"where are they going?" - the future of digital community

Where are they going?The future of digital community

@HamzaK @BaileyParnell

Just when we got comfortable…

What’s going on?Facebook usage:

2011: 82.2%2012: 52.89%

2013: 43%

In the news…

But was any of this real?

What is the industry saying?

What are the numbers saying?- Snapchat: 26 million users- Vine: 40 million users- Instagram: 200 million users- WhatsApp: 450 million users- Facebook: 1.23 billion users

- But while the rest increase…

- Facebook (2013-14):- 13-17 y/o’s: 25.3% decline- 18-24 y/o’s: 7.5% decline-

Total 59% decline since 2011

Most importantly, what are the teens saying?

There’s too much “drama”

“If you are on Facebook, you

see a lot of drama.”

“Yeah, that’s why we go to Twitter and

Instagram [instead of Facebook]. My mom doesn’t have that.”

“OK, here’s something I want to say. I think Facebook can be fun, but also it’s drama

central. On Facebook, people imply things and say things, even just by a like, that they

wouldn’t say in real life.”

It’s because [Facebook] it’s where people post unnecessary pictures and they say unnecessary things,

like saying he has a girlfriend, and a girl will go and tag him in the picture

like, me and him in the sun having fun. Why would you do that?”

They don’t feel free

“I have two [Facebook] accounts.

One for my family, one for my friends.”

“And so now I am basically dividing things up. Instagram is mostly for

pictures. Twitter is mostly for just sayin what you are thinking. Facebook is

both of them combined so you have to give a little bit of each. But yes, so

Instagram, I posted more pictures on Instagram than on Facebook. Twitter is

more natural.”

“I have a Facebook, a Tumblr, and Twitter. I don’t use Facebook or

Twitter much. I rather use Tumble to look for interesting stories. I like Tumble because I don’t have to

present a specific or false image of myself and I don’t have to interact

with people I don’t necessarily want to talk to.”

“I don’t go on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, I prefer like talking to people face-to-face. Like I don’t – I honestly

think that – I probably like only like talk to people that I’m

really close to…”

Instagram is “less social”

“I got mine [Facebook account] around sixth grade. And I was

really obsessed with it for a while. Then towards eighth grade, I kind of just – once you get into Twitter,

if you make a Twitter and an Instagram, then you’ll just kind of forget about Facebook, is what I

did.”

“Yeah, some of the people that follow me on Instagram that I don’t know, they’re just

really nice to me, and they always say nice things.”

“I feel like over Facebook, people can say whatever they want to. They can message you. And on Instagram you can delete the comment really easily, and you don’t have to live with it,

kind of. Whereas Facebook, if they say something mean, it hurts more. I don’t know

why it does. And also [Instagram] it’s not public, so people tend to not come off so mean.

Because all they really want is for people [to] like their photos.”

“I mean Instagram is just basically like

letting everybody else see what you’re

seeing”

“Friends convinced me to make a Twitter”

“A lot of friends convinced me to make

a Twitter. Because everyone’s saying Facebook’s dead.”

“I’m on Twitter more often, and it’s easier. I

mean Facebook is easy since I know how to do it, but Twitter is I think more

addictive.”

“Like, sometimes you just like express

your feelings [on Twitter]. Like you feel like yourself.”

“Facebook doesn’t have a limit to characters on it. So in Twitter, there’s only so much you can say. On Facebook, they say so many details of things that you

don’t want to know. You’d be like, are you serious? No one really

cares that much.”

Snapchat as a replacement for texting

“And it’s just kind of fun. Because it’s like texting, but you get to use your

face as the emoticon instead of an actual

emoticon.”

“[Snapchat] it’s really great. I have to admit, it’s better

because I could pick the most embarrassing photo, and know that they’ll [the recipient will]

see it for 10 seconds, and then I’m done.”

“And [Snapchat] it’s really fast like if you sent it over a text it

takes like tow minutes to load.”

“Well, because Facebook, everyone sees what I’m doing. But

Snapchat is just to one person, unless they’re a jerk and they screenshot it and post it on

Facebook. But mostly it’s just the person that you're ‘sending it to,

so it’s like a conversation.”

In sum…Where are they going?

Instagram

The Idea

"Our goal is to not just be a photo-sharing app, but to be the way you share your life when you're on the go”

Kevin Systrom Founder, Instagram

Why & How

• SimpleClean

• DailyReal-time

• NarrativeSelf-promotion

• Aesthetics“Everyone’s a photographer”

Unwritten Rules• Regram

#Regram @user is how you give credit to someone else’s post

• Latergram #Latergram for photos posted next calendar day or after

• Medium Specifying if the pic was taken with anything other than a mobile phone (i.e.

#DSLR)

Traditions• Throwbacks

Throwback Thursday #TBT Flashback Friday #FBF

• Birthdays For close friends and family

• Special Holidays Mothers/Fathers DayNational Sibling Day

• CrushesWoman Crush Wednesday #WCWMan Crush Monday #MCM

• Others #SundayFunday #TransformationTuesday #SorryNotSorry

Trends• #NoMakeUpSelfie

Women with no make up in support of breast cancer

• #SelfieOlympicsThe craziest possible selfies

• #100HappyDays Something that makes you happy every day

Why People Leave & Unfollow

Text / QuotesAdvertisements

Winners

UFC StarbucksTopshop

Best Practices

3 Reasons for a Like1. Caption is inspiring or funny2. Beautiful “photography”3. Relatable

Know Your Medium• No print ads, text or too many videos• Links don’t work on pictures• Separate long hashtags with capitals• Captions should compliment your picture, not repeat it• Don’t use #nofilter

Vine

The Idea

"We felt that video was on the brink of becoming this new medium that everyone would use, in the same way that photos had become that medium over the previous fifteen years… We wanted to get big fast, we wanted to get this out in the world and let people connect in this way. I think it worked out really well."

Colin KrollFounder, Vine

Why & How

• ImmediateTwitter with videos

•ComicalCan’t determine how people will use medium

•AddictingNot wasting time

Unwritten RulesBe funny or creative

Traditions• Do it for the Vine

Really crazy or obnoxious things for good reception

• CollaborationWorking with other Viners as much as possible

• Vine Meet-UpsMeet up in a location and help each other make Vines

TrendsSongs

• Let Me Take A Selfie – The Chainsmokers • Don’t Drop That Thun Thun Thun - Finatticz• Gas Pedal – Safe the Gemini• What Does the Fox Say – Ylvis• Do You Want to Build A Snowman – Frozen Soundtrack• Thrift Shop - Macklemore• A Thousand Miles – Vanessa Carelton

Why Would You Leave?

Longer Videos

Blatant Advertising

Winners

Etsy Samsung Urban Outfitters

Best Practices

• Too Much Content6 seconds

• Don’t Neglect SoundAV for a reason

• Informative – Funny – CreativeAt least 2

Snapchat

The Idea

“Snapchat is intended to counteract the trend of users being compelled to manage an idealized online identity of themselves, which has taken all of the fun out of communicating.”

Evan Spiegel Founder, Snapchat

Why & How

• Now! Now! Now!All about present

• Extremely PersonalEmbarrassing or questionable content

• New TextingTexting with pictures

Unwritten Rules

• Repetition Once is enough

• Screenshots Don’t

Traditions & Trends

None.• Disappear • Active friends

Why People Leave & Unfollow

•Advertising

•Lack of Immediacy Previously taken photos

Best Practices• Be Personal

• Be Human

• Use Features

• Unlearn Analytics

WinnersHBO Girls New Orleans Saints Taco Bell

Advice For All• Be ORIGINAL• Be CURRENT• Be HUMAN

In conclusion

Age of interruption is over

We are partially to blame

Don’t be “that” brand

“You can’t yell your way to winning.”

Seth Godin

@HamzaK@BaileyParnell