Brad Smith:
Virb is not an answer to those seeking a Facebook alternative or a better-looking MySpace. […] Our new mission is much more focused: The new Virb is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to build an elegantly simple website. That’s it.
I’ve had a Virb profile since the first beta. Granted, I’ve only updated it twice in the past three years. And all it does now is aggregate this site’s RSS feed, my Twitter stream, and my Flickr photostream.
But that is just the point as to why Brad, Ryan, and team are changing their business model. Instead of offering free profiles and working to build a social network, they’re re-directing to offer dirt-cheap websites and an all-in-one solution (build, design, publish, host).
Virb is a fantastic site with even more fantastic talent behind it. Building on the reputation of great design and a clean community of users they’ve built, this new direction is a smart move for them. (Best of luck, guys!)