What is the Future of Social Media?

More artificial intelligence integrations? A mass exodus from major platforms to niche apps? Device-dependence shifting to device-less technology?

Last week our Brand and Content Strategist, Jordan Cranch, sat down with other digital leaders in the community to discuss what lies ahead for likes, comments, shares and social at Red Stick FutureFest in Baton Rouge. So, what does she see happening?

Well, she can’t speak for cranial implants that project Twitter feeds into your cornea, but she has noticed the depletion of public trust towards the founding fathers of social – opting for wide open, message-board style communities that have yet to be aggressively infiltrated by advertisers and brands, like Reddit. Places where anonymity is sacred, anyone from anywhere could be the king or queen of the Internet for the day and the content you see isn’t limited by who you follow or who follows you. It’s up to us to figure out how we can integrate into those communities without sticking out like a sore thumb.

Well, what does that mean for the future of the marketing side of social media?

“I still believe visual storytelling isn’t going anywhere. Beautiful visuals – photo and video – are the foundation of successful content, but I am seeing that content migrate to other platforms like Reddit, where it can potentially be seen by significantly larger audiences.

It’s going to take some creativity to reach these growing communities. Places like Reddit are quick to spot a plant, but there are enough micro-interest groups on there that we can engage with based solely on the fact that their interests are in line with your product or service. That’s why we’ve recently seen so much success with ‘Ask Me Anything’-style efforts from celebrities, industry leaders and other pop culture figures. Talk with them, not at them and you can engage a crowd that is already curious and already likely to convert into a loyal fan and consumer.

More and more social media users are moving towards platforms where they can dive into their personal interests and we can and should absolutely take advantage of it in the most effective way we can.”

Do you think she is right? Where do you think social media is headed? Share your comments on our Facebook page.

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