iPhone app iPad app Android phone app Android tablet app More

Featuring fresh takes and real-time analysis from HuffPost's signature lineup of contributors
Hot on the Blog
Tracy MorganDr. Peggy DrexlerJosh SilverSen. Kirsten Gillibrand
Phil Simon

Author, 'The Age of the Platform: How Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google Have Redefined Business'

GET UPDATES FROM Phil Simon
 

Company Building in the Age of the Platform: 8 Lessons From Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google

Posted: 12/12/11 03:05 PM ET
Amazing
 Inspiring
 Funny
 Scary
 Hot
 Crazy
 Important
 Weird

We have entered a new age -- the Age of the Platform. Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google (a.k.a. the 'Gang of Four') have done nothing less than pioneer a fundamentally new way of doing business. By engaging users, consumers, and partners in entirely new ways -- and by continually reinventing themselves -- they influence billions of humans on the planet, every minute of every day. That's the power of the platform.

So, how can you build a platform for your business? Here are some tips:

Defining The Terms: Just What Is a Platform, Anyway?
1  of  9
PLAY
FULLSCREEN
ZOOM
SHARE THIS SLIDE 
Before answering that lofty question, let's get two key terms straight. The word platform has become a buzzword, often misused by pundits, thought leaders and media types. Planks are integrated features, services, or offerings of a business. A platform consists of a series of integrated planks. For instance, the iPad isn't a platform; it's merely one plank in Apple's platform -- and a really profitable one. The Google platform consists of Gmail, Maps, search, Docs, YouTube and a bevy of other planks.

In the age of the platform, every business stands to benefit from developing its own
platform, planks, and ecosystem of users, customers, partners and communities.

(Pictured above: Sundar Pichai, Google's VP for Product Management, presents in San Francisco, Dec. 7th, 2010)
MORE SLIDESHOWS NEXT >   |   < PREV
RATE IT!   |  
VOTE
Duh
Wise words
CURRENT TOP 5 PICK YOUR OWN TOP 5
USERS WHO VOTED
NEW! CREATE YOUR OWN SLIDESHOW

 
 
 

Follow Phil Simon on Twitter: www.twitter.com/philsimon

We have entered a new age -- the Age of the Platform. Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google (a.k.a. the 'Gang of Four') have done nothing less than pioneer a fundamentally new way of doing business. By ...
We have entered a new age -- the Age of the Platform. Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google (a.k.a. the 'Gang of Four') have done nothing less than pioneer a fundamentally new way of doing business. By ...
 
 
  • Comments
  • 2
  • Pending Comments
  • 0
  • View FAQ
Comments are closed for this entry
View All
Recency  | 
Popularity
NewsCoffee
3 Fans
04:44 PM on 12/14/2011
While there are other big platforms out there like Twitter and Microsoft, the point remains that if you want to dominate an industry you have to create some platform that others depend on. Look at Apple: you can't even get on the App Store without their blessing. Look at Facebook, companies are so hyped up to get more Facebook fans that their are dozens of companies listed at http://www.buyfacebookfansreviews.com that do nothing other than this kind of promotion. Look at Amazon, they control the web services and backend for some really, really big companies. This what big companies try and position themselves to do. If you're looking at a stock and want to analyze it, always look for whether or not they depend on platforms, or if they're the platform that others depend on.
Permalink  |
photo
BrandedBusiness
50 Fans
 
04:05 PM on 12/13/2011
This article was awesome to get some ideas on how to optimize our own platform. It isn't easy being a start up but seeing that the "Big 4" were once too and that it takes some learning and evolving to find the right mix is encouraging.

www.brandedbusinessapps.com
Permalink  |