When Mark Zuckerberg and his coding friends launched Facebook from their Harvard University dormitory in 2004, they had a simple goal. The idea was to create a website to help people stay connected.
As the social media platform prepares to celebrate its 20th anniversary next month, a quick look at its timeline reveals the milestones it has achieved in delivering on that promise. From pokes and likes to Messenger and Marketplace, there's no shortage of innovative tools and features designed to connect our 2 billion-strong community.
This penchant for community clearly struck a chord with the brains behind the future of social media. Twitter and TikTok built their reputations on connections. Platforms like BeReal take this a step further, leveraging human engagement and influence as bargaining chips for differentiation.
Over the past two decades, social media has become ingrained in our daily lives, and daily social connections have become a hybrid experience, both online and offline. Social media platforms have become a marketing gold mine for advertisers due to their accessibility and flexibility, but success is not guaranteed unless you truly understand how to make and leverage connections that extend beyond the scroll. yeah. What content creators need to achieve is what we coined the term “True Human Influence.”
If we accept that Facebook is a pioneer in the social space and a disruptor in the digital advertising world, what can we learn from this successful platform?
be authentic
Reliability has traditionally been the golden ticket to increasing sales and profits. Therefore, it is no wonder that more than 70% of consumers admit that they spend more money on authentic brands. This trend became even more pronounced last year, with Merriam-Webster awarding “Authenticity” as its 2023 word of the year. But social media is trying this out.
In recent years, the stock price of inauthentic content has risen rapidly, creating a challenge for consumers. I mean, how can you tell what's real and what's fake? AI is furthering this challenge with AI-powered influencers emerging with increasing frequency. AI model Aitana Lopez may be nothing more than a collection of ones and zeros, but she's still amassed more than 200,000 followers on Instagram. Her H&M campaign featuring Kuki, another of her AI chatbots, reached 11 times more people compared to traditional ads, leading to an argument for integrating these into advertising strategies. there was.
On the surface, virtual influencers can be a key driver of immediate success, with the added bonus of expanding the reach of your campaigns and giving you more control over your brand. However, our partnership with creators is not based on increasing the number of clicks for our campaigns. These are powerful alliances that leverage their unique personalities and voices to create emotional connections and foster a sense of intimacy with their communities. Remember, genuine human influence that leaves an impression beyond social feeds is the key to driving purchase intent.
This is where real human influencers come into their own. Rather than ignoring content creators as costly, advertisers need to see them as industry disruptors in their own right and devise ways to enable them to operate in harmony with emerging technologies. Across the advertising industry, AI could truly be the ultimate enabler.
Same but different?
Facebook's time at the top of the social pyramid has been marked by constant innovation, ensuring it remains responsive to evolving social and cultural demands. And this speed and agility is especially noted by its closest rivals.
TikTok has 1.7 billion active users, second only to Facebook, and is projected to reach 2.1 billion by 2025. However, this successful platform has some unique challenges to overcome as it matures in 2024.
TikTok has made a name for itself as a home for groundbreaking content and user-friendly discovery. Amidst a pandemic, we've all been looking for fun, connection and community. But brands are likely to put even more pressure on platforms and their influencers to increase conversion rates this year, as this year's influencer marketing ad spend is likely to exceed his $1.3 billion mark. .
Until now, TikTok has walked a tightrope between providing an enjoyable user experience and monetization, giving creators the freedom to play and innovate. Therefore, as spending reaches record highs, it is important to strike the right balance and avoid succumbing to ensitting and platform decline.
These questions don't just apply to TikTok itself. The impact extends to creators who have built platforms based on their individuality. There's no doubt that following an algorithmic formula will help creators appear on more screens, but what's important is creativity that catches the eye of advertisers and customers alike.
It's time for a status update
As Facebook prepares to roll out balloons on its own timeline, it's hard not to feel nostalgic. After all, this platform has become the center of our daily life for his 20 years. But despite all the shiny new toys, one element that remains central to Facebook's social strategy is its ability to prioritize authentic human connections.
Facebook's commitment to connection, and the commitment of all social media platforms, will be tested in 2024 and beyond. The rise of AI, combined with the proliferation of apps and alternatives, casts further doubt on advertisers’ social plans. But if you want to continue riding the wave, investing in community building and cultivating positive relationships with influencers is the perfect stepping stone.
Ben Jeffries is CEO and co-founder of Influencer
Image credit: GettyImages/Matt Cardy
