Facebook, Faust, and the Future
Facebook’s announcement of Instant Articles sent shockwaves through the ranks of tech and journalism. Many declared it as the end of journalism, while others praised Facebook for its ingenuity.
Instant Articles are now live in the wild, and the world has responded. I’ve collected a few insights and thoughts from others I respect to speak on something like this.
The Media Finally Signs Up for a Facebook Account
John Herman’s incredible analysis highlights the precarious position media companies have put themselves into by surrendering their content to Facebook.
Instant Articles Bring Speed to Facebook
This article brings to light the issue of speed, which Facebook uses to lure publishers. By streamlining loadtimes, Facebook is betting it can keep users longer in the newsfeed.
Verizon and Facebook both made moves in the same week to put content back at the forefront of their product strategies. This move shows that both companies believe entertainment and satisfaction are the two primal instincts that digital companies must ruthlessly pursue.
Facebook Puts the Web on Notice
M.G. Ziegler, a partner at Google Ventures, considers many websites bloated and out-of-date. In his opinion, the onus is on web publishers to create better, faster, stronger services that can put up a fight against the speed of Facebook’s Instant Articles.
My Hot Take
It’s short-sighted for publishers to put themselves at the giant’s mercy, yet it’s difficult to resist Facebook’s seeming benevolence. you can’t deny the beauty and speed of the product. Facebook’s size and deftness are on clear display with Instant Articles. Other publications are clamoring for access, and if the product connects with users, it will quickly expand beyond the initial nine partners. I predict the product will eventually lose novelty, and a wealth of publishers will be left begging Facebook for a chance at more eyeballs. I’ll leave you with the three unanswered questions that are still on my mind.
- Will users connect with Instant Articles, or will it go the way of Paper, Rooms, Poke, and Slingshot?
- When will Facebook open access to other publications?
- When will other platforms release similar products to increase the speed of content consumption?
I run marketing at GoKart Labs in Minneapolis. You can read more of our thinking at www.GoKartLabs.com/blog. Stay cool.
