Yesterday, MySpace introduced a new feature that will allow its users to sync MySpace status updates with their Facebook accounts. In addition to status updates, MySpace users will also be able to share links, photos, music and games with their Facebook page as well. Some are saying MySpace is ‘giving up’ or that this is the nail in the social media coffin, but this type of cross-pollination is part of their strategy for re-birthing MySpace as a portal to meet netizen’s entertainment needs. MySpace doesn’t see Facebook as a competitor, which is likely a productive stance to take considering how dominant they have become in the social networking space over the past year. In an interview with Mashable, MySpace President (then Co-President) Mike Jones had this to say:
“I think there’s room for all the players. I think at the end of the day there’s not going to be a direct overlap saying ‘this is the exact behavior on MySpace or (Facebook) or Twitter’ — there’s always going to be some crossover. I don’t think it’s a winner take all because I don’t think it’s a singular behavior we’re all trying to capture.”
And he’s right. Interpret’s New Media Measure found that 85% of users with an active MySpace profile also had a Facebook profile in Q2. Further, 57% of those people who had both a MySpace and Facebook account had updated their status in the past month. Before this new syncing feature, users on MySpace would have to navigate away from the site in order to update their Facebook status. Now, they have the opportunity to stay engaged with their MySpace profile while also keeping Facebook updated. Although Facebook and MySpace both have absurdly low satisfaction scores, user-experience updates like this might buy MySpace enough time to turn their ship around and deliver on their new entertainment-focused strategy.