Will Facebook One Day Go the Way of Beanie Babies and New Coke?

[image error]We all know over time that things come and go. That being said, could you imagine a world one day without Facebook?

When you add up the numbers, approximately 900 million people worldwide utilize Facebook, with the company’s Q1 revenue for 2012 alone more than $1 billion.

Impressive numbers to say the least, but of course the world had been around for centuries and centuries before Mark Zuckerberg and the social media giant became a part of our everyday fabric less than a decade ago. With that being the case, don’t just assume that we’ll be sharing things on Facebook with friends, family and co-workers for many decades to come.

Number of Challenges for Facebook

According to a recent Associated Press-CNBC poll, Americans are proving a tad ambivalent about Facebook, showing that the company is looking at a number of challenges as it looks to bring in additional revenue growth via its huge user base.

The poll sample of just more than 1,000 American adults (56 percent had a Facebook profile, 40 percent did not, while 4 percent did not know), shows that 71 percent of individuals under age 35 sport a favorable view of the site compared to 28 percent of senior citizens. The poll points out that Google, Apple and Microsoft are seen as better sites than is Facebook, while Twitter received less favorable reviews.

Among individuals reporting they did not use Facebook (it was not clear whether this also includes individuals with profiles), a total of 57 percent indicated they either lacked interest or actively did not like the company.

When it comes to e-commerce on Facebook, 36 percent report they thought they were “extremely” or “somewhat safe” buying goods through the site. Meantime, 54 percent indicated they felt “not at all safe.” As for ad-related or sponsored clicks, 83 percent reported they “hardly ever or never” clicked on Facebook ads or sponsored content, with 17 percent claiming they did “often or sometimes.”

What may be the most interesting finding from the survey is the thought of Facebook, which makes the bulk of its money from selling advertisements, as an investment, along with its longevity and revenue futures.

According to nearly half of those responding, Facebook “will fade away as new things come along.” Even more interesting, was the fact that “Although they are generally more positive about the company, younger adults are no more apt than their older counterparts to expect Facebook’s long-term success.”

The poll also looked at the trust issue between users and the company, another feature that did not paint the social media leader in an exactly positive light. A mere 13 percent “completely trust” Facebook, as three of five Facebook users indicate they have little or no faith the site will protect their personal data, while 28 percent “somewhat trust” it.

The survey comes on the heels of the company’s initial public offering (IPO) of stock, with half of Americans claiming Facebook’s proposed asking price is too large.

So, take a moment to think about Facebook from your perspective:

Do you regularly, somewhat or never use Facebook?
If Facebook went away tomorrow, would you be upset, happy or indifferent?
Do you feel Facebook is overrated or underrated as a major social media player?

Photo credit: thenextweb.com

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