Reality check: Imagining the future of social media
The future seems like an appropriate theme this week. You see, this ismy last “So Social.” After almost 11 years at the Tribune and about 4 writing the column, I’m off to a new adventure inNew York.
No one knows what the future holds. Doc Brown toldMarty that people shouldn’t knowtoo much about their destiny. True and true. But as social media continues to mature, making an informed guess about what to expectwon’t hurt anyone— and in fact, it can help you create a strategy, whether you are just trying to gain a few more followers or if your job depends on it.
So here’s howI see the social media landscape evolving.
You can’t escape live video. It isn’t new, but live video is the hottest thing in social media today. Your friends are doing it to share important events and, unfortunately, sometimes some pretty mundane things. Your favorite (and not-so-favorite) brands are doing it to find newways to creatively showcase their products. It’smost prevalent on Facebook, but Twitter is pushing video through both its feed and Periscope. My advice is not to shun it, but don’t force it either. If you have an opportunity to share a story using live video, give it a shot. The two big platforms noware Facebook Live and Twitter’s Periscope. Choose the one that feels right to you.
Don’t try to escape Snapchat. Ask someone to name the big three social networks now, and they might respond Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. I thinkwe’re really close to Snapchat replacing Twitter. An app that started mostly as a way for kids to trade silly selfies dressed up with text and emoji has turned into a much more mature communications platform where large companies are investing a lot of time and money. And besides all the practical stuff, it’s really fun.
Messaging apps. People are lookingway beyond Twitter, Facebook and Instagram when sharing content. Youmay have already seen sharing buttons for FacebookMessenger, WhatsApp and Slack. It’s funny because we just got through talking about howlive video isn’t new and nowwe’re talking about something that seems so much like the old days of instant messaging. Things are looking good for those of you still hanging on to those cassettes and eight-track tapes.
Virtual reality. You’re going to see the letters VR a lot over the next few years. And while I don’t thinkwe’re all going to go out and buy a virtual reality headset right away, eventually the price will come down enough that it will become mainstream. I think it’s definitely the future of video games, but there’s also a future for it in social media. Think about it: You followan airline nowon Twitter. What if, a few years from now, you could followan airline using a virtual reality app that could whisk you away to a destination from the comfort of your computer. It sounds far-fetched, but I believe it’s a matter of when, not if.