On Yahoo!, Tumblr, and Planks
One plank does not a platform make, but this move makes sense.
It appears as if Yahoo! is going pony up more than $1 billion for Tumblrβand the move has platform written all over it.
A hefty price to pay? You betcha, but it's a move that makes sense for Marissa Mayer et al.
Think about it. At present, there's no way for consumers to take Yahoo! in different directions. There are no Yahoo! proper apps (read: Android, iOS, and Facebook). You really can't create your own content on Yahoo! (read: Amazon, iTunes, Facebook, even Google Plus).
To be sure, Mayer still has her work cut out for her. One plank does not a platform make. It's obvious to me, though, that she's looked at the successful strategies of platform companies like the Gang of Four, Twitter, and others.
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