Facebook worth $11.5billion, Twitter $1.4billion, Linkedin $1.3billion

Whether you want to say, social networking is fun or business, I guess a company worth over a billion dollars is no more a child’s place.

Facebook is the world largest social networking site with over 400 million users worldwide. Oh! 400 M, yeah! 400million eyeballs you can market to!

An analysis from sharespost.com release worth of the following companies on its website to help people willing to invest in private companies know their worth.

• Facebook: $11.5 billion
• Zynga: $2.6 billion (A gaming company based on Facebook platform)
• Twitter: $1.4 billion
• LinkedIn: $1.3 billion
• Linden Labs (Second Life): $383 million

Facebook is estimated to earn over a billion dollar in revenue this year, with over $700million predicted last year and recently reported that it has turned cash-flow positive; this year will surely be its year.

Look at the estimate closely and you can deduct somehow funny stuff;

Facebook is worth almost 10 times of twitter, Zynga (Facebook Gaming Company) is worth almost 2 times of twitter. Twitter is yet to figure out an effective way to make money other than its recent license to search engines to search its real-time tweets.

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Nigerian Pidgin Bible; Crowd-sourced Project on Facebook

Pidgin english is a simplified English language people in Nigeria use for casual conversation.

A project developed by 9ja BusStop; the Facebook application hopes to translate the Christian Bible to pidgin english.

As Nigerian developers evolve; this is a welcome development as I still await more business viable applications and web services.

The Application is available here

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Facebook launched new layout, users hit 400 million

In a bid to make the web more social and users stay connected to with their friends, Facebook as reorganized its home page to suite.

Note: This new layout has not been release to all users.

Home Page

The top left angle have Friends Request, Messages and Notifications. This are some of the most used features of Facebook.

Your picture profile is also shown to the top left follow by newsfeed with Message, Photo and Friends updates  under it. Friends online is also on the left navigation; it shows friends you chat with most often.

The center page as usual have your live feeds as they are pouring in.The chat interface is now aesthetic and faster.

Facebook was rumored recently to have a projected revenue of more than $700 million this year and user base hit 400 million last week.

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Facebook kills notification activates 3rd party email contact

Imaging subscribing to about 30 facebook applications with emails activated, how will you feel if you receive one email from each everyday? Such is the possible reality to the addition that Facebook is adding to their product.

Formally, Facebook application communicates with users via the notification feature but now, they can contact you directly! This change was part of the proposed features last october. So expect more!

Business time is now

As the Facebook economy expands with over 80,000 sites currently using Facebook connect and more than 350 million users, now is time for Facebook to monetize its product. This move is part of its business strategy to become profitable. In yesterdays valuation, Facebook has been estimated to be worth $14 billion. This means that, fun times are over its time to do business.

How it works

This service is not automatic as it ask you to allow implementing application to contact you via email. You can as well withdraw your approval. Treat all application as you would any website you visit. The days of privacy are numbered so as we watch it fade out, control you online persona!

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Kilonshele.com launches, Nigeria’s sport and entertainment shop-spot!

Kilonshele.com is a live entertainment and marketing company. We connect the world to live entertainment events in Nigeria by providing up-to-date information on live events and giving fans opportunity to buy tickets conveniently. Kilonshele® provides ticket sales, marketing and distribution through www.kilonshele.com, one of the best e-commerce sites on the Internet.- The official intro of the newly launched website (launch date Friday 30^th Oct. 2009 at Silverbird Galleria). Owned by Asheville Services Limited and set for a revolution in the entertainment industry.

Looking at how things are unfolding in Nigeria web industry, we are approaching “mainstream” kind of, this is a new and creative way to get you connected to the entertainment world seamlessly. Imaging buying ticket to any of the popular cinemas in Nigeria? That is one of the major values set to be unloaded by Kilonshele.com.

You may want to ask what the word “Kilonshele” means, the word is a Yoruba word which simply means “what’s up?” or “what is happening?”.

A New Deal?

Yea! In recent years, Nigerian Cinema industry resuscitated with the advent of Numetro, Silverbird  and others, giving people another option of entertainment from the usual fast food, beach and sitcoms. As the Nigerian web industry evolves so are ideas and better ways to do things, this is a game starter as its set to open a new chapter in the Nigeria entertainment industry. Looking at their official statement; “…We connect the world to live entertainment events in Nigeria by providing up-to-date information on live events and giving fans opportunity to buy tickets conveniently…” A good pitch I must say!

The Real Deal

Now what’s the deal about? How will it serve you?

• Online ticketing: you can now buy your tickets online via a secure web platform, giving you access to do adequate planning for your weekend without a rush. No more sold out events!
• Connect with Live events: Well, I hope to see how this will pan out. Is it going to be video streaming? Twitter or text? Anyhow it is you can always get connected.
• It also promised to send email and SMS alerts of your favourite artist/comedian shows, hot movie in town and things of interest to you.
• The events listed also provide means for you purchase ticked right away!
• Events and tickets are available across Nigeria.

The challenge

The site design is aesthetic and cool! As a trends setter, the site will need to create a standard worth competing for. As always popularity is of great importance, and the bunch of it will happen on the launch date.

Technicality: I think a review needs to be done to the customer area so as to give accurate personal data. (I have some reservations there).

Talking about money now, holistic approach needs to be done to the billing process as more Nigeria are yet to master online payment and trust them as well.

Business Model

The model employed buy this site includes; Advertisement and Infomediary, making money off ticket sold and from attention generated.

Have a similar site, idea? “Ki lo n she le?”

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Top Nigerian Web Hosting Companies

We featured here last week, Nigerian top web hosting companies. As promised, we will feature other taking note of the game changers and the most creative ones. The two for today are Web4Africa.com and Nairahost.com, I have followed the two sites for the couple of years and I must say they have been consistent.

Web4Africa.net

Founded by a top Africa blogger, Oluniyi David Ajao, a young Nigerian base in Accra, Ghana. He started the company in 2002 and since then it’s been in upward trajectory. This young man has also been profiled as one of the most influential Nigerians online here, and was present at the last barcamp Nigeria held in Lagos. Web4Africa operate both in Nigeria and Ghana serving its teeming customers across Africa and other continents.

web4africa.net has been  live for 7 years now and still competitive. I will group the company as a game changer  in the industry given their way of operation and means of payment.

Nairahost.com

Founded in 2004, by another young Nigerian based in Malaysia Kayode Muyibi popularly known as Kazey. In fact, Seun of Nairaland had to make a lot of public notice that he was not the owner or had any interest in Nairahost.com during the startup period. The site was recently rumored to have been acquired by Deolu Akinyemi of Generis Solution for $500,000, but when I got in touch with Deolu, his response was “No comment!” well am not sure he acquired it but with all indication he probably might have acquired it since he is the current CEO of the company. Both Deolu and Kazey were recently profiled as Most Influential Nigerians on the internet here.

Nairahost.com has been  live for 5 years now and still competitive. I will group the company as a game changer  in the industry given their way of operation and means of payment.

I will be reviewing more hosting companies in Nigeria next week. Keep it locked down here!

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Top Web Development Companies in Nigeria

I will be reviewing on this page, top web development companies in Nigeria, we would look into applications they have developed, how long they have been in the business and their general influence on the web space in Nigeria. Don’t mind if I start from the big guns, I think we should appreciate the impact they have had on the industry.

Sidmach Technologies

They developed Waeconline.org.ng, jamb.org.ng Nigeria‘s first online examination registration websites. I will say these projects opened a new chapter in the web industry in Nigeria!

Looking at Sidmach’s portfolio, they have more government related projects than Taviatech.

They have offices in Lagos, Abuja and Portharcourt.

Taviatech

“Tavia Technologies Limited is an experienced technology company offering Web, Wireless & Business Intelligence services. We have consistently provided first class services to our valued customers in the Telecommunication, Banking, Oil & Gas, Law Firms, Insurance, Real Estate, Non-Profit, Recreational, Manufacturing Industries and other sectors. “

Taviatech has been in the business for 10 years and have deployed high-end solutions including Interswitch e-payment system (website), MTN, Access Bank, FCMB, Starcomms portal and other great solutions. Their office is located at Motor ways centre in Ikeja, Lagos.

This is just the beginning as more companies will be featured here. We will also look at individual designers that are world-class from Nigeria.

Stay tuned!

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MTN Google SMS, Etisalat EasyCliq Great Products

MTN the largest mobile Telecom operator in Nigeria recently introduced Google SMS Search, an innovative product from Google which gives Telecom operator and mobile users flexible platform to get access to information on the go. The services allows you to get;

• Foreign News
• Local News
• Definition
• Q&A (Fact based questions)
• and Conversion

Etisalat one of the new entrants in the Telecom market in Nigeria, took a giant step by coming into the market despite the domination of MTN, Globacom and Zain. Their product EastCliq Facebook Service, I must say is very innovative. EasyCliq allows you to update your Facebook Status on the go. Things you can do include;

• Update Facebook status
• Upload pictures to your Facebook account
• SMS Blog
• Write on you wall

We recently reported the number of Facebook users in Nigeria(657,360), developing service to reach them I must say is a good development. I personally have used this service and I must attest to the fact that its launch is timely.

Adoption

MTN Google SMS

The advert is everywhere, there is really no estimate as to the number of MTN subscribers using this service. MTN’s growth in Nigeria has root in its usage of the media and I wont be surprised to see them move this also to every subscribers and non-subscribers. N10 is charged to use this service. Read more on their website here.

EasyCliq

In our last ranking of most visited site in Nigeria, we reported that Facebook has toppled Google to stand as the second most visited site in Nigeria after Yahoo. Looking at the rapid growth of Facebook in Nigeria, the product is timely but we need also to note that Etisalat user base is low compared to MTN. N20 is charged per update using this service. Read more their website here.

Similarities  and Differences

Both services does not require you to have internet access, network coverage is enough for you to enjoy it.

While MTN charges N10, Etisalat charges N20. I think this will count on Etisalat, for me the price should be reviewed.

Mathematically looking at the trends online; Internet users in Nigeria are moving more to Facebook than Google. I believe MTN can counter this by bringing in service like this. Etisalat really needs to push the Facebook Service more as I could see that the all night call is more advertised than this.

I will like to know choice, have used any of these services? How was it?

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Militant Attack on Facebook & Twitter: Using Social Media to promote your business

I have written couple of times on how to use Social media to brand yourself and promote your business. A barcamp event was held in Nigeria to bring people in the Websphere together to think on web 2.0, the challenges and the benefits.  Also just this may, Internet Marketers Association of Nigeria (IMAN) held the inaugural meeting to launch the association. And now a social media event with a focus on Marketing is being schedule to hold in the prestigious Success Attitude Development Centre in Okota Lagos under the auspices of SEC.

Web 2.0 which gave birth to Social Media while Facebook and Twitter are both Web 2.0 site. To see Nigerians adopt this phenomenon is nothing but a timely pursuit.  This event is Organized by Successful Entrepreneurs’ Club under the umbrella of Success Attitude Development Center.

Denis Isong, a top Social Media and Blogging expert will anchor the training on Facebook and Twitter.

Event Outline

• How Facebook Can make your website popular overnight, thus giving you an incredible opportunity to market your products and services social friends.
• The fast and easy way to generate regular traffic to your website using Facebook. Did I hear you say ‘bye bye’ to PPC [Pay Per Click] advertising.
• Step-by-Step instructions on how to establish a Facebook presence.
• An effective and clear-cut strategy for socializing on Facebook and doing sales promoting side-by-side without annoying your friends.
• The dead easy way to identify for target audience
• How to build a loyal following on Twitter! This is not a rocket science. In fact, it will amaze how easily you can do it

Though the event is targeted at marketers but who say you can learn how to standout on Facebook?

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Facebook Acquires FriendFeed: What does this mean for Social Media?

10th of August 2009 Facebook made acquisition of FriendFeed official, making it expand its influence in the social networking sphere.

FriendFeed:

“FriendFeed aims to be a one stop shop for all your social networking updates and news items. The four founders were all team members at Google and helped to launch such products as Google Maps, Adsense, GMail and Google Groups. They’ve brought their expertise to a slightly different area: social network aggregating.”

Facebook with over 250 million active users and growing will now have influence on other social networks given the way FriendFeed works. Analyst said, this is not much a product buy but a talent investment. Four founders of Friendfeed were formal Google employees who were instrumental to the development of Google popular products and cash machines: Google Adsense, Gmail and Google Map.

Facebook as part of its arrangement said the founders will join senior staff to oversee its engineers. This also points to the fact that Facebook has seen how much idea this quad can bring to further make it profitable.

On FriendFeed side, I think it’s a good idea for them to recognize the threat posed by Facebook Growth , hence joining the family. If Facebook continues its growth it could has well overshadow other social networks and having implemented various features offered by FriendFeed it sure will pose a big challenge to FriendFeed.

For Facebook, “to whom much is given much is expected”, with funding topping $700 million and reaching its “trough of disillusionment“, it will soon get to time when investors will want return on their investment. Facebook needs talent that can translate web-buzz and reputation into cash and the quad from FriendFeed fits the shoes.

In my honest opinion I see the marriage as the one Facebook urgently needed and has accomplished. Facebook should now start business and stop the fun. Having 100s of members on its payroll and users in millions, it’s no fun as usual its business or death!

What do you think, and how can we relate this to Nigeria and the websphere at large.

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