Bebo launches Lifestream to tie-up social media conversations

by Sarah Crawley-Boevey, Brand Republic 16-Mar-09, 11:45

LONDON - Social networking site Bebo has launched a platform that will keep its users updated with any information they have registered to receive from anywhere on the web, including rival social media websites.

Dubbed the Lifestream platform, it will be available to users in six languages, and will feed Bebo members activity updates from other social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook and MySpace.

It comes as Bebo expands into France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands and incorporates a range of international entertainment and media channels into its Open Media platform.

From today Bebo, which has 22m unique users worldwide and is owned by AOL, will open its doors to established brands such as AlloCine, RTL's German video portal Clipfish, Telecom Italia's Yalp!, Diagonal View and Filmtrailer.

The publishers' deal with Bebo will allow users easy access to content in their own language

Nicole Vanderbilt, vice president international of Bebo, said: "The proven success of our platform in the UK and Ireland positions us well to expand into these dynamic continental European markets.

"The social networking audience is growing rapidly and our new sites will allow local users to connect with other users, entertainment and brands, both globally and locally.

"The richness of our experience lies in the user's ability to express him or herself and in the ability to connect to people, media and brands through the Lifestream and our Open Media Platform."

In order to increase viral opportunities for media owners and publishers Bebo has created a "Share on Bebo" link for publisher sites, allowing them to create a two-way conversation between their site and Bebo.

When a user signs up to that media content a status update will alert his entire network, so driving traffic back to the media owner or publisher.