Site builder Webs.com (formerly known as Freewebs) is launching a new App Store today with the hopes of helping its members customize their sites with rich, dynamic web apps without having to deal with widgets. The company is adopting a model similar to Facebook Platform, inviting developers to build applications that users can install on their Webs.com pages from a central directory.
Webs CEO Haroon Mokhtarzada says that one of the biggest problems with traditional website builders is that they generate static content, and it’s up to the site owner to continuously provide new content in order to engage readers. That’s fine in some cases (like for business websites), but most people have a tough time coming up with quality content on a regular basis. But he says that rich applications, which offer users a more dynamic experience, can help. → Read More
What were the top social media sites of 2008? ComScore came out with its worldwide traffic stats for November a few days ago (so these don’t include December). They are a mix of social networks and blogging platforms. Blogger, the orange line in the chart above, still rules the roost with an estimated 222 million unique worldwide visitors in November (up 44 percent from November, 2007). Facebook, the blue line, is on pace to pass it soon with 200 million unique visitors (up 116 percent). (Note, though, that this is more than the 140 million active users Facebook itself reports—go figure). MySpace is pretty steady at 126 million uniques. Wordpress is a close fourth and gaining with 114 million (up 68 percent). And Windows Live Spaces is down 22 percent to 87 million uniques.
ComScore keeps a list of what it calls “social networking” sites, but these include blogging platforms and other social media sites as well. While the audience for blogs is still showing healthy growth overall, Facebook stands out as the social gorilla taking share from not only other social networks but blogs and other social media as well. Below are the top 20 sites on comScore’s social networking list. → Read More
Freewebs is taking a step back from its personal website network and expanding into a social media portfolio company under the name Webs.com. The domain will serve as a hub for its new web properties, including recently launched social publishing site Pagii and Freewebs. The site will also include a new property, the “Social Gaming Network” (SGN). SGN is a game developer that builds applications for social networks. Currently, they’re making games just for Facebook, although Open Social integration seems a no-brainer. Their games include Warbook, Super Snake, Street Race, and Blocky, as well as their recently purchased Fight Club (for an undisclosed sum). You can add each of the games to your profile like any other app, which turns out to be a bit of a pain. I’ve started glossing over the Facebook permissions checklist. Each of the games is a decent way to waste away your work day on Facebook, but Blocky took up the most of my time. The new network makes a lot of sense. In essence, Webs is doing what other casual gaming services like Kongregate and King.com are already doing off the site, but using an existing social network instead of building one. The games leverage the network in varying degrees. Warbook is a feudal RPG that lets you make allies or fight your friends kingdoms. Snake is understandably more solitary. But all the games encourage users to play more games by earning points for virtual goods, or bragging rights by pw0ning their friends on the leaderboard. CrunchBase Information Freewebs Social Gaming Network Kongregate Information provided by CrunchBase → Read More
