Facebook Ups it's Game to Face Newest Market Competitor

Facebook Ups it's Game to Face Newest Market Competitor 

As many users have already discovered, things have recently changed on Facebook's mobile platform. Upon opening my Facebook App the other day I was shocked to find their newest feature which shares an uncanny resemblance to Snapchat's social-media shattering breakthrough concept. Facebook's newest feature, "Stories", is a near clone of the Snapchat social media platform - even down to the new feature's title. The new 'Stories' feature utilizes the camera to take photos or short videos wherein the user can then share them and they will appear on the top banner of their Facebook friends main news feed, viewable for 24 hours after the initial post. The new feature also allows users to choose from an array of distinct filters and masks to make their Story more unique and appealing.

Facebook reigns king when it comes to competitor analysis in the social-media field. They have long been mimicking popular features from other mobile apps and incorporating them into their own app. Facebook has also incorporated many copycat characteristics into other social-media platforms which they own including most famously, Instagram and Whatsapp. As they say, "If you can't beat them, buy them," and the Facebook social-media powerhouse has done just that.

This new feature is another attempt to bring users back online where Facebook has recently seen a sharp decline in user activity. Combined with the fact that Snapchat recently launched their initial public offering this month (largely considered a bust by analysts), this may be Facebook's impulsive response to a potential threat in the marketplace. Could we perhaps see another large market acquisition by Facebook in the form of buying out Snapchat entirely? Only time will tell, but if the new feature enhances their overall product and proves successful in drawing users away from Snapchat and back to Facebook then I'd label it a high possibility. Facebook is continuously working to improve their product to appeal to their users and this is another large stride in furthering the strength of their brand.


Name: Joe Webb
Class: MKTG 3343
Article: Facebook, Eye on Snapchat, Adds Camera Features
Link to WSJ Article: https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-eye-on-snapchat-adds-camera-features-1490702404