In ten years, I think the realm of social media will go one of two ways.
- It will all be different. Ten years ago, Myspace was the coolest thing known to mankind. Now, it’s gone. Today, Facebook is king. It has incredible features and can reach a wide range of people. Users span from age 8-100 and there are 1.71 billion users worldwide. 72% of internet users have a Facebook account. With such a strong following it’s hard to imagine a time when Facebook falls off the face of the earth. But it won’t be just Facebook. Get ready to say goodbye to Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. Perhaps, ten years from now teens will look up what the word “tweet” means, just like they look up “VHS” today.
- It will be stronger than ever. Technology like cell phones and computers become outdated quickly, but for flexible programs such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., they can constantly innovate and create new features that work well with each new generation. Look back at the VERY beginning of Facebook. Think the 2010 movie “The Social Network”. Facebook began as a website with a completely different purpose. By tweaking the software just a little at a time, they can keep the program recognizable while also innovating and making it better. There have been a lot of changes since its creation in 2004. (Click here if you want to reminisce about Bumper Stickers, SuperPoke, and Food Fight.) Although change is hard, we get over it and move on.
Who knows what social media will be like in the future – whether it’s accompanied by holograms, wearable technology or virtual reality glasses. That’s why it is important for agencies to keep up with the newest forms of social media (like all the platforms below!) in order to provide the best in social media marketing to clients. It will grow and become more interactive, available, and probably creepier, but it will always hold a place in my heart. It will only get better from here.
