We almost take social media for granted these days.
It can seem like a given that just about everybody has either a Facebook account, Twitter profile, a page on Pinterest, Google+, LinkedIn or all of the above.
For dentists, these tools can do wonders to help their practices establish an online presence to reach out, find, and interact with new and existing patients.
But, we all know how quickly the Internet can change.
MySpace was once the leading social networking site on the planet.
After launching in 2003, MySpace gained traction among Internet users who loved the online communal aspects the site had to offer.
It caught the eye of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, which then bought the company in 2005 for a cool $580 million; then, 2006 saw the website pass a milestone when it reached 100 million users.
In 2007, MySpace's heyday, the site boasted over 180 million individual accounts, dominating a still-growing Facebook by a hefty margin.
Then, in 2008, things started to slip.
Fast.
As the site started bleeding users (who quickly migrated over to Facebook), a series of unfortunate events happened.
MySpace started to suffer from a series of public image problems (mostly related to questionable content, the online safety of younger users, and an inability to protect users from spam) that ultimately left MySpace a virtual ghost town.
So, what happened? There has been a lot of debate over why exactly the site started to go downhill.
A lot of people share the opinion that MySpace lost its ability to keep up with the rapidly expanding social elements of the web.
Some speculate that it happened because of a focus to try and maximize profits from advertising, which kept MySpace from being able to innovate and change as necessary.
People pointed fingers, too, at the site's visual elements.
The design, layout, and overall clutter put people off, especially compared to the simpler, more contemporary look of Facebook, where users were greeted with cool blues on white backgrounds and easier-to-operate interfaces.
You might be wondering how your practice compares to a 10-year-old social networking site.
It may seem like a bit of a stretch, but let me explain.
Today, your online presence is more important than ever.
Whether you have a website, a Facebook page, or something else entirely, it is so important to remember that there are a lot of factors that go into making a website successful.
The end result should never be purely about money.
Sure, dentistry is your livelihood.
But, you have to remember that your business comes from your patients; you have to make sure that they want to interact with you online, and that they feel comfortable, welcome, and informed.
Losing sight of that can be costly.
Recovering from a fall like MySpace's can be difficult, if not impossible.
In June of 2011, Specific Media Group and singer Justin Timberlake made a joint purchase of MySpace in an effort to rebrand and relaunch the site.
MySpace's new goal is to try and become a hub of music-related activity, complete with album- and track-streaming music players and music mixes, with a cleaner, more modern design style.
For a long time, people have all but helped shovel dirt onto the MySpace grave.
It is too soon to say whether or not a new surge of interest will come MySpace's way, even with the help of an A-list celebrity musician like Justin Timberlake.
Maybe the biggest lesson to take away from MySpace's story is: don't let your web presence flounder.
In order to keep people coming back to see what you have to offer, you have to engage your visitors, your patients, the people who matter to you.
If you don't, you might find yourself in your own MySpace situation.
What are your memories of MySpace? Do you still use it now, or, if not, are you considering checking out the New MySpace? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!