12 Forgotten Social Media Sites That Failed Spectacularly

Social media is always changing; various platforms have come and gone over the years. While some sites have become household brands, others have disappeared from view since they failed to draw consumers in.

Tricia Quitales
March 11, 2025
4 min read

12 Forgotten Social Media Sites That Failed Spectacularly — cottonbro studio on Pexels

Many of the social media sites have come and gone over the years. Some failed to keep user interest or last over time. A few of these websites aimed to provide special qualities or niche communities, but they failed because of rivalry, bad implementation, or insufficient adaptation capacity. This article discusses social media sites that were previously in the limelight but are now mostly forgotten from closer angles.

1. MySpace

Fred Thompson presidential campaign, 2008 on Wikimedia

Originally the biggest social networking site before Facebook, MySpace let users personalize their sites with images, music, and more. However, its neglect to change and control spam resulted in losing its appeal. It couldn’t rebuild its lost audience even with efforts at rebranding and emphasizing music.

2. Friendster

Public domain on Wikimedia

Early social networking tool Friendster helped define early 2000s internet interactions. The site finally turned to gaming but lost its prior popularity after battling technical problems. Friendster closed ultimately in 2011, overwhelmed by rivals like Facebook.

3. Google+

Google on Wikimedia

Launched with the intention to rival Facebook, Google+ presents a more simplified interface with integration across Google’s products. However, its unclear structure, lack of interaction, and late launch to the competition caused its 2019 closure. Though it had great support, it never developed the user loyalty required for survival.

4. Vine

Public domain on Wikimedia

Vine, a short-form video platform that lets users post six-second loops, became well-known quickly. However, the business failed to make money and fell short of rivals such as YouTube and Instagram. Twitter discontinued Vine in 2017, notwithstanding its cultural impact.

5. Orkut

Sussepudim on Wikimedia

Designed by Google, Orkut was a social network that was well-known in Brazil and India. It provided basic social networking tools but never found success in North America; Google failed to innovate it going forward. Google shut Orkut in 2014 as people swarmed to Facebook and other sites.

6. Yahoo! Messenger

Yahoo! Inc. on Wikimedia

Yahoo! Messenger used to be the best choice for online talks and instant messaging. However, Yahoo! wasn’t creative or flexible enough when competitors like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger emerged. The service ended in 2018, putting an end to a once-popular website.

7. Bebo

User:Derfel73; Bebo on Wikimedia

Midway through the 2000s, Bebo emerged as a social networking site popular in the US and UK. It was well-known for its interactive design and focus on user content. Bebo was finally sold and lost favor in 2013 despite many tries to re-enter the market.

8. Xanga

Owner, 犯得上 on Wikimedia

Early blogging sites like Xanga let users upload their ideas, notes, and even songs. Early in the 2000s, the site was rather successful but couldn’t keep up with the emergence of more recent social media behemoths. It never rebuilt the enormous following it formerly had, despite makeovers.

9. Digg

Digg on Wikimedia

Digg lets users vote on their preferred material and submit pieces, enabling the viral spread of tales. However, following a significant overhaul and several bad choices, it lost its devoted following. Ultimately, Digg sold in 2012 after failing to stay up with other content-sharing websites such as Reddit.

10. Path

Gottschalk+Ash Toronto on Wikimedia

Targeting close friends and family, Path sought to be a more personal social network. Against behemoths like Facebook and Instagram, it battled to find momentum despite its clean design and fresh ideas. Path was sold off and finally shut in 2015.

11. Clubhouse

Clubhouse on Wikimedia

Clubhouse was once a popular social media site but has seen a sharp drop in user interaction. Even though it was very popular in 2020 because it was private, and live audio conversations were fun, the app had difficulty keeping up with new rivals like Twitter Spaces and Facebook’s Live Audio Rooms. As people lost interest and the excitement wore off, Clubhouse’s user base shrunk significantly. This is why it is now a less popular social media platform.

12. Ello

Public domain on Wikimedia

Designed as the “Facebook killer,” Ello promises an ad-free platform for consumers focused on creativity. Although it generated a lot of buzz, its operations could not be sustained by a sufficient user base. Despite having a distinctive vision, Ello sank into oblivion after only a brief lifetime.