Comments on: Classmates Scraps IPO Plans http://www.thevirtualhandshake.com/blog/2007/12/13/classmates-scraps-ipo-plans Blogs, social network sites, social software---and how to use all of these tools to become dramatically more successful Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:55:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Scott Allen http://www.thevirtualhandshake.com/blog/2007/12/13/classmates-scraps-ipo-plans#comment-441313 Scott Allen Wed, 27 Feb 2008 19:34:25 +0000 http://www.thevirtualhandshake.com/blog/2007/12/13/classmates-scraps-ipo-plans#comment-441313 I respect Classmates for a) being a pioneer in the space, b) their longevity, and c) recognizing the need for a change in their model. I agree that the Facebook valuation was ridiculous, and Microsoft is pretty foolish for putting up that kind of money on it. In fact, there's news out noew that <a href="http://www.news.com/8301-13860_3-9870284-56.html" rel="nofollow">Bill Gates has abandoned Facebook</a> himself and is finally going to <a href="http://www.news.com/8301-13860_3-9879618-56.html" rel="nofollow">check out LinkedIn</a>. I respect Classmates for a) being a pioneer in the space, b) their longevity, and c) recognizing the need for a change in their model.

I agree that the Facebook valuation was ridiculous, and Microsoft is pretty foolish for putting up that kind of money on it. In fact, there’s news out noew that Bill Gates has abandoned Facebook himself and is finally going to check out LinkedIn.

]]> By: Outtanames999 http://www.thevirtualhandshake.com/blog/2007/12/13/classmates-scraps-ipo-plans#comment-441238 Outtanames999 Wed, 27 Feb 2008 17:10:20 +0000 http://www.thevirtualhandshake.com/blog/2007/12/13/classmates-scraps-ipo-plans#comment-441238 The founders of Facebook may have cashed in, but venture sucker captial is not revenue. Not to put too fine a point on it, but I know a lot of you digital babies out there probably just traded in your bicycle for a car. Maybe you should wipe the pollution out of your eyeballs and look around. Classmates actually has something the other guys don't -- a revenue model and a management that is thinking correctly: what features can we add that will help convert registered users to paying subscribers. Simply put, if you think there is something wrong with that you are confused. Can they do more with what they've got? Sure. But isn't it interesting that they are around after all these years when the new kids on the block will be gone tomorrow. Facebook is dead. No kid wants to hang out with the creepy adults that have taken over. MySpace was dead on arrival with bloated pages that will go the way of Geocities and Homestead. Oh, yeah, and where are the garage bands it was created for? The biggest opportunity right now in the "social media space" is for somebody to offer a service to remove the embarrassing photos of you drugged or drunk off your ass, and the anti social music streaming off your page. More money will be made from taking down these pages than was ever made from putting them up or hosting them. I wouldn't be so quick to write off Classmates which may very well outlast them all and make more money than any or even all of them. The founders of Facebook may have cashed in, but venture sucker captial is not revenue. Not to put too fine a point on it, but I know a lot of you digital babies out there probably just traded in your bicycle for a car. Maybe you should wipe the pollution out of your eyeballs and look around.

Classmates actually has something the other guys don’t — a revenue model and a management that is thinking correctly: what features can we add that will help convert registered users to paying subscribers. Simply put, if you think there is something wrong with that you are confused.

Can they do more with what they’ve got? Sure. But isn’t it interesting that they are around after all these years when the new kids on the block will be gone tomorrow.

Facebook is dead. No kid wants to hang out with the creepy adults that have taken over. MySpace was dead on arrival with bloated pages that will go the way of Geocities and Homestead. Oh, yeah, and where are the garage bands it was created for?

The biggest opportunity right now in the “social media space” is for somebody to offer a service to remove the embarrassing photos of you drugged or drunk off your ass, and the anti social music streaming off your page. More money will be made from taking down these pages than was ever made from putting them up or hosting them.

I wouldn’t be so quick to write off Classmates which may very well outlast them all and make more money than any or even all of them.

]]> By: Small Business Marketing http://www.thevirtualhandshake.com/blog/2007/12/13/classmates-scraps-ipo-plans#comment-393692 Small Business Marketing Mon, 17 Dec 2007 22:18:59 +0000 http://www.thevirtualhandshake.com/blog/2007/12/13/classmates-scraps-ipo-plans#comment-393692 I wish that they would invest a little in changing t heir adds which have been there since time immemorial. They just appear to be stuck in the 60's/70's rut for some reason. I wish that they would invest a little in changing t heir adds which have been there since time immemorial. They just appear to be stuck in the 60’s/70’s rut for some reason.

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