With Facebook’s surge in popularity, MySpace, the more established of the two seems to have slowly wilted in the shadows. It seems MySpace has become obsolete as it dramatically falls out of favour. No longer trendy, especially amongst younger audiences having a MySpace rather than a Facebook profile is regarded as a serious social faux pas.

This week rumours are circulating around the web that Facebook will shutdown on the 15th of March. However, the revelations published in weeklynews.com are false. In fact it seems that it is actually MySpace that is in danger. More panic is attached to the possibility of Facebook’s demise, which speaks volumes.

MySpace is to be sold off according to its parent company News Corp Digital Media, who hope that Yahoo will take it off their hands. Five hundred staff at MySpace are being laid off, which is just under half of the company’s total number of employees, as its Australian office closes. There has been a reported loss of 165 million dollars, in just one quarter of 2010, which demonstrates how fickle audiences can be.

MySpace’s bid to revive its popularity without competing in a race it knows it cannot win is to change its focus, renaming its company as a ‘social entertainment destination’, which has been forced to diversify its offerings, rather than just existing as another waning social networking site.

MySpace seems to have lost momentum along the way, languishing while Facebook rides a new wave of enthusiasm that has engulfed the globe. It seems that MySpace took its users for granted, standing still, while Facebook gathered pace at an alarming rate.

The audiences that once visited MySpace have abandoned it in favour of Facebook and most have bypassed it altogether. MySpace’s complacency has been their downfall, as the force of Facebook prevails.

Before MySpace had a chance to realise its position, it had lost its appeal and its competitive edge. However, MySpace continues to defend its position, with figures released, such as the creation of 3.3 million new profiles, which totals up to 70 million profiles. However, this is 430 million profiles short of Facebook’s 500 million user base. Their statement seems to be a drop in the ocean.

Social networking sites have tapped into the human propensity to want to stay connected to others, made easier by the immediacy of technology. As technology consumes more and more of existence and becomes entwined with many daily activities. Conditions such as Information Deprivation Disorder arrive, which includes withdrawal to varying degrees, occurring when we are unable to access technology as frequently as we are used to.

MySpace is certainly the more colourful of the two sites, triumphing over Facebook’s blue and white colour scheme. However, the simplicity of Facebook’s design seems to be its defining attribute, as the most recognised logo, font and colour scheme to emerge from the internet.

The design for MySpace’s new logo is a step towards revamping its image, with an inventive logo that reads ‘my’ in a Helvetica font, followed by the symbol for a space. The logo requires some effort from the viewer, which immediately engages them. The space can also be filled with user generated artwork that is revealed when the cursor hovers over an area, adding a personal touch that can be as subtle or as flamboyant as the user wants. But is it enough to attract new audience levels that will get them back on top?

It seems that MySpace is a lesson in the fragility of all business; in so much as you are never out of the woods. Being the leader of a multi-million pound industry is no guarantee of sustained success.

SMS marketing is one of the quickest ways to remind your customer base of the quality service or products that you provide. Correspondence has evolved.

The dependence upon the humble letter has been replaced by the ground breaking technology of text messages. Reading scrawled ink on paper is outshone by the digital sharpness we see on a lit screen, while snail mail has been overtaken by technology’s ability to deliver communication in real time without the inconvenience of delay.

SMS marketing is a perfect medium for business, as the clean cut digital word presents an effortless professionalism and clarity. With limited screen space of 160 characters, the impact that a text message creates must be immediate. Choosing the right words to effectively communicate all the relevant information that both engages and excites the reader is of paramount importance. As copywriters who live and breathe words, we know how to create a stand-out message that will reel in custom.

Brand loyalty is also established, as people are more inclined to use a service that regularly keeps in touch with regards to its offers. Text messages can also be sent by businesses as handy reminders, quite literally, helping both the customer and retailer, as the customer appreciates being kept in the loop, while businesses gain the reward of custom.

The sound of a new text message alert is often met by waves of excitement. It is unlikely to be ignored and if it is not heard for whatever reason, its static presence on the screen will later be met with a readiness to open it.

Mobile phones provide a valuable link to others. We feel safer somehow, as loneliness can be punctured by a simple incoming text. This is why SMS marketing is so effective; a direct message that appears on a device regarded as a lifeline is more favourably viewed.

SMS marketing can also be used at specific times. Falling sales can be remedied by the launch of an SMS campaign that acknowledges external influences in its messages. This could be adverse weather conditions, the credit crunch or seasonal trends. Every negative situation can be turned around into a positive business opportunity that recognises the needs of its customers.

Our infatuation with mobile phones shows no signs of waning, as they remain close to our sides, nearly all of the time. Using text messages to insert your business into a domain normally reserved for a phonebook of friends automatically endears you to a recipient.

SMS marketing can help establish and cultivate a customer relationship, just as friendships need regular contact to thrive. Your business will always be looked on more favourably by customers if you maintain a level of contact that communicates your esteem for them.

SMS Marketing operates behind the scenes; as with all relationships this is where it matters most and where the foundations of loyalty and affection are laid and built upon. A simple text message gets your message across quickly, directly and effectively.

If you would like more information on how Green Media can create an SMS marketing campaign that boosts your business with an influx of custom call us now on 0191 232 8088 or email us info@green-media.com.

Social media sites enable a digital echoing of sorts. They can shine spotlights on a company’s charisma and illuminate the subtle additions that register quality to an attentive audience of more than one hundred and fifty million. Facebook and Twitter are the most recognised social media sites online and are often integrated into daily conversations, as posts of new developments spark intrigue. Facebook and Twitter are a popular way of satisfying an insatiable appetite for instant access to continuous information, which seems to be a permanently partnered with twenty-first century living.

Facebook’s success is primarily centered upon connecting people. Varying emotions are governed by social media sites, as its content can impact how we feel in the real world and how we relate to others, as we become privy to new concepts and perspectives. A company can take advantage of the user’s relaxed and receptive state of mind, sharing a space in which friends and celebrities inhabit. Businesses that insert themselves into a space, where humorous anecdotes are exchanged, project themselves as a less invasive presence, while simultaneously forging an online relationship with their customer.

Tweeting allows messages and therefore information to be carried on a virtual breeze, substituting communication by sound with visual communication. Words are indelible representations and seem to carry an ingrained credence compared to the reverberations of hear say for example. Just as news spreads through word of mouth, its authenticity is usually confirmed when they are read as stories. The arrangement, context and choice of words reflect the attitudes of a business, which can have a dramatic impact on how people view a product.

The attraction of Twitter and Facebook lies within the snippets of information that create curiosity. A business can also enter the social media arena using the same approach, as their products are almost dangled as a carrot that encourages a user to find out more. Social media sites entrust users with information, which simulates a community spirit.

Our intensified access to information means that businesses that opt out of social media marketing may vanish from the consumer’s radar, which is increasingly occupied by a hypnotizing presentation of brightly lit data. Only nine per cent of retailers do not use any social media. By entering the social media arena, businesses show that they can integrate and adapt easily, while remaining contemporary with fresh updates of special discounts and polls that engage customers and provide valuable feedback. Businesses also show that they are not adverse to new marketing strategies, in turn presenting a more amiable and approachable company.

An online space that is dedicated to the promotion of a product is an ideal way to express personality, much like the social networking site Myspace, which works on the premise of a digital space that is dedicated to individual expression. A cyber space can be adorned with messages and graphics, just as a room in a house makes a statement with décor. Businesses can take advantage of the free online territory available, in order to showcase a company’s ethos and create a reputation built on a willingness to connect. The sheer volume of users powers social media’s effectiveness. Followers and trends means that social media has swept over the world and is therefore the ultimate form in which to promote a business.