4 TRUTHS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Writing this article as both the 'YouTuber' & social media 'influencer' BeerBiceps and the co-founder of Monk Entertainment, a social media company (Talent management, content marketing, PR, amongst a host of other services)

With the TikTok ban coming through along with the COVID-19 lockdown... India has entered an exciting but slightly unpredictable phase for social media.

Numbers have gone up & the future is promising. In order to make the most of the future, know these likely probabilities.

Here's how I think things will pan out over the coming decade.

1. Ecosystems are everything.

Ecosystems are everything, but never place all your eggs in one basket. Any TikTok star who was guided right, created a presence on YouTube and/or Instagram along with TikTok. 

This is a golden rule of social media. Spread your resources wide.

You will also witness the rise & fall of many platforms over the coming years. Be on the lookout for platforms that have a rising stock. You may benefit from their rise if you act on time.

But above all, invest your energies in Instagram. I feel it's become the undisputed champion of social media platforms now. Along with instagram, create your brand on YouTube (if you are going to be creating videos) or LinkedIn/twitter (If you're going to be creating written content)

The vacuum created by TikTok's absence is also an opportunity for other 'short-video' apps to rise and dominate the REGIONAL Indian market. Be on the lookout for home grown apps that are making a mark. But REMEMBER - Instagram is used by ALMOST EVERYONE. Make your mark here first.

2. Content is becoming shorter or extremely long or extremely stunning. 

A lot of young creators believe that EVERYTHING you could possibly create on social media has already been created. While that isn't entirely true, the statement does contain some truth.

As the years have gone by, people have already learnt what they had to & watched all kinds of funny/inspirational videos. But that doesn't mean you can't reinvent the game.

According to me, content will be divided into 3 broad categories going forward :-

i. Short content : Maximum information/laughs/wow-factors in minimum time. That's exactly why short video platforms like TikTok took off in the first place. Attention spans have gone down over time. The future is primarily SHORT.

ii. Extremely LONG content : Here's the other end of the spectrum. An audience that knows EXACTLY what it wants from its creator. This is why podcasts are also considered to be a big part of the future. Long form content may never get the massive numbers, but it will get the most dedicated fan bases. Which is pure power in this world. If you have enough information or 'contacts' to share with the world, get into the world of PODCASTING & IN-DEPTH ARTICLES.

iii. Stunning content : The only way that videos between 1 minute and 15 minutes will survive going forward. By having something VERY watchable within the video. Either great editing, great aesthetics or great storytelling that keeps you gripped. The hardest game, but can be the best from a money-making perspective. This is the future of YouTube & IGTV, according to me.

3. Value adds everywhere. 

For the creators, here's your new golden rule: Take minimum time from your viewer, give maximum value in return.

Attention is MONEY on social media. If someone is giving you their attention on your content, make sure it's worth their time. 

ANY piece of content you put out, be it roasting or a QnA or a vlog, MUST :-

i. Teach the viewer something

ii. Entertain the viewer in a way that they haven't been entertained before.

iii. Must inspire the viewer in some aspect.

iv. Must change their world view slightly.

This is also why roasting videos do better than simple comedy videos on YouTube nowadays.

Roasting informs the viewers about the subject being roasted OR it exposes the viewers to the FRESH (but intense) perspective of the roaster. While old comedy videos were just narratives, roasts are like 'studies' on the subjects being roasted.

When creating content, don't just create what you'd like to watch. Create what the world would like to watch. Eventually you'll figure a way to blend the two ideas. 

But first, learn how to ADD value to their lives every time your content interacts with them. 

Following this rule is the easiest way to survive.

4. Human & Non-Human Communication Skills 

Videos (or voiceovers) are the future. This is what you need to be a better video creator : Good storytelling, gripping writing, memorable presentation.

The same communication skills that you were told are important for your career... they're doubly important in this career. With people's attention spans becoming shorter, try being the person who can capture people's attention for long. For that, be a GREAT speaker/writer. Both are skills that can be learnt and practiced to perfection.

But what's 'non-human' communication skills? It's all the extra stuff that you may not think is important. For example, editing skills or knowing how important sound quality is for the video experience. These go a long way in retaining people's attention. And you only learn these when you take a deep dive into video creation theory and practicals.

This also applies to writing articles (the other future growth hack). 

For example, short sentences or certain font styles or appropriate use of paragraphs helps in retaining attention.

So the key to be noted is that just like any craft, even this craft requires a certain level of theoretical knowledge backed by practical experience.

The key - Begin studying AND DOING. Tweak as you go forward. While there is a tonne of things you should know about this world before starting out... know this one thing above all :-

START NOW. And keep going. Quantity, especially in the beginning... IS KEY. Quality will follow as you learn more. Just be consistent.