Myspace Launches Its Redesign but Will Anyone Care?

One can't help but think with fondness and nostalgia for Myspace's heyday around 2005. It was the first social network to really take off and become a tremendous part of its users' lives. If nothing else, it provided us with the art of taking a picture of yourself in a bathroom mirror. But 2005, especially in the tech and social industries, is a long time ago. Myspace has long been overtaken by Facebook as the social network of choice.

The site, however, refuses to call it a day. Ownership of Myspace has changed hands a couple of times since its inception and their branding has changed along with it. Remember when Myspace became My[___]? This past week, the company launched a teaser video for yet another re-launch. This one has the Internet abuzz with speculation. There's no denying this redesign looks great. Myspace has been thoroughly modernized. The layout is clean and chic. Interestingly, you can also log in using your Facebook or Twitter accounts. If that isn't an acknowledgment that times have changed, what is?

It looks like Myspace has updated itself into a very attractive product that would be fun to use. The question is, will it work? The video looks great but that doesn't guarantee people will start flocking back to Myspace to give it a shot. The company lost nearly all of its ground to its competition. In recent years, they've tried to brand Myspace as the social network for creative types, particularly musicians. Not only have they taken visual cues from Facebook and Pinterest in this latest iteration of the site, but they've also doubled down on going after the creative class.

The new layout is all about visuals, sharing, and metrics for determining what kinds of fans you have. This is ideal for musicians, filmmakers, photographers, and other artists that Myspace is trying to bring in. If Facebook is for keeping up with friends and Twitter is for breaking news, then Myspace could be a portfolio with an emphasis on networking. If Myspace can successfully rebrand itself as the best way to be heard or seen, then it could develop quite the formidable niche.