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Do social media apps have a future?

2 points by portfolioexec ↗ HN
Not a day goes by without hearing about yet another new social media app, with a revenue model built around advertising.

* Who thinks that this is a sustainable business model? * What other ways are there to monetise these apps? * Will there be shake up and consolidation in the market? Can all these startups survive? * Is social media just a fad that will get left behind if people decide it's just not real enough?

1 comment

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noodle
purely ad-based revenue models are sustainable provided you can sustain the traffic. traffic, however, is often fickle, especially in the social realm, which is why it is usually "better" to get paying users. however, its a double-edged sword, as most social apps aren't worth paying for.

i highly doubt that social media will be viewed as a fad. it has already had too much influence to be considered meaningless in a historical perspective. imo, that is. it might not always look the same, but the concept will likely be around for a while.