How Facebook is changing how we all build websites and applications
There was a time when you would quite happily build a fully fledged site that had lots of clever modules, features and content which were only accessible if you were a registered user… Those were in the days that enabled a business middle to be built on a data acquisition strategy where, once you had the users details, you could monetize it both through your site and with third parties.
Facebook has largely impacted this area, not a lot of people talk about it but it is just another one of the ways in which web2.0 (a term I hate) or the social nature of the web has changed how we all do business online and also make money online.
In the modern era, you simply must build your site so that users can log into it using their existing Facebook account details. There are other global login facilities such as OpenID etc but to be frank Facebook will probably see off most of these as IT becomes the defacto login medium for so many sites.
What does this mean for the business of data? Well I think it is fair to say that within a couple of years, sites that insist on their own solus walled-garden method of signup will lose opportunity and ultimately not be major players. I also think it depends how Facebook start to interact with users they have barely scratched the surface yet… If Apple were to buy Facebook then it would be game -set-match as far as global leadership is concerned for many years to come.
Facebook is the biggest growth opportunity online, they have such far reaching opportunities way outstripping anything Google have. No, I have not been at the Gin, just look at the gaming situation, when Facebook launch their own currency it will be huge… This is just one example of a massive growth area no one else of the main players has managed to capitalise on. Then there is search..I personally believe Google should be very worried about the tie up Facebook has with Bing.
