Hyves
Encyclopedia
Hyves is a social networking site
in the Netherlands
with mainly Dutch
visitors and members and competes in this country with sites such as Facebook
and MySpace
. Hyves was founded in 2004 by Raymond Spanjar, Koen Kam, and Floris Rost van Tonningen.
In May 2010 Hyves had more than 10.3 million accounts. These correspond to two thirds of the size of the Dutch population (which stands at over 16 million in 2010), however these include multiple accounts per person and inactive accounts. The number of accounts had grown by over two million as compared to the 1.5 years earlier. Hyves can be used free of charge, but there is an option for a paid Premium Membership (called Goldmembership). Goldmembers have access to some extra features, such as the ability to use some more different smilies in their messages and more uploading-space for pictures. The creators have said that the basic form of Hyves will always be free.
and the fact that social networks
are built the same way.
In May 2006 it became known that the Dutch police are using Hyves in their inquiries against possible suspects. Only information that is uploaded by suspects is being checked.
On December 13, 2007 Hyves was appointed the most popular site of that year.
In April 2008, Dutch media tycoon Joop van den Ende
took a large interest in Hyves. The intention was to expand abroad and provide mobile services.
Hyves changed its design in July 2009. The site got a new look and feel which is more docile, synoptic and the profile pictures are a standard square shape.
In her Christmas speech of 2009, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands
expressed negative views about online social networks. In response, the founder of Hyves offered her a free account/profile, so that she could experience Hyves herself.
In 2010, it became clear that the fast growth of Hyves was slowing down due to growth of Twitter
and Facebook
. Therefore Hyves announced extra measures to leave the competition further behind. These measures were successful, because Hyves welcomed its 10 millionth user in April 2010. Despite the perception that Hyves mostly has young members, the target group ages faster than it rejuvenates. The average age of a member at Hyves is 30 years old. Also, in that same month, Hyves announced Hyves Payments and Hyves Games, which allows users to play games and pay friends via the social network. ‘Hyven’ (Hyving) became a common word in Dutch and was therefore included in the authoritative Van Dale dictionary of Dutch.
Although Facebook is rapidly growing in the Netherlands, Hyves was in 2010 still the most popular social network in with 10.6 million Hyves users and a 68% penetration
. Hyves was sold to the Telegraaf Media Groep
in November that year.
became the first Dutch politician with a Hyves account and created a trend: then-Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende
also saw the potential to communicate with his target group via social media. He became a member in 2006. During the Dutch elections of 2010, Hyves was used in a broad range of ways. Every leader of every political party had an account on Hyves, and the world’s first chat-debate between political leaders on a social network was organised and hosted by Hyves.
Social network service
A social networking service is an online service, platform, or site that focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social relations among people, who, for example, share interests and/or activities. A social network service consists of a representation of each user , his/her social...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
with mainly Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
visitors and members and competes in this country with sites such as Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
and MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
. Hyves was founded in 2004 by Raymond Spanjar, Koen Kam, and Floris Rost van Tonningen.
In May 2010 Hyves had more than 10.3 million accounts. These correspond to two thirds of the size of the Dutch population (which stands at over 16 million in 2010), however these include multiple accounts per person and inactive accounts. The number of accounts had grown by over two million as compared to the 1.5 years earlier. Hyves can be used free of charge, but there is an option for a paid Premium Membership (called Goldmembership). Goldmembers have access to some extra features, such as the ability to use some more different smilies in their messages and more uploading-space for pictures. The creators have said that the basic form of Hyves will always be free.
History
Hyves started in September 2004. The name Hyves was chosen because the desired domain name hives.nl was already taken. The name refers to a beehiveBeehive
A beehive is a structure in which bees live and raise their young.Beehive may also refer to:Buildings and locations:* Bee Hive, Alabama, a neighborhood in Alabama* Beehive , a wing of the New Zealand Parliament Buildings...
and the fact that social networks
Social network service
A social networking service is an online service, platform, or site that focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social relations among people, who, for example, share interests and/or activities. A social network service consists of a representation of each user , his/her social...
are built the same way.
In May 2006 it became known that the Dutch police are using Hyves in their inquiries against possible suspects. Only information that is uploaded by suspects is being checked.
On December 13, 2007 Hyves was appointed the most popular site of that year.
In April 2008, Dutch media tycoon Joop van den Ende
Joop van den Ende
Johannes "Joop" Adrianus van den Ende is a Dutch media tycoon, theatrical producer, co-founder of Endemol and founder/owner of Stage Entertainment....
took a large interest in Hyves. The intention was to expand abroad and provide mobile services.
Hyves changed its design in July 2009. The site got a new look and feel which is more docile, synoptic and the profile pictures are a standard square shape.
In her Christmas speech of 2009, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
expressed negative views about online social networks. In response, the founder of Hyves offered her a free account/profile, so that she could experience Hyves herself.
In 2010, it became clear that the fast growth of Hyves was slowing down due to growth of Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
and Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
. Therefore Hyves announced extra measures to leave the competition further behind. These measures were successful, because Hyves welcomed its 10 millionth user in April 2010. Despite the perception that Hyves mostly has young members, the target group ages faster than it rejuvenates. The average age of a member at Hyves is 30 years old. Also, in that same month, Hyves announced Hyves Payments and Hyves Games, which allows users to play games and pay friends via the social network. ‘Hyven’ (Hyving) became a common word in Dutch and was therefore included in the authoritative Van Dale dictionary of Dutch.
Although Facebook is rapidly growing in the Netherlands, Hyves was in 2010 still the most popular social network in with 10.6 million Hyves users and a 68% penetration
Market penetration
Market penetration is8th growth strategies of the Product-Market Growth Matrix defined by Ansoff. Market penetration occurs when a company enters/penetrates a market with current products. The best way to achieve this is by gaining competitors' customers...
. Hyves was sold to the Telegraaf Media Groep
Telegraaf Media Groep
The Telegraaf Media Groep N.V. is a Dutch media and publishing company, mostly active on the newspapers and magazines market, but also on the Internet. It also holds small interests in ProSiebenSat.1 Media and Algemeen Nederlands Persbureau. De Telegraaf, its flagship publication, is frequently...
in November that year.
Elections on Hyves
In February 2006, Wouter BosWouter Bos
Wouter Jacob Bos is a Dutch management consultant and former politician of the Labour Party . He was Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister in the Cabinet Balkenende IV from February 22, 2007 till February 23, 2010...
became the first Dutch politician with a Hyves account and created a trend: then-Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende
Jan Peter Balkenende
Jan Pieter "Jan Peter" Balkenende is a Dutch politician of the party Christian Democratic Appeal .He was the Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 22 July 2002 until 14 October 2010, having led four coalition governments, cabinets Balkenende I, II, III and IV, none of which served a full...
also saw the potential to communicate with his target group via social media. He became a member in 2006. During the Dutch elections of 2010, Hyves was used in a broad range of ways. Every leader of every political party had an account on Hyves, and the world’s first chat-debate between political leaders on a social network was organised and hosted by Hyves.