Once a unified space for mass communication, social media has splintered into niche communities and personalized experiences, reshaping how users engage and how brands must respond.
Once a unified space for mass communication, social media has splintered into niche communities and personalized experiences, reshaping how users engage and how brands must respond.
Social media overexposure led to a "trend" of declaring these platforms dead. Nothing could be further from the truth. Just as one trend appears, it fades, and a new one takes its place. The cycle becomes an endless spiral. Content evolution leads to new places.
Traditional platforms (like Facebook, Instagram, and X) have experienced excessive openness. The backfiring of this decision resulted in the failure of their goal of bringing people closer. The wave of oversharing intimate moments burst. People decided to be more selective and careful with what they publish. There's no need to share every step. Intentions are returning to an old-school form of interaction—distrustful and less algorithmic—yet still utilizing social media. This new way of using networks can be called fragmentation.
The Fragmentation of Social Media
Users are trending towards consuming content based on their preferences, habits, and the ease of accessing various platforms across multiple devices. The search is more specialized. It is tailored to specific tastes, interests, ages, and content types. Users desire more control over who sees their content. They also want less noise from uninterested individuals.
More content creators are causing audience fragmentation. People select the platform that best fits their needs. This shift was observed from public timelines (where posts were accessible to anyone) to private groups (Facebook or WhatsApp), where participation was restricted to members only. It includes Discord servers, which are online chat rooms where people with similar interests, like hobbies, series, or video games, can chat. It also includes closed community forums, where participation is by invitation or approval, ensuring security and exclusivity. Private messages are also becoming more popular.
This specialization of networks finds reflection in platforms like BeReal (one daily photo without filters or perfection, at a specific time), Mastodon (similar to X, but for independent, smaller communities), and Geneva (a group chat). Patreon (creators connect with followers) and Substack Notes (writers and readers have deeper conversations on specific topics), among others. Regarding content formats and interests, growing ecosystems include TikTok (short, viral video creation), Letterboxd (ideal for cinephiles), Goodreads (ideal for reading enthusiasts), and Reddit (with numerous thematic communities in its sub-divisions), to highlight a few.
What This Means for Publishers and Brands?
Achieving immediate mass impact is now more complex. However, thanks to carefully crafted content and messages, interaction with specific segments is more possible than ever. This content cultivates a space where your audience can interact, identify with, and connect to your brand or medium.
Publishers and brands will have to explore vertical platforms (like Letterboxd or Goodreads) and private communities to find their specific audiences. Instead of aiming for visibility for everyone, the focus must shift. It should be relevant to a "few."
How to Stay Ahead?
It's important to stop doing what isn't working and start a new plan. Assess your time and resource allocation, and which platforms yield real results (ROI). Also, evaluate community health by looking at the quality of comments and track brand awareness through mentions and positive or negative feelings expressed. Finally, link social efforts to business outcomes. Do this by analyzing traffic, email list growth, and direct sales/conversions.
In terms of content, it can serve as valuable raw material, adaptable to each platform. The goal is to meet the audience's expectations. This task could involve collaborating with specialized creators or influencers who already have loyal audiences. They will help reach the target audience authentically.
Stability and a stronger connection with the audience can be achieved by investing in owned channels like newsletters, your own website, podcasts, and private communities.
The New Normal
The fragmentation of social media isn't a problem that can be solved; it's the new, unstoppable dynamic that must be embraced by all. In this constantly evolving landscape, the brands and publishers that truly thrive are those that diversify intelligently and make shrewd decisions.
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