What's next in Social Media?
In this blog I will explore where I feel where the future of social media is heading.
In amongst all the new online services that become available every single day we dont hear about too many new social media platforms? Why is this? There are the big 7 or 8 services out there and every now and then we get a Meerkat or Periscope but these platforms are yet to cement themselves firmly in the social media space.
There has been the odd attempt from a new kid on the block but they have not taken off and gained the required traction of adoption of users. Ello was the most recent attempt in mind and although it may have felt it had a unique proposition I dont think it really had much of a chance and nor do many others for the foreseeable future.
Why do I think this? Well lets look at Google + for a minute. What is not to like about it? Its visually stunning, it has an easy to use interface, the circles function is a great way of separating audiences and managing them. It also does not filter out what content is seen by brands or individuals, one of the biggest complaints about Facebook and its EdgeRank algorithm. There is also far less advertising on Google +. So why does it have less logins and traction than Facebook?
I believe its quite simply this. People have invested into Facebook, they have made all the connections, filtered out the ones they dont want, and uploaded their entire life in the form of photos. All of their social capital is right there in one place and is now the result of months if not years of hard work.
Why would they start again and do that all again on a new platform? Also its not guaranteed that all of their friends and family are likey to be on the platform.
So Google + may or may not be a superior platform, it actually doesn't matter if people don't use it.
With this is mind how does a new platform succeed and make a dent in the social space?
The answer is to do something completely different in my opinion. The reason Instagram worked was they went for the mobile only photo space. Sure they got purchased by Facebook but they got the users and offered something others didn't. Snapchat offered a solution to the privacy teenagers required where they could be sure whatever they posted was not going to haunt them or get them in trouble in years to come.
What will come next? Who knows at this moment in time. I think Periscope is a really interesting concept and will win that particular battle. However not everybody wants to be on camera.
I wonder if there might be an extension on the live streaming idea and people then creating Periscope type specific programming in a Big Brother type reality show. Family's or brands setting up live cameras around the home or workplace and streaming live 24/7 the good bad and the ugly? Why would anyone want to do or watch it? The same reasons people watched Big Brothers in the first place and all the reality shows that have since spun off.
So there is my take on the current state and the future of Social media. What do you think?
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
Author- Speaker - Consultant. Passionate about all things digital.