Failed social media sites – do they have the chance to rise from the ashes?

It goes without saying that social plays a part in most of our everyday lives. Our focus, time and attention can only lie with a few of these networks, and those that struggle to remain on top are either forgotten or left to float like driftwood.

You may have heard of Digg or MySpace, but how about Orkut or sixdegrees? Your answer may be ‘no’, and although sixdegrees is no longer accessible, it was considered the forefather of social media, existing almost a decade before Facebook. And how about Bebo or Hi5? They were the height of popularity in the not-so-distant past. Did the re-design of MySpace bring the platform a brand new lease of life, much like the reinvention of our favourite (or not so favourite) pop icons such as Madonna or Justin Timberlake? What on earth happened to Friendster or Xanga? Does it matter?

Check out this smart infographic, developed by WhoIsHostingThis.com which takes a look at the ghosts of social networks past and considers whether these platforms, can once again, rise from the ashes.

I’m sure we will continue to see a mixed bag of new social networks, some successful, some not. If one of these platforms can provide additional value to the user, that fills a gap in the market, there could be a chance of recovery for Orkut or Xanga. What do you think? Tweet us at @iftweeter and let us know your thoughts!