Platform vs Web Site

Over the past six years we’ve seen major developments around the world in online services and computing. Traditional web sites such as Google, Amazon and eBay have now transformed into multinational platforms offering more than just a site to use. All of the services I’ve just named still provide their main web site, but isn’t it about time we started referring to them as platforms rather than sites. In my opinion, it is.

You can do so much more than simply search with Google or buy with Amazon and eBay. I don’t see the naming and references changing any time soon, but this is a thought I’d like to see come to fruition. The traditional roots of each of these large platforms can never be forgotten but through their own research, development and improvements they’re providing excellent services for the rest of the world to use.

In the more recent history, Twitter and Facebook have provided platforms for people to develop with which in turn created a boom for both enterprises. Its nice to see Facebook referring to their infrastructure and service as a platform, rather than a site. Perhaps others can follow suit, but I doubt it.