Social media channels are placing less value on conversation. Blue ticks, algorithms and interwoven adverts are killing Twitter. LinkedIn is often seen as a walled garden where users have to pay just to look over their neighbour’s fence. Facebook has always seemed less than the value of its parts. But Twitter has lost value since it became a revenue-chasing corporation.
There’s generally a lot less conversation since the early days of social media. This makes social platforms less valuable, not only for general users but for brands too. The average user is less likely to join a conversation started by a brand. They’re more likely to comment about things that touch their lives and their emotions.
Brands are more than logos. They’re groups of people who deliver a brand experience. To deliver that experience they need to be well-known and appreciated. If not they die.
Problems happen if a brand jumps into a conversation without thought and attention. And if they start their own conversation they risk indifference.
The wonder of you
For brands the problem with social platforms is they’re not only built around you. ‘The wonder of you’ really doesn’t play well. People will ignore great content if they can’t find it. Relevant and engaging social media needs to be based around conversations. That’s what makes it hard.
It’s easier to post your thoughts and promotions than deal with the thoughts and reactions of others. We’ve all been guilty of this at some time. But when the wonder of you doesn’t work you still have time to change.
Social media companies place extra value on accounts with lots of likes and followers. This is a symptom of a celebrity culture. You shouldn’t need to be rich and famous to create a valuable voice on social channels.
All voices should be equal. If not then the conversation can change. There’s still time to start a new conversation and to build and evolve new platforms. For social media this is just the beginning.
Eugene Burns
