As the web and social media fractures a bit, it feels like two distinct futures of social media are unfolding—two entirely different ways to participate socially online.
On the one hand, you have mega platforms, like Instagram, X, and TikTok—those that are now focused on viral entertainment. On the other, you have personal blogging, the fediverse, and small niche communities—those that are focused on personal community.
Here’s how I think they line up:
Viral entertainment
- Happens primarily on large, centralized platforms
- Feed is algorithmically generated
- “Being social” mostly means commenting on current events or participating in popular trends
- Success is defined by views and follower count
- Must constantly feed the content beast to remain “relevant” in the eyes of the algorithm
- Constant concern on how to satisfy the algorithm to increase views
- Virality is an admired trait
- Platform success is focused on capturing user attention and usage
- Views matter more than comments
- Sharing opinions and memes
- Competes with watching TV
- Is free because they monetize your participation to sell ads
- Discovery is easy because its done for you, whether you want it or not
- Feels like Times Square, with its loud and frenetic hustle and bustle
- By design, far more users are consumers rather than creators
- Brands, not people
- A focus on followers, not friends
- Online relationships are wide, but not deep
- Provides a strong dose of ads and shopping
Personal community
- Decentralized, happens primarily on smaller networks
- “Being social” mostly means having authentic conversations and developing trusted relationships
- Success is better defined by the network of relationships you create rather than follower/views count
- Vulnerability is an admired trait
- Constant concern over how to increase community engagement
- Sharing personal stories
- Comments matter more than views
- Competes with spending time with your friends in person
- Costs money because no one is monetizing your participation
- Discovery is harder because it’s all left up to you
- Feels like the English countryside, a quiet stroll to the small neighborhood pub
- By necessity, nearly everyone is a creator
- People, not brands
- A focus on friends, not followers
- Online relationships are deep, but not wide
- Provides a strong dose of diy tech jargon around building your own stuff
Choose your future
I think both models are here to stay.
One model leverages the lottery ticket promise of virality to capture user-generated content to entertain the masses. It claims the zeitgeist of online culture, insomuch as one can exist in an algorithmically-personalized feed.
The other model requires personal sharing and discovery to build what resembles “local” communities, but ones connected by wifi instead of geography. It claims true friendships, insomuch as those can exist solely via posts and comments.
It’s up to you to choose the platform that matches how you want to engage with others online.