Is Facebook Taking Over Southeast Asia? No Wonder Friendster Is Trying To Sell

Friendster has been slowly losing grip of their social network dominance to Facebook who, like a game of risk, has been steadily increasing its reach in countries around the globe. Bernard Leong recently posted about the growth of Facebook in Southeast Asia and while the most recent world map of social networks shows Facebook running into some trouble in Asia, some numbers are beginning to suggest that they are at least gaining some ground.

So what numbers are these based on? The latest numbers, as presented by Bernard Leong, are based on Alexa ratings which appear to be somewhat wrong in some of the countries due to low sampling sizes. In Germany for example, Alexa claims that Facebook is way more popular than StudiVZ although Facebook’s own advertising numbers don’t even suggest that. Regardless, the company is spreading rapidly and with over 300 million users, there’s no doubt that dominant social networks abroad should be concerned.

No, QQ.com, China’s largest social network which has over 300 million users as well, doesn’t need to be concerned just yet. The company only has 14,220 in China according to their own advertising statistics. For a country with 1.3 billion people or so, 14,200 means the company has a long way to go. While I believe Facebook has the capacity to grow throughout southeast Asia, I don’t believe Facebook as strong of a grip on the region as Alexa illustrates.

However the company does appear to be slowly making some ground and they’ve proven the capacity to do so in other countries as well. For now, Facebook continues to grow rapidly which means that any significant investment in conquering other regions isn’t necessary yet. While Asian dominance doesn’t appear likely in the short term, Friendster may no longer serve as an effective substitute which means all the world may one day be on Facebook.

For now we’ll have to wait and see but this region will be one which ignites fierce battles over the coming months and years.

-Social Network Map-

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778612 Comments2009-09-23+21%3A27%3A04Nick+O%27Neill »

Poor friendster, your day has past.

Comment by Laura Grayson — September 23, 2009 @ 1:28 pm
Facebook's on par with Google and yahoo now, which means they will continue to have a firm grip on the English speaking world and the Western world overall. China is kind of a whole different ballgame, as they're so insular. But SE Asia is open, I think, and I know Facebook can do it. All my Filipino friends used to use Friendster all the time but now most of them are using Facebook more than Friendster so yes, I think Facebook will at least win in Philippines. I don't see why the rest of SE Asia can't follow as well.

Comment by Jenny Mathis — September 23, 2009 @ 1:38 pm
That and the fact that Facebook is blocked by the Great Firewall of China.

Two of my cousins moved from Canada to work in Shanghai and they no longer can get into FB.

With that type of government intervention, FB has a long way to make in roads into China.

Comment by Facebook User — September 23, 2009 @ 1:49 pm
Friendster is selling because they realized the mistake they made. Revenue wise you will be earning 04 where you would be earning 40 cent if you target americans. I know this first hand because I run an asian site that has good amount of American and Asia traffic. For every 40 people that buy online here in the US, you will find 1 in asia. Facebook might survive because it's well funded and same reason why orkut is still alive and well (they were sold off to google as soon as it started getting big if I remember correctly)

Comment by Sarabjit 'sarb& — September 23, 2009 @ 2:34 pm
To All my FACEBOOK friends and others, involved in Chinese Art Culture:

FACEBOOK needs and deserves a presence – In Asia proper [ in my neck of the woods - CHINA, certainly ]

It has enabled consistent and discerning advocacy, throughout the globe, for Chinesegardenscene.cn

Like none other !

I say " Let them IN the Motherland & others – for FACEBOOK under whatever name – WILL enhance Your people's ability to COMMUNICATE in a MEANINGFUL manner, with the world.

Chinesegardenscene.cn

Comment by John Jeffery — September 23, 2009 @ 3:27 pm
However other then China, other region is doing great, as I know Taiwan's facebook user increast by 1800%+ in the past few months and Indonesia, Philippine,etc, these countries is getting more and more users

Comment by Andy Ang — September 23, 2009 @ 5:44 pm
True, Facebook surges million users in Taiwan in few months.

On 2009/7/15 was 848,320, and today 2009/9/24 users who live in Taiwan has become 3,222,200, which is 3x in two months.

Probably soon by this year that Facebook is going to take the first place of SNS in Taiwan to replace the current no.1 social network service, Wretch, which was acquired by yahoo in 2006.

From alexa (well..) currently facebook ranks the 3rd in Taiwan, following Yahoo and Wretch: http://www.alexa.com/topsites/countries/TW

Compared to the other two Chinese facebook hotspots, Singapore (1,611,020 users)and Hong Kong (2,283,600) that were early adopters of facebook, Taiwan is kinda overwhelmed by Typhoon Facebook this summer.

Comment by Facebook User — September 23, 2009 @ 11:50 pm
Thank you for the mention of my post. Been a fan of All Facebook for some time.

Two discussion points came up for the article during the Social Networking Forum Asia and with other thought leaders from the region which happened in the past two days in Singapore:

1. Should online advertising be the only model for Facebook if they come to Southeast Asia? A counter argument is that Facebook should attempt to do what Friendster failed to do: harnassing micro-transactions using virtual gifts and social gaming.

2. Friendster made a presentation during that event and tries to reposition themselves for the teens market now.

Comment by Bernard Chung Wei Le — September 24, 2009 @ 1:30 am
Online gaming, especially among the teenager market can sell quite strongly in APAC – but how it can be incorporated into fb to generate revenue, is something that should be figured out.

Comment by Sriram — September 24, 2009 @ 4:25 am
Well, there is no way for Facebook or twitter or any other global social network to grow in China unless you beat Chinese gov up, though I would love to see that happen.

Long way to go? No way to go…

Comment by stupid gov — September 24, 2009 @ 6:36 am
facebook pls stay away from south east asia. friendster died here. it was nothing to do with the wrong hire of the ceo. Singapore and south east asia has nothing to offer you. maybe singapore might give you some free office space and you can use that to visit india and china and hire people. please see what happened to second life in singapore? this article seems to me that people in south east asia want jobs and asking facebook to start a dev center.

Comment by Mark — September 24, 2009 @ 7:56 am
how come the philippines is still a friendster country? sheesh. crappy social-networking sites gotta go.

Comment by facebookPH — February 27, 2010 @ 12:23 am

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Poor friendster, your day has past.

Comment by Laura Grayson — September 23, 2009 @ 1:28 pm

Facebook's on par with Google and yahoo now, which means they will continue to have a firm grip on the English speaking world and the Western world overall. China is kind of a whole different ballgame, as they're so insular. But SE Asia is open, I think, and I know Facebook can do it. All my Filipino friends used to use Friendster all the time but now most of them are using Facebook more than Friendster so yes, I think Facebook will at least win in Philippines. I don't see why the rest of SE Asia can't follow as well.

Comment by Jenny Mathis — September 23, 2009 @ 1:38 pm

That and the fact that Facebook is blocked by the Great Firewall of China.

Two of my cousins moved from Canada to work in Shanghai and they no longer can get into FB.

With that type of government intervention, FB has a long way to make in roads into China.

Comment by Facebook User — September 23, 2009 @ 1:49 pm

Friendster is selling because they realized the mistake they made. Revenue wise you will be earning 04 where you would be earning 40 cent if you target americans. I know this first hand because I run an asian site that has good amount of American and Asia traffic. For every 40 people that buy online here in the US, you will find 1 in asia. Facebook might survive because it's well funded and same reason why orkut is still alive and well (they were sold off to google as soon as it started getting big if I remember correctly)

Comment by Sarabjit 'sarb& — September 23, 2009 @ 2:34 pm

To All my FACEBOOK friends and others, involved in Chinese Art Culture:

FACEBOOK needs and deserves a presence – In Asia proper [ in my neck of the woods - CHINA, certainly ]

It has enabled consistent and discerning advocacy, throughout the globe, for Chinesegardenscene.cn

Like none other !

I say " Let them IN the Motherland & others – for FACEBOOK under whatever name – WILL enhance Your people's ability to COMMUNICATE in a MEANINGFUL manner, with the world.

Chinesegardenscene.cn

Comment by John Jeffery — September 23, 2009 @ 3:27 pm

However other then China, other region is doing great, as I know Taiwan's facebook user increast by 1800%+ in the past few months and Indonesia, Philippine,etc, these countries is getting more and more users

Comment by Andy Ang — September 23, 2009 @ 5:44 pm

True, Facebook surges million users in Taiwan in few months.

On 2009/7/15 was 848,320, and today 2009/9/24 users who live in Taiwan has become 3,222,200, which is 3x in two months.

Probably soon by this year that Facebook is going to take the first place of SNS in Taiwan to replace the current no.1 social network service, Wretch, which was acquired by yahoo in 2006.

From alexa (well..) currently facebook ranks the 3rd in Taiwan, following Yahoo and Wretch: http://www.alexa.com/topsites/countries/TW

Compared to the other two Chinese facebook hotspots, Singapore (1,611,020 users)and Hong Kong (2,283,600) that were early adopters of facebook, Taiwan is kinda overwhelmed by Typhoon Facebook this summer.

Comment by Facebook User — September 23, 2009 @ 11:50 pm

Thank you for the mention of my post. Been a fan of All Facebook for some time.

Two discussion points came up for the article during the Social Networking Forum Asia and with other thought leaders from the region which happened in the past two days in Singapore:

1. Should online advertising be the only model for Facebook if they come to Southeast Asia? A counter argument is that Facebook should attempt to do what Friendster failed to do: harnassing micro-transactions using virtual gifts and social gaming.

2. Friendster made a presentation during that event and tries to reposition themselves for the teens market now.

Comment by Bernard Chung Wei Le — September 24, 2009 @ 1:30 am

Online gaming, especially among the teenager market can sell quite strongly in APAC – but how it can be incorporated into fb to generate revenue, is something that should be figured out.

Comment by Sriram — September 24, 2009 @ 4:25 am

Well, there is no way for Facebook or twitter or any other global social network to grow in China unless you beat Chinese gov up, though I would love to see that happen.

Long way to go? No way to go…

Comment by stupid gov — September 24, 2009 @ 6:36 am

facebook pls stay away from south east asia. friendster died here. it was nothing to do with the wrong hire of the ceo. Singapore and south east asia has nothing to offer you. maybe singapore might give you some free office space and you can use that to visit india and china and hire people. please see what happened to second life in singapore? this article seems to me that people in south east asia want jobs and asking facebook to start a dev center.

Comment by Mark — September 24, 2009 @ 7:56 am

how come the philippines is still a friendster country? sheesh. crappy social-networking sites gotta go.

Comment by facebookPH — February 27, 2010 @ 12:23 am