Repeating
MySpace's success in the big, fragmented European market won't be a cakewalk, analysts say. MySpace's competitors in Europe already have established themselves with local audiences, offering targeted content in native languages. MySpace is adapting, launching a British version in April and its first non-English-language site in France in August. On Sept. 11, it unveiled its latest country-specific site in Germany. MySpace aims eventually to roll out sites in other European countries, and later in China and India. It's signing up local bands, adding native language videos, and staging events such as the popular "secret shows," where Indie and mainstream musicians play exclusive concerts for lucky MySpace members.
Bebo has more market share in Britain than MySpace, according to
Hitwise. In August, reports emerged that Bebo might team up with Viacom (VIA ), whose deep pockets would allow a more serious challenge to Murdoch.
Ringo.com, a photo-sharing site owned by Monster, tops the social-networking rankings in France and Spain. Other rivals are adopting niche strategies to survive MySpace's European push. Startup
MyStrands, based in Barcelona, Spain and Corvallis, Ore., is a "music recommendation" site that blends social networking with music reviews to help its users find new tunes and share their preferences with others. In August, Viacom's MTV Networks launched its own social-network site in Europe (Italy and Britain), called MTVFlux, that combines the company's music know-how with the interactive elements of Web 2.0.
FULL ARTICLE @ BUSINESS WEEK
Mark Brooks: Here are some more well established, international social networks...
Arto.dk (Denmark), ASmallWorld (Euro),
Cyworld (South Korea),
Epuls.pl (Poland),
EveryonesConnected (UK),
Faceparty (UK),
Fropper (India),
Grono (Poland),
Hyves (Netherlands),
IRC Galleria (Finland),
Mixi (Japan),
Nexopia (Canada),
Passado (Euro),
Playahead (Sweden), ProfileHeaven (UK),
Rate.ee (
Estonia
),
Yeeyoo (China),
Yeskee (China),
Yonja (Turkey)
