It looks like Bebo is aiming to attract new users from the oversaturated social networks by becoming sort of an all-in-one page. You can now check your mail, listen to music, watch videos, chat via AOL’s AIM, add widgets and let others see your Twitter/Facebook/MySpace updates – all in your profile. In short – all your internet social life up in one place. But one question remains – why should you use Bebo then? They can get practically the same at AOL, SocialThing, Profilactic, partly Yahoo and many others. But the social network part? It can be had anywhere, namely Facebook, which has already surpassed Bebo in its supposedly largest markets – the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Although it offers some unique features, the rest looks like a swift emulation with no soul, with an exception at Bebo’s music pages which allow you to add the songs to playlists, as well as the service clearly understands its scarce position in the market – if the visitors can’t go to Facebook just because they use Bebo, they won’t go to Bebo as far as they’re concerned. Bebo will continue to get fewer and fewer visitors each month, but some users will stay as a stable membership base, as the site can be valuable to some people. Some people. That clearly isn’t enough for AOL’s money.

Bebo witnessed an astonishing 50% growth rate during March 2009 when AOL launched the aforementioned merging of the accounts, but it just doesn’t stick, as the users from AIM visited Bebo because of the notifications they received, but simply didn’t know what they can do within the site. The site’s targeted to teens and students, but that doesn’t click with the number of visitors that Facebook or MySpace get.

While it’s interesting to see what Bebo will offer in the future, it looks as though they’re facing an uphill battle. AOL can literally see their cash burning when they look at the declining popularity of Bebo. Whatever Bebo will bring to the table, it has to be something really, really big if they still want to remain in the big market. The direction Bebo is going to is not firmly set in terms of conquering the market, and lost souls, as well as lost social networks, seldom find their way back home.

Of course small time marketing goes on Bebo. Some people look to get as many “friends” as they can to join them. Then it’s an all you care to eat spam smorgasbord once they do. This seems relatively unavoidable in modern times.

Bebo has probably been spared some of the major spam problems experienced by their larger rivals just because of their size. But as they start to get bigger (in parts of Europe they’re actually number one.)

One thing seems unavoidable for social networks. When they hit a ubiquitous size and have millions of users, marketers and spammers are likely to be attracted to the arena. It’s hard for many people who wish to sell you something to resist the lure of such cheap forms of communication. Right now Bebo marketing doesn’t appear out of hand. But that could certainly change in coming years as more users join.

Bebo is owned by AOL. AOL bought Bebo last March for $850 million and is looking to earn a return by increasing the brand’s recognition internationally.

Bebo has 22 million users in the UK market, which is by far its biggest stronghold.

Bebo currently lags well behind Facebook and MySpace in total number of visitors worldwide. Tighter integration with local markets appears to be their plan for closing some of the gap between themselves and competitors.

A complaint was made in both cases to the Independent Complaints Panel, which operates on behalf of the Mature Enjoyment of Alcohol in Society (MEAS), the registered charity set up by the drinks industry to promote responsible drinking.

In the case of the “Beer Tower”, the complaint was made by the Alcohol Beverage Foundation of Ireland, but the panel rejected the complaint because it said the promotion did not involve a quantity discount and it was satisfied with controls operated by the UCD Student Bar management.

Of course underage drinking is not news in most of the world.

The group of girls kicked the hell out of 14-year-old Dayna Dickson, then took pictures with their cell phone and passed them to friends.

The comments left on the girl’s Bebo pages indicates how people in the UK seem to feel about the incident.

“You all need to get a grip of yourselves and I hope it happens to youse one day and see how youse like it.”

“Nobody thinks youse are hard, everyone thinks youse are nothing but pathetic wee bairns who cannot hammer someone one on one and have to do it in groups.”

I think you get the idea.

Sofia’s Diary’s next series will be distributed via Bebo and across the network of new parent company AOL, the US media giant which bought the social networking business in March for $850m (£430m).

Bebo said Fiver was “believed to be committed” to showing the second series.

The online drama, which follows a feisty 17-year-old and her friends, invites users of the social network to vote on twists in the storyline.

How many people actually tune into the show is anybody’s guess. Sofia’s Diary is supported by ads, including product placement.

Bebo is the number one social networking website for web surfers in Ireland and New Zealand. It’s ranked in the top 10 for users in the United Kingdom and the United States.

Randy Falco, chairman and CEO of AOL said:

Bebo is the perfect complement to AOL’s personal communications network and puts us in a leading position in social media. What drew us to Bebo was its substantial and fast-growing worldwide user-base, its vision of a truly social web, and the monetization opportunities that leverage Platform-A across our combined global audience. This positions us to offer advertisers even greater reach and marketers significant insights into the desires and needs of consumers.”

The deal could represent a large threat to Yahoo, the two companies have an agreement to display
Yahoo advertising, but it’s unlikely this agreement will be renewed after AOL takes over.

Bebo is an acronym for “Blog Early, Blog Often.” The site was founded by Michael and Xochi Birch in January 2005.

Pictured on his Bebo page while smiling from the comfort of his prison cell and with a mobile phone placed on his chest, the prisoner has logged on to chat with friends several times in the last two weeks and has been uploading photos of himself and fellow inmates flexing their muscles for the camera.

On his personal Bebo page he urges friends and other online users to help him pass his time in incarceration by leaving messages for his attention.

“Come on everybody,” he writes. “Don’t be shy. Leave a message when you drop into my profile.”

Apparently the man’s laid back attitude has Irish Prison officials convinced he’s sending the wrong message to outsiders. The fact that people jailed in Irish prisons are using cell phones to access the internet, plan crimes, and communicate with others is a growing concern in the nation.

“The Gap Years” will follow 6 travelers as they journey around the world. 40 million members of the Bebo community will determine their fate.

Andre Tardiff was chosen as the Canadian contestant. Winners from the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia will be named in upcoming weeks.

“Self expression, community and discovering new experiences are the heart of what Bebo is all about, and Cara is the perfect representation of all these values — we wish her the best of luck as she sets out on her global adventure,” said Joanna Shields, President at Bebo. “The Gap Year
will be the first truly interactive reality series, adding another engaging and fun component to the Bebo user experience — the chance to interact and steer the fate of six travelers as they encounter exciting adventures around the world.”

They’ll visit places like the Burning Man Festival, Machu Picchu, Peru, Iceland and Russia.. just to name a few destinations.

The Gap year will be filmed in 2008 and will air exclusively on Bebo.com

“Sofia’s Diary,” is already a hit in the U.K. and for social networking site Bebo. Bebo actually commissioned the British version of the show. That’s the version that will air on Five’s hip digital channel, Fiver.

Joanna Shields from Bebo was elated about the news.

“This news represents a milestone for television broadcasting. Fiver’s enthusiasm for ‘Sofia’s Diary’ shows that it wants to play a role pioneering the next stage of entertainment,” she said.

For more information: Sofia’s Diary.