Here’s The Real Problem With Social Media

Recent reports suggest that social media has gone the way of death, decay, or even coma. It’s also swinging widely to the right, if you believe everything you read about Twitter.

And yet, something doesn’t feel right about these prognostications.

The real problem with social media is not that it’s limping along or dying. Actually, it’s quite the contrary. TikTok was 2022’s most popular app. BeReal saw a rapid rise from a mere 500,000 users to over 20,000,000 in just a few months. Twitter is growing, too.

Social media can be a problem. FragmentationInvestors and advertisers could face difficulties when it comes to monetizing these platforms. Social media is also evolving and growing, changing from a one-platform-fits-all mentality to something that is highly democratized, segmented, and age-specific.

This is where I have to be upfront. TikTok doesn’t really suit me. The app is popular, and I understand why. You can find some great people sharing amazing recipes. I just don’t gravitate to the “speak to the camera” aesthetic. I secretly love Instagram because I’m a total sucker for a well choreographed photo — especially if there is a sunset involved or food.

I’ve mentioned before that I’m more of a LinkedIn person. I love the business mindset. It’s not possible for me to pretend I’m a teenager who likes TikTiok, and that’s actually fine. We’ve lived in the deep hole of Facebook long enough. It’s time to get out.

In 2023, we’ll see a lot more democratization and segmentation. We will see more niche platforms emerge. Sorry Facebook and Twitter. Social media began as an advertising flytrap that could be used to reach everyone. Those apps emerged from the ashes of chat-boards and made a lot of sense…in 2010. The time that I set up a Facebook account was back in 2010. I can still recall how I laughed at it and then deleted it. It was the exact same with Twitter.

I created new accounts that have been around for a decade, but the “social media is for everyone and everything” concept started to fade out a few years ago. BeReal, TikTok and other social media platforms have shown that users want one. For them. BeReal is designed for those fed up with the influencer mentality, where you post only about the good moments. TikTok is for discovery and entertainment, and it’s designed for those who are dangerously close to narcissism. The beast is hungry, so it feeds him. However, scrolling through clips in short lengths isn’t for everyone. The same goes for authenticity.

But what’s the point?

Well, There is nothing. Social media has become obsolete. We use Twitter and Facebook, but they aren’t the only social media platforms we use. Although they may seem to be in decline or even dead, these social media options are still very popular. The concept of social connectivity is still viable, even though it is fragmented. What we’ll see in 2023 is the emergence of more and more niche apps in the social media space.

TikTok wasn’t the end of the story. Waiting in the wings are hundreds of new apps similar to BeReal that won’t appeal to everyone, but will appeal to Somebody. To your grandmother and aunt. To your teenagers. To all those who love Tom Brady.

You can only respond by joining the party.

Choose your preferred app. Select your side.

It’s here! It’s time to adjust.