's main play is beauty PK), but as long as the general direction is right, and your design at the beginning of a logical bug. Then, along with the development of the website, you can slowly discover the core innovation which you need most. The big logic is true, the core innovation will certainly appear! But if the big logic is wrong, such as the old dating site "three major flaws", the immortal can not help you.

Second, on "Inheritance". Talking about Facebook's "innovation", it also needs to talk about its "inheritance"-the choice of target user groups. Facebook, like almost any SNS, was initially targeted at the low age group of users (under 25 years of age). Whether these SNS is to do "know a friend", or do "Keep in touch"! Only two exceptions: Business SNS website and marriage SNS website. Why? The reason is simple – consumers who consume "relationships" on the internet are often in the active phase of building their own relationships. The older they are, the more they either downplay "relationships" or consume relationships through the activities of the physical world. Facebook started out as a campus, so it was a good inheritance of SNS's traditional target audience.


Four, 2008 before: facebook--School
From the 04 facebook,05 years of online, regardless of foreign or domestic, based on "Keep in touch" SNS application become the mainstream, and "know Friend" SNS application is marginalized. This is the recent 5 years the overall trend of SNS field. The development of SNS in recent years, a lot of related articles, I do not do a comprehensive review, only briefly, and then talk about some experience

Facebook's development: When Facebook first came online, it was "beauty PK" and was open only to Ivy League universities. Later developed to all universities, secondary schools and companies to open up users, at the same time, the development of feed, open platform, until the development of the present; School development: The first copy of Facebook, online soon, did a "shuttle bus to send students home" activities, began mainly for "211" university, the development of " Campus ambassador "the promotion system, in with Chen a boat 5q, occupies the net and so on website competition, stands out. was acquired in the second half of 07 until now

Some experience:
(1) Why Facebook is the first to do "Beauty PK": This is interesting. Because "beauty PK" In fact belong to "know Friends" class SNS application, but not "keep in touch", but when Facebook online, the beginning is to do this. I think two reasons for the analysis: First, Facebook did not clearly understand that it was doing "stay in touch" at the very beginning, and they were, after all, one of these SNS, so they started out as "friends", just because of their own product logic--closed systems, From the network of campus acquaintances and so on, in particular, the "feed" play innovation, making the natural development to "keep in touch" mainly; second, when the initial system data is not enough, "keep in touch" is unable to complete, so need to "know Friends" the main application to promote to accumulate initial data. This example once again shows that innovation is sometimes evolved in the course of operations, but your system's initial setup should conform to the evolutionary logic.

(2) School net startup stage of "Send students home for the New Year" activities, and Facebook "beauty PK" has the same as the wonderful. Another key lesson of the school's campus startup--the "211" university promotion--is consistent with Facebook's outreach to the Ivy League. In other words, the net in the startup phase, in fact, not only in the product itself copied Facebook, in the operational strategy, also coincide with Facebook.

(3) 5Q Why can't beat school: The key is "brand". For college students, the 5Q brand cannot be compared with the "school".

(4) Why the Occupy seat is not in the school: The key is "team". The founder of the building network awareness is not in place. From their cooperation with the School Youth League activities began, this "top-down" concept, it was doomed them to fight in the school

(5) QQ problem: QQ has not seen SNS trend, until Chen a boat acquisition school, they began to discover was dug a corner, but in the campus market, too late

(6) There is no difference between Chinese and Western University campus users! For Internet applications, there is not much difference between Chinese college students and foreign youth groups, because the students ' learning ability is relatively good, and the way of life is close (reading, living). This is a very special group of Chinese network users, accounting for about 10% of all Chinese users.


Five, 2008 years later: Domestic, Happy 001, happy and other
When the time enters 2008, the domestic SNS drama official opening. The following is based on the online time to explain:

On campus: Starting at the end of 07, the campus is modeled after Facebook-oriented corporate users (white-collar workers). But unlike Facebook, which went smoothly to the company's users, it was not able to get into the company's users, even though BD was taking it, and it made 001 happy. If you think about it, you will find a very important question: The school is the most faithful Facebook imitators, and he has succeeded in every step of his imitation. But precisely in the "out of the campus" This step, the school's imitation failed. What does that mean? This shows that the Facebook model SNS is not suitable for Chinese company users (white-collar)! But happy 001 later in the market but the fire, what does that mean? This means that the Happy 001 mode is not the sns--of Facebook mode otherwise, the round is not happy 001, the school should be first in the white-collar fire up.

At the domestic: in March 08, the domestic has been on-line for several months, mainly to the industry users. Wang at the domestic time, continued his experience in school-oriented high-end users. He preferred it and media to promote it. This strategy, at the domestic effect is very little (but this is the reason why the Rice later did it). So, what's wrong with Wang's high-end strategy at the domestic level? Wrong in his not really universally popularized. Especially in the early June, he should also see Happy 001 MSN Promotion is very effective, but it is surprising that Wang did not follow up to do so wide, high-intensity promotion. When the real time to bet, Wang didn't dare to bet, there is no chance. Then the project faded and began to cook.

Happy 001: About Happy 001, I wrote a lot. No more repetition. If you want to let me from happy 001 success factor only choose one, then is: MSN Promotion. MSN Promotion is happy 001 to do the most critical factor. They will not invest less than 2 million yuan on this point. Happy 001 is actually a social game mainly to interactive mode, with a strong promotion, quickly gathered a large number of users of SNS. And this also answered why the school can not enter the white-collar market, and happy 001 entered the-Chinese white-collar users do not need to "stay in touch", they need is "social game"

Chen Yizhou happy: Chen Yizhou happy, from the strategy of robbing domain name, special damage. So bully Happy 001, very excessive. However, if in the business, when you use a similar brand competition to start the strategy, then you must do the first, so that you can succeed; If you do second, then all of your input is actually to the first happy 001 do the obligation of the brand propaganda. Chen Yizhou's mistake is so much to do, but only to do a second "happy." Now Happy 001 brand, in the final analysis can be regarded as Cheng and Chen a boat together to complete. That Chen a boat's happy why didn't do it? Because not resolute! Not enough strength! Especially in the 09 years, basically gave up and happy 001 of the competition.

Other general SNS type website, there is no special place, temporarily does not mention.


Six, the QQ sniper
From the above can be seen, since 2008, with the example of Facebook, the domestic so-called SNS website do is "Keep in touch" type of SNS. One of the best is the school and happy. It seems that the overall situation of Chinese SNS has been set. Is this really the case? Wait! Let's not forget qq!.

In front of me, "Keep in touch" is the core area of QQ, no one else to meddle. And, because QQ is strong enough, outsiders are actually very difficult to enter. Here's QQ, refers to IM, QQ space and QQ group.

(1) QQ has soft rib. QQ does have a soft rib (otherwise there will be no school now and happy 001). For the school, QQ's weak point lies in the slow response, so that the school in a market segment to do enough; for happy 001,qq's soft rib is happy 001 is based on an almost im--msn and QQ to contend with. (So, now if there is a SNS based on Wang Wang, but also can do tens of millions of users)

(2) QQ ceiling. But QQ more "ceiling", that is, QQ can let you survive in a market segment, but you want to break through this market, a few impossible. In school, Chen a boat to get software hundreds of millions of dollar investment, has more than two years, but, school out of campus it? Happy 001 also face this problem, after getting tens of millions of dollars, starting from the second half of 09, Happy 001 also strong growth?

For the integrated SNS, tens of millions of IP login is a key threshold, is a key to become a big deal threshold. QQ may make mistakes, let new competitors do it, but to tens of millions of IP threshold, will inevitably encounter QQ strong sniper. At present, all Chinese "stay in touch" type SNS, can not walk through the second half of the sniper--09 QQ at this time, QQ did 2 things: first, launched the QQ farm; second, the revised QQ space, the introduction of the Feed and app application. QQ do these two things, the former let Happy 001 stop growth, the latter let everyone network stranded in the campus

We look at the macro-oriented, personal applications, what beyond the threshold of tens of millions of IP? Yes! Thunderbolt, sogou Pinyin and so on! Then you find that just in this kind of pure software application (client application), QQ can not be able to intercept new competitors.

Therefore, the QQ real core ability, is not the software ability, but the user "relations". In the QQ precipitated hundreds of millions of users of the "relationship", any attempt to do "keep in touch" SNS, are trying to "relationship" from the QQ market in a piece. This is the core interests and advantages of QQ resources, QQ how easy to give up?

In the Chinese "Keep in touch" SNS website, people are lured by the short-term growth, thought to have entered the utopia of fast development, but when they invest, the QQ ceiling will come to be much faster than imagined.


The SNS practice of ant net
From March 2008 on-line, the ant net began the practice of SNS. It is because of the above analysis, and all Chinese SNS different, we believe that Chinese SNS only do "know Friend", can break through the blockade of QQ. Therefore, ant network and other SNS completely different, we from the beginning to do "know Friend".

This is a huge difference! As I said earlier, "Know Friends" is originally SNS mainstream application, but its own has been "three major flaws", so over the years there is no real successful application; Especially after 2007 years, Facebook class "Keep in touch" SNS is very successful, "know Friend" SNS is completely marginalized. In this context, the ant network to do the opposite, to do "know Friends" class SNS. Our maverick, from the user's understanding of the needs of the SNS understanding.


Although we see the direction, but we ourselves face a bigger problem--money. Now the online ant network, basically only in 08 for 9 months, the product is still a "semi-finished", and then completely stalled. But in this big half year practice, the ant net has some interesting discoveries, said several most important and everybody share:

1, the need for "meeting friends" is huge. User needs can even be used to describe the "starving". As long as the station provides a suitable product, it can develop rapidly; even some websites offer imperfect products, but the number of users is still many.

2, what users really lack is the ability to "know friends" and how to use the Internet for social networking--and that's where the site's products lie.

3, "To know a friend" and "Keep in touch" is a complete logic; If a user "knows a friend" on your site, he will prefer to "stay in touch" with your site-only if your site cannot provide "keep in touch" products, users will leave you

4, "God Perspective", "Virtual identity", "not fit", is the market "know Friends" type of SNS common problems

5,facebook feed product structure, suitable for "Keep in touch" application, but not suitable for "know Friend" application


Eight, the crossroads: Chinese SNS "vulgar"
Since the beginning of the 2008 Chinese SNS Wave, first of all, with the fire of foreign Facebook, and then the school was soft silver investment and fermentation, and finally to the development of happy net explosion into the climax. To now, everywhere SNS. facebook--School-Happy, this is the Chinese SNS years of Development "trilogy".

First of all, it should be said that the Chinese and western Internet on SNS understanding and application, in recent years has made considerable progress. Especially in the "Keep in touch" SNS aspect, suits the Western user "the feed pattern" and is suitable for the Chinese user "the IM pattern" completely to form; In addition, the Chinese network also developed a happy 001 this based on "social game" popular application.

Second, we should see, based on "know Friends" SNS, in the past few years has not much development. In addition to the ant network in this direction to adhere to explore, at home and abroad there is no new mode of production. And the ant network in this exploration, but also trapped in funds and other factors, and difficult.

Finally, we should be vigilant, because Discuz launched the Ucenter system, so that a large number of grassroots sites to upgrade to the so-called "SNS system", resulting in "everywhere SNS" illusion. This has greatly misled Chinese websites and users. The outline is as follows:

(1) as Kangsheng company, they are based on the company's product deployment, the introduction of their own SNS system ucenter, understandable.

(2) as a webmaster, whether to upgrade the original BBS system to Ucentre, great knowledge! At the beginning of this article, the BBS community, although it is "community", has a certain SNS attribute, but it is stronger is "media" attribute. So in recent years, whether Facebook or campus, Happy 001 or so, their "lively", in fact, and the "media" BBS community does not necessarily link. So, why do you have to upgrade your Discusz?! A large number of webmasters do not understand, blindly upgrade to Ucenter, but may destroy the original application, reduce user experience. For example, I went to a BBS originally in order to see the post, now you let me play farm, boring not boring ah?!

(3) No matter what the business site, to do SNS, and then all on a set of Ucenter or its improved version, began the so-called SNS. This situation and the above blindly upgrade Discuz webmaster Similar, are the so-called SNS trend of attraction, do not consider their own user needs, SNS into a website "standard configuration."

These disregard the site's own characteristics, regardless of the user's own needs, flooding the online SNS system, and is based on the highly entertaining ucenter structure of the SNS system, is the Chinese SNS "vulgar". When every site in the "Stealing food", in fact, this is just a webmaster entertainment.


The Chinese internet is largely a capital-driven market. So at the end of this chapter, the paper outlines the trend of SNS Domain Capital in recent years:
(1) About 20% of the capital to the old dating site, due to the old dating site's "three major flaws", the return of the capital is worrying

(2) About 10% of the capital invested in the early many "stay in touch" SNS website. And these sites in the school, Happy 001 of the competition, has failed, the return of capital is worrying

(3) About 70% of the capital invested in the school and happy 001 of the two "keep in touch" SNS website. The two SNS in the local market has won, but they face the threshold of QQ, the future of capital return difficult to material

(4) 0% of the capital was invested in SNS based on "acquaintance with friends". This new type of dating site, capital has yet to see its potential value


Looking back 2008-2010 Chinese SNS observation and practice, I think the bottom line is two: first, "user needs", what users need? Second, "mode innovation", how to design the best interactive mode. The first is "see", to have enough wisdom to see the needs of users, the second is to "do", to have enough innovation, execution and capital to achieve the needs of users.

In fact, not only SNS, do the site, probably so.