The future of social media
11/11/09 05:21 PM Filed in: Social
Media
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Linked In continue to evolve to meet users needs and all seem to have carved out a niche audience for their use. Twitter has grown rapidly but still has a long way to go before it becomes more main stream. On Facebook people are learning that once they post on Facebook their lives are an open book to their friends and potentially their coworkers. Meanwhile the buzz around Google's Wave continues via buzz on social media and some companies are finally learning what the word BLOG means.
What is so different about this channel and these platforms is that they are being driven not by the owners of designers but by consumers. Facebook has learned that some of the changes it wanted to implement were not welcome by its users and had to retract some features. Twitter is slowly adding new features but in this age of consumers users equal power and money.
I did read that one online agency is predicting more use of FLASH and I hope that's not true. When I come to a site that opens with FLASH my first instinct is to leave right away. Just give me the information I want and save the fancy look and feel for creative people who are out of touch with what people really want on the Internet.
I'm really surprised that so many people "don't get" social media. In this age we are more likely to befriend people who think like us than our next store neighbors so it was natural that the web would continue to link more and more people. What really drove social media though, in my opinion, is the current state of economics in this country. There are lot of people out there who want to be heard and social media gives them a voice and chance for others like them to say "right-on" which today is a Re-tweet.
The strength of social media is in the numbers of people using it but one has to wonder if there will come a time when some people are going to say "enough is enough, I don't want people knowing where I am and what I'm doing." I have to say that seeing a lot of people at a restaurant in LA texting or answering eMails is disheartening. I mean I am wired as well but leave it alone for just a while ha?
The great thing about the Internet is that it continues to evolve and as so it connects more and more people. Take the predictions with a grain of salt and if anyone says "I know where the web is headed" have another drink and change the subject.
