Bebo & Beyond

If you were lucky enough to be a teen in the mid-two-thousands, then you'd most likely be aware of the absolute gem known to us as Bebo; the social network that captured the hearts of every emo, chav, and geek alike back in the day. And if not, well then you missed out on an incredible journey I must say.Bebo first launched in 2005 on web browsers as a basic social networking hub with a focal point aimed towards the tween generation and desperate kids looking for an output for their antics. A place at which they could unload all of their problems in ranty posts and vanity mirror selfies in hope of being seen or heard.Unlike anything we'd see on Facebook these days, Bebo wasn't at all afraid to go a little far fetched when it came to profile design and unorthodox methods for drawing in a crowd.With the ability to spice up your profile with special skin overlays or personalized theme tunes when clicking on your page, Bebo flicked formality out of the window and embraced everyone's inner child rather beautifully. There was a certain freedom a user could have with Bebo, and unlike today's social networks, Bebo allowed us almost free-reign over the majority of our page. From customizable modules to sparkling photo filters, unique soundtracks to artsy 'bricks' for your profile wall. Bebo had it all and more, and with a tweak or two, it was destined to make history in the eyes of every teenage kid from London to Toronto.

Social networking wasn't really a global thing back in those days, and to be honest, people still preferred to have verbal conversations outdoors as opposed to digital ones from the confinement of a student dorm or drudgy pillow fort.Bebo managed to capture our attention through the power of strong advertising and investment in the younger generation in the hope that they'd spread the word and make Bebo a household name someday. And you know, with a little persistence and ambition, that's exactly what happened by the fall of 2006. Bebo had cracked the market and had been accepted into the networking fold alongside some of the bigger names in the social palm. MySpace, Twitter, Tagged; all separate pawns on the same board. Only, now, the new kid on the block was calling checkmate and preparing to wipe the slate clean with a future brighter than any other player in the game.By the year's end, anybody who was anyone had a presence under the Bebo domain. With a profile and a bold virtual presence, every user had accepted Bebo's loveable white like it was a long lost friend itching for a hug.By 2007, the site had been established and its true identity had been discovered. In ways, the war for the techie-generation had already been won. And the likes of bland banners and ghostly white boxes weren't capable of drawing a kids attention away from the holographic aura radiating from the Bebo galaxy. Theplatform had arrived. And rivals were finally having a good enough reason to initiate a blind panic.

Over the course of three years since release, Bebo managed to overtake long-term rival, MySpace, in ranks. And by 2008, Bebo was the most used social network in the United Kingdom, with an estimated 10.7 millionusers.At the peak of Bebo's popularity, founders Michael and Xochi Birch, managed to secure a deal with AOL and sell off the social network for $850 million. With a combined stake of 70% in the company, both Michael and Xochi Birch were able to walk away with a profit of $595 million.But, with the likes of Facebook emerging from the shadows and a generation of kids warming to the rise of the blue banner, Bebo was soon preparing to meet its maker and stand beneath Zuckerberg's expanding volley of arrows reigning down on any network that wasn't his own. The race for the thrown was underway, and with a fragment of the staff Zuckerberg had at the Facebook HQ, Bebo's future was beginning to look somewhat distorted and unfavourable.

A few short months after AOL bought out the Bebo brand, the global financial markets imploded and the overall value of the company crashed to a fraction of its original net worth of $850 million only several months prior.In 2010, AOL admitted their regret and lack of confidence in Bebo as the long-term rival, Facebook, was beginning to retaliate and poach a vast majority of Bebo's unique users.AOL confirmed their concerns with the media and stated that they were not prepared to commit to taking on such a massive task of keeping up in the race for the user's approval. And in its 'current state', it could not compete with rival companies like Facebook or Twitter.Funny. Seemed like it was doing just fine when the Birch partners were in town. At least then there was ambition and a sense of pride in the brand; even when it was beneath the boot of the big bad bullies in the business.AOL: 'When the going gets tough, just quit.' That seemed to be their motto when picking up the Bebo deck of cards anyway.

The BBC eventually described the deal between both AOL and original founders, Michael and Xochi Birch, as the 'worst deal in the dotcom era'. Although, I couldn't imagine the founders were feeling too down about the slack in profit, seeing as they were rubbing their hands together with million-dollar cheques around the time Bebo hit the wall.By the end of 2010, Facebook managed to steal the show and occupy a large amount of web space in a short amount of time; spelling out the inevitable demise of the once-loved Bebo platform. AOL decided to pass on the burden to a further company and be rid of the competition. And although the agreed amount was never confirmed to public sources, it was believed to be valued under $10 million; a petty fraction of what was originally almost a billion-dollar company back in its prime.Criterion Capital Partners took over the Bebo world in 2010, but despite their best efforts, the company only kept heads above water for a further three years before voluntarilyfiling for bankruptcy in 2013 after failing to claim back the life and soul of the once-cherished network. As the final days were shadowing over the dying brand and the value had plummeted to a critical net worth of $1 million, a final card emerged from the deck; one which would essentially save the ship from capsizing.In July 2013, original founders, Michael and Xochi Birch, purchased the site back from Criterion Captial Partners for the $1 million asking price in hope of reinventing the brand and bringing it back up to speed with an array of new and exciting features.Like a lost child, they took to the damaged kin very quickly in the hope of resurrecting it and giving the love and care it required in order to succeed in the already booming market of social networks in the dotcom thread.Both founders put pen to paper and began re-designing their new image. And through a heap of hard work and an overdose of optimism, they attempted to visualize a new Bebo; aBebo that would smash rivals out of the water in one fell swoop.Obviously, that was easier said than done.

For almost two years, Bebo became a playground for founders, Michael and Xochi Birch. With a slab of ideas but nothing exactly set in stone, Bebo became the testing ground for quickfire methods of reeling back in the crowd and resurfacing the network. But despite the new profile layouts and features, Bebo struggled to capture the eyes of many old users. And as Facebook continued to grow bigger and bolder and invest more in new staff and top of the range software, most of the public learned to forget about their childhood favourite network and focus purely on the kingpins trail to stardom instead.It wasn't really about sparkly filters and tacky themes anymore. That ship had sailed many years prior. And whether Bebo liked to admit it or not, their original fanbase was finally grown up enough to realise that plain and simple wasn't really that much of a bad thing anymore.Facebook was where it was at. And as much as it saddened many original users to admit, it was for the best that Bebo was left behind in a cloud of ash. Because as much as the fanbase would've liked to witness it thriving alongside its old school rival, it just wouldn't have worked out when Facebook had already overlapped the competition ten times over.Like witnessing a relative battling for that last few seconds of life, we felt nothing but grief and a shimmer of sympathy for them as they urged to be in the spotlight for one moment longer. But the more they tried to be heard, fewer and fewer people chose to listen.In a last-ditch effort to make Bebo great again, the site underwent months of behind the scenes development in preparation for a brand new worldwide release.In January 2015, Bebo relaunched for the third time. Only now with a bolted-on mobile application called Bebo Blab; a messenger app that allowed its users to send video clips and voice recordings to one another. Like a Snapchat clone; only without the silly effects and d*** pics, but more casual walkie-talkie banter and harmless tomfoolery.A real game-changer, no doubt. But was it enough of a comeback to make the Bebo lifespan stretch just a few years longer?

Bebo Blab managed to acquire 3.7 million users in the first year on the market. But despite the healthy amount of followers it had gathered, it still wasn't making people want to return to the original social network. And because of that, the shortlived app shut down only one year after release. The Bebo name faded out shortly after the fall of Bebo Blab, and by April 2018 the company had finally ended the dream of revamping the social network altogether. But rather than shutting the doors entirely, Michael and Xochi Birch chose to pull one desperate punch in hope of finally hitting gold.Shifting focus over to esports and video game tournaments; Bebo made a new pact on a whole other board as far away from Facebook as possible. With a new dream and target audience, Bebo set up shop as regular hosts for streaming services and worldwide gaming contests over a brand new platform.On par with the new rival, Twitch, Beboformed an arrangement with the company and sold their souls for an estimated $25 million. And in return for their sacrifice, Bebo would be absorbed into the renowned Twitch kingdom and be gifted with the freedom to manage the esports section of the domain. As of August 2019, there have been no further plans or negotiations between founders and Twitch to bring back the original concept of Bebo orre-design it for a newer audience.Come 2020, Bebo will more than likely vanish and become nothing more than a distant memory for many young adults over the world. And if a youngster should every enquire about its tale someday, well, I'm sure they'll plenty of good things to tell.Facebook may have dominated the realm, but Bebo was sure as hell a strong competitor over the course of the fourteen-year war for the crown.And although they may have lost sight of their ways, I'm certain they'll be enough memories of its heyday to last us a lifetime.Bebo; lost...but not forgotten.*Gives Luv*

- J Tury

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- J Tury