Pondering Facebook's Future, Zuckerberg More 'Excited' By Messaging Than Photos

'There are only so many photos you're going to want to share with friends,' the CEO said during an earnings call. 'There's just a lot more people want to express.'

learn more about Geoff Weiss

By Geoff Weiss

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

For what purposes, precisely, do users typically turn to Facebook? A birthday greeting for an erstwhile friend? A photo album of high-octane shots from a drunken night out? Status updates, viral videos, promotional business efforts?

But the future of the social network, according to CEO Mark Zuckerberg, may lie entirely elsewhere.

In an earnings call discussing the company's second-quarter results, Zuckerberg pointed to a somewhat unexpected Facebook facility as being key to its future: Messaging.

Related: Facebook Pilots 'Buy' Button as Twitter Snaps Up Payments Startup CardSpring

"I'm so excited about messaging," he said. "There are only so many photos you're going to want to share with friends -- there's just a lot more people want to express."

And recent actions would seem to indicate that messaging is top of mind. After making its biggest acquisition ever of mobile messaging platform WhatsApp, the company is also toying with Slingshot -- an ephemeral messaging app not unlike Snapchat. The company also released its own standalone Messenger app in 2011.

But perhaps Zuckerberg's vision for the future of messaging is less about expression than it is about cold hard cash. During the call, he confirmed that the company's Payments subsidiary and Messenger tool will eventually "overlap."

Related: Facebook Adds Tap-and-Hold Video Recording Feature to Messenger App

The fact that Facebook poached David Marcus, the former president of PayPal, to run its messaging products last month would also seem to point to this eventuality.

Either way, Wall Street is collectively rejoicing at the network's latest earnings report, in which pivotal mobile ad revenues posted soaring growth of 151 percent, comprising 62 percent of total ad revenues -- news of which sent Facebook shares to an all-time high.

The company, which says it currently has 1.32 billion monthly users, is now valued at $190 billion.

Related: U.K. to Investigate Facebook's 'Poorly Communicated' Psych Experiment

Geoff Weiss

Former Staff Writer

Geoff Weiss is a former staff writer at Entrepreneur.com.

Related Topics

Editor's Pick

Everyone Wants to Get Close to Their Favorite Artist. Here's the Technology Making It a Reality — But Better.
The Highest-Paid, Highest-Profile People in Every Field Know This Communication Strategy
After Early Rejection From Publishers, This Author Self-Published Her Book and Sold More Than 500,000 Copies. Here's How She Did It.
Having Trouble Speaking Up in Meetings? Try This Strategy.
He Names Brands for Amazon, Meta and Forever 21, and Says This Is the Big Blank Space in the Naming Game
Thought Leaders

The Collapse of Credit Suisse: A Cautionary Tale of Resistance to Hybrid Work

This cautionary tale serves as a reminder for business leaders to adapt to the changing world of work and prioritize their workforce's needs and preferences.

Green Entrepreneur

A Massive Hole In the Sun May Cause Dazzling Light Show Here On Earth

NASA says the coronal hole could blast the Earth with solar winds as early as Friday. What does this mean?

Business News

These Are the Most and Least Affordable Places to Retire in The U.S.

The Northeast and West Coast are the least affordable, while areas in the Mountain State region tend to be ideal for retirees on a budget.

Business News

The 'Airbnbust' Proves the Wild West Days of Online Vacation Rentals Are Over

Airbnb recently reported that 2022 was its first profitable year ever. But the deluge of new listings foreshadowed an inevitable correction.

Leadership

'Bare Minimum Mondays' Could Mean Productivity 'Hell' for the Rest of the Week, Expert Warns — Here's How to Prevent It

Executive coach and Merging Path CEO Brooks E. Scott reveals what employers should do to stop burnout before it starts.